The Nation

GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. —  The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has cosigned a letter along with a coalition of organizations opposed to increasing size and weight restrictions for commercial motor vehicles. The letter was sent to all members Congress, asking them to oppose legislative language that would increase maximum truck size or weight limits on federal highways. The correspondence came within a week after the Americans for Modern Transportation Coalition asked the chairman and ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to consider twin 33-foot trailers as a way policymakers can leverage technologies and efficiencies developed by the private sector to create “the infrastructure system of the future.” In commenting on the letter signed by OOIDA and the other organizations, OOIDA President Todd Spencer said heavier trucks put additional stress on an already deteriorating highways and bridges as well as endanger highway users. “We think proposals to increase sizes and weights should be rejected, as has been done over and over by both lawmakers and policymakers in the past,” Spencer said. The letter, which was signed by 14 organizations, points out that increasing size and weight limits on federal highways would have negative consequences for state and local roads that are less capable of handling longer and heavier trucks. OOIDA agrees that letting that happen would put even more pressure on state and local governments to find funds to maintain and repair those routes. “And, it’s likely trucks would be disproportionately targeted to generate the additional revenue,” Spencer said. The letter pointed out that proposals in recent years to increase national truck size and weight limits have been resoundingly rejected on bipartisan floor votes and that the U.S. Department of Transportation had delivered in 2016 its Final Report to Congress on truck size and weight limits and recommended that no changes be made in federal truck size and weight laws. The report found that heavier and longer trucks would incur billions of dollars in infrastructure costs. Additionally, the American Society of Civil Engineers’ most recent Infrastructure Report Card issued the nation’s roads a grade of “D,” finding that one of every five miles of highway pavement is in poor condition, and that there is a significant and increasing backlog of rehabilitation needs. “Increases in truck size and weight would have especially severe consequences for local roads and bridges because bigger trucks are not limited to the interstates,” the letter said. “These heavier and longer trucks need to run on state and local roads to pick up and drop off their freight, as well as for ‘reasonable access’ for fuel, food and other necessities, the letter said. “Local roads and bridges face significant damage because they may be older, built to lower standards, or already in poor condition. This adds further pressure on state, county and local governments to find funds to repair these essential roadways, when there are not sufficient revenues procured today to cover the infrastructure maintenance costs.” OOIDA has long opposed efforts to increase size and weight limits for commercial trucks and suggests that proponents consider alternatives that do not hasten deterioration of roads and bridges or jeopardize highway safety. In addition to OOIDA, organizations signing the letter include the American Public Works Association, the National Association of County Engineers, the National Association of Towns and Townships, the National League of Cities, The United States Conference of Mayors, Road Safe America, the Association of American Railroads, the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, GoRail, the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association, the Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association, the Railway Supply Institute and the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks.              

The average price for a gallon of diesel nationwide climbed from $3.006 to $3.048, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). With the weekly increase of 4.2 cents, diesel is 4.1 cents more than it was a year ago and the highest it has been since Dec. 31, 2018, when it was also $3.048. Diesel prices rose in every EIA region in the country, with the Midwest seeing the largest spike, 6.5 cents, from $2.904 to $2.969, to remain of four regions where the diesel is still below $3 per gallon. The Gulf Coast saw a 4-cent jump, but the region continues to have the lowest diesel prices in the nation, at $2.849. Prices rose the least on the East Coast, particularly in New England, where the price rose a mere $0.006, from $3.165 to $3.171. In the Lower Atlantic, the price increase was $0.022, to finish at $2.949. With the Central Atlantic region logging a 3-cent jump, the East Coast overall saw a net gain of $0.021, to $3.094 per gallon. The Rocky Mountain region also had one of the smaller increases, $0.026, from $2.887 to $2.913. Three weeks ago, every region in the nation had lower diesel prices than a year earlier. With the recent upsurge, The Rocky Mountain region is the only region where the year-to-year price is still lower. On the West Coast, the price jump was $0.035 overall, with a jump of $0.033 in California, and $0.037 on the rest of the coast. On Monday, Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil, fell $2.36, or 3.50 percent, to $64.76 a barrel. U.S. crude ended Monday’s session down $1.78, or 3.1 percent, at $55.48. Click here for a complete list of average prices by region for the past three weeks.