Non-uniformity of permits hampers oversize/overweight loads, study finds

Aug. 1, 2007
A new study funded by the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) Foundation documents how the lack of uniformity in state, county, and municipal

A new study funded by the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) 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 Non-uniformity 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 another 12 individual state and local permits involving specific processing issues. The report includes information from relevant research reports, papers, and other publications.

The study is available free of charge for SC&RA members and $75 for non-members. To order, call (703) 698-0291.