N.Y. Farm Bureau Battling DOT Ban

Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
New York Correspondent

ALBANY — Time is running out for public comment on legislation that could impact certain types of farm traffic on rural roads. First presented by Gov. David Paterson in May 2008, the legislation could make delivery of farm goods more complicated since it would force trucks 45 feet or longer to first use main interstates before considering the use of rural routes.

The legislation makes no distinction between trucks hauling garbage and those transporting farm goods and other products. The only qualifier is truck size.

New York highways 41, 41A, 38, 79, 89, and 96 would completely ban large trucks as through traffic, permitting only local delivery on these routes. The DOT is also considering future expansion of the proposal to include other highways across the state.

“It makes no sense at all to propose regulations that make New York more hostile to business than it already is,” said Dean Norton, president of New York Farm Bureau and a dairy farmer in Batavia, N.Y.

Redirecting large trucks to less efficient delivery routes will cost farmers, according to Norton.

“Our farm families are facing the worst economic climate for agriculture in three decades as a result of fallout from the global fiscal crises and the state’s transportation department’s response is to make it even costlier to do business here,” he said.

Longer delivery routes would increase highway tolls paid, wages paid to drivers for the extra time en route, truck maintenance expenses and fuel costs.

Barbara Clary, president of the Upstate New York Safety Coalition Task Force, views the legislation as “a solution for the residents and for the trucking industry. We have high hopes that Governor Paterson will be a partner of our Task Force during his time as our chief executive.”

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer sees advantages in the legislation, including improving the quality of rural life.

“The draft regulations today are another win in the string of good news that communities across Upstate have gotten from the Governor’s office when it comes to getting these noxious trucks off their local roads, and back on the interstates where they belong,” he said.

He added that the legislation shows “that Governor Paterson and the state are serious about working with Upstate businesses, residents and local officials, as well as the trucking industry and other parties, to kick these sorely-needed regulations out the door and deliver peace of mind, safe roads and clean air to communities across Central New York and the Finger Lakes.”

But the longer routes would keep large trucks driving for longer periods of time per delivery.

“In an era where environmental stewardship is foremost in policymaking, the State DOT is demanding that we consume more fossil fuels, not less,” Norton said.

Approximately 30,000 members comprise the New York Farm Bureau, which has been fighting this legislation since its introduction in May 2008. The public comment period will expire Nov. 30, 2009.

“We will do everything we can to stop this unnecessary restriction on our farm families,” Norton said.