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is proposing to phase in a 20-cent increase in Minnesota’s fuel tax over the next two years and index that tax to inflation as part of his overall state budget proposal unveiled last week, according to an article in the Journal of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. “Minnesota’s transportation system is aging and struggling to keep up with the demands of our growing population,” the governor noted in the fact sheet accompanying the release of his proposed budget. “The Minnesota Department of Transportation projects that in order to simply operate and maintain our current roads and bridges, the state will need $18 billion over the next 20 years above current revenues,” Walz said. To accumulate those funds, Walz said he plans to: Initiate a 20-cent fuel tax increase, phased-in over two years, and index that tax to inflation beginning in fiscal year 2023. Combined together, those tax changes are expected to raise approximately $6.5 billion over 10 years. Increase the vehicle registration tax from 1.25 percent to 1.5 percent, while boosting the base tax fee from $10 to $45 and changing the depreciation schedule. That is projected to raise approximately $4 billion over ten years. Increase the motor vehicle sales tax from 6.5 percent to 6.875 percent. That would raise approximately $505 million over 10 years, with $300 million going towards roads and bridges and $205 million for “transit purposes.” Authorizing $2 billion in trunk highway bonds over eight years starting in 2022. Establish a 1/8-cent sales tax in the seven-county metropolitan area to maintain and expand the regional bus and transitway system, generating approximately $770 million. Authorize $20 million in general obligation transit bonds, with a goal of totaling $230 million in bonding over the next 10 years. The governor also proposed to add 10 new bus rapid transit lines over the next decade as part of his budget plan; an expansion that would result in a 40 percent increase in service on the region’s busiest routes and an estimated 30 to 40 percent increase in regional transit ridership. Furthermore, Walz’s budget also seeks to add 220 electric buses to the Minneapolis Metro Transit fleet as part of the agency’s goal to power all of its operations with renewable energy by the year 2040. “With the transportation funding gap eliminated, Minnesotans will be better able to move to and from work, connect with other parts of the state and beyond, and depend on a smooth and reliable movement of goods and services,” the governor said.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — FreightWaves and CO.LAB, a nonprofit organization that supports entrepreneurial growth in southeast Tennessee, are cohosting the inaugural FreightTech Innovation Challenge: A 24-Hour Transportation and Logistics Use Case Competition on March 29-30, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. College students from across the U.S. will spend two days working to solve challenges facing the transportation and logistics industries with the chance to win cash prizes and find potential employers. The team that places first in the competition will receive $5,000, followed by $3,000 for second place and $1,000 for third place. The event will take place at FreightWaves’ new office and event space, which officially opens this spring, which has been named “Freight Alley.” Representatives from leading companies in the industry, some of whom are sponsors of the event, will be on hand to network with students to mentor the teams while scouting for future talent. “This is a chance for college students to not only win a prize, but to jump-start an exciting career in the freight tech sector,” said Craig Fuller, CEO and Founder of FreightWaves. The collaboration between CO.LAB and FreightWaves is a pairing of FreightWaves’ expertise and its industry network with CO.LAB’s experience in developing fast-paced competitions that focus on building talent pipelines. CO.LAB has produced several versions of 48Hour Launch, a community-driven competition designed to produce business concepts or prototypes in one weekend, and it has cohosted 24Hour Generator with Chattanooga’s Girls Preparatory School, which brings together local female high school and middle school students to work on real business challenges. “This collaboration with FreightWaves is an incredible opportunity to show the country’s upcoming talent what Chattanooga has to offer,” said Marcus Shaw, CEO of CO.LAB. “By the end of the event, we believe we will see students not only take away a great learning experience but also new relationships that can impact their career trajectory.” Chattanooga, nicknamed “The Scenic City” due to its beauty and outdoor recreation, has in recent years become a new hub for startups and large companies, particularly in the transportation and logistics industries due to its location in relation to freight traffic  in the Southeast. Logistics contributes to more than 40 percent of the local economy, and 1.25 million of the region’s 37 million people are employed by the transportation sector. Of those, 230,000 are heavy-duty truck drivers. “Chattanooga is the beating heart of Freight Alley, so I can’t think of a better place to bring together bright minds from across the country to help solve some of our industry’s most perplexing challenges,” Fuller said. Steve Case, co-founder of AOL and the Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, spent a day touring Chattanooga’s startup community, which included a roundtable with leaders in the transportation and logistics industries. “If you start a company there [in Chattanooga] to serve the trucking industry, you have more expertise about what the needs are, and more customers and partners there in Chattanooga as opposed to New York City, Boston and San Francisco,” Case said in an interview on PBS last fall. Students interested in business, supply chain, technology, computer science, data and logistics can apply to colab.co/freighttechchallenge. The deadline to apply is March 8.

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration broke off vehicle mileage standards talks with California on Thursday, moving the two closer to a possible court battle that threatens to unsettle the auto industry. The White House said in a statement that the administration, which wants to freeze mileage standards, would now move unilaterally to “finalize a rule later this year with the goal of promoting safer, cleaner, and more affordable vehicles.” California officials and the Trump administration each accused the other of failing to present any good compromise proposal in the mileage dispute, which comes as President Donald Trump feuds with the Democrat-led state over his proposed border wall and his threats to take back federal money. The administration announced last year it wanted to freeze what would have been tougher, Obama-era mileage standards for cars and light trucks. It would be one of a series of rollbacks targeting Obama administration efforts against pollution and climate change. Under the administration proposal, the standards would be frozen after slightly tougher 2020 levels go into effect, eliminating 10 miles per gallon of improvement to a fleet average of 36 miles per gallon in 2025. As part of the proposed mileage freeze, the administration threatened to revoke California’s legal authority to set its own, tougher mileage standards, a waiver granted that state decades ago to help it deal with its punishing smog. About a dozen states follow California’s mileage standards. Lawmakers and automakers have urged the two sides to settle, warning that a split could divide the auto market, bring years of court battles and raise costs for automakers. “This administration’s negotiations with the State of California over fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards have been superficial and not robust at best, or duplicitous and designed to fail at worst,” Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware, the top Democrat in the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee, said in a statement late Wednesday, as the formal negotiations breakdown loomed. “Litigation is not the best option here. It wastes time, money, creates uncertainty for American automakers, and harms the environment,” Carper said. California officials say the administration never offered any compromise and that it broke off any contacts around December. “We concluded at that point that they were never serious about negotiating, and their public comments about California since then seem to underscore that point,” said Stanley Young, spokesman for the state’s air board. It’s the latest shot by the White House in its escalating feud with California. The Trump administration earlier in the week said it planned to cancel nearly $1 billion for California’s high-speed rail project and would seek the return of $2.5 billion more. Gov. Gavin Newsom said it was political retribution for the state’s role in leading a 16-state lawsuit against Trump’s declaration of a national emergency to get funds for his proposed wall at the southern border. Since it takes several years to design vehicles, automakers have been planning to meet higher mileage requirements under Obama-era standards, as well as those in other countries. For now, “essentially the industry is ignoring what Trump wants to do,” auto-industry analyst Sam Abuelsamid of Navigant Research said. “We know at least until this thing gets settled in the courts, we have to deal with California and the other states and have product that can sell there as well as products that can sell overseas.”        

