Nebraska Panhandle News

U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts has introduced the Vehicle Axle Redistribution Increases Allow New Capacities for Efficiency (VARIANCE) Act, aiming to modify regulations for American truckers. The proposed legislation would permit a 10% axle variance for commercial motor vehicles transporting dry bulk goods. Senator Adam Schiff is co-leading this initiative in the Senate, with Representatives Rick Crawford and Salud Carbajal leading companion legislation in the House.

"This is common-sense policymaking," said Ricketts. "Allowing flexibility for truckers with naturally shifting goods will help improve efficiency and safety in Nebraska’s agriculture industry."

Schiff emphasized that the act provides "commonsense flexibility" to transportation and agriculture sectors, preventing higher costs due to current regulations.

The VARIANCE Act seeks to address issues arising from weight distribution during transport, which often causes trailers to exceed weight limits due to shifting cargo. Henry Hanscom of the American Trucking Associations supports this bipartisan solution, stating it prevents unfair penalties and promotes efficient freight movement.

Mike Seyfert from the National Grain and Feed Association noted that allowing modest axle weight variances supports efficient supply chains while maintaining safety standards. Peter Friedmann of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition highlighted domestic trucking's role in international supply chains and supported the act's potential impact on efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Ryan Streblow of National Tank Truck Carriers pointed out that enhancing weight distribution can increase payload efficiency without additional infrastructure wear. Richard Gupton from the Agricultural Retailers Association emphasized that this proposal addresses challenges posed by shifting dry bulk cargo during transport.

Corey Rosenbush of The Fertilizer Institute thanked lawmakers for their leadership on this issue, noting its importance for timely fertilizer delivery.

Nebraska's agricultural exports are significant, with over 1,600 dry bulk trucking companies operating nearly 18,000 drivers. Current laws limit maximum laden vehicle weights but do not account for uneven weight distribution caused by natural motion during transit. The VARIANCE Act proposes maintaining these limits while allowing some flexibility in how cargo is distributed across axles during transportation.