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March 22, 2004
Construction
Industry Advancement Fund and CDTOA
Dear Trustees
and CDTOA EC:
Following are some of the major issues your
Industry Transportation Consultant has been dealing with
to date.
Caltrans has approved the request to the
current Reducible Load Policy. Currently if you are a
permitted self-propelled vehicle, you are restricted from
towing anything behind. The following was approved, "Self
Propelled single permit vehicles may tow a legal size
motorized vehicle" and has also agreed that a trailer
would also be allowed in the place of a vehicle. The limitations
would be that the trailer would not exceed legal weight,
height and width. They were originally concerned about
length, but agreed it could be permitted. This will take
effect when the Caltrans Permit Manual is update and changes
are made. We will keep you updated. This will cover any
Self Propelled vehicle, such as a Crane, Drill Rig, Concrete
Pumper, Oil Field Rigs and Mulcher Trucks etc.
This will be a considerable change to the Industry, Economically,
reduce traffic congestion, less impact to our Air Quality
and an increase in Profits. This change will save our
Industry over 4.2 million.
Caltrans has also approved another significant
change to our Industry in regards to Tridem Axle Weights.
It was requested that Caltrans allow #60,000 based on
certain configurations, 15% of chart weight was approved.
This will help most anyone with portable plants, such
as crushers and hot plants. They are generally overweight
and have to take parts off the unit to make weights for
transport. By having the plant re-inspected, the weights
can be increased and will not be impacted by extra labor
hours and another truck to transport the extra parts each
time you need to move. Another cost savings to our industry.
Caltrans has also given us reason to believe
that when their new 5 million dollar computer system is
running fully, they will be able to issue permits in minutes
and will not have any need to issue annual permits. This
will be devastating to our Industry. Caltrans is under
the impression that due to the 1999 accident in Fullerton
after numerous hearings, in which Caltrans testified,
felt that it was Senator Dunn's intention to eliminate
annual permits.
On March 4, 2004, we met with Senator Dunn and explained
to him the impact that would take place if Caltrans Annual
Permit program were terminated.
We did an analysis on what it would cost the Transportation
Industry. We based on our analysis on using an annual
permit twice a day on an average. The cost of that would
accrue for extra personnel, to either write or order permits
that would normally be covered under an annual permits
has increased from 117 permit writers to 7,924 permit
writers, from 909,520 permits increased to 61,806,385
permits by eliminating annuals. That would either be extra
staffing that we would be paying for a permit service
or your own increase in staff. If Caltrans terminated
annuals, Counties and Cities would follow, except they
wouldn't add staff, they would just create delays for
the Industry. The current cost to the Industry including
Caltrans, Counties and Cities for single trips and annuals
permits today is approximately $23,235,110.00. If annuals
were eliminated and we only had single trip permits available,
it would now cost the Industry $1,324,634,443.00. (See
attached analysis)
The meeting went very well, Senator Dunn was overwhelmed
with the cost to the Transportation Industry based on
the analysis. The costs that couldn't be quantified were
the delay cost to obtain the permit, the driver waiting
on the permit and then delivering the permit to the driver.
Then there is the Safety aspect. If the Industry start
becomes burdened by permit delays, you will lose control
and will have those moving illegally without a permit.
Time is money.
Senator Dunn felt there was no reason that Caltrans should
terminate the Annual Permits Program. He is willing to
write a letter supporting our request to keep the program.
The County of San Bernardino is being requested
to review their current permit policies. Our Industry
is currently burdened from June 1 through October 15,
travel restricted after 10:00 am for any overweight vehicles.
This would apply to all desert roads because of the intense
heat during the summer months. A majority of the roads
in the County are designed with 3" of asphalt over
native. Rather than designate those roads that aren't
and allow travel, the county feels it is easier to shut
down the entire county, rather than take into consideration
the economic impact. The other issue is that intense heat
should not shut down the roads for 4 ½ months.
The County of Riverside doesn't have any heat restrictions.
This problem has started to grow; the City of Apple Valley
has decided to adopt the County's summer restriction.
The problem is that Apple Valley currently only allows
travel Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm,
no nights or weekends movement. The City of Apple Valley
restricts travel to our Industry, 1 hour a day for 4 ½
months a year, a total of 99 hours. Where and when will
it end?
We are also requesting the County to review
their night and weekend movement policy. The County requires
that all night and weekend movement need special approval.
You can obtain an annual permit, but if you want to travel
at night, you need a separate permit. The 18 cities within
the County that issue annual permits, allow nights and
weekends. We are requesting the County adopt similar policies.
We have been traveling for years without any problems
and we feel that the County isn't being reasonable.
Results: The County recently agreed to allow
from a 5-axle, 12' wide, 14' high and green weight annual
up to a 9-axle12' wide, 14' high and purple weight. This
will help our Industry considerably.