CINCINNATI — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s administration on Thursday recommended increasing the state gas tax by 18 cents a gallon beginning July 1 and annually adjusting that tax for inflation to provide sufficient funding for maintenance of roads and bridges. Ohio’s Department of Transportation director, Jack Marchbanks, introduced the governor’s $7.43 billion transportation budget proposal to the House Finance Committee. The gas tax included in the two-year budget would be adjusted annually with the consumer price index to ensure sufficient funding going forward, Marchbanks said. He said revenue raised the first year, by increasing the current 28-cent tax to 46 cents, equates to roughly $1.2 billion and will be split between the department and local governments. Marchbanks told legislators that without more revenue in the face of the “impending transportation crisis,” there will be no funds for any highway improvement projects in the state and roads will deteriorate. Statistics show that deteriorating road conditions lead to more crashes, which lead to more fatalities, he said. “Governor DeWine understands that maintaining the integrity of our roads and bridges is not only important to our economy; it is important to the health and welfare of our citizens,” Marchbanks said. If the Legislature approves the recommendations, the proposal would provide the department in fiscal year 2020 with $750 million additional dollars in revenue to pave roads, fix guardrails, fill potholes, clear snow and ice, maintain bridges, and improve safety, Marchbanks told the committee. He said it also will provide local governments with a significant increase in the funding, including $1.6 million for every county in the state. Marchbanks has previously said that contracts for road maintenance that totaled $2.4 billion in 2014 may drop to $1.5 billion in 2020, and a $1 billion gap remains in the department budget. A transportation crisis is looming despite “all of ODOT’s multi-million dollar cost-saving efforts to make our agency leaner and more efficient,” he told committee members Thursday. The department realizes that asking Ohioans to pay higher fees for roadway use is “no small task,” but hopes that most will understand the importance of responsible and sufficient transportation funding, the director said. The Columbus Dispatch reported that Tom Balzer, president of the Ohio Trucking Association, and Grace Gallucci, president of the Ohio Association of Regional Councils, commented on a potential tax increase in testimony to legislators this week. Balzer said that the state and local governments have immediate transportation needs, and the gas tax raises immediate revenue. Gallucci pointed out that while questions remain about whether the gas tax is the fairest way to assess users of Ohio roads, it is a way to get needed money right away.

Driverless trucks? Fuhgeddaboudit. Platooning trucks? Ain’t happenin.’ Here, boys and girls, come the Jetsons. For real. If I’m lyin’ I’m dyin.’ No kiddin.’ When I was a kid, two of the most popular cartoon “sitcoms” were Hanna-Barbera’s “The Flintstones,” set in the Stone Age, and its counterpart “The Jetsons,” set in the future. I would think four-wheel motorists who have to travel around the Atlanta area and other heavily congested areas like Chicago and Los Angeles would like to get their hands on a flying car like ones on the “Jetsons.” The cartoon also featured robotic maids, aliens, holograms and all sorts of electronic gizmos. The Jetsons (parents George and Jane; children Judy and Elroy; and Astro the dog) lived in Orbit City in the Skypad Apartments. George was always shown whizzing around in his flying car, and never seemed to get in any traffic jams or fender-benders. There’s a flying three-wheeled car called the Samson Switchblade which just recently introduced its automated tail, which — like its wings — pop up or stow away at the push of a button, according to a news release titled “Flying sports car achieves major milestone.” “In only 2 minutes, the flying car’s tail transforms from driving to flying mode or vice versa, under its own power,” the news release announced. The wings, which were introduced two years ago, “swing out” and this sky-ready transformation takes about 3 minutes. So that’s a total of around 5 minutes for this “car” to turn itself into a plane. It can fly at up to 200 mph at 13,000 feet, the news release says. (Sorry truckers, this thing is too small to haul anything.) The tail and wings are stowed and safely protected when the craft is ready to drive as a car. In fact, the tail folds into the back of the vehicle when it’s being driven on the road. That’s not quite as compact as George Jetson’s flying car, which stowed itself in a briefcase, but that’s showbiz. “The Switchblade is a three-wheel, street-legal vehicle that you drive from your garage to a nearby local airport,” says the release, adding that since the Switchblade is a “high-performance vehicle in both modes, [that] sets it apart from other entrants into the race to build the first practical flying car.” “The folding tail creates an image like the Transformers, the Batmobile and James Bond all rolled into one,” says Switchblade designer Sam Bousfield. Bousfield’s company, Samson Sky, has its own engineers, design staff and fabricators and they’ve been working on the project for about 10 years. According to a video clip on the company’s website, Bousfield, a pilot and inventor, says the reservation list for the vehicle has reached 900, with reservation holders in 30 countries and 47 of the 50 U.S. states. Since sketching flying cars as a 5-year-old child, Bousfield says he always thought a flying car would be “a cool thing.” The vehicle is designed for existing pilots and aviation enthusiasts and is billed as the world’s first flying “sports car.” Bousfield, who formerly worked for Boeing designing a propeller plane that would break the sound barrier, says his dream was to make a flying sports car that’s “truly useful” to people who want to get from Point A to Point B safely and in record time. The company estimates that a 3 1/2-hour trip by automobile would take as little as 45 minutes in the air in the Switchblade, which is made out of carbon fiber. The company’s website doesn’t mention how much this flying car will cost but people can reserve them with no money down, the site says. It also doesn’t mention if the craft has been cleared by the powers that be to fly in and out of airports etc. For example, would it cause a ruckus like drones have? But according to Bousfield, “early adopters” of the craft include NASA and Boeing engineers and airline captains, “along with retirees wanting to maximize their recreational time.” Doh! Those darn three-wheelers. God bless and be safe out there.

WASHINGTON — The Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation Wednesday informed the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that the OIG’s office is planning an audit of the FMCSA’s medical certificate program. In a memorandum sent to the FMCSA, the OIG’s office cited the fact that fatalities in crashes involving large trucks or buses grew from 4,397 in 2012 to 4,879 in 2017, an 11 percent increase. “One key area of addressing motor carrier safety is to ensure that commercial drivers maintain a valid medical certificate, which confirms they are healthy enough to safely operate the commercial vehicle,” the OIG said in its memorandum. “However, since August 2014, Office of Inspector General criminal investigations have resulted in eight indictments and six convictions as a result of fraud in the medical certification process.” For example, the OIG said an August 2017 indictment of a medical examiner in Georgia resulted in more than 600 truck operators having to renew their FMCSA medical certifications. “Given the rise in motor carrier fatalities and the significant safety risk posed by fraudulent medical certificates, we are initiating this audit,” the OIG told FMSCA. “Our audit objectives are to evaluate FMCSA’s procedures for (1) oversight of its medical certificate program, including commercial driver medical certificate data quality, and (2) validating information in its National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners.” The FMCSA’s Office of Medical Programs requires commercial drivers with a CDL to submit a current medical examiner’s certificate to state driver’s licensing agencies. A U.S. DOT physical exam for commercial driver medical certification is valid for up to 24 months. In January 2015, FMCSA established a database to receive digital copies of medical certificates directly from medical examiners. In addition, FMCSA is implementing a process for states to receive medical certificate information directly from DOT. FMCSA maintains a list of all physicians and other medical professionals authorized to conduct medical examinations and certification of CDL holders in its National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. The OIG said it plans to begin the audit immediately.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — U.S. Xpress, the nation’s fifth largest asset-based truckload carrier by revenue, Wednesday officially debuted its new driver development program and the opening of its redesigned development center in Tunnel Hill, Georgia. Created by truck driving professionals, the completely transformed program utilizes best-in-class learning and development techniques, using a technology-driven approach and a modern simulator for teachings, replacing lecture-style classes, according to CEO Eric Fuller. The largest truckload carrier to begin implementing a competency-aligned simulator program, U.S. Xpress’ goal is to provide its drivers with the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for a lifetime of, and millions of miles of, successful driving, he said. “U.S. Xpress’ professional driver development program showcases the Company’s continued commitment to a better quality of life for drivers, and establishes us as an industry leader as we continue to transform how we manage our operations, technology, and safety procedures,” Fuller said. “Between our ‘Full Ride’ scholarship program, first day medical benefits, and advanced truck technology, we are giving our greatest assets, our drivers, the tools to further grow and develop professionally.” The newly-launched program provides continuous learning opportunities for both new and experienced drivers. Created with input from truck driving professionals, the multi-platform program features in-person development sessions; a hands-on commercial motor vehicle learning lab, where drivers inspect and identify faulty equipment; a competency-aligned simulator program; a driving range where drivers can practice straight line, alley dock, serpentine, coupling and uncoupling maneuvers; over 150 e-learning videos; as well as ELD practice and device training. “We believe our professional driver development program will ensure long term success for our drivers,” said Amanda Thompson, senior vice president of human resources. “The new program positions U.S. Xpress as an industry innovator and empowers drivers’ continued learning and development on and off the road.” The company’s new development program allows drivers to complete training assignments and refresher courses on their own time, and at their own pace, with the opportunity to check-in and practice skills as they feel necessary, Thompson said. For more information about professional driver development visit www.usxpress.com/mediahub.