AURELIUS - Members of a state government task force are debating proposed truck traffic regulations that they would be monitoring should the rule changes go into effect.
Gov. David Paterson's Trucking Industry and Community Relations Task Force met for the first time Nov. 18 at the Cayuga-Onondaga Board of Cooperative Educational Services facility in Aurelius. Seventeen of the 23 task force members, including three members of the pro-regulation Upstate Safety Task Force, met to review proposed regulations the state Department of Transportation drafted that would keep tractor-trailers from using seven specific routes as shortcuts through the Finger Lakes.
The governor's task force also includes members opposed to the proposal, including New York Motor Truck Association Executive Director Kendra Adams, New York Farm Bureau board member Jonathan Taylor and Wadhams Enterprises owner Steve Wadhams.
Both Adams and Wadhams said the proposal would cause delays and cost truckers more money to operate. They asked what they can do to find a solution to trucks traveling on scenic byways that didn't involve additional regulations.
Stanley Gee, acting commissioner of the state Department of Transportation, chairs the governor's task force.
“We are trying to find a balance to ensure economic vitality and quality of life. Achieving this balance of safety and economic vitality is important to the governor,” Gee said.
He laid out the task force's goals to help find this balance during the gathering. The task force members consist of local and state leaders, as well as representatives from the trucking and tourism industries.
The task force's goals are to make recommendations on actions the state has taken to reduce truck traffic in certain areas; improve relations between the communities, government and the trucking industry; and recommend potential improvements to the traffic situation.
Specifically, the task force would monitor the regulations that would limit long-haul tractor-trailers from traveling on certain routes along the lakes, if the state approves the pending regulations. Currently, the DOT is collecting public comments about the regulations. After the public comment period ends on Nov. 30, the DOT will adjust the regulations if needed. If no major changes occur, the regulations will officially take effect. If the proposal is rewritten or edited, the DOT must start the process over with another feedback portion.
During Wednesday's meeting, task force members sat at tables in a U-shape discussing the proposal.
DOT officials say the proposal will remove about 194 long-distance trucks off local roads each day, a reduction of about 71,000 truck trips per year. However, this proposal would cost truckers an average of $60 more for a one-way trip because of tolls and higher fuel bills.
Wadhams agreed with other task force members that the trucks are wearing down infrastructure and pavement.
“We know we are, and we're paying for it,” Wadhams said, referring to taxes.
Adams agreed, and said she had major problems with the fact that the proposal regulates based on a tractor-trailer's length rather than weight. The regulations target those vehicles with a trailer 45 feet or longer.
Some people said that the proposal could create negative economic ripples through the community that could cause companies to lay off workers or cut back on jobs by forcing truckers to take less direct routes.
“You keep talking about quality of life, well there's quality of life on both sides of this,” Wadhams said. “I would think the quality of life is better for those people who have jobs.”
Upstate Safety Task Force member Pam Mackesey agreed, but said the economic impact on the truck traffic through small communities can't be quantified. She pointed to a couple who are having a difficult time selling their house because of the trucks traveling on their road.
“We do have laws in place. I wish we would enforce these laws before we get more legislation,” Taylor said.
Adams suggested communities with complaints about safety issues and quality of life concerns explore traffic-calming solutions proposed by the DOT and reach out to truckers.
But Owasco Town Supervisor John Klink said trying to work with different companies to find a solution wasn't working.
Klink added that the proposal started with regional communities working to alleviate the situation with their limited resources. He noted that they have to take a regional approach. He pointed to the increased amount of trucks traveling through Owasco after Skaneateles stepped up its enforcement.
He also bristled at more than one comment that the regulation may not create a noticeable difference.
“I think people would be thrilled,” with less traffic, he said.
Klink, Mackesey and Upstate Safety Task Force President Barb Clary all emphasized that reducing truck traffic and the irritants that accompany it is the top priority for their constituents.
The governor's task force also includes members opposed to the proposal, including New York Motor Truck Association Executive Director Kendra Adams, New York Farm Bureau board member Jonathan Taylor and Wadhams Enterprises owner Steve Wadhams.
Both Adams and Wadhams said the proposal would cause delays and cost truckers more money to operate. They asked what they can do to find a solution to trucks traveling on scenic byways that didn't involve additional regulations.
Stanley Gee, acting commissioner of the state Department of Transportation, chairs the governor's task force.
“We are trying to find a balance to ensure economic vitality and quality of life. Achieving this balance of safety and economic vitality is important to the governor,” Gee said.
He laid out the task force's goals to help find this balance during the gathering. The task force members consist of local and state leaders, as well as representatives from the trucking and tourism industries.
The task force's goals are to make recommendations on actions the state has taken to reduce truck traffic in certain areas; improve relations between the communities, government and the trucking industry; and recommend potential improvements to the traffic situation.