The Coachella Valley is currently reviewing
their Legal Truck Routing policies. We are progressing
slowly, but have the approval of the following cities,
Coachella, Indio, La Quinta, Cathedral City, Palm Springs
and Desert Hot Springs, 6 out of 9 cities. They have agreed
to designate their truck routes to conform to the Thomas
Guides Primary Roads.
I have also met with the County of Riverside
and Supervisor Venable's staff regarding our test program.
The County was going to start implementing time restrictions
on certain Truck routes and has since ceased plans. They
are in agreement with our Truck Route plan and have called
a meeting with cites within their district. We met on
February 10, 2004 with the City of Hemet, San Jacinto,
Murrieta, Temecula, Canyon Lakes and Perris.
We have explained the State is not going
to resolve our Economic problem overnight. We need to
do everything within our power to help. We have explained
that there maybe an inconvenience for the luxury of having
things at their fingertips. A better quality of life has
its sacrifices. Those that will always complain will live
longer and still complain. We just need to continue to
educate the need for these changes!
• Our Economy
is being affected because currently trucks must to take
longer routes. This means business, consumers, and the
economy are suffering.
• Our Air
Quality is being impacted because legal trucks that must
take longer routes are increasing emissions. This negatively
affects air quality - a major concern in Southern California.
• Our Traffic
Congestion will be reduced because legal trucks will have
shorter routes to travel
rather being limited to only minimal routes.
• TRAFFIC DEATHS are reduced
by fewer miles traveled.
• SAFETY
will be enhanced through uniformity
The City of Coachella will be adding to
their ordinance the Thomas Guide as part of their definition
of the Truck Routes Ordinance.
The City of Desert Hot Springs has agreed
with our Truck Routes proposal and since our meeting on
March 8, 2004 has removed all truck restriction signage
on all proposed Primary Roads.
SCAQMD agreed to meet with us on February
11, 2004, regarding this problem, Jeb Stuart and I met
with Laki Tisopulosto, Assistant DEO for Planning, that
cities are dictating longer routes. It was agreed that
our request would be sent to Mobile Sources Committee
for possible support and assistance in our long over due
Air Quality problem.
I have also spoken to Riverside County Supervisor, Roy
Wilson, SCAQMD Vice Chair Mobile Resource Committee on
February 26, 2004. I explained the test program going
on in the Coachella Valley, which is his area and he recommended
speaking to the Coachella Valley Associated Government
(CVAG). We also expressed to him the need for shorter
routes.
I also met with Jane Carney, SCAQMD Governing Board Member
and Chair for the Mobile Sources Committee on March 10,
2004. I explained the problem that the Transportation
Industry is being faced with and she was going to go back
and speak with Laki Tisopulosto.
Coachella Valley Association of Governments
(CVAG) met with us on February 08, 2004 and agreed that
this needs further study. They sent it to their Transportation
Technology Advisory Subcommittee (TTAS) and a meeting
is scheduled for February 26, 2004, to see how CVAG can
be instrumental in the success of our Truck Route proposal.
City of Colton has agreed to revise their
current annual permit policy to allow more height, weight,
night and weekend travel. They will also be lowering their
permit fees to be consistent with C.V.C. 35795 (b) and
not charge in excess of Caltrans. This will be going to
their City Council in April for an ordinance change.
City of Whittier has agreed to lower the
permit fees from $125.00 to $16.00 to be consistent with
C.V.C. 35795 (b) and not charge in excess of Caltrans.
The City will issues 5-10 permits a day and were hoping
to generate $141,000.00 in extra revenue over the next
year with this increase from our Industry. They have also
agreed to begin issuing Annual Permits. The city currently
doesn't allow faxing, so Industry must send a runner to
pick up permits in person. The issuance of annuals will
help the burden. This has been rescheduled for City Council
on April 27, 2004. Another significant savings to our
Industry.
City of Los Angeles has promised to have
their response to our October 12, 2003 letter requesting
changes in Hours of Operation, Curfew Travel, Insurance,
Inspection Loads, Inspections Fee Charges, Street Use
Permits Charges and Customer Service within the next couple
weeks.
OSHA will be requiring most crane operators
to be certified by June 1, 2005.
The City of Los Angeles
has required for years that operators be certified and
licensed. We have requested, the City of Los Angeles to
accept the OSHA's certification as meeting their requirements
and not have to re-certify operators. They are reviewing
our request and will let us know.
Sincerely,
Gregory D. Dineen
Industry Transportation Consultant
Cc: John Hakel, AGC; Seth Hammond,
MCOG;
Barbara Cunningham, ECA; Lee Brown, CDTOA;
Richard Lambros, BIA; Jim Burton, SCCA
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