North Dakota’s House Transportation Committee has endorsed a bill to allow for longer and heavier semis, also known as road trains, to be allowed on the roadway.
Chairman Dan Ruby says the bill requests the federal government to relax regulations on weight and length limits for state interstates.
This would make it easier for a road train pilot project to take place on state highways.
Pilot projects can be done now with the Department of Transportation and private companies — just not on interstates.
Ruby says even if the bill is passed, road trains won’t be on the road any time soon. But he says they can be beneficial to North Dakotans.
“For somebody in some area, if they’re hauling large quantities of product, or crop or something from point A to point B and this would save them some money to be able to push more of it out at one time, and take less trips, I could see that being a real helpful and economic assistance for their cost to do business,” Ruby said.
Ruby expects the bill to be heard at the legislative session early next week.
