Unsafe at any speed? Ocean carriers, railroads back legislation to establish single standard for chassis, trailer maintenance.(Intermodal)

Ocean carriers and railroads are lining tip in support of7 federal legislation that would set new uniform safety standards for the inspection and maintenance of the chassis and trailers they own.

Their efforts to secure passage of the "roadability" section of the pending Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (TEA-LU) are aimed at ensuring that their sectors of industry will only have to comply with a single set of safety standards at the federal level, rather than 50 sets at the state level.

Fueling the rising public demand for legislation requiring federal inspection of intermodal equipment has been the growing number of fatal highway accidents in recent years caused by the deteriorating condition of some intermodal chassis, including broken structural parts and failing brakes.

Pressure is rising …