FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 20, 2020
Arlington, Va – ATA President and CEO Chris Spear today issued the following statement after Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont told reporters he is pulling the plug on plans for truck-only tolls in Connecticut:
“It appears the governor of Connecticut has accepted the same fact that other policymakers across the country have come to realize: The trucking industry isn’t a convenient bailout for politicians unwilling to do the hard work of responsibly and fairly funding infrastructure.
“Targeting a tiny sliver of road users, and an industry that is the central link in the economy’s supply chain, is not a serious nor sustainable strategy. Trucks account for only four percent of vehicles on the road, yet our industry already pays half the entire federal Highway Trust Fund user tab. And while we’re willing to pay more to get the job done, the trucking industry will fight tooth and nail against any proposal that aims to turn trucks into rolling piggy banks.”
The news in Connecticut comes less than a week after the Wyoming state legislature defeated a similar tolling scheme. Rhode Island’s truck-only tolls face an uncertain future, after a court ruling in December allowed a trucking industry lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the program to proceed in federal court.
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American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation’s freight. Follow ATA on Twitter or on Facebook. Trucking Moves America Forward.