The Fleet Business Authority
Issue link: http://heavydutytrucking.epubxp.com/i/236631
WASHINGTONreport critical to our nation's competitiveness," Graves said. and believe the consequences of inaction in addressing the The tax would be applied gradually: 8 cents a gallon in transportation funding crisis are serious," said Executive 2014, 4 cents more in 2015 and 3 more cents in 2016. That Director Leslie Blakey. would boost the current gas tax from 18.4 cents to 33.4 UPS Global Public Affairs President Laura Lane said the cents, and the diesel levy from 24.4 proposal will provide a much-needed cents to 39.4 cents. The bill would boost to surface infrastructure. "Underinvestment in index the taxes to the cost of living. "Increasing the federal motor fuels highways is an enormous tax is a long-overdue proposal to provide It also would repeal the taxes altogether by 2025 in anticipation of the dedicated funding needed to mainburden on the trucking replacing them with a vehicle-mile tain our highways, intermodal connecindustry, raising the cost tions and other related infrastructure tax. Blumenauer is pursuing more study of the VMT because income projects," she said. of moving freight and from fuel taxes will decline as vehicles Also on board are the Associaundermining the reliability tion of Equipment Manufacturers, become more efficient. Blumenauer noted that the fuel tax of a logistics system that is the Amalgamated Transit Union, the has not been increased since 1993. American Council of Engineering critical to our nation's "Today, with inflation and increased Companies, the American Society competitiveness." fuel efficiency for vehicles, the average of Civil Engineers, the Laborers' Inmotorist is paying about half as much – Bill Graves, ATA ternational Union of North America per mile as they did in 1993," he said. and the Associated General Contrac"It's time for Congress to act. tors of America. There's a broad and persuasive coalition that stands ready Despite this broad support and general acceptance of to support Congress, including the U.S. Chamber of the need for infrastructure investment, Blumenauer's bill Commerce, National AFL-CIO, the construction and faces an uphill battle in a Congress that is deeply divided trucking industry, cyclists, professional groups, numerous over taxes and spending. associations of small and medium businesses, local governA bipartisan House panel recently underscored the need ments and transit agencies. We just need to give them for robust, sustainable funding for highways, but Rep. Bill something to support." Shuster, R-Pa., the chairman of the House Transportation Joining the chorus of support was the Coalition for and Infrastructure Committee, is urging caution when America's Gateways and Trade Corridors, which represents talking about money. state transportation departments, Metropolitan Planning The subject simply is too politically sensitive. Shuster Organizations, ports and freight corridors. recently told the American Highway Users Alliance the "We see the proposed increase in the federal gasoline best approach is to explain the need for highway improveand diesel fuel taxes as a crucial step in the right direction ments before raising the issue of funding. FMCSA moves to fix one of several CSA issues t The Federal Motor Carrier Safety the Motor Carrier Management FMCSA plans to start Administration is fixing a long-time Information System to accommoincluding in its CSA database date the results of a court's finding. problem in its CSA safety enforcement system. The change would accept informathe results of carrier The agency plans to start includtion concerning a violation that challenges of roadside ing in its CSA database the results of was dismissed or the carrier found carrier challenges of roadside inspecnot guilty. In that case, the original inspection citations. tion citations. violation would be removed from It's been a problem because the the CSA database. citation shows up in the carrier's record, but a subsequent If the citation is changed or reduced to a lesser charge, the dismissal of the citation by a court does not make it into CSA file would say so and adjust the carrier's safety score. the system. If the original charge is upheld, the violation would To solve the problem, the agency wants to change remain in the system. 12 HDT • JANUARY 2014 www.truckinginfo.com