Page 50 - ATR 2 2019 digital

THE LAST WORD

Can America Follow Arkansas’

Lead on Highways?

By Chris Spear through. Lawmakers from both parties our nation’s roads and bridges, unlike toll

Guest Writer appear to be moving in the right direction roads, which cost up to 35 cents per dollar
Sometimes Arkansas seems to be a in Washington to finally address the infra- raised to collect—literally, highway robbery.
step ahead of the rest of the country with structure challenge. The time for the truck- We are seizing on this moment by
its vision and leadership. ing industry to act is now. investing in an aggressive media and grass-
In March, Gov. Asa Hutchinson That’s why the American Trucking roots campaign. A new TV ad, “Life Won’t
signed into law what he called “the largest Associations proposed the Build America Wait” effectively captures the desperation
highway plan in the state’s history.” The Fund (BAF)—a federal fuel usage fee built Americans feel every time they venture out
legislation includes an increase of 3 cents into the price, phased in at a nickel per onto a congested highway at rush hour. The
for a gallon of gasoline and 6 cents more year over four years. This new fee will ad shows everyday people frustrated by their
for diesel, and is expected to raise $95 mil- generate an estimated $340 billion over inability to make it to important life events
lion annually for the state’s highway sys- the course of a decade. This will not only due to traffic congestion or a road being
tem as part of a critical and ambitious new cover the highway funding gap, but also closed due to deterioration. It’s the same
$300 million highway program. create an account to invest in the nation’s story that truckers experience every day.
In no small part, the successful passage most urgent infrastructure needs, includ- You can learn more about this cam-
of this legislation was due to the support ing projects at the state and local level. The paign at www.roadtoabetterfuture.com
of the Arkansas Trucking Association. The fee would be indexed to both inflation and where ATA and our partners explore the
association had long pushed for a mod- improvements in fuel efficiency, with a five real costs of inaction: the time lost for
est increase of the fuel tax, which had not percent annual cap. commuters stuck in traffic; the money
been raised in a decade. Over that time, The costs to users are reasonable, with wasted in gas and vehicle damage from
Arkansas — which has the 12 largest high- the average passenger vehicle paying a little poor and traffic-packed roads; the envi-
th
rd
way system in the nation — slipped to 43 in more than $100 a year — far less than the ronmental degradation from idling cars
spending on roads and bridges. repair, maintenance and wasted fuel that and trucks; and the economic decline that
Arkansas was hardly the only state Americans are spending now imprisoned in results from a weak infrastructure.
neglecting its infrastructure. Across most their vehicles in traffic. User fees have seen broad support
of the country, the traffic mess on our This idea has been well received on in the past. Pres. Reagan twice signed an
highways has grown as steadily as the Capitol Hill. Key Democrats on congres- increase in the user fee, which was sup-
Washington political gridlock that has per- sional committees have indicated support ported by Democrats and Republicans, orga-
petuated it. For years, truckers have endured for a modest increase in the fuel tax and nized labor and the business community, as
the deteriorating state of our roads, bridges Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao the best, most effective — and most conser-
and highways as the Highway Trust Fund indicated that an increase in the federal vative — way to invest in roads and bridges.
continues to dry up. Inaction has cost our fuel user fee was “on the table.” Even some We need the same vision, leadership and
industry 1.2 billion hours of lost productiv- past Republican opponents of the user collaboration today. We hope you’ll help
ity and $74.5 billion in additional operating fee are indicating a willingness to now us encourage our leaders in Washington
costs to the nation’s supply chain. We are consider it. There is realization that this to take action. We should all be following
now living in a crisis situation. is the most fiscally conservative proposal, Arkansas’s lead.
But the action in Arkansas is just costing less than 1 cent on the dollar to
one of many promising signs of a break- administer. It is new and real revenue for Chris Spear is president and CEO of
American Trucking Associations.
Opinions expressed on this page may not reflect official policies or opinions of the Arkansas Trucking Association or the American Trucking Associations.

50 Issue 2 2019 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT