Latest Industry News Briefs Courtesy of PMTA
PA State Senator Proposes Near Zero Emission Truck Incentive Program
By Rebecca Oyler, PMTA
Sen. Rosemary Brown is looking for cosponsors for her bill
Recently State Senator Rosemary Brown, a Republican senator representing Lackawanna, Monroe, and Wayne Counties, circulated a memo to her colleagues soliciting cosponsors for a bill creating a state Near Zero Emission Truck Incentive Program.
The proposal, supported by PMTA, is based on the fact that trucks produced beginning in model year 2010 emit a fraction of NOx and particulate matter of earlier trucks. The quickest way to reduce emission from Pennsylvania trucks is to incentivize the replacement of some of these trucks with newer models.
The bill would do this by creating a grant program for the purchase of a model year 2010 or later truck if accompanied by a trade-in of a pre-2010 diesel truck.
The federal government took steps to tightly regulate the emissions systems in heavy-duty trucks between model years 2007 and 2010 by requiring standardization of selective catalytic reduction and diesel particulate filters. The result is that a truck sold in 2006 emits roughly 10 times the amount of NOx and particulate matter as today’s near zero emissions trucks.
Today, about 34% of trucks registered in Pennsylvania are pre-2010 models, which do not contain the latest emissions components. Though the Commonwealth has a higher percentage of newer trucks on the road than many other states, these trucks contribute the majority of emissions from the trucking industry in the state. The proposed grant program will lead to the replacement of these trucks with newer, much cleaner trucks, resulting in lower emissions from the trucking industry and cleaner air for all.
In addition, it’s important to note that National Highway Traffic Administration research is clear that newer trucks have better safety records. The addition of multiple standard safety technologies by original equipment manufacturers in recent years has led to safer trucks. Generally, replacing older trucks with trucks having newer standard safety equipment will increase safety on the road.
The legislation will require PennDOT and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to apply for federal funds available for the purpose of reducing pollution. With these funds, PennDOT will provide a grant to incentivize the purchase of model year 2010 or later trucks to be titled and registered in Pennsylvania, if accompanied by a trade-in of a pre-2010 diesel truck that is also titled and registered in Pennsylvania. The trade-in cannot be titled and registered in the state again.
No other single technology transfer can affect Pennsylvania’s air quality and provide immediate health benefits as much as replacing pre-2010 trucks with post-2010 models. Unfortunately, the Federal Excise Tax currently acts as a disincentive to companies wishing to update their equipment to the latest technology. Providing an incentive program at the state level helps offset this impediment and avoids costly mandates that would cripple the trucking industry.
PMTA thanks Sen. Brown for sponsoring this important bill and encourages members to contact their state senators to ask them to cosponsor the bill.
ATA Welcomes More Than $30 Million to Build Hundreds of Truck Parking Spaces
Washington, DC… The American Trucking Associations applauded the award of over $30 million that will be used to construct 260 new truck parking spaces. This funding announced by U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will make it easier for truck drivers to locate parking along key freight corridors in Ohio, Wisconsin and Nevada.
“The chronic lack of truck parking poses a danger to the public, impedes the efficiency of our supply chain and harms truckers’ wellbeing. We appreciate Secretary Buttigieg’s commitment to addressing this serious issue by supporting the decisions of Ohio, Wisconsin and Nevada to embed truck parking projects in their transportation plans,” said American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear. “When drivers finish their shift, they deserve to know that they will be able to find a safe place to sleep that night. Congress can be a part of the solution by building on this investment and voting to pass the $200 million for truck parking included in this year’s appropriations bill.”
The funding stems from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and was allocated through the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Program. Combined with previous awards to California Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming, the announcement brings the total number of truck parking projects supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to 14, encompassing roughly 2,000 additional spaces.
The INFRA funding was awarded as follows:
* Ohio - A $17,897,842 grant will repurpose two closed rest areas as new truck parking facilities. One facility on I-70 near New Paris will create 100 spaces, and the other on I-80 near Hubbard will create 38 spaces. Over a one-year period, over 1,000 trucks were forced to park in undesignated spots within a few miles of these locations. The project will entail video surveillance, and the parking areas will be added to the Truck Parking Information Management System, providing real-time parking information to drivers.
* Wisconsin - A $12,500,000 grant will replace both the Rest Area 51 Maribel and Rest Area 52 Denmark facilities along I-43 in Manitowoc County, which will increase truck parking capacity by 72 spaces. The project will also improve lighting and access for trucks as well as provide real-time parking information.
* Nevada - As part of an I-80 widening project in the Reno-Sparks area, Nevada DOT will add 50 new truck parking spaces.
Increasing funding to expand truck parking is one of highest priorities for ATA, which recently produced a video describing the challenges and solutions for the truck parking shortage. ATA strongly supported the inclusion of $200 million for truck parking in this year’s House Appropriations bill and is pushing Congress to approve this legislation. ATA also sent a letter calling on all 50 state governors to make room for truck parking in their infrastructure spending priorities.
