Page 35 - ATR 5 2012 web 2

the public more confidence in how their
money is spent.”
Lane Kidd, president of the
Arkansas Trucking Association, observed
however, that in Arkansas, a prohibition “the questioN is, wheN they start sPeNdiNg
on earmarks could mean the total deci- moNey, where’s that moNey goiNg to go? …
sion making authority is handed over we Just waNt to maKe sure that moNey isN’t
to the five-member Arkansas Highway
Commission, all of whom are appointed comiNg from highway users.”
to 10-year terms. —darriN roth,
“Our state is unique in decid- director of highway oPeratioNs,
ing how our highway taxes are spent americaN trucKiNg associatioNs
and not necessarily in a good way,”
said Kidd, citing that the state’s high-
way commissioners historically divide
highway taxes evenly among their five billion in 2006 to $478.3 billion in have huge intermodal operations that
districts, regardless of population or 2011. For the first six months of 2012, are growing and profitable.
highway traffic counts. “A major inter- exports to NAFTA partners were valued “The question is,” he said, “when
state corridor that connects the state to at $173.9 billion, a little behind the they start spending money, where’s
our major business region in northwest $188 billion at the same point last year. that money going to go? There is no
Arkansas would have never been built Data from the 2010 census shows federal rail fund, per se, so we just want
without Congress earmarking the funds 394,000 American companies were to make sure that money isn’t coming
to build I-540,” said Kidd, “and those involved in importing or exporting dur- from highway users. If they want to do
earmarks bypassed the highway com- ing 2009-2010. Among those, approxi- multi-modal planning, that’s fine.”
mission, and spent money where it was mately 101,000 were only involved In any event, it’s still too early to
desperately needed.” in the import business, with another determine what, exactly, will come out
There is no question that how 80,600 doing both imports and exports. of the new transportation bill. There’s a
transportation funds are spent will But the overwhelming majority, some lot of rules yet to be written for it, and
have a huge impact on the economy 212,500, was strictly exporters. the DOT is dealing with different time
as a whole. According to the Bureau frames for different issues – a year in
of Economic Analysis, part of the U.S. mUlTI-modal CoNTrovErSy some cases, longer in others – for com-
Department of Commerce, the total A national freight strategy will have ing up with the various pieces of the
value of U.S. exports rose from $372.2 a big impact on all those goods moving regulatory puzzle. But the DOT is also
billion in the second quarter of 2011 to into and out of the United States. Roth mandated to reach out to stakeholders
a preliminary estimate of $394.1 billion said the Department of Transportation and Roth says they’re already doing so.
in the second quarter of this year, the established the Freight Policy Council as “We’ve attended a couple of ses-
most recent for which figures have been a response to some of the performance sions,” he said. “They’re reaching out
reported. Over the same period, import standards it had been charged with put- to us specifically and looking for input
value rose from $559.3 billion in the ting into place. from ATA and our members on some
second quarter of 2011 to a projected “If you read MAP-21,” he said, “a pieces of the freight provisions. We
$579.9 billion in the second quarter of lot of those things are supposed to be are talking to the agency and we have
this year. focused on highways. The whole stra- expressed some of our concerns. We
Those figures represent a consider- tegic plan is centered on highways and will talk to Congress and see if there’s
able increase in both import and export trucks,” he said. “But the Freight Policy something we can do there if we feel
volume from just 10 years ago. In the Council is multi-modal; it seems to be they’re going down the wrong road, or a
second quarter of 2002, U.S. exports an effort to give all modes an equal road Congress did not intend.”
amounted to $175.7 billion, while voice in that process. We are concerned But those discussions will run
imports were valued at $293 billion. that highways and trucks won’t be given into another consideration: MAP-21 is
Over the past five years, truck the consideration Congress intended.” only a two-year bill, expiring on Sept.
exports from the United States within Roth is quick to add that the ATA 30, 2014. Even as the ATA is working
the North American Free Trade Zone is opposed to multi-modal being part with the Department of Transportation
(NAFTA) have increased by a third in of the strategic plan—even though (DOT) and Congress on the current
value, according to the federal Bureau of many major truck lines, like J.B. Hunt
Transportation Statistics – from $364.4 Transport, UPS and Schneider National 

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