The Nation

LANSING, Mich. — With state Republicans lawmakers firmly opposed to a 45-cents-a-gallon fuel tax hike, Democrats want businesses to do more to help fix the state’s roads. A new $1.2 billion proposal from House Democrats would raise the state’s corporate tax, create a new 6-cents-a-mile tax for heavy trucks and charge bridge tolls to tractor trailers. It also includes portions of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s budget plan, such as raising taxes on certain businesses so they are taxed the same as traditional corporations and restoring tax breaks for pensioners. House Minority Leader Christine Greig said Democrats agree with the Democratic governor’s call for $2.5 billion in new revenue and know that a fuel tax increase would likely be part of any final deal. “We just felt it was important that we brought other ideas in since we haven’t seen anything other than a shell game and shifting around revenue from the Republicans, but yet they’ve said that they’re not going to support a 45-cent gas increase. So let’s put some new ideas on the table to get us to the $2.5 billion,” she said Friday. By releasing the plan, Democrats risked looking like they oppose Whitmer’s fuel tax hike, which Republicans, who control the Legislature, have said is going nowhere and which Democrats have not introduced as legislation. Greig said Democrats are “100% supportive” of generating new revenue and their proposal is based on feedback from constituents. “We just think that if you’re really struggling to a negotiation, that implies that you bring a bunch of different ideas and come up with a compromise,” she said. Some in the business lobby have said raising gasoline and diesel taxes is simple and fair because everyone pays, including companies that move goods or have employees on the roads. But Greig said what they pay is not “proportionate.” “To attract business, to attract talent, to keep our communities strong that support businesses, we have to have good roads and bridges,” she said, noting that businesses saw a $1 billion-plus tax cut under a 2011 overhaul enacted by Republicans. “Since that happened, we’ve seen our roads and infrastructure deteriorate. We’ve seen our ranking in schools drop nationally. So something is not right. To put this all on the backs of individuals is shortsighted.” Increasing the 6% corporate income tax to 8.5% and raising taxes on flow-through entities, Greig said, would lead to businesses paying $800 million more annually — but still less than they were before the 2011 change. Assessing a vehicle-miles-traveled tax on the two heaviest classes of trucks would generate $390 million from those who cause the most road damage, she said, while the bridge tolls — based on a unique program in Rhode Island — would raise about $50 million. Road-funding and budget negotiations are expected to extend into the summer as legislators scale back their voting days starting this coming week. Greig urged the business community to “come to the table and say, ‘We will accept contributing more directly to the solution.’” Republicans and business groups oppose raising business taxes, however, saying lower taxes help the economy. To soften the impact of a 45-cent gas tax increase by easing the tax burden on seniors, Whitmer has proposed boosting taxes on 150,000 corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies whose income is passed through to the entities’ owners and taxed at the personal rate of 4.25 percent. The Senate’s Republican leader has called it “stupid.” So far, the main component to emerge from Republicans’ road-funding work is a budget plan in the House that would ultimately ensure $850 million in sales tax being collected at the pump goes to roads, without raising taxes. The revenue now primarily is dedicated to schools and municipalities. Greig said it is “confusing” that a portion of fuel taxes funds other priorities and she has no problem “cleaning up revenue streams.” But new revenue should be generated to replace it, she said. “They’re not doing that. That’s the problem,” she said. “We’re basically doing it on the backs of local governments and kids, frankly.”

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The old saying about those who deliver the mail goes something like this: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” But Sunday some indecision did. The Arkansas Department of Transportation posted on its social media site that the driver of a tractor-trailer carrying a load of mail couldn’t decide which ramp to take off Interstate 440 Terminal Interchange with Interstate 30 and ended up striking the guard rail. The tractor separated from the trailer and wound up hanging partially over the bridge railing. Officials said one of the tractor’s fuel tanks became dislodged and fell onto Interstate 30 below causing an explosion and fire. The driver was taken to a hospital, but her condition is unknown. Traffic was delayed on both I-30 and I-440 which is the main thoroughfare between Little Rock and the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport.    