ATA is championing the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act—introduced by Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming) and Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) and Representatives Mike Bost (R-Illinois) and Angie Craig (D-Minnesota)—which would create a $755 million federal grant program dedicated to truck parking expansion.
ATA Truck Tonnage Index Decreased 2.1% in September
Washington, DC… American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index decreased 2.1% in September after rising 1.7% in August. In September, the index equaled 113.2 (2015=100) compared with 115.6 in August.
“After increasing a total of 2.1% in July and August, tonnage fell by that amount in September,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “Freight has been very choppy this year, but despite the latest drop, tonnage is up 1.8% since hitting a low in January. No doubt, the climb up has been slow and difficult as manufacturing activity remains flat, but the trend is up, not down.”
August’s increase was revised down slightly from our September 24 press release.
Compared with September 2023, the index fell 0.9%, after rising 0.6% in August from a year earlier.
The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by the fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equaled 111.6 in September, 6.4% below August. ATA’s For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index is dominated by contract freight as opposed to traditional spot market freight.
In calculating the index, 100 represents 2015.
Trucking serves as a barometer of the U.S. economy, representing 72.6% of tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and retail goods. Trucks hauled 11.46 billion tons of freight in 2022. Motor carriers collected $940.8 billion, or 80.7% of total revenue earned by all transport modes.
ATA Congratulates President Trump on Reelection
Washington , DC.. American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear issued the following statement on the election of Donald Trump to serve as the 47th President of the United States:
"We congratulate President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance on their victory and look forward to working with their transition team and new administration in the days and months ahead.
"President Trump made trucking a priority throughout his first term and partnered with us to enact policies that strengthened the supply chain, grew the economy, and delivered for all Americans. His second term offers an historic opportunity to build upon that record and show why the best approach to governing is one paved by common sense. That begins by replacing EPA's electric-truck rule with national emission standards that are technologically achievable and account for the operational realities of our essential industry.
"With the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act set to expire next year, ATA stands ready to work across the aisle on Capitol Hill to achieve pro-growth tax reform, including repealing the century-old, punitive federal excise tax on heavy-duty trucks and trailers that penalizes our industry for investing in newer, cleaner, and safer equipment. We also look forward to working with the Trump Administration and Congress on a host of policies to support our workforce, protect the right of independent truckers to choose their own career path, and end lawsuit abuse by restoring balance and fairness to the civil justice system.
“The next four years will present big decisions for our nation. As we tackle these challenges and opportunities together, the Trump Administration and 119th Congress will find a constructive partner in ATA."
Truckers Applaud House Transportation Committee on Fighting Freight Fraud
WASHINGTON, DC… The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) applauded the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee for taking action to combat freight fraud by passing the bipartisan Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection to combat freight fraud. The legislation introduced by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Congressman Mike Ezell (R-MS) would enhance the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) ability to crack down on freight fraud. Motor carriers are victimized through unpaid claims, unpaid loads, double brokered loads, or load phishing schemes on a daily basis. This costs the trucking industry over $800 million annually.
"Freight fraud committed by criminals and scam artists has been devastating to many small business truckers simply trying to make a living in a tough freight market,” said OOIDA President Todd Spencer. “OOIDA and the 150,000 small-business truckers we represent applaud the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee for its bipartisan approach in providing FMCSA better tools to root out fraudulent actors, which are also harmful to consumers and highway safety. Because of the broad industry support for these commonsense reforms, we hope this legislation will move to the full House of Representatives for a vote without delay.”
Problem: Professional truckers have been telling the U.S. Department of Transportation for decades about inadequate broker regulations that are rarely, if ever, enforced. This has resulted in an inequitable economic environment for truckers, especially small-businesses who are victimized by unscrupulous brokers and other fraudulent entities. The current regulatory framework limits fraud enforcement, enables bad actors to operate with impunity, and forces out drivers who want to build sustainable trucking careers.
Solution: The Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act restores and codifies FMCSA’s authority to issue civil penalties against bad actors. The legislation also requires that brokers, freight forwarders, and carriers provide a valid business address to FMCSA in order to register for authority.
The bill has been endorsed by the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), American Trucking Associations’ Moving & Storage Conference (ATA-MSC), Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association (OOIDA), the National Association of Small Trucking Companies (NASTC), Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), Institute for Safer Trucking (IST) and Road Safe America.
Additionally, the Committee passed the Motor Carrier Safety Screening Modernization Act, which would require states to implement an impartial process to review challenges against incorrectly issued citations or violations. Under current practice, states have the authority to establish their own review process. Unfortunately, nearly all of them have established a system where a review is conducted by the same person or agency who issued the violation, which creates an inherent conflict of interest. The Motor Carrier Safety Screening Modernization Act will require that a “Request for Data Review,” or “DataQ,” is adjudicated by someone other than the officer that issued the citation. This change will finally ensure some level of due process for truckers in the DataQ process.
Both bills now move on the full House of Representatives for consideration. Truckers and the traveling public are welcome to go to http://fightingfortruckers.com/ to encourage their lawmakers to support the bills.