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — Averitt Express associates recently combined to provide more than 4,100 hours of community service as part of the carrier’s annual 40 for 40 Community Challenge. From October 1, 2018, through December 31, 2018, associates served 4,166 hours, with 87 facilities across Averitt’s system giving to various efforts including clothing, food and toy drives, and blood donations. The total hours were a 40 for 40 Community Challenge record. “The 40 for 40 Community Challenge is an important tradition for our team, and the amount of service we gave as a team shows the quality of associates we have,” said Gary Sasser, Averitt’s chairman and chief executive officer. “I’m proud of the commitment our associates have to serving in our communities, and I’m even more excited about the potential we have to make a difference throughout our network in the future.” The event began in 2011 as a way to commemorate Averitt’s 40th anniversary. Since that time, each facility across its network is encouraged to donate 40 hours of service to various charitable causes between October and December. For more information about Averitt’s 40 for 40 Community Challenge, visit InsideAveritt.com/40for40.  

For the past several months, including the end of 2018, all the “experts” said oil (and consequently diesel) was going nowhere but up. It had to, they reasoned, after prices had almost literally scraped the bottom of the barrel. Then oil and diesel both went down for weeks. After that it stayed the same. Now diesel prices are finally up — 4 cents a gallon — to $3.006 a gallon Tuesday from $2.966 a gallon last week. Normally, diesel prices would have been announced Monday, but since it was President’s Day, diesel prices were released Tuesday. And it may be a testament to how long prices had been going down or stayed flat that none of the U.S. Information Administration’s 10 reporting regions were clocking $4-a-gallon diesel, not even California, where diesel was ringing up at $3.739. Also, four regions were still below $3 a gallon as of Tuesday. And although 4 cents a gallon for the on-highway national average was a significant jump from the week before, the Lower Atlantic and Midwest regions each jumped 5.5 cents a gallon. Diesel in the Lower Atlantic sector went from $2.872 last week to $2.927 Tuesday while in the Midwest, diesel prices went from $2.849 last week to $2.904 today. The Gulf Coast had the lowest prices at $2.809 a gallon, up 3.3 cents from the week prior. Is this the start of an upward trend? It’s hard to know what oil prices will do in a global economy that is teetering since what seems like a bandwagon jump out of the European Union. Meanwhile, oil was trading up: U.S. crude added 48 cents to $56.07 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange after gaining $1.19 on Monday. Brent crude, used to price international oils, lost 16 cents to $66.34 per barrel, The Associated Press reported. For diesel prices by sector, click here.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gov. Mike DeWine says he’ll announce Thursday his proposed recommendation for increasing the state’s gas tax to deal with a chronic shortfall in spending on road construction. DeWine, a Republican, says there are no other solutions outside a gas tax increase, while warning that any increase simply keeps Ohio from falling behind. He wouldn’t provide details or say what the proposed increase will be. He spoke at an annual forum sponsored by The Associated Press. DeWine says the increase is “just to keep us where we are today.” The head of the Ohio Department of Transportation director said earlier this month that Ohio’s road maintenance and infrastructure are facing an “impending crisis” unless more funding is provided.

GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. — The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association’s research foundation published two new documents it says debunks the driver shortage “myth.” A fact sheet explains how the industry isn’t afflicted with a shortage of drivers, but is actually plagued with overcapacity and driver retention, the foundation reported. A second, accompanying document talks about how wages have decreased for truck drivers at large carriers and many have moved toward smaller fleets. Last year, the association also created a short video that explains why there is high turnover as opposed to a shortage. “We are concerned about the perpetuation of a myth of driver shortage,” said Todd Spencer, OOIDA President. “This misinformation is used to push agendas that are harmful to the industry and highway safety.” To address the supposed driver “shortage,” some organizations have suggested that the age requirement to obtain a commercial driver’s license should be lowered from 21 to 18. “If safety is the top priority when considering a change to a regulation, when it comes to age, the number should be raised, not lowered.” Spencer said. OOIDA also contends that any issue with retention could be mitigated with other solutions that would be safer for all highway users. For example, compensation has been shown to be tied directly to highway safety, as revealed in studies that suggest there is a strong correlation between driver pay and highway safety, Spencer said. “Most carriers with high turnover do so by design,” he said. “They could deal with driver turnover by offering better wages and benefits and improved working conditions. But putting younger drivers behind the wheel of a truck isn’t the solution because it does nothing to address the underlying issues that push drivers out of the industry. It merely exacerbates the churn.” The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is the largest national trade association representing the interests of small-business trucking professionals and professional truck drivers. The association currently has more than 160,000 members nationwide. OOIDA was established in 1973 and is headquartered in the greater Kansas City, Missouri, area.      

LANSING, Mich. — Republican legislative leaders on Wednesday did not rule out the need for tax or other revenue increases to improve Michigan’s deteriorating roads but said they want to see what is proposed by Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who promised in her State of the State speech to soon outline a “real” fix. House Speaker Lee Chatfield and Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey discussed the roads and other issues after Whitmer used her address to identify infrastructure as one of two crises facing the state along with the education system. “There’s no way we’re going to fix this problem that’s been 50 years in the making without coming up with new revenue for infrastructure,” Shirkey, of Clarklake, told reporters during a joint roundtable with Chatfield that served as their official response following Whitmer’s Tuesday night speech. He stopped short of backing a specific plan — such as raising fuel taxes or vehicle registration fees — “because we haven’t had the best ideas surface yet.” Higher fuel and registration taxes took effect two years ago as part of GOP-enacted laws to gradually pump $1.2 billion more annually into transportation, but many agree it is not enough new spending. Whitmer will include a proposal in her March budget presentation to lawmakers. Chatfield, of Levering, did not go as far as Shirkey in agreeing “new revenue” is needed but also did not reject it outright. He reiterated his support for ensuring all taxes paid at the pump go to infrastructure . The sales tax on fuel now primarily is directed to schools and municipalities. It would be “irresponsible,” Chatfield said, to ask taxpayers to pay more without also reducing other spending. “It could be new revenue, but it does not necessarily mean there won’t be cuts somewhere else in the budget,” he said. The leaders largely agreed with Whitmer on the major issues that should be tackled, with some exceptions. Chatfield, for instance, said she “missed” an opportunity to talk more about lowering high car insurance premiums — a top Republican priority — and changing the criminal justice system . He and Shirkey were cautious about her call for the state to provide two years of tuition for high school graduates to attend community college or a four-year college or university. The assistance would cover tuition or mandatory fees not already offset by need-based federal Pell Grants or the state’s tuition program for Medicaid recipients. A separate program, modeled after one in Tennessee, would help adults 25 and older earn a technical certification, associate degree or transfer to a four-year school. “We heard a lot of neat ideas last evening and things that the governor believes should be provided to the citizens of our state,” Chatfield said. “What we didn’t hear is how that revenue will be accumulated. I think it’s important to note that the state of Michigan only has the money that we take out of the pockets of the people that we serve.” Shirkey said the notion of “free” college “is something that we’re going to explore in great detail.” He said he is not sure that cost is the No. 1 obstacle for people, and he wants to make sure students are getting “value.” He also said the business community should take more ownership of working to address companies’ problem with finding enough qualified workers. Whitmer on Tuesday announced a goal of increasing the number of residents age 16 to 64 with a post-secondary credential — an industry certificate, associate degree or higher — to 60 percent by 2030, up from 44 percent of the workforce as of 2016.