Sponsor
Tom Barrett
Representative · R-MI
Representative · R-MI
The bill increases freight flexibility and lowers some operator costs by allowing longer truck-tractor/lowboy combinations and relaxing rear-flag requirements, but it raises road safety concerns and may shift infrastructure costs onto state and local governments and taxpayers.
Freight carriers and haulers (transportation workers and small business owners) can move assembled highway vehicles with fewer state length restrictions, improving route flexibility and reducing transport time and operating costs.
State governments would be required to allow longer truck-tractor/lowboy combinations (up to 80 ft), reducing permitting barriers for heavy-vehicle transport and standardizing length allowances across jurisdictions.
Operators using lowboy trailers (transportation workers) would no longer need rear overhang flags for affected loads, simplifying compliance and reducing minor equipment and operational costs.
Drivers and other road users (including transportation workers and rural communities) would face increased safety risks from longer vehicle combinations operating on roads not designed for them, raising crash and maneuvering hazards.
Local and state governments and taxpayers may incur added costs to inspect, maintain, or upgrade roads and bridges to accommodate longer and potentially heavier vehicle combinations.
Removing the rear overhang flag requirement could reduce conspicuity of protruding loads, increasing the risk of collisions for drivers—especially in low-visibility conditions.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a federal preemption allowing certain truck tractor–lowboy trailer combinations under 80 feet and exempts lowboy trailers from the federal rear overhang flag rule.
Official title: To amend title 49, United States Code, to increase the vehicle length limitation for truck tractor-lowboy trailer combinations, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 9, 2025 by Tom Barrett · Last progress April 9, 2025
Amends federal vehicle length and equipment rules to protect certain truck tractor–lowboy trailer combinations from state length limits below 80 feet and to exempt lowboy trailers from the federal rear-overhang flag requirement. It defines “lowboy trailer” as a semitrailer with a depressed section between the hitch and the first rear axle used to carry assembled highway vehicles, and creates a narrow federal preemption for combinations meeting specified front and rear overhang limits.