Infrastructure

Potential Infrastructure Package Brings Stakeholders Together

June 6, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Members from all areas of the transportation industry have come together to urge Capitol Hill to take action in the wake of lawmakers’ intent to take into account a $2.25 trillion infrastructure plan, proposed by President Biden and set to be under official consideration very soon.

Because needs for boosting the nation’s infrastructure system are well-known throughout environmental groups, labor organizations, advocacy firms, businesses, and freight industry organizations, stakeholders from across all these areas are agreeing on the benefits surrounding a potential multi-year highway policy bill.

Although many industry members have failed to reach overall agreement on the president’s American Jobs plan–especially due to worries regarding Democrats’ current control in the White House, House, and Senate–a comprehensive infrastructure plan that would involve a multi-year highway policy plan is clearly a positive for nearly everyone.

“[I’m] glad to see [the] White House push for action infrastructure,” said vice president of transportation infrastructure for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Ed Mortimer. “[I’m] not sure whether that means [an] American Jobs [Plan] package or surface transportation [highway policy] authorization. [I] expect them to move separately.”

A Bipartisan Policy Center- and U.S. Chamber of Commerce-led coalition is pushing for an infrastructure package focusing on updates and repairs to be passed by the fourth of July. Such a project, they say, could lead to a variety of lasting employment opportunities and create a much-needed economic boost for the country as a whole.

“Today, we joined BPC Bipartisan and over 300 national and local [organizations] in sending a letter to Congress urging them to enact an infrastructure package by the 4th of July that stimulates the economy and improves quality of life for all Americans,” said the U.S. Chamber recently in a tweet.

The American Public Transportation Association, the Laborers’ International Union of North America, the Transportation Intermediaries Association, and the Natural Resources Defense Council are a few of the more than 300 groups that have joined hands to form the coalition since March.

Additionally, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, along with the Associated General Contractors of America, is co-chairing the Transportation Construction Coalition. This organization will work to light a fire under those who can make moves in regards to the infrastructure package, especially as many stakeholders are claiming that comprehensive infrastructure plans will bring major boosts to the economy.

“The president’s plan will accelerate a long-overdue conversation about how to modernize our roads, bridges, public transit, and other infrastructure systems,” explained Dave Bauer, CEO and president of ARTBA. “Members of Congress from both parties will rightly have their own policy throughs. The most important thing is not whose plan passes Congress, but that at the end of the process, the American people have increased mobility, and the competitiveness of the U.S. economy is strengthened.”

Biden’s plan, which would bring $115 billion for highways and bridges, $85 billion for transit, $80 billion for Amtrak, $25 billion for airports, and $17 billion for inland ports, is being pushed heavily by the White House for Congress to sign into law. Biden has also mentioned that corporate tax rates would need to raise an additional 7% in order for the measure to be fully funded.

Many groups and organizations involving agriculture, autonomous technology, and rural housing have also made known their support for this plan. Although these industries’ stakeholders have previously argued over potential transportation policies and overall budgets, they are now finding agreement due to the plan’s potential in bringing massive transportation legislation through Congress.

“We have been talking about an infrastructure package for years and it has never gotten past a talking point,” noted Beth Osborne of Transportation for America. “This seems to be the most serious effort yet, but when and how it comes together depends on how open the various factions on Capitol Hill are to making a deal.”

Osborne also added that the president’s plan could allow for funding to come through in regards to climate change, racial equity, and pedestrian, bicycle, and motorcycle transportation.

“The only thing that matters is whether we are funding projects that restore infrastructure in need of repair, [improving] roadway safety after one of the most deadly years in decades, and [providing] Americans with access to jobs and essential services whether they can afford a car or not,” she said.

IDOT Works to Avoid Bridge Strikes Throughout the State

June 5, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

When truckers move under a bearing too low for the height of their big-rigs, bridge strikes happen.

Because it has been a prevalent issue in the state of Illinois, the Illinois Department of Transportation is pushing forward two potential pilot initiatives–both of which would aim to lower the number of large truck bridge strikes.

“Hit the road, not a bridge!” said IDOT recently in a tweet. “The average bridge strike costs $400,000 to fix? They also can cause backups, detours, and all sorts of safety issues. Truckers, please measure freight sizes, get your permits, and stay on the correct route.”

Because many drivers will watch navigation information on their cellphones or on printed route directions, IDOT is proposing a program dubbed “audible turn-by-turn navigation.” This initiative would allow IDOT to offer route information electronically through a cloud-based application for drivers to audibly hear all their navigation details without having to look at a document or a mobile device.

