I am given to understand, through other discussions I have had recently, that Ohio has a 40,000 pound gross vehicle weight rating limit for buses used in urban mass transit.  GVWR I believe is the curb (empty) weight plus payload and fuel.  The 40,000 lb. limit would seem to cause problems because some of the newer hybrid diesel-electrics weigh in at more than that.  For example, New Flyer's Excelsior hybrid diesel-electric has a GVWR of 40,350.  A limit of 40,000 lbs would seem to restrict competition and keep out products that we might need. 

 

I am also aware that the 40,000 pound limit may have been a factor in discouraging vendors from bidding on Dayton's next generation of Dual Mode Diesel/Electric trolleys to replace the 14 year old all-electrics they are currently running.

 

Anybody out there working on researching and amending this law? Is the law enforceable inside municipal corporations where the city has adopted higher weight limits?  Seems like Ohio Public Transit Association (OPTA) should be all over this.

Consider that heavy trucks also have weight limits. Politically, increasing the weight limit for buses would also require increasing the weight limit for heavy trucks, even if the two weight limits are not the same now.

 

In Detroit, there are very heavy ore trucks that have about 10 axles. In Austrailia, they run "trains" of very long tractor trailers. In the mining industry, very heavy trucks and other equipment are common. So, the technology is there.

 

Underground utilities are designed for a certain loading. Very heavy vehicles could injure underground utilities. That's not to mention the pavement itself.

I am given to understand, through other discussions I have had recently, that Ohio has a 40,000 pound gross vehicle weight rating limit for buses used in urban mass transit.  GVWR I believe is the curb (empty) weight plus payload and fuel.  The 40,000 lb. limit would seem to cause problems because some of the newer hybrid diesel-electrics weigh in at more than that.  For example, New Flyer's Excelsior hybrid diesel-electric has a GVWR of 40,350.  A limit of 40,000 lbs would seem to restrict competition and keep out products that we might need. 

 

I am also aware that the 40,000 pound limit may have been a factor in discouraging vendors from bidding on Dayton's next generation of Dual Mode Diesel/Electric trolleys to replace the 14 year old all-electrics they are currently running.

 

Anybody out there working on researching and amending this law? Is the law enforceable inside municipal corporations where the city has adopted higher weight limits?  Seems like Ohio Public Transit Association (OPTA) should be all over this.

 

the euclid corrridor buyses in cleveland are already hybrids.

 

I think the restriction may apply to buses with 6 wheels or less. the articulated buses have 10 wheels.

I figure it would be easier to take 351 pounds out of the buses than to get regulations changed. When they were designing it they should have been conscious of these regulations, but I can picture a problem like this in one or two states slipping past the company. 350 pounds out of a 40,000 pound machine shouldn't be that hard and it can only make the mileage better.

FYI... the max truck weight limit is 80,000 pounds but a waiver can be granted for a slight fee that doesn't cover the $45 million damage done to road by overweight trucks according to an ODOT study.