WASHINGTON — A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers led by U.S. Rep. Dave Taylor, R-Ohio, announced on Tuesday the launch of the Congressional Trucking Caucus, the first such caucus focused specifically on the $906 billion trucking industry.
Taylor and co-chairs Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., Pat Harrigan, R-N.C., Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., Mary Miller, R-Ill., and Shomari Figures, D-Ala., plan to leverage the caucus as a policy engine to tackle issues such as commercial driver’s license (CDL) integrity, aging infrastructure, and to break through regulatory red tape affecting 8.4 million jobs in and related to trucking.
“After several tragic accidents occurred recently because of CDL drivers who could not read the road signs, it’s evident that change is needed to protect American lives on the road,” Taylor said in a press release.
“I’m proud to launch the Congressional Trucking Caucus alongside my colleagues to create a forum for discussing policy solutions to keep all drivers safe on American roads, support hardworking truck drivers, and ensure the accessibility of reliable transportation across our nation.”
Harrigan said the caucus “gives truckers a voice in Congress when policies are written that directly impact their safety, their income, and their ability to keep goods moving. We’re focused on recruiting the next generation of drivers, investing in highways and rest stops that actually work, and cutting red tape that costs time and money without improving safety.”
Figures, whose district represents the Port of Mobile, said trucking will be essential to the port’s growth, “so it is imperative that we recognize how important trucking is to our economy, national resilience, and everyday lives.”
Among the initial backers of the caucus are the American Trucking Associations, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, and Trans American Trucking, a South Plainfield, New Jersey-based heavy-haul specialist.
“We look forward to working with the caucus to help Congress understand the realities of the road and to advance practical policies that support professional drivers and highway safety, including improving truck parking, strengthening training standards, and ensuring that only qualified drivers get behind the wheel,” said OOIDA President Todd Spencer in a press release.
“As the owner of a heavy haul trucking company, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges our industry faces daily,” said Craig McGraw, Trans American Trucking’s vice president of sales and marketing. “I’m grateful to Rep. Taylor for listening to our concerns and taking action by creating the Congressional Trucking Caucus to address these issues.”
Related articles:
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- Crackdown on truck driver English proficiency gains steam in Congress
- DOT advisors push massive freight tunnel, truck-parking projects
- Feds call out New York as ‘worst offender’ of illegal CDLs
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