DENVER — The Colorado Department of Transportation kicked off a seven-month project in June that aims to install new median cable barriers along Interstate 25 between Pueblo and Colorado Springs as a safety measure to prevent median crossover crashes. According to an article in the Journal of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the Colorado agency noted in a June 14 statement that it is using a “multi-phased approach” based on vehicle crash history and traffic volumes to specifically locate the new cable median barriers – part of its Whole System – Whole Safety initiative that takes a systematic approach to safety that includes driving behaviors, the built environment, and operations. “Improving the safety of Colorado’s transportation network by reducing the rate and severity of crashes and improving safety conditions for travelers is our main goal,” Shoshana Lew, executive director of the Colorado DOT, said in a statement. “The statewide program’s whole system approach is unique in how it brings together all areas of the driving experience, resulting in improved and enhanced safety for motorists.” The $3.5 million project – expected to be completed by December – will remove any existing barrier structures and replace it with media cable barrier along with “added offset” from the travel lane and flattened median side slopes. That will continue to eliminate vehicle cross-over crashes, the agency noted, while additionally reducing nuisance hits as the northbound cable barrier can be removed. The net effect will allow better maintenance access, reduced maintenance costs, better traffic flow, and further enhancing safety, Colorado DOT said. A 68-page study wrapped up last year by the Center for Transportation Research and Education at Iowa State University determined that cable median barriers “significantly” reduce motor vehicle crash fatalities and injuries, though they do lead to an increase in “property-damage only” crashes, according to the collected data examined by the school’s researchers. That study found that out of the 6,718 median-related crashes it examined over a nine-year period stretching from 2007 to 2015, cable media barrier safety devices reduced fatalities, incapacitating injuries, and non-incapacitating injuries by 68.7, 36.8, and 23.9 percent, respectively.    

OKLAHOMA CITY — Love’s Travel Stops is now serving customers in three new locations — Bridgeport Charter Township, Michigan; Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania; and Hampshire, Illinois. The Bridgeport Charter Township location at 6560 Dixie Highway (near Interstate 75 and Exit 144) adds 80 new jobs to Saginaw County and 87 truck parking spaces. The Slippery Rock stop off Exit 105 and I-79, brings 40 jobs and 48 truck parking spaces. The third location in Hampshire at 201 Love’s Crossing (near Interstate 90 and U.S. Highway 20), has 177 truck parking spaces and brings 80 jobs. In total, Love’s is adding 312 truck parking spaces for professional drivers. “These three locations place us in the perfect spots to serve more customers,” said Tom Love, executive chairman and founder of Love’s. “All are along major interstates that are popular for trade routes and leisure travel. We’re proud to add truck parking in areas where our customers need it.” The travel stops are open 24/7 and offer many amenities. Bridgeport, Michigan More than 12,000 square feet of space, Hardee’s restaurant, 87 truck parking spaces, 87 car parking spaces, eight diesel bays, Speedco location on-site, four RV parking spaces, eight showers, laundry facilities, bean to cup gourmet coffee, brand-name snacks, Mobile to Go Zone with the latest electronics, CAT scale. Hampshire, Illinois More than 10,000 square feet of space, Arby’s restaurant, 177 truck parking spaces, 53 car parking spaces, nine diesel bays, Speedco location on-site, three RV parking spaces, seven showers, laundry facilities, bean to cup gourmet coffee, brand-name snacks, Mobile to Go Zone with the latest electronics, CAT scale. Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania More than 10,000 square feet of space, Subway restaurant, 48 truck parking spaces, 60 car parking spaces, seven diesel bays, Love’s Truck Tire Care center, two RV parking spaces, six showers, laundry facilities, bean to cup gourmet coffee, brand-name snacks, Mobile to Go Zone with the latest electronics, CAT scale. In honor of the grand opening, Love’s will host ribbon cuttings and donate $2,000 to the Bridgeport Historical Society, Northern Butler County Feed My Sheep Food Cupboard in Slippery Rock and Hampshire High School.        

