Chris Spear, CEO of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee this week as it prepares a transportation reauthorization bill.
At the hearing, Spear offered his organization’s support to the Committee and laid out their desires for any future legislation. They seek a long-term commitment — a bill that would secure the industry for as much as 15 years out. For that, they want commitments to improved safety, addressing talent shortages, innovation, and increased efficiency.
“Safety anchors the very foundation of the trucking industry, shaping our core values and decision making,” Spear said. “That is why the trucking industry invests approximately $10 billion annually in safety initiatives, including onboard technologies such as electronic logging devices, collision avoidance systems, and video-event recorders. These investments also include driver safety training, driver safety incentive pay and compliance with safety regulations and while some of these investments are made to meet a myriad of regulatory requirements, many of them are voluntary, progressive safety initiatives adopted by our members and they’re paying dividends in highway safety.”
In the future, ATA hopes to see improvements to the current hours of service rules. At the same time, Spear criticized attempts to implement safety technologies he labeled as misguided, such as side underride guards. Instead, he urged implementation of proven safety technology systems for trucks and a broadened effort at workforce screening mechanisms, such as enhanced employer notification systems and use of hair samples for drug screenings. The ATA is also encouraging greater workforce development.