Executives from American Trucking Associations’ member companies FedEx Freight and Werner Enterprises, recently told Congress about the trucking industry’s urgent need for greater investment in our highway system.
FedEx Freight President and CEO Mike Ducker and Werner Enterprises President and CEO Derek Leathers both told the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee’s Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security, the United States must invest more in its roads and bridges so the trucking industry may continue to safely and efficiently move the nation’s goods.
“ATA and its members are continuing to tell our story on Capitol Hill and at the White House about need to improve our nation’s roads and bridges,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “Our industry currently loses nearly $50 billion annually to congestion and that is unacceptable. We must unclog our arteries and highways and make our infrastructure safer and more efficient by investing in our roads and bridges as Derek and Mike so eloquently told the Committee.”
In his testimony, Ducker said: “Without improved surface infrastructure and wise policy decisions from Washington, FedEx and other companies cannot continue to help grow the US economy and increase jobs. The need for significant investment in our infrastructure has never been more critical.”
“Congress should concentrate investment in major freight bottlenecks and congestion that hamper the efficient movement of both freight and passenger travel,” Leathers said in his testimony. “The additional mileage and congestion combined with high freight demands and insufficient truck parking continues to cause needless added stress and frustration to our driver workforce, and can take away from their focus on safely and efficiently delivering our nation's goods.”