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Further, it said, there would be increased safety issues, because heavier trucks take longer to brake and require more vigilance to drive and keep in safe condition.

The resolution claimed that in states that allow trucks over 80,000 pounds, “vehicles have higher and more severe crash rates� and it called on Sen. Colton Moore, Rep. Mike Cameron and Rep. Steve Tarvin to oppose the bills.

Whitfield added, after reading the resolution aloud, that the Association of Governors (ACCG) opposes the bills. He said that according to the Georgia ÐÔÊӽ紫ý of Public Safety, in 2022, when vehicles transporting unmanufactured forestry products were inspected 66 percent of them were placed out of service. Brake, tire and suspension violations accounted for over 50 percent of log truck violations, said Whitfield.

Broken down more, Whitfield said, 22.2 percent of violations were brakes, 18 percent were related to load securement, 16.3 percent had to do with compromised tires and 13.1 percent to unsafe suspension.

District 1 Commissioner Robert Blakemore responded by sharing that he drives a truck for a living. He said that itÐÔÊӽ紫ý not the gross weight of the truck thatÐÔÊӽ紫ý going to “tear the road upâ€� but rather how much weight each axel bears. He said trucks with heavier weights mean fewer trucks on the roads.

Blakemore said in reference to the extra burden on taxpayers for road repairs that truckers pay a fuel tax. He said his company uses 22,000 gallons of diesel fuel a week. Truckers, he said, also pay a road use mileage tax and infrastructure tax, “so they’re paying their fair share.

District 2 Commissioner Mark Askew also expressed reservations. He said the statistics about safety were all based on log trucks, which are not usually the newer models on the road. He said that wear and tear is naturally going to happen on roads. The larger problem, he said, is enforcement. “I think a lot of the information is directed at instilling fear,� he said.

There are many states, said Askew, that have higher allowances for weight loads. “We’re speculating that all these trucks are going to run state routes and they’re all going to be overloaded. We’re speculating. I just want to be careful. We want to stay in good graces with our governing authorities� and not so much with ACCG, which is an association of governing authorities.

“I’m a little skeptical when all I hear is about log trucks and the damage they can do. My theory is —- and I carry a lot of stuff around on the roads myself —- my theory is the more weight that you’re pulling, the more responsible you’re going to be -— you’ve got to have better tires, you’ve got have better brakes. I’m kind of torn on it because I see two sides.�

Blakemore commented that log trucks stack on as much as they can and there are no weigh stations.

District 4 Commissioner Robert Stultz commented that thatÐÔÊӽ紫ý why itÐÔÊӽ紫ý an enforcement issue and Askew agreed and said thatÐÔÊӽ紫ý why logging contractors have to put up surety bonds to pay for damage they do.

“I want to be careful about hurting commerce and economic growth,� said Askew.

Stultz expressed concern about smaller businesses and about trucks pulling grain. Askew said grain trucks were not going through scales anywhere

“It seems to me,â€� said Askew, “that itÐÔÊӽ紫ý kind of slanted and meant to stir up fear — itÐÔÊӽ紫ý going to tear up roads and kill people. I don’t believe thatÐÔÊӽ紫ý the case at all or I don’t believe the house, the senate and the governor would be supporting it.â€�

Whitfield said that raising the limit invited companies and truckers to violate the law more than they already were. If the speed limit is 55, he said, most people will go over that 10 or 12 miles per hour and if itÐÔÊӽ紫ý 65, they’ll go over that the same amount.

Askew said in Walker County logging trucks and trucks carrying agricultural products, the countyÐÔÊӽ紫ý largest industry, are already using secondary roads when they start out. “They won’t be weighed and no one will know how much they’re carrying. I just don’t see that itÐÔÊӽ紫ý going to impact our side roads and back roads the way itÐÔÊӽ紫ý being made to sound in this report from ACCG. Truck drivers don’t want to on back roads any more than anyone else does.â€�

On the safety issue, which Askew said is most important, he felt enforcement of laws would more effective. He said the majority of the trucks on the road are commercial freight haulers and there was not enough information in the report addressing that.

In the end, Blakemore made a motion to deny the resolution and leave it to the state legislature to decide what to do. Stultz seconded the motion and said he felt more information was needed. Askew agreed and said he felt the legislators had “a lot more information than we do. I just feel I’d like to have more information and understand it better.�

The resolution was denied unanimously.