Page 25 - Arkansas Trucking Report Volume 22 Issue 6

Newhouse is partner and co-found-
er of Virginia-based Public Opinion “THE BOTTOM LINE FOR THE SURVEY IS NOT
Strategies, a national public affairs and EVEN THE NEWS ABOUT FUEL TAX OR AMERICAN
political research firm widely known as OPPOSITION SOFTENING, IT’S NOT ABOUT THAT.
the leading Republican polling company
in the nation. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY
HAS NEVER BEEN MORE POPULAR OR HAD A
TRUCKING MAKES A GOOD STRONGER IMAGE.”
IMPRESSION
His survey’s major revelations were
that the image of the trucking industry —NEIL NEWHOUSE, PARTNER AND CO-FOUNDER OF LEADING
among the general public is enjoying REPUBLICAN POLLING COMPANY, PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES
great strength, that an increasing per-
centage of Americans believes infra-
structure spending should be a priority Three quarters of Americans have comes a more favorable view of infra-
and that opposition is easing — thanks a favorable impression of the industry, structure spending.
to consistently low gas prices — to some according to Newhouse’s polling data, a In Newhouse’s polling, 62 per-
sort of gas tax hike to fund infrastruc- viewpoint that is consistent across the cent of the voters believed the country
ture improvements. nation. More than 70 percent of those should spend more on transportation
“The bottom line for the survey polled in all four regions had a favorable infrastructure. Again this was consis-
is not even the news about fuel tax or view of the industry, with the strongest tent in every region as 60-64 percent
American opposition softening, it’s support coming from the South at 80 agreed on increased infrastructure
not about that,” Newhouse said “The percent. A majority also believed trucks spending.
bottom line is the trucking industry are responsible for moving the greatest “I’d say [there’s] openness to it
has never been more popular or had a amount of freight. rather than approval,” Newhouse said.
stronger image.” With that industry favorability
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ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 6 2017 25