National oll claims Americans don't like heavy trucks.

[Apostolic]

Public Citizen: New National Poll Shows Americans Dislike Larger, Heavier Trucks on U.S. Highways

Well gee wiz how do these truck haters think they are going to get all of their consumers goods delivered to their favorite stores?

How about this we truckers don't like 4 wheelers clogging up our nations highways,and causing most of the crashes.

[RedRollingRoadblock]

Originally Posted by Apostolic

Public Citizen: New National Poll Shows Americans Dislike Larger, Heavier Trucks on U.S. Highways

Well gee wiz how do these truck haters think they are going to get all of their consumers goods delivered to their favorite stores?

How about this we truckers don't like 4 wheelers clogging up our nations highways,and causing most of the crashes.

More than 80 percent believe that trucks pulling two or three trailers are not as safe as single-trailer trucks.

Wish I could find the statistics. I know this is wrong. (Every night I see at least three doubles/triples piled up and the BBR are all going the speed limit and are upright.)

McGovern added: “Larger trucks are not safer trucks. And they aren’t ‘greener’ trucks, either.

American Transport Research Institute (ATRI) just did a study on this issue and shows him wrong. ATRI Research Results


Last year's tragic bridge collapse in Minneapolis demonstrated how fragile our already-deficient bridges and roads are, and we should not be putting even heavier trucks on them.

Agreed. Not until they are deemed worthy.

Anything Joan Claybrook says is doubtful. Some of us remember the "121 brakes" that she and her idiots dreamed up while she was in charge of the DOT. Bottom line is the survey always agree with whomever is paying for it.

[Lurchgs]

Originally Posted by RedRollingRoadblock

More than 80 percent believe that trucks pulling two or three trailers are not as safe as single-trailer trucks.

Wish I could find the statistics. I know this is wrong. (Every night I see at least three doubles/triples piled up and the BBR are all going the speed limit and are upright.)

Hrm..it would seem to be self-evident that wiggles are more dangerous than single-trailer rigs. I know a 3-trailer wiggle is more than 3 times as likely to roll than a single 45 ft trailer rig.

McGovern added: “Larger trucks are not safer trucks. And they aren’t ‘greener’ trucks, either.

American Transport Research Institute (ATRI) just did a study on this issue and shows him wrong. ATRI Research Results

So, by their reasoning, trains aren't greener, either. Duh.

Last year's tragic bridge collapse in Minneapolis demonstrated how fragile our already-deficient bridges and roads are, and we should not be putting even heavier trucks on them.

Agreed. Not until they are deemed worthy.

They'd do better to lower the speed limit on these "fragile" bridges - mass times velocity = momentum. When you hit a pothole or some other irregularity in the surface, momentum is transfered between objects. Bridge gains some, vehicle (not just trucks) lose some.

Vehicle deals with loss of momentum by expending energy to regain momentum. Bridge deals with increase of momentum by transfering it to the earth below - via abutments and support structures.

Smack a tree often enough with a hammer, it WILL fall over.

Anything Joan Claybrook says is doubtful. Some of us remember the "121 brakes" that she and her idiots dreamed up while she was in charge of the DOT. Bottom line is the survey always agree with whomever is paying for it.

Fortunately, (it seems) I wasn't in trucking for 121 brakes.. I gotta go look that up. Anything like the proposed rule for big honkin' disc brakes on tractors - supposed to come into effect this summer?

As for the poll - yeah. Until you can see the raw data (including the questions asked), NEVER believe anything a pollster (or statistician) says.

[RedRollingRoadblock]

Originally Posted by Lurchgs

Hrm..it would seem to be self-evident that wiggles are more dangerous than single-trailer rigs. I know a 3-trailer wiggle is more than 3 times as likely to roll than a single 45 ft trailer rig.

Yes that is correct. How ever the accident rate is lower. The common five axle rate is one per 1.8 million miles. Triples rate is about .8 per million miles. University Of Michigan Transport Studies has (or did) a lot of information on LCV and weight studies.

Fortunately, (it seems) I wasn't in trucking for 121 brakes.. I gotta go look that up. Anything like the proposed rule for big honkin' disc brakes on tractors - supposed to come into effect this summer?

The "121" brakes were a mandate for the anti-skid in the early-to-mid 1970's. Problem was the technology wasn't fully developed and they caused all kinds of problems.

One tractor that I drove had them (not on trailer) and it sometimes would release the brakes when going slow, like just before you would stop for a light or stop sign. Really woke you up when you approaching a car at the light and all of a sudden you would start to free wheel.

I also pulled a trailer that had the 121 brakes (not on tractor) and they would lock up in a heartbeat. Every time I stopped I would be looking to see which way the trailer was going. The ABS that we have now is great.

As as far as disk brake technology on trucks Europe has been using disks for years. I know some fleets tested them in the US in the late 1980 and early 1990's. It looks as though North America will go to a wider drum and long stroke brake chambers to meet the upcoming requirements.