WASHINGTON — The trucking industry is sounding off on the BUILD American 250 Act. Find out what insiders are saying.
On Monday, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure advanced the surface transportation reauthorization bill to markup. Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and the committee’s ranking member Rick Larsen (D-WA) released details of the bill, the BUILD America 250 ACT, which is a bipartisan, five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill that invests in America’s roads, bridges, transit, rail transportation and highway and motor carrier safety programs.
Truckload Carriers Association (TCA)
The bill reflects strong bipartisan support for modernizing the nation’s infrastructure, strengthening supply chains and driving long-term economic growth, according to the TCA.
“TCA commends chairman Sam Graves and ranking member Rick Larsen for their bipartisan leadership in developing legislation that reflects the priorities of the transportation and trucking sectors while laying the groundwork for long-term infrastructure investment and supply chain resilience,” TCA said.
The advancement of this legislation also marks several significant victories for the trucking industry and the broader freight community, provisions long advocated for by carriers, drivers and transportation stakeholders nationwide, according to TCA.
“TCA and its membership supports T&I’s Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill, and looks forward to working with Congress to deliver a final, bipartisan bill that meets the needs of America’s transportation network today and for the future,” TCA said.
Key Features
- Establishes a dedicated pilot program funded at $750 Million to expand safe, reliable truck parking.
- Creates a federal registration fee for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles to ensure all roadway users contribute to the Highway Trust Fund.
- Directs the Department of Transportation to recognize hair testing as an approved method for drug and alcohol screening in federally regulated transportation programs.
“Advancing this bill to markup is a major stride forward for the trucking industry and the nation’s supply chain,” said Jim Mullen, president, TCA. “These provisions reflect meaningful progress on key industry priorities and demonstrate that lawmakers are listening to the needs of the industry that keeps America moving. Advancing this legislation is an important step toward a long-term reauthorization that enhances safety, promotes innovation, and targets investments where they are needed most.”
American Trucking Associations (ATA)
“ATA commends chairman Graves, ranking member Larsen, and members of the House T&I Committee for putting forward a visionary five-year plan to invest $580 billion to modernize and revitalize the nation’s infrastructure,” said Chris Spear, ATA president, CEO. “Since last January, ATA has testified multiple times on Capitol Hill and met with key lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to lay the groundwork for the surface transportation bill. We are pleased to see that many of the trucking industry’s priorities have been included in the base text.
According to Spear, every American benefits from a modern, safe, and efficient transportation network. It is even more essential to the 3.6 million truck drivers who are indispensable to our way of life. Roads and bridges are their shop floor.
“The highway bill has always been a bipartisan product, and it is encouraging to see Republicans and Democrats coming together prior to the Sept. 30 deadline to expand truck parking, enforce safety rules and take additional steps that will strengthen our industry,” Spear said. “ATA is committed to being a constructive partner throughout the legislative process and will continue to work with chairman Graves and ranking member Larsen to build a 21st century supply chain that can meet our economy’s needs over the long term.”
ATA Advocacy
Some key wins secured by ATA as a result of its advocacy include:
- Robust investment in roads and bridges: $580 billion for our nation’s infrastructure is tangible proof that Congress understands how important the supply chain is. This investment will help make our roads safer for drivers, help get goods to market faster, and keep our economy moving.
- Truck Parking: $750 million over the next five years for the construction of new truck parking and conversion of existing property into additional parking spaces is a tremendous win. Drivers work to comply with federal regulations like hours of service requirements but are often forced to park in illegal and unsafe locations due to a lack of dedicated truck parking. This funding will help keep drivers, and the motoring public, more safe.
- Prevent Bridge Strikes: Including the Bridges Not Bumpers Act creates a DOT working group to develop best practices to reduce instances of bridge strikes.
- Bathroom Access: Including the bipartisan Trucker Bathroom Access Act helps give drivers the dignity they deserve when they are working. Drivers servicing shippers and receivers should not be denied access to bathroom facilities, and this language makes sure they won’t be.
- Extension of Safe Driver Apprenticeship Program: ATA was supportive of this program when it was included in IIJA, and we wholeheartedly endorse its extension. Building a pathway for 18-to-20-year-olds to enter the industry is essential to meeting the demand for safe and qualified drivers today and in the future.
