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Longer Trailers Could Soon Be Attached to Trucks on Connecticut Highways

Longer tractor trailers could soon be coming to highways in Connecticut. The bill, which has passed out of the U.S. House, would allow truckers to use double-trailers that are each 33 feet long. Right now, the feds cap these twin-trailers at 28 feet a piece. 

Lobbying groups like the American Trucking Associations have praised the measure. It says the extra ten feet of cargo-space will improve shipping capacity and safety -- without increasing truck weight limits.

But law enforcement seems to think otherwise. Andrew Matthews is president of the Connecticut State Police Union and chairman of a national state police group representing about 42,000 troopers. "We believe these changes will jeopardize the safety of the public," he said. "Creating greater stopping distances and a higher risk of rollovers."

Matthews said the twin-33 foot trailers could replace what's currently the one of the most commonly used haulers in Connecticut -- 53-foot-long single trailers.

The change is buried in the federal appropriations budget for the DOT, which awaits a vote in the U.S. Senate. It's also opposed by the Teamsters, the Obama Administration, and Senator Richard Blumenthal.

Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public. Prior to becoming a reporter, he was the founding producer of Connecticut Public Radio's The Colin McEnroe Show, which began in 2009. Patrick's reporting has appeared on NPR's Morning Edition, Here & Now, and All Things Considered. He has also reported for the Marketplace Morning Report. He can be reached at pskahill@ctpublic.org.

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