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| Legislative Watch | 
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Colorado |
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2/27/02-SB11
would increase the fines for intrastate carriers for certain safety
violations of the federal rules regarding motor carrier safety. The
legislation already has cleared the Senate and easily passed two committees
in the State House last week. The bill is backed by Sen. Ronald Teck
(R-Denver) in the Senate and Rep. Mark Larson (R-Denver) in the House.
The bill is expected to pass its second reading in the House on April
4.
The general number for the
Colorado Legislature is (303) 866-3521.
3/5/01 - According
to Colorado state Sen. Bruce Cairns, R-Aurora, a bill that would have
restricted trucks to the left lane is "history." Cairns,
the bill's sponsor, blames the bill's failure on the
limited number of Republicans
in the state Senate.
SB23 would have created a Class C traffic offense including fines of $300 to $1,500 for trucks obstructing traffic. Repeat offenses would have accrued additional penalties. The provision was aimed at keeping trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds out of the left lane of multi-lane highways.
Sen. Cairns told Land Line he's not opposed to trucks or the trucking industry. "We continue to work with trucking industry lobbies to come up with solutions," he said. "I want to work with these guys to improve our roadways. It's not the over-the-road drivers that were being targeted in the bill. We are concerned about some of the local haulers, such as dump trucks, and their aggressive tendencies on the highway," he said.
Truckdriver and OOIDA board member Jim Mathews, of Greeley, CO, told Land Line that restricting lanes hurts the flow of traffic. "If they want to fine somebody they should fine 'grandma and grandpa' for going 50 mph in the right lane and impeding the flow of traffic," Mathews said.
Mathews explained that any restriction on a particular type of motorist is discrimination. "Lawmakers always seem to be trying to make truckers feel like second class citizens," he said. "If they are going to put in restrictions they should do it across the board. Do it for everybody."
SB23 would have created a Class C traffic offense including fines of $300 to $1,500 for trucks obstructing traffic. Repeat offenses would have accrued additional penalties. The provision was aimed at keeping trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds out of the left lane of multi-lane highways.
Sen. Cairns told Land Line he's not opposed to trucks or the trucking industry. "We continue to work with trucking industry lobbies to come up with solutions," he said. "I want to work with these guys to improve our roadways. It's not the over-the-road drivers that were being targeted in the bill. We are concerned about some of the local haulers, such as dump trucks, and their aggressive tendencies on the highway," he said.
Truckdriver and OOIDA board member Jim Mathews, of Greeley, CO, told Land Line that restricting lanes hurts the flow of traffic. "If they want to fine somebody they should fine 'grandma and grandpa' for going 50 mph in the right lane and impeding the flow of traffic," Mathews said.
Mathews explained that any restriction on a particular type of motorist is discrimination. "Lawmakers always seem to be trying to make truckers feel like second class citizens," he said. "If they are going to put in restrictions they should do it across the board. Do it for everybody."