Left lane truck rules advance, die at statehouses
Efforts to keep trucks out of the left lane are moving forward at statehouses while one pursuit has ended.
A Virginia bill halfway through the statehouse would require trucks to stay to the right on highways during winter storms.
The Senate Transportation Committee voted 10-5 to advance the bill that follows a winter storm last month that resulted in jammed traffic that left some travelers on Interstate 95 in Virginia stranded for more than 24 hours.
Senate Transportation Committee Chair Dave Marsden, D-Fairfax, said a crash involving multiple large trucks played a role in the backup along a 50-mile stretch of I-95 outside Washington, D.C. As a result, Marsden wants to keep trucks to the right when the weather turns bad.
Critics question the need for the truck lane restriction. They say a jackknifed truck in the right lane would still end up blocking multiple lanes of traffic.
Marsden’s bill, SB706, would require truck drivers traveling “in certain weather conditions” to stay to the right on any highway with two or more lanes in each direction. The rule would apply to trucks with a gross weight rating in excess of 26,000 pounds.
A revision made in committee specifies that trucks must abide by the rule “if reasonably possible and conditions safely permit” them to drive in the right-most lane of affected highways.
Additionally, truck drivers would be prohibited from using cruise control or compression engine brakes when driving in snow, sleet, or freezing rain, or other inclement cold precipitation.
A change made in committee would prohibit police from stopping trucks during winter weather to enforce the proposed rule covering use of engine brakes or cruise control.
SB706 awaits further consideration in the Senate.
OOIDA says the bill is pointless
Mike Matousek, OOIDA director of state legislative affairs, said the bill has been watered down to the point it is useless.
“I’m not sure what purpose it really serves,” Matousek said.
“It’s a bill on paper only. Out in the real world, there is no way to enforce it unless a truck is involved in an accident. At that point, enforcement could ticket the driver if they were actually in the wrong lane.”
New Mexico
In New Mexico, the Senate voted to 33-5 to advance a bill to keep trucks to the right on interstates.
State law already requires all vehicles to stay to the right. Certain exceptions apply.
Sponsored by Sen. George Munoz, D-Gallup, SB174 would set a rule to mandate that large trucks traveling on interstates outside of municipalities to stay in the right-hand lane.
Violators would face $200 fines.
Truckers could merge left in affected areas when overtaking another vehicle.
The bill has moved to the House Transportation, Public Works and Capital Improvements Committee. The committee is scheduled to discuss the bill on Tuesday, Feb. 15. Instruction is available for providing comment.
Missouri
Pursuit has ended at the Missouri statehouse to expand the state’s rule on left lane use for professional drivers.
State law prohibits trucks with a registered gross weight in excess of 24,000 pounds traveling in the Kansas City or St. Louis areas from driving in the far left lane of roadways with at least three lanes of traffic in each direction.
House Transportation Chairman Jeff Porter, R-Montgomery City, introduced a bill to remove language in statute that limits application to highways in the Kansas City and St. Louis areas. Instead, HB2084 called for making the rule applicable to any county in the state on roadways with at least three lanes of traffic in each direction.
OOIDA voices concern
Matousek met with the bill sponsor to convey the Association’s concern about the bill. Matousek said truck drivers are firsthand observers of the negative consequences of misguided traffic laws, and, while perhaps not intended, efforts to restrict trucks from certain lanes pose serious challenges for truckers and jeopardize the safety of the traveling public.
Porter has assured the Association the bill will not advance from committee. LL
More state trends
Keith Goble, state legislative editor for Land Line Media, keeps track of many trends among statehouses across the U.S. Here are some recent articles by him.
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