Travis Grauerholtz, representing the Kansas Motor Carriers Association, told the Kansas Senate Transportation Committee in Topeka that Kansas has about 17,000 trucking companies and that the industry supplies tens of thousands of jobs and large wage income to the state economy.

"Safety for our association and the industry is at the top of everybody's priority," Grauerholtz said during a Trucking 101 presentation to the committee. He spoke with several KMCA colleagues in the room and answered lawmakers' questions about registration, fees, weight limits and safety programs.

The KMCA representatives described the layered regulatory and fee structure that applies to motor carriers. Grauerholtz told the committee that all motor carriers operating on public roads carry a DOT number for identification and safety reporting, while farm-registered vehicles that operate only inside Kansas are exempt from some federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requirements. He said carriers seeking interstate authority must apply to the FMCSA, pay a roughly $300 application fee, and meet federal insurance minimums that the KMCA summarized as roughly $750,000 for basic commercial liability, about $1,000,000 for some petroleum-hauling operations and up to $5,000,000 for hazardous materials.

Grauerholtz reviewed multistate registration and tax systems, including the International Registration Plan (IRP) and the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA). He said unified carrier registration (UCR) fees are scaled by fleet size (examples discussed ranged from about $46 a year for very small fleets to tens of thousands for very large fleets). He also summarized the federal heavy-use vehicle tax formula and other federal levies on equipment and tires.

On intrastate authority, Grauerholtz said Kansas requires carriers operating only inside the state to obtain permission from the Kansas Corporation Commission, pay an application fee (described as about $250), provide financial statements, and carry cargo and liability insurance. He also referenced Kansas truck registration and a separate commercial vehicle fee that are both based on gross vehicle weight and (in the KMCA packet) vehicle age.

The committee asked about vehicle size, weight and bridge ratings. Grauerholtz reviewed Kansas limits cited in the KMCA packet: standard trailer lengths typically 53 feet, maximum allowed trailer length up to 59 feet 6 inches, maximum width 8 feet 6 inches, and a maximum height of 14 feet (with a 6-inch exception for round bales). He said the interstate maximum gross weight in Kansas is generally 80,000 pounds, and noted a statutory agricultural exemption discussed in prior legislation.

Jamie Bradley, president of the Kansas Motor Carriers Association and an operator with Doug Bradley Trucking, described how vehicle technology and training affect handling at higher weights. "Once you get over a certain weight it vehicles are can cause more damage. There's no doubt about it," Bradley said, adding that modern trucks have improved braking and monitoring systems and that current CDL training requirements include behind-the-wheel and classroom components that he said have increased driver preparedness.

The KMCA presenters summarized a 2017-era bill the association helped develop (referenced in the committee packet as House Bill 2009), which allows an annual permit for certain agricultural combinations up to 90,000 pounds if specific conditions are met: a six-axle-or-more combination, a $200-per-year permit, operation limited to agricultural products listed in the statute, and operational restrictions including bans on travel in snow/ice and compliance with posted bridge limits.

Grauerholtz and Bradley emphasized industry safety programs, citing a KMCA-hosted safety council and a national research finding included in the packet that association members participate in fewer crashes and roadside violations. Grauerholtz described a "share the road" outreach program in which professional drivers provide demonstrations to teach passenger-vehicle drivers how to avoid truck blind spots and understand stopping distances.

Committee members pressed KMCA representatives on driver availability and the effect of expanded training requirements. Grauerholtz acknowledged a persistent driver shortage, saying recruitment had improved somewhat but remained a concern. He and Bradley said enhanced training and monitoring have coincided with a reduction in crashes among association members, citing the packet's research summary, and they declined to attribute that trend to any single cause.

On autonomous vehicles, Grauerholtz said companies are monitoring technological advances but called it premature to say how automation will affect driver shortages. Bradley said testing and incremental technology changes are happening but declined to predict a timeline.

Several committee questions sought technical clarifications: whether posted bridge weight limits are specified by axle weight or gross vehicle weight. KMCA representatives said markings vary; many posted limits reference axle or tandem axle groupings, while some bridges are posted by gross vehicle weight. The KMCA presenters offered to follow up with the Kansas Department of Transportation for specific bridge-rating guidance.

The KMCA packet and the presentation provided the committee with comparative examples of state registration fees, insurance thresholds, federal tax calculations and samples of safety and compliance rules the industry follows. Multiple committee members asked to continue discussion in follow-up meetings, and the committee did not take any formal action during the session.

The presentation and Q&A lasted for the committee's allotted time and concluded without votes or formal motions.