Senate highway bill markup slated for Wednesday

One week after the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee marked up its version of a highway bill, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee will do the same with its bipartisan version.

The Senate committee will consider amendments to its Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021 beginning at 10 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday, June 16.

For truckers, the best parts of the Senate version may be what’s not included. Unlike the INVEST in America Act in the House, the Senate bill does not have any measures to increase motor carriers’ minimum insurance requirement. It also does not include a screening mandate for obstructive sleep apnea.

The House bill would increase the minimum insurance from $750,000 to $2 million. Rep. Mike Bost’s amendment to strip the measure was defeated during last week’s markup hearing.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association said the Senate bill shows that an insurance increase is a “toxic” proposal that has little chance of becoming law.

“The bill is not perfect, but it represents a remarkable contrast from the highly partisan abomination working its way through the House,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said. “We warned members of the T&I Committee that a bipartisan Senate bill would never include a toxic insurance increase, and we were right.”

OOIDA sent a Call to Action email to its more than 150,000 members on June 14, asking them to contact their Senators about ways to improve the bill.

“The Senate version is generally more favorable to professional drivers and owner-operators but does still contain an automatic emergency braking mandate for new trucks and concerning language involving side underride guards,” OOIDA wrote. “Wednesday’s committee markup will be an opportunity to improve the bill.”

Other measures in the bill with significance to the trucking industry include:

• Updating the National Consumer Complaint Database.
• Revising the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee to include small-business motor carriers and extending the committee through September 2025.
• Allowing funding to support the prevention of human trafficking.
• Requiring the DOT secretary to carry out a comprehensive study of commercial motor vehicle crash causation.
• Promoting women to enter the trucking industry.
• Creating a truck leasing task force.
• Requiring the DOT secretary to submit a report on the FMCSA’s use of electronic logging devices regarding the protection of personal information.

A summary of the Senate highway bill’s trucking provisions can be found here.

OOIDA encourages its members to call their Senators to let them know which items should be removed from the bill and potential additions. Using FightingforTruckers.com, you can find your federal lawmakers by entering your ZIP code. You also can call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121, and an operator will connect you directly with your Senators.

“Tell them to oppose Sections 3010 and 3011 of the Senate Surface Transportation Investment Act,” OOIDA wrote. LL