WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, introduced an amendment to the fiscal year 2016 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill to modify Kansas’ truck length law for hauling custom harvesting equipment to improve efficiency in our nation’s agriculture and food production. The amendment passed with a majority vote.

“I am pleased the Senate Appropriations Committee acted today to modify Kansas’ truck length law for custom harvesters, which establishes uniformity in the law with our neighboring states,” Sen. Moran said. “During harvest, time is of the essence and the safe movement of equipment is critical to completing the harvest and getting grain and food to market. 

This provision is a narrow exemption for custom harvesters to move their equipment safely along highways and allow movement through Kansas and Nebraska – states vital to the nation’s grain production and harvesting. The amendment does not increase federal spending or add to the national debt.

Background:

The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) established federal limits on truck length, as well as width and height, setting the maximum length of cargo-carrying units of Commercial Motor Vehicles at 65 feet, grandfathered in existing state limits on truck length that exceeded 65 feet, and prohibited states from increasing their limits on truck length in what is referred to as the ISTEA “freeze.” In 2005, included in SAFETEA-LU was a narrow exemption for the state of Nebraska from the ISTEA freeze, establishing 81.5 feet as Nebraska’s length limit for vehicles used by custom harvesters during harvest season. 

This exemption was also included in the FY 2016 House THUD Appropriations bill that passed on June 9, 2015. 

The amendment is supported by the Kansas Department of Transportation, Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas Motor Carriers Association, Kansas Agricultural Alliance and Kansas Highway Patrol.

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