When people in trucking hear the name Bendix, they think of an industry leader in cutting-edge driver safety-assist technology. They think of Bendix’s ever-evolving Wingman system, and how its individual components, like its Electronic Stability Program, or ESP, and its collision mitigation and lane departure warning systems have been brought together in the latest incarnation, Wingman Fusion. The company is unquestionably at the forefront of 21st-century trucking technology. It turns out they might be handy if you’re planning a raiding party. Bendix’s manufacturing plant in Acuna, Mexico, is a sprawling complex. Opened in 1988, the 412,000 square-foot operation consists of three state-of-the-art facilities and a logistics center. The operation employs more than 1,800 workers.  Knorr-Bremse, the parent company of Bendix, considers the Acuna operation to be one of its jewels, naming it its top-ranked plant worldwide in 2011. But even the best need a little boost now and then, and when management decided to hold an entertaining, team-building event at the hi-tech Mexican facility, they of course took their inspiration from 10th-century Scandinavia. On a recent Saturday, about 200 employees from the Acuna plant got together for a little lighthearted but purposeful competition meant to foster creative thinking and communication. The groups were split into teams and given the challenge to build two, 45-foot wooden Viking boats. Each team split into groups, each tasked with building a certain part of the boat, emphasizing how a team approach can be effective in achieving goals. The teams were faced with time, planning, and strategy challenges. Acuna plant manager Jackie Perez explained the challenge was more than a chance to wear horned hats and have a laugh or two. “It helps us consolidate practices that allow us, as a company, to achieve shared goals, drive camaraderie, and, above all, work together every single day for the same common purpose,” Perez said. The ship-building activity was followed up with a conference on emotional intelligence, “designed to drive synergy and a sense of belonging through a deeper understanding of tools and recommendations to become more productive, maintain a positive attitude, and consolidate the company’s values,” according to a company press release. “I was pleased to share and experience great team spirit, joy, and enthusiasm during the activities performed, culminating with the goal planned at the beginning of the event, building Viking ships,” said Belem Fierro, human resources manager at the Acuna plant. “These activities, as well as the emotional intelligence conference, are part of the training programs that Bendix is driving to continue to create leaders. The skills developed through these programs will contribute to a sustainable growth that will allow us to continue being the best in what we are and what we do.” Just so long as they don’t decide to sack and pillage anywhere.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Recently, Volvo Trucks North America, along with automated vehicle software provider Perceptive Automata and customer Dependable Highway Express (DHE), showcased a collaborative innovation project designed to strengthen safety capabilities for the trucking industry through automation. This project leverages human intuition artificial intelligence that reads the intention and awareness of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists, to enhance the situational awareness of truck drivers, according to Aravind Kailas, research and innovation manager at Volvo Group North America. Volvo Trucks recognized the critical need for improved safety for all road users, specifically to augment situational awareness and better anticipate human behavior while on the road, Kailas said, adding that the company developed a proof-of-concept together with Perceptive Automata and DHE which was successfully demonstrated at DHE headquarters in Ontario, California recently. At the event, attendees experienced Perceptive Automata’s artificial intelligence (AI) software on a Volvo VNR 300 regional-haul model. Attendees also got to observe the AI in action during live drives. “Safety is a core value at Volvo Trucks, and we continue to explore new and innovative ways to further enhance transportation safety, as well as improve driver support and comfort,” Kailas said. “We are very proud of the collaboration with Perceptive Automata and DHE, who share our vision for increasing safety and have worked diligently over the last six to eight months to bring this project to life.” Perceptive Automata is focusing on solving one of the most challenging problems for automated vehicles — understanding the state of mind of humans in our road environment, according to Sid Misra, chief executive officer of Perceptive Automata. Its AI software ingests data from on-vehicle sensors and, like humans, assesses in real-time the likely intention and awareness of pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers by reading visual cues such as eye contact, posture, physical orientation, and head movements. Increased safety is achieved through continuous 360-degree monitoring of human road users near the truck and, when warranted, signaling to the truck driver and on-board automated systems increased risk based on changes in human intention. This enables earlier preventive actions by the truck driver, supported by the truck’s automated systems, to reduce the likelihood of accidents and to help modulate the amount and severity of braking and acceleration, Misra said. “Advanced automation in trucking is an important application of our human behavior prediction technology, and we are excited to team with Volvo Trucks and DHE to demonstrate its impact on trucking