Lawmakers recently exited Washington, D.C., for their annual August hiatus, leaving a mid-year record of trucking industry issues unresolved. However, the American Trucking Associations has been instrumental in pushing freight transportation change as the country’s leading trucking advocacy outfit. These are three issues worth following closely during the next session of Congress.
1: Driver Apprenticeship Program
The $1.2 trillion infrastructure spending package included a national pilot program that was supposed to onboard up to 3,000 young adult truckers under 21 years old. The DRIVE Safe Act authorized men and women with valid CDLs to now haul freight across state lines. But the Biden Administration’s U.S. Department of Transportation, led by Sec. Pete Buttigieg, imposed restrictions not included in the law. After less than a dozen 18- to 20-year-old apprentices were included in the program, the ATA reportedly circled back and secured new language in the law. Once passed by both houses of Congress, the U.S. DOT won’t be able to hamstring the program.
2: Improved National Defense Authorization Act for Truckers
The U.S. Department of Defense applied uneven standards for truck drivers gaining access to military bases when making deliveries or moving soldiers. In an effort to eliminate individualized protocols and create a more cohesive system, the ATA focused on the issue during its Moving & Storage Conference and Government Freight Conference. The organization also worked with U.S. Reps. Mark Alford and John Garamendi to add a provision to the National Defense Authorization Act that resolved the problem. The legislation passed the House and Senate and now heads into reconciliation.
3: Legislative Effort to Stop New York City from Further Burdening Truckers
Since NYC Mayor Eric Adams took control, a number of policy moves have pushed down on truckers. Towing semis for overnight parking, high fines, and bounties on semis that idle too long are examples of an anti-truck environment. The Adams City Hall now plans to launch zone pricing tolls on trucks entering areas of Manhattan. Trucks can expect daily levies ranging from $12 to $86. The ATA garnered the support of New York Rep. Anthony D’Esposito to introduce a congressional resolution condemning the action. The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is considering moving the resolution to a floor vote.
The ATA also made progress in preventing California from imposing its emissions standards nationally and spreading its infamous AB5 law that effectively bans independent trucking operations. Several other pro-trucker bills are also making their way through Congress.
Source: https://www.trucking.org/news-insights/mid-year-review-congress-progress-pro-trucking-policies
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