Page 12 - ATR 3 2013

News iN brief, freight transportation infrastructure
Continued from page 11 can meet the demands of America’s
and alternative vehicles that pay dispro- job creators.” Crawford serves on the
portionately low, or no fuel taxes, pay Transportation and Infrastructure (T
“their fair share” of road user fees to & I) Committee and the Agriculture
maintain roads. Any motorist can opt Committee. The congressman recently
in to the program. Ironically, though, travelled to Memphis, Tennessee, with
those fuel efficient motorists who join other member of the T & I commit-
the program could end up receiving tee to tour facilities including the
a rebate rather than owe money due Port of Memphis and FedEx, and met
to the 30-cent per gallon credit on with representatives of the Southern
gas purchased. The bill is in on to the region’s freight transportation indus-
Governor for approval. try. “I was pleased to join my col-
leagues on the House Transportation
cRaWfoRd: VITal legISlaToR and Infrastructure’s Panel on 21st
To TRUckINg Century Freight Transportation on a
Congressman Rick Crawford very productive trip, conducting several
(R-Ark.) has been appointed to a spe- crawford fact-finding tours and meetings that
cial panel tasked with examining the will allow the full Committee a better
current state of freight transporta- understanding on mounting challenges
tion in the United States and how to Arkansas’s entire Mississippi River facing our nation’s freight transpor-
improving freight transportation can frontage and we understand the value tation industry.” President of the
strengthen the U.S. economy. “Freight of ports and inland waterways,” said Arkansas Trucking Association Lane
transportation is vital to the rural Congressman Crawford. “I look for- Kidd joined the committee to offer
economy of Arkansas’s First District. ward to working with my colleagues insight into the region’s infrastructure
Our congressional district is home on the panel to ensure our Nation’s issues. “My colleagues and I are com-

12 arkansas Trucking reporT | issue 3 2013