safety,” he said. “Volvo Trucks’ culture of safety and DHE’s service excellence align with our vision for the future of automated trucking and advanced driver support, and this project showcased how automation technology can enhance the situational awareness of truck drivers to reduce cognitive load and driver fatigue, and, ultimately, safe lives.” DHE was integral in this project and provided real-world data from its fleet operations to enable the customization of the AI software for this specific application and to successfully showcase it at DHE’s Ontario, California site. “DHE’s quest for excellence in all areas, especially safety, is obvious as we specify all our Volvo truck models with every safety feature available from its factory,” said Joe Finney, chief operating officer at DHE. “We are excited to play a part in the research and development of this automation technology and the positive impact it can have in keeping everyone safer on the roads of the world.” Kailas said automation and driver support enhancements that help predict and prevent potential incidents will be essential to improving road safety now and in the future.” “While we recognize highly automated processes progress gradually and over time, we have gained valuable information from this collaboration in a short period of time,” he said.  8

MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s Senate voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to ratify a new free trade agreement with the United States and Canada, making it the first of the three countries to gain legislative approval. Mexico’s upper chamber voted 114-4 with three abstentions in favor of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. It will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, which U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to withdraw the United States from if Washington did not get a better deal. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said in a recorded message that the vote was “very good news.” “It means foreign investment in Mexico, it means jobs in Mexico, it means guaranteeing trade of the merchandise that we produce in the United States,” he said. The treaty does not need to be approved by Mexico’s lower house. It is still awaiting consideration by lawmakers in the United States and Canada, however. “Congratulations to President Lopez Obrador — Mexico voted to ratify the USMCA today by a huge margin. Time for Congress to do the same here!” Trump tweeted. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in a statement applauded Mexico’s ratification as “a crucial step forward.” American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear lauded Mexico’s action. “Mexico’s action in ratifying the USMCA is a critical step forward in putting this important trade agreement in place,” Spear said. “Ensuring free and fair trade with our closest neighbors is critical to the trucking industry, which moves $772.3 billion worth of goods across our borders with Mexico and Canada. “Trade with these two countries alone supports nearly 90,000 Americans in trucking-related jobs and generates $12.62 billion in revenue for our industry. We encourage Congress to move forward on ratifying this important agreement so all three nations may continue to share in the benefits that trade creates.” Ratification of the deal still faces some opposition in the Democrat-controlled U.S. House of Representatives. One lawmaker pointed directly to partisan politics as the cause of the opposition. “There’s too much at stake for our farmers to let this opportunity pass by. USMCA will expand economic opportunity in the heartland,” Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Ill., wrote in the Washington Examiner. “However, as things stand, USMCA is being held hostage by career politicians in Washington who are hell-bent on preventing President Trump from getting a win. A delay in approval of this agreement will hit the wallets of family farms in Illinois and across the country.” The United States is by far Mexico’s biggest export market and its easy passage through the legislature had been expected. The approval came after Trump threatened to impose tariffs on all Mexican goods if López Obrador didn’t reduce the flow of U.S.-bound illegal immigration from Central America, a threat that was later suspended. The USMCA was hammered out last year by delegations representing then-President Enrique Peña Nieto, of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, and then-President-elect López Obrador, of the left-leaning Morena, ensuring that both the outgoing and the incoming administrations were on board. López Obrador took office Dec. 1, a day after the agreement was signed. Mexican lawmakers had already executed a series of labor reforms that the U.S. had demanded. Mexico’s economy ministry said that with Senate approval “Mexico sends a clear message in favor of an open economy and of deepening its economic integration in the region.” Mexico’s peso strengthened moderately against the dollar to 19.03 Wednesday, though the main factor was the U.S. Federal Reserve signaling that it was prepared to cut interest rates if needed to protect the U.S. economy, according to Gabriela Siller, economic analysis director at Banco BASE. The United States buys about 80% of Mexican exports, some $358 billion worth last year. In the first quarter of 2019 the two countries did $203 billion in two-way trade, making Mexico the United States’ No. 1 commercial partner for the first time, ahead of Canada and China, according to the Mexican Economy Department. Sen. Ricardo Monreal, leader of the governing party in the Senate, said the vote was “an important step to diminish the existing uncertainty for North American trade.”      

