Starting today (Saturday), a new state law goes into effect that may reduce some paperwork for truckers and companies that haul cargo. The law deals with so-called “straight trucks” that are different from semis that pull loaded trailers. Straight trucks carry cargo in the body of the truck. Iowa law had restricted the length of “straight trucks” to 41 feet. Iowa’s new law lets a single truck operate on the state’s roads if it’s four feet longer — 45 feet from bumper-to-bumper.

During the 2017 legislative session, Senator Michael Breitbach, of Strawberry Point, encouraged his colleagues to back the move. “This is similar to what happens in some of the states that surround us, that their feet are allowed to be 45 feet when they cross into Iowa,” Breitbach said. “They run into problems and have to get special permits for overlength loads. This would just give us a little more uniformity from state-to-state.”

The federal government sets a minimum size for SEMI tractors and trailers, but size limits for straight trucks vary from state to state. Iowa’s new law will align with straight truck size limits in Missouri, Minnesota, South Dakota and Kansas. It also means a straight truck that’s 45-feet long will be able to travel the entire length of Interstate 35 from Minnesota to Texas without getting permits for being oversized. This Saturday, July 1st, is the date when many new state laws take effect.

Nebraska and Wisconsin have straight truck size limits of 40 feet. Illinois has a 42 feet limit.

(Radio Iowa)