Historic Fly-In Brings Transportation Executives with Pro-Trucking Message to DC

Washington, DC ‹ Approximately 170 truck transportation stakeholders participated in the industry-wide Stand Up For Trucking fly-in on Feb.

1, which resulted in approximately 140 visits to Congressional offices.

The timing of the fly-in was significant as it was the day before the scheduled mark-up of Congressman John Mica's proposed highway bill, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act.

The fly-in, led by Mike Regan, president of Tranzact and chairman of NASSTRAC's advocacy committee, was an historic event as it involved the coordinated efforts and support of 12 industry associations. Along with NASSTRAC, a shipper association, the coalition was sponsored by AgHaul, American Trucking Associations, Coalition for Transportation Productivity, National Private Truck Council, and Transportation Intermediaries Association. Other participating associations included American Moving & Storage Association, Cleaner Safer Trucks, National Association of Manufacturers, NIT League, Retail Industry Leaders Association, and Truckload Carriers Association.

According to Regan, the key message to members of Congress from those participating in the industry-wide fly-in was simple: The success of our economy requires that we have a safe, efficient, productive trucking industry. We need to enact a multi-year highway bill that reforms the program and focuses funding on critical freight corridors, and we need to pay for it in the most efficient ways possible, not through tolls, said Regan. In addition, our message is to stop burdensome laws and regulations that impede productivity and increase the delivered cost of goods. He cited FMCSA's recently announced changes to truck driver hours of service as an example of counterproductive policy that creates a less efficient trucking industry and, ultimately, harms our corporate supply chains and our economy as a whole.

The National Shippers Strategic Transportation Council (NASSTRAC) provides education, advocacy, provider relations, and networking for professionals involved in all modes of transportation, ranging from full truckload and LTL to containerization and global logistics. For more information, visit www.NASSTRAC.org.