HARTFORD, Conn. — Gov. Ned Lamont acknowledged Wednesday there is a divide between his administration and Connecticut legislators over the need for electronic tolls to generate more state transportation revenue but vowed not to give up on the issue. While the Democratic-controlled General Assembly adjourned on June 5 without approving a tolling bill, the Democratic governor and former businessman has held out hope that legislation authorizing tolls will finally be passed during a special legislative session. But it remains unclear whether that will happen. “I would say there was quite a divide in terms of what we do, and I’m not sure that we’ve found a toll bridge to connect us,” Lamont said, following a two-hour closed-door meeting he organized with Democratic and Republican legislative leaders. “But I’m going to try my best. I’ve been doing deals for a long time.” Lamont and some of his top advisers provided a presentation to the lawmakers about Connecticut’s transportation funding needs, warning that the state faces the possibility of being penalized by the federal government in about 10 years for not keeping enough of its roads and bridges in good repair. The state is on track to spend about $875 million annually on transportation infrastructure, but Lamont’s administration estimates the need is actually about $1.2 billion a year. The net revenue from tolls has been estimated to be about $800 million annually. The issue of tolls is a politically contentious one. About a dozen citizens who oppose tolls, many holding signs, showed up at the state Capitol on Wednesday and shouted “no tolls” as Lamont, the legislators and others walked into the meeting. While they credit their lobbying efforts with helping to scuttle a vote during the regular legislative session, the toll opponents plan to keep up the fight. “It’s a trust issue with me. I’m not going to take it for granted that they’re not going to do anything this time,” said Kevin Kupstis, an informational technology industry worker from Southington, who held signs that read “No Tolls! Cut Spending!” and “Tolls = Tax On Working Poor.” To help make tolls more affordable and possibly more politically palatable, the package of proposals presented to the lawmakers Wednesday includes a plan for “middle class tax relief” by lowering the state’s lowest personal income tax rate of 3% to 2%. In Connecticut, the first $10,000 of taxable income for single filers and first $20,000 for joint filers is currently taxed at 3%. Lowering that bottom rate would give all filers a tax break ranging from $90 to $180, according to Lamont’s proposal. There’s also a 20% tolling discount for low-income Connecticut residents; a 30% discount for all Connecticut residents with an EZ-Pass; and a 20% discount for frequent drivers. The two Republican leaders didn’t appear to know a lot about the income tax proposal, saying Lamont’s presentation ended before the idea was discussed at length. But it didn’t seem to make much of a difference, with both the GOP leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate reiterating they continue to oppose tolls. Still upset at not being part of the negotiations on the new two-year state budget, House Minority Leader Themis Klarides of Derby said she believes the Republicans were invited to Wednesday’s meeting because the Democrats don’t have enough support within their own ranks to pass a tolling bill. “Do I believe they want us in that room to have this conversation? Yes,” Klarides said. “But I believe they want us because they don’t have the votes on their own.” Despite saying there’s a divide with lawmakers, Lamont contends there is enough support among just the Democratic lawmakers to pass a tolling bill, and he’s working with the Democratic leaders to determine the right time for a vote. Asked if he’s confident there will be a decision on tolls in a special session, Lamont answered he’s “very confident.”    

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Mack Trucks is doubling down on the debut of RoadLife 2.0 with the launch of two episodes on roadlife.tv. Featuring the grueling efforts of Alaska Department of Transportation snowplow drivers to clear one of the snowiest highways in the U.S., to the challenge of building a modern logistics business from the ground up, RoadLife 2.0 picks up from last season, sharing the stories of everyday people doing extraordinary things. “Our first episodes feature Alaska DOT and Full Tilt Logistics, two organizations with very different missions,” said John Walsh, Mack Trucks vice president of marketing. “Yet in both of their stories, a number of commonalities emerge: hard work, dedication and the ability of Mack trucks to help them achieve success.” The Richardson Highway is the only road in and out of Valdez, Alaska, the terminus for the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline, and Alaska DOT relies on two Mack Granite model snowplows to keep the road open. Battling in the neighborhood of 400 inches of snow annually, Alaska DOT relies on the trucks’ brute strength to clear the road, as well as some high-tech tools to make sure they stay on the road, even in whiteout conditions. A sophisticated differential GPS system with an in-cab display shows drivers where the truck is located to within less than an inch. “Now, it’s almost like a video game,” said Mark Hanson, Alaska DOT terminal manager in describing the differential GPS system. “If I start going over the centerline, the indicator on screen turns red to tell me I’m not where I need to be. If I’m in a white out, I still know where I’m at in the road.” Reno, Nevada-based Full Tilt Logistics takes the meaning of a family business to the next level. Starting with just three trucks, five members of the Novich family quickly grew the business into a 16-truck fleet hauling high-value loads across the western United States. Full Tilt operates with the Mack Anthem model. “When we were first starting out, I was doing some research into the driver shortage, where it’s at now and where it’s going,” said Cris Novich, managing director, transportation for Full Tilt Logistics. “It became abundantly clear that our No. 1 customer is the driver. If we keep them happy, they will want to come work here.” Additional RoadLife 2.0 episodes will premiere throughout the summer and into the fall. Viewers can watch RoadLife episodes on roadlife.tv and Amazon Prime Video, with additional content featured on Mack Trucks’ social channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.          

