Transportation's Role in Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions ...

Transportation’s Role in Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Volume 2
reduce overall vehicle and driver operating costs by $800 million, accounting for nearly
twice the permit price (if the price is set to recover infrastructure maintenance costs).
Allowing heavier containers will reduce overall vehicle and driver operating costs by $174
million, offsetting only half of the permit cost for heavy container trucks. If truck owners
are responsible for permitting costs, then shipping heavy containers will increase the cost
to shippers. However, shippers save $2.2 billion (above and beyond vehicle operating
costs) by shipping goods in heavier containers. Therefore the increased truck shipping
cost of $225 million will be covered in full plus the shipper will net nearly $2 billion in
savings (Cambridge Systematics, 2009).
Cobenefits
Cobenefits include cost savings to shippers (as described above, and which are partially
offset by increased infrastructure maintenance costs); as well as reductions in fuel
consumption and emissions, assuming that policies are implemented in such a way as to
minimize modal diversion from rail. Air pollutant emissions benefits have not been
comprehensively estimated. Heavy and long-combination trucks have most often been
opposed due to safety concerns; the existing research on this subject has not produced any
definitive findings to validate or invalidate these concerns (see sidebar, page 4-43).
Feasibility
Increased truck size and weight limits can be implemented through changes to Federal
policy. Past attempts at increasing these limits, however, have encountered strong
resistance because of the perception that having longer, heavier vehicles on the road is less
safe, especially in urban or hilly conditions. Study results are mixed but heavier and
longer trucks will not gain political footing unless conclusive safety evidence can be
developed. Safety concerns could potentially be alleviated through the widespread
implementation of truck-only lanes. It may only be possible to increase size and weight
limits on certain routes due to engineering issues (most bridges in the U.S. are only rated
for a maximum 91,000 lb. load). Further implementation of increased size and weight
limits also could face political resistance both from the rail industry, which will be
protective of its market share; and from truckers’ unions, who may be interested in
protecting jobs. It is possible, however, that conflicts with the rail industry can be avoided
by expanding truck size and weight regulations in noncompetitive markets.
Urban Consolidation Centers
Description
Urban consolidation centers (UCC) are freight facilities where deliveries (retail, office, or
residential) can be consolidated for subsequent delivery into the urban area in a lowemissions,
efficient, appropriately sized vehicle with a high level of load utilization.
UCCs have two linked objectives: first, to reduce or eliminate the number of large trucks
operating on urban streets; and second, to avoid the need for vehicles to deliver partial
loads into urban centers. The center can be developed outside a city center, an airport, or
another appropriate location with either private or public support. While the UCC
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