- Household Goods: The inclusion of the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act is a win for both consumers and the moving and storage industry. This bipartisan bill helps consumers find reputable moving and storage companies and avoid being scammed, while also helping those same companies protect themselves from bad actors that steal their company name in order to commit fraud.
- Autonomous Vehicles: ATA has been a strong voice calling for a national framework for autonomous commercial vehicles. This legislation directs DOT to create performance-based safety requirements, ensuring that adoption of AVs is done with safety at the forefront.
- Electric Vehicle Fees: For too long, electric vehicles have not paid their fair share into the Highway Trust Fund as a result of not paying the federal fuel tax. This legislation takes an important step in making sure that funding that goes into the Trust Fund is done on an equitable basis with all road users paying for maintenance and upkeep of our highways.
- Axle Weight Tolerance: The bill includes the bipartisan VARIANCE Act. This language allows for a 10% axle weight enforcement tolerance for dry bulk vehicles, accounting for load distribution changes when the vehicle brakes and accelerates. This commonsense language will improve the efficiency of dry bulk carriers across the country.
- Connecting Veterans with Trucking Jobs: The bipartisan TRANSPORT Jobs Act is included in this legislation, directing federal agencies to develop a plan to address barriers in transportation and supply chain occupations for separating and retiring service members.
- Closing the Front Door to Bad Actors: Directs an important review of the FMCSA New Entrant Safety Assurance program, which will help Congress and the agency make reforms to ensure that only safe trucking companies enter the industry.
- Cleaning Up CDL Schools: The bill includes language directing FMCSA to remove noncompliant training providers from the Training Provider Registry within 90 days. This language will help ensure that people working to get their CDL are receiving the training necessary to operate in a safe fashion.
- Access to Performance History Data: The bill includes the Motor Carrier Safety Screening Modernization Act, which allows motor carriers to access safety records for prospective and current drivers. Inclusion of this language gives carriers better oversight of driver records to make sure safety is accounted for.
- Cargo Theft: Building on recent successes in combating supply chain theft and fraud, ATA supports language in the bill creating a Cargo Theft Advisory Committee. This Committee will provide recommendations to DOT on ways to prevent these crimes.
“ATA will monitor amendments introduced for consideration during the markup scheduled for Thursday to ensure that the bill retains its pro-trucking provisions,” ATA said.
Kodiak AI
“Kodiak AI applauds chairman Graves and ranking member Larsen for the introduction of the historic, bipartisan BUILD America 250 Act,” said Don Burnette, founder, CEO, Kodiak. “The bill would achieve a significant milestone: the creation of a federal regulatory framework for autonomous trucks that would bring further regulatory certainty for the autonomous trucking industry and ensure the United States remains the global leader in autonomous vehicle technology. By replacing today’s patchwork of state regulations with a single federal standard, the BUILD America 250 Act would ensure Americans benefit from the safety and economic advantages that autonomous driving technology delivers. The bill would also set strong safety standards, affirming the U.S. Department of Transportation has the tools it needs to oversee the scaled rollout of autonomous trucks, while supporting American innovation and investing in the transportation workforce.”
Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC)
“The Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors thanks chairman Sam Graves, ranking member Rick Larsen, and members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for their bipartisan efforts to develop a five-year surface transportation authorization proposal,” said Elaine Nessle, CAGTC executive director. “While the bill makes important progress in several areas – including identifying the first new revenue contribution to the Highway Trust Fund in 30 years – it fails in its commitment to freight infrastructure investment. For decades, the nation’s freight assets were overlooked in federal surface transportation programs. The progress achieved through the last two infrastructure laws to prioritize investment in supply chain infrastructure would be significantly weakened under this proposal. Dedicated federal freight investment is essential. Programs such as the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight & Highway Projects Program (INFRA), National Infrastructure Project Assistance Program (Mega), Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, and Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) strengthen the infrastructure that connects communities to commerce, supports economic growth and enhances America’s global competitiveness. Further, INFRA must continue to receive dependable and long-term funding from the Highway Trust Fund as it has since its creation over a decade ago. We urge Congress to build on the momentum of recent years and continue making these critical investments in the next surface transportation reauthorization law.”
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.
