Truckers hurt by lack of infrastructure investment, Teamsters rep says

May 11, 2021

Mark Schremmer

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The need for a significant investment in the nation’s infrastructure served as the focus of a Senate subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, May 11.

In addition to the general request for upgrades to the nation’s roads and bridges, Teamsters representative Lamont Byrd emphasized how not doing so negatively affects freight workers, including truck drivers.

“The failure to invest and improve the nation’s infrastructure impacts the trucking and the rail industry alike, its workers, and consumers in many adverse ways,” Byrd, director of safety and health for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, submitted in his written testimony.

“For truck drivers, traffic congestion fueled by years of delayed highway construction and improvement projects, weight limits on deteriorating bridges that necessitate re-routings, and the general condition of some highways that cause road closures and put truck drivers behind the wheel longer than they need to be an in a ‘pressure cooker’ environment of stop-and-go traffic.”

As part of the hearing titled “Freight Mobility: Strengthening America’s Supply Chains and Competitiveness,” ATA President Chris Spear also highlighted the importance in a significant infrastructure investment.

“For decades, federal policymakers have deferred and delayed infrastructure investments that American families and businesses desperately need to enhance safety, reduce congestion, and improve commerce,” Spear wrote.

The discussion comes at a crucial time as the Democrats and Republicans are in negotiations regarding an infrastructure plan.

Byrd and Spear also used their testimony to tackle several other trucking issues that could find their way into the next highway bill.

Truck parking

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association helped lead the charge for the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, HR2187, to be introduced by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill. The bill would direct $755 million to increase truck parking capacity.

Spear advocated for the legislation in his written testimony.

“In 2019, the FHWA found that 98% of drivers regularly experience difficulty finding truck parking and that truck parking is most problematic along key freight corridors, near major ports, around intermodal facilities, and in metropolitan areas,” Spear wrote.

“The Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act will both provide truck drivers with the means to comply with their federal hours-of-service requirements and enhance the safety of our nation’s highways.”

Under-21 drivers

Although ATA agrees with OOIDA on the need for truck parking, the two organizations disagree on whether the interstate truck driving age should be lowered from 21 to 18.

Spear cited a “driver shortage” and pushed for passage of the DRIVE-Safe Act. OOIDA says there is no driver shortage and that lowering the driving age would be bad for the younger drivers and for general highway safety.

The Teamsters also spoke out against measures to lower the interstate driving age.

“There are some in the trucking industry who view lowering the minimum driving age for commercial drivers to 18 as one solution to the increasing demand for qualified drivers,” Byrd wrote. “The Teamsters Union is particularly concerned about this issue, as it should be noted that there is significant evidence which indicates that young drivers are more likely to be involved in crashes.”

Like OOIDA, the Teamsters also believe the issue involves large carriers’ inability to retain drivers, which could be solved by improving pay and overall working conditions.

“Pay and working conditions need to be improved so that drivers who are already in the industry are incentivized to stay,” Byrd said. LL