Trucking Group Calls on Congress to Pass Short-Term Highway Patch

A leading trucking group, the American Trucking Associations (ATAT), called on Congress to quickly pass a short extension of the federal highway program while continuing to focus on a long-term bill.

“The trucking industry moves nearly 70% of our nation’s freight tonnage and pays for nearly half of the Highway Trust Fund, so we have a lot of skin in this game,” ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said. “We’re willing to pay more at the pump to help Congress get a long-term solution for our infrastructure across the finish line in 2015. Our elected leaders should stop considering a lengthy delay that will certainly prevent passage of a long-term bill this year and vote to keep the highway program going through the summer while they craft a serious piece of long-term legislation.”

The trucking industry already pays $16.5 billion in federal highway user fees, and has repeatedly urged Congress to raise the primary user fee – the fuel tax – in order to fund important projects to reduce congestion, improve capacity and efficiency and create jobs.

“We’re very concerned about our ability to pass a highway bill that leads us into the 21st Century,” said ATA First Vice Chairman Pat Thomas, vice president at UPS, “We need Congress to pass a short-term patch and then immediately take into consideration a long-term highway bill. A five- or six-year bill that will provide the additional capacity that we need in this economy. We can’t afford any further delay.”

Category: General Update