Page 34 - ATR 5 2012 web 2

a New freight map

Freight delivery becomes a national priority

By eric francis bill’s scope is multi-modal, so ports and some minimum standards on pavement
Contributing Writer railroads will be taken into account, quality, bridge quality, congestion, mov-
too, a goal of developing a seamless ing freight,” Roth added. “I think that
President Obama has announced intermodal system of freight movement. could be very positive, it could force
a goal of doubling American exports Darrin Roth, director of highway states to put their money into higher
by 2015 and the recently signed trans- operations for the American Trucking priority projects and higher order roads,
portation bill could be one tool with Associations (ATA), said that MAP-21 the kinds of roads that trucks use. That
which to reach that goal—but questions is full of things that will be of interest could be a very positive thing for the
remain about what effect all this will to, and have an impact on, the trucking industry.”
have on the trucking industry. industry.
Passed this summer, the trans- “It’s a pretty significant bill, said EarmarkS – Good or bad?
portation bill, titled “Moving Ahead Roth. “The performance standards are There is language in the bill that’s
for Progress in the 21st Century” and going to be interesting in that it’s the going to work in the states’ favor, Roth
mercifully abbreviated to MAP-21, man- first time states have been held to per- noted, such as a prohibition on ear-
dates the creation of a federal freight formance standards, and most of those marking funds for specific highways or
transportation policy that will impact are directed at national highway sys- projects. “That provision, from our per-
how states spend and how and where tems, which is the Interstate system and spective, is a very good thing,” he said.
new highways are built. That policy, other principal arterial highways. “That gives states more discretion in
however, extends beyond highways; the “States are going to have to meet how money is spent and hopefully gives

34 arkansas truCking rePort | issue 5 2012