The GIS data providers that are working on this technology have said it is nearly ready for release. Presently, they are working on some platform format problems and will soon allow IDOT to test the system. If it is found to be acceptable, a select number of fleets will be able to test the technology and compare it to other methods of navigation. The system will be fully adopted by the industry if IDOT finds no problems with its implementation.

The second pilot program is the HawkScan oversize vehicle measurement system, an initiative that will use sensors and cameras to digitally measure freight loads off of Interstate 70 at the westbound Maryville weigh station. The data collected from these scans can measure and classify trucks during normal traffic congestion conditions and can also verify a truck’s permit information.

This particular weigh station in southwest Illinois has processed more than 48,100 trucks in Illinois so far in 2021, and expects to process around 200,000 by the end of the year. The oversize vehicle measurement system has already been set up temporarily at this location.

“If all is accurate on the permit with the information gathered, the driver will be allowed to continue on without stopping,” said Geno Koehler, IDOT Permit Unit Chief. “Both projects are very exciting, and many people in the [oversize and overweight] industry are looking forward to their success.”

Because many agricultural shipments are hauled through Illinois, some truck drivers may not be aware that they are driving on a route including a bridge with a lower clearance than they might expect, explained Matt Hart, Executive Director for the Illinois Trucking Association. This is a major issue because agricultural equipment hauling is vital to the state of Illinois (and because the state’s top exports include animal feed and cereal grains, according to IDOT’s Illinois State Freight Plan).

Because these drivers are often not aware of low-clearance bridges, IDOT’s District 5 has had nine bridge strikes in the last year and a half, with each hit costing between $25,000 and $3 million to repair. On average, oversize load bridge strikes–either by farm equipment or large trucks–cost around $400,000 on average in repairs. When these accidents occur, they often lead to closures, road safety problems, detours, and traffic congestion.

Additionally, especially in the Chicago metro area, Hart noted that towing companies are especially costly for a truck that gets itself stuck under a bridge–with these bills coming out to around $100,000 per incident.

“It’s pretty disheartening when you have a truck that hits one of these bridges and [the driver is] already upset enough, but then you have tow companies that are taking advantage of that situation and are strapping these trucking companies with tens of thousands of dollars in towing fees just to get the vehicle out of that low-clearance bridge,” said Hart. “They know that out-of-state trucks are likely to hit those bridges because they’re not familiar with the area. After safety, this also becomes an economic issue.”

IDOT has released recommendations regarding how to prevent these accidents, with detailed steps including the need to stay on authorized routes, obtain proper permits, and measure freight loads well in advance. Drivers of permitted loads should also remember to only take the routes IDOT recommends.

Safe Truck Parking Becomes Priority in Newly Proposed Legislation

June 4, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Solving challenges surrounding truck parking availability has been a top priority for the industry for quite some time now, and new legislation prioritizing boosted parking access for commercial motor vehicles has finally been brought to the U.S. House of Representatives in the form of the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act.

This bill will work to alleviate the issue of open parking spot scarcity across the country and comes after many years of transportation lawmakers working to bring awareness to this major issue that has been a headache–and safety problem–for truck drivers everywhere.

“I grew up in a family trucking business and spent years driving over the road,” said sponsor of the bill and Transportation Infrastructure Committee member, Representative Mike Bost. “Since then, we’ve seen the need for more trucks and drivers increase significantly, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when trucking helped to keep our economy going. However, the number of truck parking spaces hasn’t kept pace.”

Because the lack of parking spaces continues on, many truckers have had to put themselves and other drivers in unsafe situations.

“Creating sufficient parking options for long-haul truckers will not only help keep truckers safe during their rest breaks, but will also mean safer roads for everyone,” Bost added.

Bost originally pushed forth a version of this bill earlier on in Congress, but the legislation did not make it to the president’s desk. Now, the bill is co-sponsored by Representatives John Garamendi of California, Angie Craig and Pete Stauber of Minnesota, Dusty Johnson of South Dakota, and Susan Wild of Pennsylvania.

“Without adequate parking, truck drivers are forced to pull to the side of the road or continue driving–both of which are risky,” said Craig.

This updated legislation is now expected to be discussed during a debate about multiyear measures for highway policy by the House transportation panel–this measure would come as an update to an expiring national highway law first implemented in 2015.

Additionally, funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation would be allocated by this truck parking legislation to boost areas currently providing truck parking or that would be willing to provide such parking in the future. Specifically, 2022 would see $225 million dedicated to these sites with additional funding coming throughout 2026.

Federal and state officials would also both need to submit reports to Congress in regards to how the bill has affected the freight industry overall during that time.

