Longer tractor-trailers placed in critical U.S. budget bill

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Longer tractor-trailers may ride the roads after all if an addendum to a stop-gap spending bill passes muster with Congress on Friday.

Congress has been busy this week trying to prevent another budget-related government shut-down.

A stop-gap spending bill meant to prevent a shut-down features unrelated riders, including a trucking provision that, if passed, would extend the size of double-trailers from from 28 feet per trailer to 33 feet, according to the Lexington Herald Leader.

Supporters of the provision, including UPS and FedEx, say that longer trailers will lower emissions and shipping costs.

Such a provision has been rejected by the Senate two times already, but appeared in a bill earlier this year that was passed by the House.

Reuters reports that the House will vote on the stop-gap spending legislation Friday.