Specifically, the task force would monitor the regulations that would limit long-haul tractor-trailers from traveling on certain routes along the lakes, if the state approves the pending regulations. Currently, the DOT is collecting public comments about the regulations. After the public comment period ends on Nov. 30, the DOT will adjust the regulations if needed. If no major changes occur, the regulations will officially take effect. If the proposal is rewritten or edited, the DOT must start the process over with another feedback portion.
During Wednesday's meeting, task force members sat at tables in a U-shape discussing the proposal.
DOT officials say the proposal will remove about 194 long-distance trucks off local roads each day, a reduction of about 71,000 truck trips per year. However, this proposal would cost truckers an average of $60 more for a one-way trip because of tolls and higher fuel bills.
Wadhams agreed with other task force members that the trucks are wearing down infrastructure and pavement.
“We know we are, and we're paying for it,” Wadhams said, referring to taxes.
Adams agreed, and said she had major problems with the fact that the proposal regulates based on a tractor-trailer's length rather than weight. The regulations target those vehicles with a trailer 45 feet or longer.
Some people said that the proposal could create negative economic ripples through the community that could cause companies to lay off workers or cut back on jobs by forcing truckers to take less direct routes.
“You keep talking about quality of life, well there's quality of life on both sides of this,” Wadhams said. “I would think the quality of life is better for those people who have jobs.”
Upstate Safety Task Force member Pam Mackesey agreed, but said the economic impact on the truck traffic through small communities can't be quantified. She pointed to a couple who are having a difficult time selling their house because of the trucks traveling on their road.
“We do have laws in place. I wish we would enforce these laws before we get more legislation,” Taylor said.
Adams suggested communities with complaints about safety issues and quality of life concerns explore traffic-calming solutions proposed by the DOT and reach out to truckers.
But Owasco Town Supervisor John Klink said trying to work with different companies to find a solution wasn't working.
Klink added that the proposal started with regional communities working to alleviate the situation with their limited resources. He noted that they have to take a regional approach. He pointed to the increased amount of trucks traveling through Owasco after Skaneateles stepped up its enforcement.
He also bristled at more than one comment that the regulation may not create a noticeable difference.
“I think people would be thrilled,” with less traffic, he said.
Klink, Mackesey and Upstate Safety Task Force President Barb Clary all emphasized that reducing truck traffic and the irritants that accompany it is the top priority for their constituents.
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Wrabbitt wrote on Nov 24, 2009 8:40 AM:
eastender wrote on Nov 24, 2009 5:51 AM:
No one with any sense wants to restrict trucks from going about their legal business. The only reason this legislation is pending is because maybe six companies are not willing or able to discipline themselves or their drivers. I believe that Mr. Wadhams has a finger in the pie of at least one of these companies "sunhine" His other divisions are LTL or bulk liquid,(milk,fuel), which will not be affected by this law. Just a guess,but I think that if one was able to find a database of semi accidents in NYS for the last few years, garbage scows would be involved in a vast majority of these mishaps, with driver error,equipment deficencies and weight violations being the major causes.
Unfortunately the law cannot single out one catagory of freight to target, so every one gets hit with the same swatter.
By the way in this instance a truck is not an SUV a truck is a vehicle that falls under the auspices off DOT. "
demsarecrazy wrote on Nov 23, 2009 12:10 PM:
This has nothing to do with Wal-mart or their trucks. I travel most of the routes that will ban these long-haul trucks under the proposal and I have never seen a wal-mart truck.
You may want to go out and educate yourself on the issue at hand which is long haul garbage trucks that are traveling these routes from NYC. This wont' affect local deliveries at all.
Those opposed to the new regulations are using smoke and mirrors by trying to say that local companies will have to fire workers. Why would they have to fire workers? They aren't traveling to the NYC area to haul garbage are they? "
tireiron wrote on Nov 23, 2009 10:46 AM:
it's down right funny the number of folks from skaneateles and owasco that i see shopping and eating at wal-mart and macdonalds. i get told "their trucks are wearing out our roads!" "they drive out competition!" they are no good for the economy!" and "it's just not healthy."
i hear these comments while standing in the check out line behind them. seems they all buy their bad balogna at the same politically correct deli. they want the goods! they want the prices! they want, they want, they want!
THEY don't mind driving their underloaded brontosauric SUV's (i suppose they don't realize that empty trucks do more damage to roads than loaded ones do.) (YES! an suv IS a truck! and NO! four kids, mom and a few groceries are not a truckload) to the movies, to wal-mart, to mickyD's in auburn.
stop wearing out my roads (i drive a silly little fuel squeezer), polluting my air and stop whining. STAY HOME, shop in your own town "