Cybergal
Well-Known Member
Big wheels tearing up Florida's roads
9/25/07
Daytona Beach News-Journal, FL
9/25/07
Daytona Beach News-Journal, FL
moreWhen consumers shop for frozen pizza, blue jeans or DVD players, they compare prices and look for bargains. But they probably don't think about the cost of getting the merchandise to the store -- and how they pay that cost in increased taxes and diminished safety. Trucks remain a staple of the American shipping industry, carrying more than 80 percent of all cargo moved inside the United States. And they pay substantial over-the-road taxes, in addition to the fuel taxes that all motorists pay. Yet a recent analysis by The Associated Press finds that these taxes don't come close to compensating local, state and federal governments for the damage trucks inflict on roads. One study suggests that a typical 40-ton truck (properly loaded) can cause as much wear and tear on a road as 9,600 cars.