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Pete Marovich/Bloomberg News

State officials would be authorized to allow heavier commercial trucks on their roadways under legislation Rep. Reid Ribble (R-Wis.) introduced Sept. 10.

Under the “Safe, Flexible, and Efficient Trucking Act,” states would be able to choose to increase weight limits for trucks from 80,000 pounds — the standard weight limit for interstate highways — to 91,000 pounds.

The legislation also would authorize Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx to require such heavier vehicles to “include one item of additional equipment not otherwise required by law,” which would mean various safety features.

“For me, it’s not just about productivity, but it’s the increased safety that we get by having fewer trucks moving more product in a safer manner,” Ribble told reporters.

“What I do expect is for the U.S. competitiveness, particularly global competitiveness, to increase for businesses in Wisconsin, in particular, to be able to move product at a lower cost,” he added.

Ribble, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said he plans to offer his legislation as an amendment to whatever long-term highway bill the panel takes up this month. He said the panel plans to mark up a policy highway bill Sept. 17.

Offering his bill as an amendment would give the panel an opportunity to debate the issue, he said.

The committee’s chairman, Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), and several colleagues who represent rural districts are likely to support his proposal. Opposition is likely to come from Democrats representing densely populated districts, he added.

Ribble’s bill has the support from the Coalition for Transportation Productivity, a group of 200 of the nation’s leading manufacturers, shippers, carriers and allied associations. Members include the Fresh Produce Association, the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Idaho Grower Shippers Association.

“Truck travel has grown 22 times faster than road capacity since the federal weight limit was last changed in 1982,” said John Runyan, the coalition’s executive director. “Recognizing that more than 70% of freight must be shipped by truck, we need to confront the highway capacity crunch now if our country is to remain competitive.”

A recent DOT truck size and weight study concluded that 6-axle trucks are able to safely weigh up 91,000 pounds.

Several advocacy groups have opposed having heavier and longer vehicles on interstates.