Three additional industry organizations are speaking out on the Build America 250 Act, joining groups like the American Trucking Associations, Truckload Carriers Association and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.
CALSTART
“At a time when American consumers and businesses are struggling with high transportation and freight costs, the BUILD America 250 Act proposes punitive new annual fees on electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids that would increase costs on drivers who are already trying to save money on fuel and maintenance,” said Michael Berube, CALSTART president, CEO. “It would also eliminate dedicated funding for zero-emission transit vehicles and for building out the charging infrastructure network that will allow every American to have the option to choose an electric vehicle.”
According to Berube, rather than helping address affordability challenges, these fees disproportionately target consumers choosing newer and more-efficient vehicle technologies and create additional uncertainty for automakers, suppliers, charging companies and private investors.
“The bill also fails to meaningfully address the growing diesel cost crisis impacting freight movement and supply chains nationwide and across the globe,” Berube said. “In the past 4 years alone, the trucking industry has endured multiple fuel price spikes, each time exposing the same structural vulnerability: America’s freight system is overwhelmingly dependent on a single highly volatile fuel. Medium- and heavy-duty transportation alternatives, including cleaner and more-efficient trucks and charging infrastructure, are essential tools for lowering operating costs, reducing price volatility and helping bring down the cost of goods Americans rely on every day.”
Undermining America’s Competitiveness on a Global Scale
“We appreciate the efforts of members who fought to preserve federal investments in clean transportation and advanced vehicle infrastructure, as well as efforts to improve street safety and innovative mobility deployments through the Safe Streets and Roads for All and SMART grant programs,” Berube said. “However, the overall direction of this proposal could undermine America’s competitiveness in one of the fastest-growing global industries. Congress should be focused on expanding affordable transportation options, strengthening U.S. manufacturing leadership, and helping communities and businesses lower transportation costs. We urge the Committee to make significant changes to the BUILD America 250 Act to prevent this legislation from making it harder for Americans, fleets and transit agencies to access technologies that can save money and reduce fuel costs.”
Intermodal Association of North America (IANA)
“IANA is encouraged to see the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advance a surface transportation reauthorization proposal and appreciates its focus on critical freight challenges, including cargo theft and truck parking,” said Anne Reinke, IANA president, CEO. “IANA is concerned that without dedicated funding from key discretionary grant programs that support intermodal infrastructure, including programs such as MEGA, INFRA, and other discretionary grant programs, freight mobility and supply chain reliability may suffer. The pandemic made clear that resilient supply chains require sustained investment across the full freight network.”
Reinke also noted that as Congress continues its work, IANA is looking forward to working with lawmakers to preserve and strengthen the funding needed to keep freight moving efficiently in support of the American economy.
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
“The Teamsters support efforts to improve the federal permitting process to make sure investments turn into real construction jobs,” the Union said. “Our union also appreciates the bill’s focus on improving roadway safety protections for construction workers.”
The group also noted that while the bill includes positive provisions to protect working people, several critical issues need to be resolved. The final version of the bill must include the Railway Safety Act and other rail safety provisions and be free of any amendments that would dangerously increase the maximum weight of trucks on our nation’s roads.
“The Teamsters are proud to be the largest and strongest union representing transportation workers in America,” the Union said. “We will continue to put the American worker and the safety and livelihoods of our 1.3 million members first as this important legislation makes its way through Congress.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
