Thursday, May 9, 2002

Louisiana bill is trucker friendly

Truckers are all too familiar with lawmakers who come looking to them for help in financing projects. But one Louisiana lawmaker who recently introduced a bill to increase road funds says "lay off" commercial drivers.

Rep. John "Juba" Diez (D-Gonzales) says the best way to help fund much-needed work on state roads is to increase license plate fees on private vehicles. Commercial vehicles would be exempt from the fee hike.

"Truckers are already paying their fair share and I recognize it," Diez told Land Line. "The industry is struggling and a lot of small guys are going out of business with maintenance and everything. They already are paying plenty of taxes. I don't want to drive that last nail in the coffin."

Diez told the House Ways and Means Committee this week that HB70, to raise car license fees, and a companion bill to raise the cost of tags for pickups, would generate about $25 million a year. Revenue generated by the higher fees would flow into the state's road trust fund, with the provision that all money would be spent on roads.

His omission of commercial drivers from the pool of tax targets has been met with opposition. But, Diez is unfazed, saying he doesn't want to put people out of business. "Business is bad, insurance rates are high and the trucking industry is depressed. I'll strike down any amendments to the bill that include trucks."
-- Keith Goble, staff writer

Kansas Senate approves fuel tax hike

The Kansas Senate Tuesday approved a 2-cent increase in diesel and a 4-cent increase in gasoline taxes, along with a jump in vehicle registration fees. The measure would raise $434 million during the next seven years. Registration fees for cars and light trucks also would increase by $5, to $30.

The money would be used to help finance a 10-year, $13.6 billion transportation program approved in 1999, but robbed by legislators in recent years to finance general government programs. The current legislation in place finances highway, airport and railroad projects. Previous plans would cut $147 million from the program this year.

In the last days of session, lawmakers are chiseling away at the budget shortfall, and the Kansas House has yet to come up with a plan for financing the state transportation program that will meet Gov. Bill Graves' approval. The governor has threatened to call a special session if the House does not approve budget plans this week.

Houston looks to expand lane restrictions

Houston authorities are making plans to expand a rule restricting trucks to the right lanes along an 8-mile stretch of Interstate 10 near downtown to other area highways, according to a published report. The test project, which was scheduled to end a year ago, has been deemed too successful to end.

The truck lane restrictions reportedly may soon be expanded to include I-45 north of downtown and Highway 225 east from Loop 610, because of fewer truck-related crashes along I-10 since the restrictions were enacted.

In the test's first nine months, Houston reported 68 percent fewer crashes along eight miles of I-10 heading from downtown, while truck traffic has remained constant. The Houston Police Department's presence along the stretch of roadway also has been credited for fewer accidents.

"In all fairness to truckdrivers, seven out of 10 crashes are a result of four-wheel vehicles," Sgt. C.J. Klausner of the Houston Police Department's Truck enforcement unit told the Dallas Morning News. "But with that said, I don't care who is at fault. We're just trying to reduce the number of crashes."

ExpeditersOnline hits the radio airwaves

On Time Media, parent company of ExpeditersOnline and other resources for the expedited freight industry, debuted its EO News Break, a three and a half minute radio program on the Dave Nemo Radio Network. The national network airs on radio stations across the country, as well as on XM Satellite Radio channel 168.

The program is broadcast three times weekly; Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 3:30 a.m. CST (9:30 a.m. CST on XM Satellite Radio). Hosted by Jeff Jenson, editor of ExpeditersOnline.com, the program provides news about the people, companies and happenings in the just-in-time freight business.

Canadian province sues trucker for collapsed bridge

A lawsuit filed in the Nova Scotia Supreme Court alleges a truckdriver and his employer are liable for a collapsed bridge, claiming the tractor-trailer he was driving was too heavy for the span.

On June 6, 2000, Allan Francis Hayne, driving for J.C. MacIntosh Trucking of St.Andrews, N.S., pulled his tractor-trailer across the Long John Bridge in Cape Breton, N.S.

The suit alleges Hayne's vehicle was 26,000 pounds over the maximum allowed on the bridge. The province is asking for more than $145,000 to tear down and replace the bridge, as well as general damages and court costs.

Border security bill on Bush's desk

The House May 8 approved HR3525, a bill that would increase the force guarding U.S. borders and require foreign visitors to carry tamperproof passports and visas, AP reported.

The bill, which President Bush is expected to sign, boosts border patrol agent pay and allows the Immigration and Naturalization Service to hire 200 new investigators and 200 new inspectors.

The measure also requires the INS to set up a foreign student tracking system. In addition, visitors must carry documents that can be read by machine, identifying the bearer using face recognition or retinal scanning technology.