PLOVER, Wis. — Women In Trucking Association and Freightliner Trucks are seeking candidates for the 2019 Influential Woman in Trucking award. The award was created in 2010 and recognizes women who make or influence key decisions in a corporate, manufacturing, supplier, owner-operator, driver, sales or dealership setting. The winner must have a proven record of responsibility and have mentored or served as a role model to other women in the industry. “The Influential Woman in Trucking Award recognizes exceptional women leaders who have been advocates and role models to others,” said Ellen Voie, president and CEO, Women In Trucking. “Each year, I am thoroughly impressed by the caliber of women nominated.” Now in its ninth year, the award honors female leaders in the trucking industry. Past recipients include Marcia Taylor, CEO of Bennett International Group; Rebecca Brewster, president and COO, American Transportation Research Institute; Joyce Brenny, president, Brenny Transportation/Brenny Specialized; Rochelle Bartholomew, CEO, CalArk International; Kari Rihm, president, Rihm Kenworth; Ramona Hood, vice president of operations, planning and strategy, FedEx Custom Critical; Daphne Jefferson, former deputy administrator at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and Angela Eliacostas, founder and CEO, AGT Global Logistics. “When I first started my career, there were very few women in the trucking industry let alone in leadership positions,” said Kary Schaefer, general manager, marketing and strategy, Freightliner Trucks and Detroit Components. “It’s amazing to see how the industry has changed and women are now a driving force in all areas of trucking. Freightliner is proud to sponsor this award and recognize those women who are not only making a difference in their own roles but for all women in the trucking profession.” Nominations will be accepted through August 1 at https://www.womenintrucking.org/influential-woman-in-trucking. The winner will be announced at the WIT Accelerate! Conference & Expo held in Dallas September 30-October 2. Each finalist will be asked to serve as a panelist for the “Influential Women in Trucking” panel discussion. Those who nominate a candidate need to ask the nominee to save the date for this event if she is named a finalist. Women In Trucking Association, Inc. is a nonprofit association established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry. Membership is not limited to women, as 17 percent of its members are men who support the mission.        

WASHINGTON — The Modernize the Truck Fleet (MTF) coalition rallied on Capitol Hill Wednesday to urge Congressional support for bipartisan legislation repealing the 12% federal excise tax (FET) on the sale of heavy-duty commercial trucks and trailers. “The FET was first enacted to help pay for World War I,” said Jodie Teuton, chairwoman of the American Truck Dealers (ATD). “This tax may have made sense in 1917, but today the FET delays heavy-duty truck fleet turnover by adding more than $20,000 to the average price of a new truck.” Her remarks were made during a press conference held as part of Modernize the Truck Fleet Week June 17-21. A national network of commercial truck dealers, trade association executives and trucking industry stakeholders are in Washington this week to meet with members of Congress to urge them to cosponsor H.R. 2381 and S. 1839, bills that would repeal the FET and encourage the deployment of the newest trucks and trailers. “The FET made sense when it was implemented 100 years ago, but just like trucks that were designed in 1917, it’s no longer viable in the modern world. Today, it’s a cost-prohibitive barrier for small businesses looking to upgrade their outdated trucks to safer, cleaner, more modern vehicles,” said Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., sponsor of H.R. 2381, a bill to repeal the FET. “The average age of most heavy-duty trucks on the road today is nearly 10 years old – that means a decade worth of technological advancements is effectively being sidelined. The 12% FET limits truck replacement by discouraging truck owners from upgrading their outdated vehicles – leading to higher emissions and more dangerous roads. We won’t truly see a modern truck fleet in the U.S. until it’s repealed,” LaMalfa said. Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., sponsor of S. 1839, the Senate FET repeal bill, said, “This burdensome tax creates excessive costs that are passed on to truckers, who play an essential role in maintaining our nation’s economy. I was happy to introduce legislation to repeal it.” The MTF coalition, launched in January, is urging Congress to repeal the FET and identify an alternative source of revenue that reflects today’s modern truck fleet. The coalition includes ATD, Truck Renting and Leasing Association (TRALA), NTEA — The Association for the Work Truck Industry, Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association, National Trailer Dealers Association (NTDA) and National Tank Truck Carriers Association. “With an infrastructure bill as likely to pass as any piece of legislation this Congress, this is the time to put all of our combined energy into finding a way to replace the onerous FET,” said Jake Jacoby, TRALA president and CEO. “We are excited to be a part of such a collaborative effort working with truck companies, manufacturers, dealers and end users who all want to put the cleanest, most technologically advanced trucks onto our highways immediately.” Gwendolyn Brown, NTDA president, said the FET is an unfair method of taxing the trailer industry, and it limits the purchase of newer, safer and greener trailers and parts — all of which are boons to the economy. “As increasing regulatory burdens are mandated by the EPA, CARB and other government agencies, the costs of heavy-duty trucks and trailers continue to increase making the FET that much more burdensome,” Brown said. Teuton, a Kenworth and Hino dealer in Louisiana said that America’s trucking industry wants safer, cleaner and more fuel-efficient vehicles to move America’s economy. “Repealing the FET and replacing it with a tax based on road use paid over the life of a vehicle is part of that solution,” she said. “The FET is an indiscriminate, upfront tax. It makes no sense that a truck which drives 15,000 miles a year pays the same tax as a truck driven 150,000 miles.” At the press conference, Volvo Trucks North America, a member of the MTF coalition, displayed a World War I-era truck and a new Mack Anthem. “There is an opportunity, right now, to modernize the nation’s infrastructure, modernize the truck fleet and modernize the Highway Trust Fund,” Teuton said. “Repeal of the FET means more trucks rolling on our nation’s highways that are cleaner and safer.” .

