State Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Fla., introduced a bill within Florida to extend state truck weight limits to federal roads. According to Southerland, the bill, called the Right to Haul Act, provides relief to agriculture and forestry haulers who’ve been stifled by inconsistent state and federal truck weight regulations.
“Across north and northwest Florida, loggers and agriculture haulers have suffered significantly under a patchwork system of state and federal truck weight regulations,” Southerland says. “My legislation will standardize this system by recognizing each state’s right to determine the appropriate weight limit within its own boundary. This common-sense legislation will strengthen our local timber and agriculture industries to help grow jobs and create more efficient and successful operations.”
According to Southerland, each state currently sets its own weight limits for state roads while the federal government sets one standard weight limit for all federal roads. The Right to Haul Act would allow truck weight limits on federal roads to be raised to match that particular state’s weight limits for the purpose of hauling agricultural and forestry goods only.