Washington – With the start of the Congress on the next highway bill, which will be implemented next year, US Transportation Associations said it is ready to transfer gasoline tax to the annual registration fee to help pay for the maintenance and improvement costs of roads and bridges.
“We are looking for serious support for the registration fee that apply to all – trucks, cars, electric vehicles,” ATA President Chris Spear, President of ATA at the Senate Committee’s trial on Tuesday.
“You are already registering your vehicle in the state [motor vehicle agencies]You simply pay what you usually pay at the fuel cost of the pump. You get rid of gas taxes, tire taxes and put it in the registration fee. “
The annual fee could be about $ 200 to $ 250 for the car, which has expanded throughout the year. “This is more for the transportation industry, but it’s good, we would like to do it,” he said. “It is all over to itself, and it is fair.”
Louis Pog, the executive vice president of the Independent and Operator’s Independent Drivers Association, on behalf of small companies and ownership operators, told representatives of the Independent Driver’s Association that he supports the registration fee for electric vehicles captives-which does not pay for fuel to pay for infrastructure.
“I think we need the gut to raise gas tax because it has not increased since 1993,” he said. “You pay it in the pump, and it works. Why are you paying extra registration fee except having electric vehicles.”
Congress has been a lack of gas tax on the HTF HTF for years by transferring money from the Treasury Department. But it is estimated that the HTF will be evacuated by 2028, and lawmakers are planning to consider alternative payment options for maintaining it, including weight -based user costs.
Talk about automation, drug testing
While the meeting was dealt with on how some lawmakers want to investigate such English skill requirements, fraudulent business licenses and truck parking, there was less agreement on the way forward for autonomous vehicles.
Senator Ted Cruise, R, Texas, said of a AV framework in the law, in response to the law, Sean O’Brien, President of Teamsters and Sean O’Brien about whether automation killing jobs.
“This has always been portrayed as a threat to jobs, but there are 65 ports in the country, not one in the top 50 countries for productivity,” Spir said.
“To grow the economy, we need both jobs and independence. We need technology to get inside and outside that ports and on our roads.
Obrine insisted that human drivers remain in the truck cabin regardless of automation. “I’m all for the efficiency – there are some efficiency in that [the labor agreement with port workers]Human beings, however, as a result of the implementation of new technology, there is a job support in the agreement. So the priority is that after running, you protect and create new jobs. “
ATA also likes to see a hair test case for the shipping industry in the next license – “no” hard for Ooida.
“We certainly support the post -test test, but it’s not a hair test,” Pog said. “We don’t feel enough data to support it.”
Driver’s shortage?
The driver’s shortage was also discussed at the hearing, pointing out that Spear stated that the driver was paying “not increased 19 % during the recession unless there is a shortage of eligible drivers.”
But Senator Ed Marck, D, Massachusetts, said millions of people with CDL are about 900,000 long -distance transportation jobs.
“In fact, 90 % of truck drivers leave their work after a year. This high -level turnover indicates that there may not be enough drivers, but whether existing drivers are out of work.”
Obrine added that a few union shipping companies were closer to 10-15 % turnover. “This means that people are satisfied with their wages and benefits. When the race is down and people are out of the industry after a year – there is a failure.”
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