A new study funded by the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association Foundation documents how the lack of uniformity in state, county and municipal permitting requirements serves as a roadblock to the safe and efficient movement of oversize/overweight loads.
Evidence presented in Nonuniformity in Oversize/Overweight Load Permitting Practices demonstrates how carriers are challenged on a day-to-day basis with navigating through a maze of differences in permit administration, requirements and enforcement. Merely identifying who is responsible for permit administration, particularly at the county and municipal levels, can be a daunting task.
Because a 50-state process seemed overly broad in scope, the analysis focuses on permitting practices in the Midwest region of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. The 39-page report incorporates interviews with state permit officials, trucking industry representatives and permitting service agency representatives.
It also examines state regulations, a sample of 11 state oversize/overweight vehicle permits and related county and municipal permits, and an additional 12 individual state and local permits involving specific processing issues. Additionally, the report includes information from relevant research reports, papers, and other publications.
The study is available free of charge for Specialized Carrier & Rigging Association (SC&RA) members and $75 for nonmembers. To order, call (703) 698-0291 or visit the "SCRA Store" online.