Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today delivered remarks at a press conference opposing efforts in Congress to allow for longer trailer trucks on our roads.

The transportation funding bill for Fiscal Year 2016 currently contains a provision that requires states to allow trucks with two-33 foot trailers on their highways. Current federal law permits double 28-foot trailers. Feinstein offered a counter amendment on the Appropriations Committee, but the rider remains in the bill. 

“I can say without hesitation, that this is one of the worst proposals I’ve heard in my lifetime of service,” Feinstein said. “How can Congress pass a law allowing trucks longer than 90 feet when we know that shorter trucks already kill thousands of Americans every year?”

Feinstein continued: “When I asked the California Department of Transportation whether they support twin-33s, they said they do not support these trucks because of longer passing distances, difficulty merging and ramps, turn lanes and rest areas that simply are not able to support them.  Even our federal Department of Transportation asked Congress not to pass any law until they can fully study this issue.”

As the Appropriations Committee considered the change earlier this year, the Department of Transportation advised that there is not yet enough data to demonstrate the new twin 33-foot configuration would be safe. The Department explicitly asked that no changes be made until a safety study can be completed.

On the provision in the appropriations bill, Feinstein concluded: “It is one huge mistake.  And I, along with my colleagues, will do everything we can to prevent this from happening.”

Broadcast quality footage of the press conference can be found here.

The text of Feinstein’s full remarks is below:

“Well thanks very much Senator Wicker, and thank you for your leadership in this.

I think it’s really important because I think this means the loss of life.

And I want to thank my colleague, Dick Blumenthal, thank you so much. Great to be with you.

We stood over there, and we looked at what is more than an eight-story building on wheels. Ninety-one feet to be specific. There’s only one inch that could be different because of idiosyncrasies of the coupling.

And, I can say without hesitation, that this is one of the worst proposals I’ve heard in my lifetime of service, of public service.

How can Congress pass a law allowing trucks longer than 90 feet when we know that shorter trucks already kill thousands of Americans every year?

Data show that there are around 3,500 fatal injuries each year.

In 2013, nearly 4,000 people were killed. Seventy-one percent of those killed were in other vehicles, and 11 percent were bicyclists and pedestrians.

Yet Congress is considering, without any safety evaluation or study, allowing an even longer and more deadly chains of trucks on our highways.

We already know that twin 28-foot trucks have an 11 percent higher fatal rate than single trailer trucks. Longer trailers will mean even more deaths. 

We also know that that twin-33s would swing out four feet wider than twin-28s, and require 20 more feet to stop.

When I asked the California Department of Transportation whether they support twin-33s, they said they do not support these trucks because of longer passing distances, difficulty merging and ramps, turn lanes and rest areas that simply are not able to support them. 

Even our federal Department of Transportation asked Congress not to pass any law until they can fully study this issue.

Instead, this would be a rider on an appropriations bill, with no discussion on the Commerce Committee, no real discussion by the Appropriations Committee. 

It is one huge mistake.  And I, along with my colleagues, will do everything we can to prevent this from happening.”

###