Trucking Moves America Forward Calls on Lawmakers to Support Long-Term Highway Funding Bill
Legislation is critical to modernizing federal highway network, keeping roads and motoring public safe
WASHINGTON, April 16, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF), the industry-wide image and education movement representing all areas of the professional truck driving industry, is calling on Capitol Hill lawmakers to pass a long-term highway bill to safeguard America's federal highway program and provide certainty for the nation's future transportation needs.
"Our federal highway program is at a pivotal crossroads, and the passage of a long-term highway bill is critical to modernizing our aging infrastructure and ensuring our roads are safe for our professional drivers and America's families alike," said Kevin Burch, co-chairman of TMAF, president of Jet Express, Inc., and second vice chairman of American Trucking Associations..
The professional trucking industry drives $682 billion in revenue every year, making it a vital contributor to the nation's economy. Seven million trucking professionals nationwide move food, fuel and critical cargo in manufacturing, healthcare, retail and more.
Nearly a third of our nation's roads are in poor or mediocre condition, and one out of every nine bridges are structurally deficient, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers report card. TMAF advocates for infrastructure spending to improve highway networks that are most critical to the movement of freight and interstate travel. Improving our nation's highways also prioritizes the safety of the motoring public.
"Well-maintained roads and bridges are safer roads and bridges," said Todd Spencer, executive vice president of The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. "Safety is further improved when investments are focused on adding capacity where needed to reduce congestion."
On April 13, TMAF launched an advertising campaign to reach lawmakers on Capitol Hill to reinforce the positive impact professional drivers have as the nation's chief movers of interstate commerce. The campaign includes a series of print, digital and radio advertisements placed in Washington news outlets, including Politico Morning Transportation, which can be viewed at: http://www.politico.com/morningtransportation/.
"An updated transportation network is crucial to our nation's success. Congress should stop punting and pass a long-term highway bill to improve our nation's roads and bridges before the current authorization expires in May," Burch added.
To view the TMAF advertising campaign, click here: www.truckingmovesamerica.com/advertising.
About Trucking Moves America Forward
Trucking Moves America Forward is a long-term industry-wide movement established to create a positive image for the industry, to ensure that policymakers and the public understand the importance of the trucking industry to the nation's economy, and to build the political and grassroots support necessary to strengthen and grow the industry in the future. To learn more, and to join the movement, visit www.TruckingMovesAmerica.com. Join us through social media:
www.facebook.com/TruckingFWD
www.youtube.com/TruckingFWD
www.twitter.com@TruckingFWD
SOURCE Trucking Moves America Forward
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