Klicker bill will lengthen truck-trailer combos
By Terry Murry on Monday, January 23rd, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
OLYMPIA – Washington state truck drivers who pull truck and trailer combinations could get more trailer space for their loads if a bill from Rep. Mark Klicker (R-Walla Walla) becomes law. House Bill 1072, which received a public hearing last week in the House Transportation Committee, would extend the overall truck and trailer combination length from 75 to 85 feet, allowing a more balanced approach to load distribution on these trailers. Truck trailer combinations consist of a truck with an attached bed and a connected trailer.
Currently, truck drivers cannot operate any combination, with or without a load, consisting of a truck and trailer more than 75 feet long on state public highways. However, the overall length limit does not apply to a combination of a truck and trailer connected by a fifth-wheel hitch.
“This bill is really a matter of safety,” Klicker said. “It’s already legal to attach a shorter trailer to the end of a truck with a bed to extend the load. However, these smaller, secondary trailers tend to fishtail, which can be dangerous for other drivers.”
The legislation would allow drivers of truck and trailer combinations to extend the overall length of their combination truck and trailer to as much as 85 feet. The additional length would allow for a longer, secondary trailer to be connected to the truck with a bed.
“This change would improve safety for everyone on the road because it would greatly reduce the risk of fishtailing by small, connected trailers,” Klicker added. “It would also allow better load distribution which would help reduce road damage.”
If passed, the bill would not increase the maximum amount of weight allowed on a load, but it would enable the load to be more evenly distributed.
