I-70 Indiana and Western Ohio

jplante4 wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:
A big misconception with uninformed people today (and yesterday). The 'per square inch' of tire loading on a big truck (which is what impacts the road surface) is actually less on an 80,000 pound GVW, 5 axle vehicle, than it is on a 2 axle Honda Civic.

However, the plastic deformation of an asphalt road is caused by the re-bounce of dual axle truck and trailer, and I see this as a bigger problem. Once the bounce starts, closely spaced axles will make it worse, eventually resulting in a hole.

You can spout the company line about trucks not doing damage to the roads, but the right lane is always in worse shape than the left.

Of course it is. But then, if the road bed is stabilized and the surface is properly constructed with high strength concrete instead of plastic asphalt (which is cheaper but plastic in the heat), the holes and tire groves don't occur. You won't fined the 'ditches' in any concrete roadway. Ike's vision was for concrete, not cheaper asphalt. However, like everything else, the vision and the actuality are 2 different animals.

I never said trucks don't damage roads, because they do but so does your Class A. The difference is, the commercial trucks pay a road use tax or a ton / mile tax, your motor home don't. You get a free ride on the back of the commercial vehicle. Only thing you pay is for your local plate permit and your state keeps all that revenue and none of it goes toward road care in any other state but your home state.

Finally, commercial trucks are a necessary evil. Without them, everything you eat, drink or consume would not be available. If you consume it, use it or want it, it gets delivered by a commercial truck (including all the parts that make up your RV.)

Not spouting any company line, just stating the facts about tire loading and how it impacts road beds. I have no dog in the game, I'm retired from the machining trades.