WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire -01/31/12)- CleanerSaferTrucking, Inc. has announced it is in support of the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act being presented before the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday and applauds Chairman Mica for including truck productivity provisions within the draft bill.
CleanerSaferTrucking strongly supports the provision that restores flexibility to the states that now allow triples, while giving the federal Department of Transportation oversight authority to assure safe operations. We also support the other size provisions in the bill, including permission for 33' trailers to be operated as doubles.
Triples have operated in many states for decades and have an outstanding safety record. They are subject to additional safety requirements by both federal and state regulations, such as the federal requirement that triples drivers receive additional behind-the-wheel training. There is no need for studies or pilot programs.
How truck productivity strengthens the economy:
- More productive trucks will result in a safer, more viable trucking industry, utilizing better equipment and providing better, more sustainable jobs, while reducing highway congestion -- all of which contribute to lower costs of goods for all American companies and consumers than the status quo.
How Longer Combination Vehicles (LCVs) reduce pavement damage and greenhouse gas emissions:
- LCVs reduce pavement damage by reducing the number of tractors on the road.
- Triples burn 29% less fuel than double 28' trailers on a ton-mile per gallon basis; this translates directly to a 29% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
How LCVs are safer:
- LCVs have a better safety record than singles and double 28' trailers.
- The trucking industry has achieved substantial, consistent and quantified improvements in safety over the past decade. In fact, in 2009, the rate of truck-involved fatalities on U.S. highways fell to 1.17 per 100 million miles driven, down 14.1 percent from 2008.
Freight railroad industry should support the entire bill:
According to coalition officials, freight railroads are using false safety arguments to undermine any effort by Congress to give trucking a modest productivity increase. This is particularly disturbing in light of the almost $6 billion in capital account subsidies they have received since 2009 from the federal government through TIGER grants and the High Speed Rail program (most of the money in the latter goes to the freight lines over which AMTRAK operates).
The American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act contains numerous provisions to benefit freight railroads and increase their productivity. Coalition officials went on to say it is time for the freight railroad industry to cease its cynical attacks on the trucking provision and support the bill in its entirety.
"When transportation industries work together, rather than undermining each other, America benefits through a stronger, safer, more productive transportation system," said the Hon. Jim Burnley, Chairman, CleanerSaferTrucking, Inc., and former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation under President Reagan.
For more information about Cleaner Safer Trucking, please visit www.cleanersafertrucking.com.
1 comment