Transportation committee chairman, Representative Peter DeFazio of Oregon, has expressed his dedication for finding the best ways to boost truck parking across the country and told industry members in February that he would “meaningfully address that issue.” Many stakeholders have also long-supported resolutions to the truck parking space shortage and are in full support of this new legislation.

Stakeholders have also explained their stance that improving the accessibility of parking for truck drivers would not only boost overall driver safety, but would also enhance freight movement throughout the United States.

“The severe shortage of safe parking presents truckers with an untenable dilemma: Either keep driving when they are fatigued and possibly in violation of their federal hours-of-service requirement,” said Chris Spear, American Trucking Associations President, “or park in unsafe, sometimes illegal locations, such as a roadside shoulder.”

Independent truck drivers, who don’t always have the support and resources that fleet truckers might, have also explained their relief that policymakers are finally giving these issues the attention they deserve.

“Truckers often wonder if anyone in Washington is listening,” said Todd Spencer, President of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. “The introduction of the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act shows that not only are some members of Congress listening, but lawmakers from across the political spectrum are willing to step up and address one of the greatest concerns for professional drivers: the national shortage of safe truck parking.”

ATA’s Spear has assured industry members that driver safety and supply chain efficiency are a top priority and that these both rely on safe truck parking options.

“The health and well-being of our drivers, the safety of the motoring public, and the sustainability of our supply chain all depend on Congress addressing this issue with adequate funding in a surface transportation [policy] bill,” he said.

User-Based Funding Projects Next in Line for FHWA Grants

June 1, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Through the Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives program, the Federal Highway Administration is awarding $18.7 million to eight user-based revenue testing projects.

The Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives program was implemented by 2015’s Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. The focus of this program is to provide backing for states that are working on adopting user-based funding methods.

The newly-funded projects come at the hands of the transportation coalition and various state departments of transportation and their efforts to better evaluate road usage charges and mileage-based user fees.

One grant recipient was Ohio’s Department of Transportation, which will receive $2 million in funds to help with its efforts in creating a public-educating outreach program. This money is expected to help the agency collect the necessary data and find the best possible ways in which it can help more people fully understand road usage charges.

In regards to transportation funding in general, the Ohio General Assembly has requested that the Ohio Department of Transportation begin focusing on how best to take more of a vehicle-miles-traveled approach, according to ODOT’s spokesman, Matt Bruning.

“For decades, the preferred funding mechanism for roads and bridges has been through the motor fuel tax,” explained Bruning. “However, as vehicles become more fuel efficient, the revenue from this source hasn’t been keeping pace with the cost of maintaining our infrastructure.”

With all of the technological and fuel-efficient changes coming to transportation, these grants are set to help these agencies find the most efficient ways to keep up with the evolution of the industry.

“The funds will be used to educate, research, demonstrate need, and determine possible next steps forward,” Bruning added.

The projects that will receive the support they need from these funds are expected to help these states find the best ways in which they can boost the Highway Trust Fund, FHWA noted. For instance, the federal fuel tax has long-supported the Highway Trust Fund, although it has stayed at 18.4 cents a gallon for gasoline and 24.4 cents a gallon for diesel for the last 27 years. Now, applicants for these grants must prove their intentions to solve issues regarding the effects of user fees on people in various geographic regions or having varying household incomes.

As of now, $73.7 million has been awarded by the Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives program to 37 different projects since 2016.

“The pilot projects under the STSFA program allow states to learn more about potential new user fees structures that can complement traditional funding sources that states rely on to build and improve the nation’s highway and bridge infrastructure,” explained Stephanie Pollack, acting Federal Highway Administrator.

Delaware’s Department of Transportation and the Eastern Transportation Coalition (formerly the I-95 Corridor Coalition) have been gearing up to test mileage-based user fees in places like Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The District of Columbia and 17 other states have been collaborating within the Eastern Transportation Coalition to analyze mileage-based user fees possibilities through pilot programs, for which the groups will receive $4.67 million.

$3.25 million will be allocated to efforts spearheaded by the Kansas Department of Transportation and the Minnesota Department of Transportation, which are prioritizing the testing of road usage charge systems and their effects throughout the Midwest. This project will study the impacts of this kind of system in regards to supply chain operators and commercial freight haulers, as well as the effects within both agricultural and rural regions.

Additionally, because Utah’s Department of Transportation is working to boost customer service capabilities in regards to potential road usage charges, the state will receive $1.25 million. These efforts are aiming to bring about more supporters and improve public perception in regards to these kinds of policies.

“Customer experience is a key ingredient in advancing acceptance of road usage charge policies and systems,” explained the manager of UDOT’s Road Usage Charge Program, Tiffany Pocock. “Funding this application for customer experience improvements will help Utah grow its own program and provide much-needed best practice guidance to other states.”