When people ask me about my job, one of the most common questions is where we get stuff to write about. I wish I could say we keep our company Lear Jet on permanent standby to whisk us from Little Rock to wherever the action is.  The truth is nowhere near as cool. We get most of it right here at our desks.  Some of it comes to us in the form of press releases. We find other stuff on the news wire services, like Associated Press. A lot of the rest of it, we get from Googling.  If we see something big or breaking, or cool and weird, we look into it. My day usually starts with a keyword search of the world. A few days ago, it appeared that one item was by far the most important thing happening on planet Earth, at least under the headings “truck,” “trucking” and “tractor-trailer.” There were about a half-dozen websites posting on it. Immediately, I refreshed my coffee, then my fingers sprang into action to investigate. Stop the presses, everyone, the story was about a new video game called Truck Driver due to be released in September. The game is produced by a Dutch company called SOEDESCO. Personally, I haven’t played a video game since the last time I ran out of quarters at the 7-Eleven. That was 1986, as I recall, so I couldn’t tell you if SOEDESCO is a major player in the game design world, but the press release and preview video for the game had apparently set the gaming world agog. Apparently, this new game is going to put all previous truck driving video games to shame. “Really?” I thought. “There’ve been others?” I checked. Yes, there have — several, in fact. But this one promises to be the most realistic trucking experience available. According to the official literature, some of the most exciting aspects of Truck Driver is you get to (and this is word for word): “Enjoy a trucking experience focused on your career as a truck driver, build stronger relationships with the local community with each job, customize your truck with tons of parts and tune it to your liking, explore a vast open world and watch it progress with you, navigate through beautiful landscapes and fully explorable cities.” All without leaving mom’s basement. I watched the preview video and read the literature. The premise of the game is that you’ve inherited a truck from your uncle, and the game is to become a successful independent owner-operator. You have to “interact” with fictional “customers,” building “relationships” by successfully hauling loads. The game features fun-filled challenges like backing up, hitching a trailer and pulling up to a fuel pump, and then traversing artificial highways and byways without crashing into stuff. The first thing you do is pick your avatar. You can be male or female, white or black. All the choices are young, good-looking and incredibly fit, you know, just like real truck drivers. I started to wonder if the game’s realism might be overstated. I had some questions the promotional video didn’t address. Does the game include being stuck at a shipper for hours on end? Do the challenges include finding parking for the night? How many braindead four-wheelers do you have to share the simulated road with? Given the addictive tendencies of some of these gamers, is there a penalty for HOS violations? On one of the websites that was sharing this major announcement, someone commented they looked forward to playing this game, right after they get done with “Hanging Sheetrock” and “Ditch Digging.” My reaction had been similar. Granted, as I said, when I left video games behind, they consisted of shooting space bugs, apes who threw things at you and round things trying to eat other round things. I know video games have gotten much more sophisticated and diverse and immersive. Still, when I think of interactive fantasy play, hauling logs is never the fantasy. I wasn’t sure how real truck drivers would react to this game. Would they find it ridiculous, maybe even insulting that their profession has been packaged into an oversimplified, sanitized game? Or that some of these passive dolts will think they now know all about trucking because they reached Level 4, or whatever? If they really want to know what being a truck driver is like, hey, there are plenty of jobs available. They can pry their butts out of the La-Z-Boy and come find out. Then again, it’s kind of flattering. Truckers often complain how disrespected they are, how people look down on them. The mere existence of a game like this shows that on some level, the opposite is true. Now, as always, the truck driver holds a certain mystique to outsiders. People are fascinated and intimidated at how you handle those enormous vehicles. You represent the romance of the open road. You’re mysterious in a cool way, kind of like a cowboy. OK, maybe the game doesn’t show what it’s really like to be a truck driver. Maybe that isn’t the point. It’s about fantasy. I looked to see if I could find any “pretend you’re a journalist” video games out there. Not a one. If there is, I doubt I’d recommend it

