The Issue

Every five years or so, Congress writes new transportation and highway authorization legislation. The current bill, SAFETEA-LU expires October 2009.

OOIDA is an extremely active player in the debate on highway funding, tolling, and public-private partnerships at both the federal and state levels of government.

Truckers make a significant financial contribution to federal and state government transportation funds. And although heavy-duty trucks account for just 3 percent of registered vehicles and less than 10 percent of our nations’ highway traffic , the taxes trucker pay make up more than 36 percent of the money going into the Federal  Highway  Trust Fund.

Truckers pay 24.4 cents per gallon in federal diesel fuel tax, 12 percent excise tax on trucks and trailers and a Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) weight mileage tax) and tires taxes. Additional, truckers must pay state fuel taxes, weight mileage taxes, licensing and registration fees and whether a truck is base-plated in another state or not, they pay taxes on each mile they drive in each state, and may pay an annualized percentage of their base plate fees depending upon the miles they run in a particular state.

OOIDA organized a coalition of like-minded highway user associations in Washington, DC called the Americans for a Strong National Highway Network.   This coalition includes the American Highway Users Alliance, National Association of Truck Stop Operators (NATSO), American Trucking Associations (ATA), the American Motorcyclists Association (AMA), and the RV Association (RVIA).

The Status

In December 2009, as a part of the much larger FY2010 Defense appropriations bill, President Obama signed into law another short-term extension of SAFETEA-LU programs and funding.  Unless the White House, the Senate and much of the rest of the House dramatically change their priorities, it is likely that a long-term highway bill authorization will be put off until late 2010, or even 2011.

In June,  Congressman Oberstar and Congressman DeFazio introduced the “Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009.”  it is still in draft form and far from being finalized, but still being looked at by the Senate.
Provisions included that OOIDA is in favor are:

• Establishes minimum training and behind the wheel experience requirements for new truck drivers.
• Creates a safety proficiency exam for new carriers entering the industry which would cover knowledge of requirements and regulations as well as a disclosure piece regarding common ownership, management and family connections.
• Allows the Dept. of Transportation to revoke licenses and operating authorities of carriers that reorganize themselves to avoid penalties and judgments.  
• Establishes a new core Freight Improvement Program that dedicates money to the National Highway System (NHS) - which carries 75% of truck traffic - and other highways designated by states as important to meeting freight mobility needs.
• Establishes a new office to review all public-private partnerships to ensure that public interest takes precedence over the private profit. 

An area of concern in the bill:

• Provisions that would dedicate a greater percentage of Highway Trust Fund dollars towards non-highway programs.

OOIDA has been successfully leading efforts in several states to oppose the conversion of existing roads to tolled roads, as well as the sale/long-term lease of roads to the private sector (i.e.: the conversion of I-80 in Pennsylvania to a toll road, and the sale/lease of the Pennsylvania Turnpike).  We continue to fight the effort in Pennsylvania to convert I-80 into a toll road.  Pennsylvania has applied twice, unsuccessfully, to get approval from the Federal Highway Administration to toll I-80. They resubmitted a third application earlier this year.  No decision has been made by Secretary LaHood at this point.

There are many recommendations on the table (at both the federal and state levels) for finding additional revenue to pay for infrastructure, these include: Taking money from the General Fund of the U.S. Treasury to pay for the highway trust fund shortfall, increasing the fuel tax, increasing the Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT), more tolling and public-private partnerships (PPPs), a freight customs/container/bill-of-lading fee, moving to a tax on Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), and/or placing a transaction tax on crude oil securities/speculation.

Tolling and Privatization
Several bills have been introduced in the current 111th Congress that support our OOIDA position to restrict tolling or the increased privatization of existing roads.  These include:

• H.R. 1071, the “Keeping America’s Freeways Free Act” which would prohibit the tolling of federal highways.
• S. 1115, the “Freedom from Tolls Act of 2009” would ban tolls on the National Highway System – and highways, bridges, and tunnels funded by the federal government.
• S. 884, the “Transportation Equity for all Americans Act.” & S. 885, the “Transportation Access for All Americans Act.”  Both of these bills would limit the amount of incentive that is currently available to the private sector to fund toll roads.

What we can do

• OOIDA Members should develop an ongoing relationship with their federal and state lawmakers and related staffers to be a resource on the important role trucking plays in our economy and in funding our nation’s infrastructure.
• OOIDA Members should remind their elected officials that truckers ARE paying their fair share. 
• The trucking industry contributes more than 36% of the total revenue generated for the Federal Highway Trust Fund, even though it makes up less than 10% of congestion and only 3% of registered vehicles.
• OOIDA Members and concerned citizens should contact their rep in the U.S.  House of Representatives and ask them to co-sponsor H.R. 1071, the “Keeping America’s Freeways Free Act,” sponsored by Congressman Thompson and Congressman Rodriguez.
• Pennsylvania members should contact their state legislators to voice their opposition to efforts to convert I-80 into a toll road.
• OOIDA members should contact their two U.S. Senators and ask them to co-sponsor S. 1115, the “Freedom from Tolls Act of 2009”, S. 884, the “Transportation Equity for All Americans Act”, and S. 885, the “Transportation Access for All Americans Act.”

They can do so by calling the Capitol Hill Switchboard at 202.224.3121 and asking to speak with their Member of Congress in the U.S. House of Representatives & their two U.S. Senators.  When they get through to the office of each elected official, they should ask for the Transportation Legislative Assistant (LA).

All OOIDA Members should contact their U.S. lawmakers and state legislators to relay their opposition to tolling and efforts by the private sector to take over existing roadways.  What would help us make the most of your contact is if you would fax a short letter to your lawmakers stating your concerns with a copy going to our office (816.427.4468).  The phone number for the Capitol Switchboard is 202.224.3121.