ATA urges review of federal laws that hamper trucking productivity

The trucking industry has asked the United States Congress to review federal laws that limit the ability of the trucking industry to increase productivity and more efficiently and safely move the U.S. economy.

Testifying on behalf of the American Trucking Associations before the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Michael Smid, president and chief executive officer of YRC North American Transportation, said fundamental changes that permit increased trucking industry productivity will reduce congestion on the nation's highways, reduce energy use, and improve highway safety and air quality.

“Over the previous quarter century, the trucking industry has made continuous improvements that have allowed its customers to significantly reduce inventories and create manufacturing and supply chain efficiencies that have saved the U.S. economy billions of dollars, increased salaries, slowed consumer price increases, and created countless jobs,” Smid said.

Federal law governing truck productivity has not been updated since 1982. Since then, truck tonnage has increased nearly 40 percent, driven by a 32 percent gain in the U.S. population and 82 percent growth in Gross Domestic Product.

Under current federal and state truck regulations, the growth in freight demand will require a 41 percent increase in the number of commercial trucks, adding nearly 3 million trucks to the nation's roads, Smid testified.

He said use of more productive trucks will limit the need for additional trucks as well as allow Congress and states to avoid some of the significant costs required to improve highway conditions and to address highway congestion.