Truck drivers in South Carolina say they're being pushed to carry too much of the tax load. Some drivers pay more than $5,000 a year in state taxes on only a few trucks, and many say they're taxed twice just for doing their jobs.
What's going on: State rules have changed on load restrictions for bridges and roads without much notice. Truckers report having to drive hours out of their way to stay legal, getting hit with tickets over $1,000 when they don't.
- Stanley Clowney, a trucking company owner, said, "It’s costly for us to run these trucks and I just think something needs to be done about it."
- Rep. Ralph Norman is calling for lawmakers to put more of the collected money into actually fixing roads and bridges, instead of what he called "frivolous things."
- There are 2,400 bridges in the state that still need repairs, and 700 are under load restrictions.
By the numbers: The state has spent $400 million a year for the past two years on bridge repairs and more money is expected soon, according to FOX Carolina.
Many South Carolina truckers say they're paying for roads and bridges they still can’t safely use, and they want the system to be fairer for the drivers who keep goods moving across the state.