LANSING, Mich.— Sales taxes collected at the gas pump would be shifted to road repairs under a budget plan approved Thursday by the Michigan House, where majority Republicans called it a first step in response to Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s call for higher fuel taxes to fix deteriorating transportation infrastructure. GOP lawmakers said they structured their blueprint so schools and municipalities, which now get most of the sales tax on fuel, would be held harmless. But Democrats were skeptical, saying the spending bills would not do enough to improve the roads and ultimately would create new fiscal problems for education and local governments. Michigan spends less per capita on transportation than many states but has fuel taxes that rank among the country’s highest. That is because it assesses a sales tax on gasoline — which is rare — while the revenue primarily helps fund education and local governments. “People expect when they pay at the pump that every penny paid in taxes at the pump is a penny that is going to go toward roads. That is what we just accomplished with this budget while funding our roads at a record level without raising taxes one cent,” said Republican House Speaker Lee Chatfield. The House action was the latest move in what appears likely to be a protracted budget process that that will extend into the summer months. Whitmer in March proposed her plan, including a 45-cents-a-gallon gasoline and diesel tax increase, while the GOP-led Senate passed its proposal in May. Her blueprint would eventually boost transportation spending by roughly $2 billion annually, while the Senate proposal would spend an additional $132 million earlier than planned. Under the House budget, the state would gradually direct $850 million more to roads a year — though Chatfield characterized it as a “first step” and said there will be further talks with Senate leadership and the Whitmer administration. Democrats opposed the transportation budget, K-12 budget and other spending bills that were passed Thursday. The measures would increase funding for schools and universities but less so than Whitmer wants. They also would cut public transit — shifting the money to roads — reduce information technology spending across state government and not include water infrastructure improvements proposed by the governor. “We can do better. We have an obligation to do better,” said House Minority Leader Christine Greig. “House Democrats are ready to work with our colleagues on a budget that fixes our problems and not on one that creates new ones.” Also Thursday, the House GOP backed after critics said the way the transportation budget was changed in a committee Wednesday could have halted or slowed the construction of a new bridge between Detroit and Canada. Canada is paying for the project entirely, but Republicans had concerns about transparency regarding reimbursements to the state for its expenses. They reinserted a provision to let the state do work that is reimbursed, while adding new requirements so spending reports are submitted to legislators.        

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  — The Arkansas Department of Transportation is proposing spending $3.6 billion on 31 capital and congestion relief projects, including nearly $500 million over 20 years to widen sections of Interstate 40. The department also wants to spend another $350 million on improving I-30 and I-40 in downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock over the same period, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. The Arkansas Highway Commission got a first look at a draft map that outlines the potential projects at their regular meeting Wednesday in Little Rock. “To me, this is a very good map,” said Robert Moore Jr., a member of the commission from Arkansas City. “I think we always have to keep in mind that we do not have enough money to do everything we want to do.” The plan is still in the beginning stages, and nothing is set in stone. The money for the roadway construction plan is largely contingent on the continuation of a half-percent sales tax that must be approved by voters. In 2012, voters approved the tax on a temporary basis to fund a $1.8-billion road construction program. If voters decide to make the tax permanent, the move would net the department an additional $205 million annually. “More importantly, this is not going to be a regional vote to pass the half-cent sales tax,” Moore said. “It would be a statewide vote. Of necessity, we have to make sure we’re looking at the needs of everyone in Arkansas.” Department of Transportation Director Scott Bennett said the department never gets enough money, but that the proposed construction program will be significant for the state. “This will make a lot of progress,” Bennett said. More than half of the state’s 16,000 miles of highways have pavement rated as D or F on an A to F grading scale. About $3 billion would be spent over 10 years on repaving to extend their lifetime before more extensive rebuilding of the road is required, according to the DOT. Bennett said he will present the draft plan to Gov. Asa Hutchinson, adding that he expects to have a final draft by September.