A united front on chassis: ocean carriers, trucking companies, railroads join in support of federal roadability legislation.(INTERMODAL)

The politics of legislation for inspection and maintenance of intermodal chassis is making strange bedfellows out of ocean carriers, railroads and trucking companies. The national associations that represent these diverse groups have banded together in support of federal legislation to require regular chassis inspections and establish safety standards.

The three associations--the Intermodal Motor Carriers Conference of the American Trucking Associations, the Ocean Carrier Equipment Management Association and the Association of American Railroads--have agreed on provisions they are pushing to get inserted in the final version of the Transportation Equity Act. The bill will eventually emerge from a House-Senate conference committee that will resolve the differences between a House-passed version and a pending Senate bill that does not yet include provisions on chassis "roadability."

The ATA, OCEMA and AAR have conflicting interests. "We spend a lot of time in this industry arguing with each other, and the basic argument always has to do …