Page 11 - ATR 1 2013

NEWS IN BrIEf

CompaNIES WIll pay HIgHEr
TaxES for BETTEr roadS
The nation’s top business spokes-
man testified before Congress that
the private sector is willing to pony
up higher gas taxes to rebuild U.S.
highways and bridges. Tom Donahue,
president of the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce, appeared before the House
Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee on the organization’s sup-
port for paying higher fuel taxes.
“We need to phase in a moderate
increase in the gas tax over a number of
years and index it to inflation,” he said.
“Transportation is a great oppor-
tunity to prove that Democrats and
Republicans can work together, that
states and the federal government can
each play an appropriate role, that busi-
ness is stepping up to help meet a major drUg frEE TrUCk drIvErS pre-employment screening. If hair test-
national challenge, and that all parties The percentage of truck drivers ing data were excluded from the totals,
can come together to actually get some- testing positive on random drug tests many believe the positive rates, which
thing done for the good of the nation.” during 2011 dropped below 1 percent, rely solely on urine tests, would be
Donahue cited a recent study the lowest level since mandatory test- much higher.
released by the American Society of ing began almost two decades ago, The American Trucking
Civil Engineers that estimates the according to the U.S. Department of Associations supports hair testing as
United States needs to spend $2.75 Transportation. an option for trucking companies. The
trillion to maintain and improve its The positive rate was 0.9 percent for Trucking Alliance, a coalition of truck-
infrastructure by 2020, or roughly 66 the 492,000 drivers in the 2011 sample, load carriers that includes two of the
percent more than the $1.66 trillion in the agency reported. nation’s largest – J.B. Hunt Transport
currently expected funding over that The 2011 total was less than half and Schneider National – and which
period. the 2.2 percent rate for the 438,000 use hair testing exclusively, want the
“Our infrastructure system is a drivers tested in 1996 when regulations federal government to change its policy
tremendous national asset we’ve built first required all carriers to conduct of only recognizing urine testing and to
up over generations,” Donohue told the random tests, according DOT data. also recognize hair testing in lieu of a
committee. “It has fueled economic Trucking industry leaders cau- urine test for pre-employment screen-
growth, enhanced our competitiveness, tion however that the percentages may ing. Although hair testing is twice as
and created a lot of good jobs. If well- not accurately reflect actual drug use expensive as a urinalysis, the DOT does
maintained, it can continue to deliver among drivers, as several of the nation’s not currently recognize its results on
outstanding benefits to all Americans.” carriers now utilize hair testing which
is more accurate than urine testing in 

arKanSaS truCKing report | issue 1 2013 11