Here are five things worth knowing today:
1. The House has scheduled a hearing to give lawmakers a chance to weigh in on a long-term transportation funding bill. According to The Hill, the hearing is set for Oct. 22, just a week before the expiration of the nation’s infrastructure spending. Congress has struggled to come up with a way to pay for long-term infrastructure spending, and the current Oct. 29 deadline was set as a temporary extension back in July. According to The Hill, transportation advocates often complain that Congress has not passed an infrastructure measure that lasts longer than two years since 2005.
2. California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation covering ready-mix concrete workers under Assembly Bill 219 wage laws. According to the Teamsters, the bill was introduced by Tom Daly (D-Anaheim), and union members throughout the state have participated in the legislative process before the bill was signed. According to Teamsters, president Rome Aloise said: “We are pleased that the governor chose to recognize the important role that these drivers play in the execution of publicly funded projects in California. Those drivers will be compensated in an equal manner and on a level playing field. No longer will companies be able to charge the same price for concrete and pad their profits by way of paying drivers lower wages.”
3. Some retired union truck drivers are among those who could be at risk for having part of their pensions slashed, KRGV reports. The Central States Pension Fund plans to cut pension checks in half for former union truck drivers, according to the report. The fund, which KRGV reports is on the brink of insolvency, stated it needs to cut benefits for 273,000 current and future retirees to stay afloat. The fund covers workers and retirees from more than 1,500 companies across various industries, including trucking, construction and Disneyland workers. KRGV has more.
4. California seeks volunteers, including truck drivers, to participate in its pay-by-the-mile program, similar to the OReGO program in Oregon. According to Transport Topics, California’s pilot is scheduled to begin in July and will last for nine months. The state seeks 5,000 volunteers to have their miles recorded for various time periods as part of an effort to consider ways other than the fuel tax to generate additional revenue.
5. Florida’s Department of Transportation has set up a task force to study the safety and reliability of I-75, The Gainesville Sun reports. The task force is part of FDOT’s planning process for the future of the state’s major transportation corridors over the next 50 years, according to the report. The area is a gateway to Florida and Tampa Bay for visitors and also one of the most-traveled truck routes in the state, the report said.
