Lobby Group Strikes Back at Rhode Island Over Restricted Truck Access to Roads

American Trucking Associations  (ATA) has pressed the state of Rhode Island to provide information to the trucking industry about outreach the state has done to communities that are likely to be affected by an increase in truck traffic as a result of what it termed “the state’s extortionary truck-only toll scheme.”

“According to one such ‘information packet’ obtained by the American Trucking Associations, [the Rhode Island Department of Transportation] intends to prevent diversion of tractor-semitrailers to potential alternative routes through signage limiting truck access to ‘local services,’ along with a variety of state and local enforcement methods,” ATA said in a letter dated September 29. “From the limited information available, ATA has serious concerns as to how the contemplated restrictions can be reasonably enforced without imposing an unreasonable burden on motor carriers and their customers, truck drivers, other motorists and the citizens of Rhode Island.”

ATA, and its federation partner the Rhode Island Trucking Association, have been vocally opposed to Gov. Raimondo’s toll scheme since it was first proposed.

“We have said from the beginning that the governor and politicians in Providence are attempting to extort revenue from our industry – using the trucks that deliver their state’s goods as a piggy bank to avoid making the tough choices that are necessary to maintain the state’s roads and bridges,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “We will continue to fight these discriminatory and unjust tolls and as other states have learned, we will not stop until this plan is abandoned.”

“This plan is bad for our industry, but it is also bad for Rhode Islanders who will see costs and congestion rise as a result,” said RITA President Chris Maxwell. “The only beneficiaries of Gov. Raimondo’s plan are her cronies and politicians in Providence who get to once again kick the can down the road when it comes to a real, sustainable highway funding solution.”

Category: Featured, General Update