Bigger trucks equal lighter wallets for owner-operators, OOIDA says

Increasing the size and weight of trucks is a losing proposition for small-business truckers, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association said.

The current weight limit is 80,000 pounds. In recent years, there have been efforts in Congress to increase the limit to 91,000 pounds. Mega fleets are expected to lobby for a truck size and weight increase to be included in the next highway bill.

OOIDA wrote to transportation leaders in the House and Senate in late August, relaying the concerns of its members.

“Increasing size and weight is all cost and no benefit for truckers,” OOIDA wrote in the letter signed by President Todd Spencer. “Proponents of weight increases portray these new limits as completely optional and maintain that carriers won’t have to haul at these weights if they don’t want to do so. But inevitably, the higher limits become the new standard as businesses and shippers seek out carriers that offer the increased capacity.”

And the transition would be costly and disruptive, OOIDA said. The cost for a small carrier to change an axle configuration to haul at 91,000 pounds would be about $13,000 per truck. Additionally, heavier weights increase wear and tear on the truck’s brakes, suspension and tires.

Considering all the factors, OOIDA told lawmakers that increasing the maximum truck weight would deliver a financial blow to small-business truckers.

“Unfortunately, previous weight and length configuration increases have demonstrated bigger trucks don’t lead to higher paychecks for professional drivers,” OOIDA wrote. “One of the nation’s largest retailers confirmed this when they said they would not increase pay for truckers hauling additional freight during a Transportation & Infrastructure Committee hearing this year.”

Opponents of a weight increase say that not only would it not help owner-operators, but it would damage the nation’s roads and bridges.

“Heavier trucks would also accelerate damage on our already-crumbling infrastructure, creating additional costs for truckers and the government,” OOIDA wrote. “Deteriorating infrastructure puts more wear and tear on truckers’ equipment, and they would face increased maintenance bills as rough roads and bridges damage their vehicles and trailers. Federal, state and local governments would also need to find additional money to repair roads at a time when there are already funding shortfalls.”

The American Society of Civil Engineers 2025 Report Card gave America’s Roads a D+ and its bridges a C.

The Coalition Against Bigger Trucks released a study earlier this year that said a weight increase would make the problem even worse. The study indicated that increasing the maximum truck weight to 91,000 pounds would place between 65,157 and 82,457 local bridges at risk. Even more, the study found that replacing those bridges would come with a price tag between $70.6 billion and $98.6 billion.

Kevan Stone, the executive director of the National Association of County Engineers, added that crumbling infrastructure is about more than money. It’s a safety issue.

“If you want to put heavier trucks on the roads and the bridges, you’re asking for some sort of catastrophe at some point,” Stone said.

Proponents are expected to propose multiple plans to increase truck size and weight, including pilot programs and exemptions for specific industries.

“Our opposition extends to proposals that would increase weight limits across the board, including ‘pilot’ programs that would allow states to opt-in, as well as industry-specific carveouts, such as HR1487 and HR2166, which would give special treatment for logging trucks,” OOIDA wrote. “Industry-specific proposals are problematic, because once one industry secures its carveout, there will inevitably be multiple new industries coming to Congress with their case for special treatment. In previous years, there have been proposals to increase limits for trucks hauling EVs and certain agricultural commodities, among other industries. Giving in to one industry will lead to new requests that will be difficult to turn down once a precedent has been set.”

During a House hearing in March, OOIDA, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the Truckload Carriers Association all spoke out against efforts to increase truck weights.

Cole Scandaglia, the Teamsters’ transportation policy advisor, said that increasing truck weights would create safety concerns and cause damage to the nation’s roads and bridges.

“Critically, the Teamsters adamantly oppose efforts to raise maximum allowable gross vehicle weight rating/gross vehicle weight,” Scandaglia said. “Simply put, these proposals threaten safety, increase wear and tear on our nation’s roads and add unnecessary operational difficulties for drivers.” LL