Cornhusker State News

U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) has introduced the Vehicle Axle Redistribution Increases Allow New Capacities for Efficiency (VARIANCE) Act, a bill designed to update regulations affecting American truckers who transport dry bulk goods. The legislation would permit a 10% axle variance for commercial motor vehicles carrying these types of cargo. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) is co-leading the bill in the Senate, while Representatives Rick Crawford (R-AR-1) and Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) are sponsoring companion legislation in the House.

“This is common-sense policymaking,” said Ricketts. “Allowing flexibility for truckers with naturally shifting goods will help improve efficiency and safety in Nebraska’s agriculture industry. American truckers want to carry the same sized load in loose dry bulk that they can for any other freight. This bill is a win for every step along the supply chain.”

Schiff emphasized the impact on consumers and producers: “Providing commonsense flexibility to our transportation and agriculture sectors will ensure California consumers don’t face higher costs due to regulations that don’t acknowledge the realities of basic physics,” said Schiff. ”The VARIANCE Act is a bipartisan and bicameral solution that will improve our supply chain, reduce congestion, and help California farmers and producers continue to feed the nation and the world.”

Current federal law sets an 80,000-pound maximum laden weight limit for commercial trucks, with most trailers using tandem axles capped at 34,000 pounds per axle. Dry bulk goods—such as plastic pellets, flour, aggregates, corn, soybeans, and other solid substances—often shift during transit because of braking forces. This can cause one axle to exceed its weight limit even if the cargo was properly loaded at departure. The proposed legislation would maintain current total vehicle weight limits but allow for uneven distribution across axles during transport.

Industry leaders have voiced support for the bill. Henry Hanscom of the American Trucking Associations stated: “Farmers, manufacturers, miners, and many other industries depend on truckers to get their goods to market. When dry bulk cargo is in transit, however, a simple physics problem arises: routine braking often causes the contents of trailers to shift,” said Hanscom. “ATA applauds Senators Ricketts and Schiff for this bipartisan, commonsense solution that will prevent motor carriers from being unfairly penalized for weight variances, promote the efficient movement of freight, and support hardworking Americans in the trucking industry.”

Mike Seyfert of the National Grain and Feed Association added: “The VARIANCE Act is a commonsense solution that helps address transportation bottlenecks in the grain and feed industry,” said Seyfert. “By allowing modest axle weight variances for dry bulk shipments, this legislation supports more efficient and sustainable supply chains while maintaining safety standards.”

Peter Friedmann from Agriculture Transportation Coalition noted: “For 37 years, the Agriculture Transportation Coalition has worked with truck, rail, and ocean carriers in pursuit of greater transport efficiency... Thus the AgTC supports the VARIANCE Act to allow for variance in axle weight distribution, which will increase efficiency, safety, cost-effectiveness in transport of grains [and] feeds of our members.”

Ryan Streblow of National Tank Truck Carriers also expressed approval: “This expanded partnership in the Senate showcases the broad support and practical impact of the VARIANCE Act. Thank you to Senator Ricketts and Senator Schiff for their commitment to improve the safe and efficient movement of dry bulk commodities across our country,” said Streblow. “By enhancing weight distribution for dry bulk trailers, we can increase payload efficiency, reduce highway congestion, and boost safety... Today many carriers underload; this flexibility will enable them to hit gross vehicle weight limits and reduce truckloads on our roads.”

Richard Gupton from Agricultural Retailers Association stated: “The Agricultural Retailers Association strongly supports...a ten percent axle weight variance for commercial motor vehicles transporting dry bulk goods like fertilizer on the Interstate Highway System,” said Gupton. “[This] addresses unique challenges posed by natural shifting...ensuring trucks can operate safely...without exceeding maximum gross vehicle weight limit...We urge lawmakers to include this vital measure in [the] next surface transportation reauthorization bill.”

Corey Rosenbush from The Fertilizer Institute commented on timely delivery issues: “All fertilizer touches a truck at least once it its journey to the field...Any delay in delivery can negatively impact crop yields and contribute to increased food prices for consumers,” said Rosenbush.

Nebraska exports about $9.9 billion worth of agricultural products annually with over 1,600 dry bulk trucking companies employing nearly 18,000 drivers within Nebraska alone.

A full text version of the bill is available online.