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COMMENT
Who’s who at the
Specialized Carriers
&Rigging Association
CHAIRMAN
RonMontgomery
Intermountain Rigging & Heavy Haul
Salt Lake City, UT
PRESIDENT
AlanBarnhart
Barnhart Crane and Rigging
Memphis, TN
VICE PRESIDENT
Bruce Forster
Rigging Gear Sales
Dixon, IL
TREASURER
DelynnBurkhalter
Burkhalter
Columbus, MS
ASSISTANT TREASURER
JohnMcTyre
McTyre Trucking
Orlando, FL
ALLIED INDUSTRIESGROUP CHAIRMAN
Eddy Kitchen
, Kitchens Crane &
Equipment
Chesterfield, VA
CRANE&RIGGINGGROUP CHAIRMAN
Larry Curran
, JJ Curran Crane Company
Detroit, MI
LADIESGROUP CHAIRWOMAN
KarenWood
,Wheco
Richland,WA
TRANSPORTATIONGROUP CHAIRMAN
Jay Folladori
, Landstar
Jacksonville, FL
SC&R FOUNDATIONOFFICERS
President:
RobertMoore,
NBIS
Atlanta, GA
Vice President:
Stephanie Bragg,
Bragg Companies
Long Beach, CA
Treasurer:
Jim Sever
PSC Crane & Rigging,
Piqua, OH
I
nan effort to continue toprovide
memberswith theunique
information theyneed inorder to
runmore efficient and saferbusinesses,
SC&RAhas joined theAlliance for
Toll-Free Interstates (ATFI). Thisnewly
formedgroup’smission is toprevent new
tollson existing interstates throughmedia
relations, advertising, decision-maker
engagement and education.
Thegoal of theATFI is tomaintain the
longstandingpolicyof protecting existing
interstates fromnew tollsby supporting
federal legislation to eliminate the failed
pilot programs that allow states to impose
tollson existing lanesof the Interstate
HighwaySystem. This legislationwould
simplyprevent states from imposing tolls
on existinggeneral-purpose lanesof the
InterstateHighwaySystem, something
they’vehad limited federal authority todo
since1991, but havenot takenadvantage
of. The legislationmaintains the right of
state and local governments, orprivate
investors, touse toll financing for any
other tollingprojects, and innoway
inhibits the conversionofHOV lanes to
HOT lanes.
As federal, state and local governments
struggle to findmoney to fund
transportation infrastructureprojects,
many electedofficials are turning to the
ideaof placing tollson existing interstates
togeneratemore revenue for roads.
SC&RA supports theATFI’s efforts to
highlight fourmajor areasof emphasis
that symbolize thenegative consequences
of placing tollson existing interstates.
■
TRAFFICDIVERSION:
Tollswould increase
shipping costs, causing consumer prices
to rise andmakingU.S. businesses less
competitive.
■
HURTSBUSINESSES:
Tollswill cause
traffic to divert to less safe local roads
that are not suited to handle increased
traffic, causing congestion and hurting
businesses located along interstates.
■
INEQUALITY:
Tollswill create two classes
of drivers: thosewho can afford to pay a
toll and thosewho cannot.Many drivers
will be economically prohibited from using
roads that their highway-user taxes paid
to build.
■
INEFFICIENCY:
Onmajor toll roads, toll
collection costs can exceed 30 percent
of revenue. The latest technologies only
cut this to 12-20 percent of revenue.
Compare thiswith the cost of collecting
the federal fuel tax (-1 percent of
revenue).
Obviously, there areno shortagesof
transport businesses concerned that
tollson existing interstates aregoing to
disrupt theirbottom lines, orworse. But
then, there are also the establishments
that serve themanypotential customers
traveling those same roads.Needless
to say, the impactsof such tolls could
bewidespread. TheFederal Interstate
HighwaySystem is vital to theU.S. supply
chain, andhasnot only revolutionized the
wayAmericadoesbusiness, but stands
as a channel throughwhichAmerican
travelersof every type findaccess toone
another. Since itsbeginnings, this system
has facilitatedunobstructed commerce
and travel throughout this country. To toll
existing interstateswouldbe to reverse
suchprogress, andnegatively impact a
standardwayof life andwork formillions
ofAmericans.
ATFI currentlyboastsover 100
members, and is focusedon educating
thepublic andpolicymakers about the
negative impact that tolling existing
interstateswill haveon citizens,
businesses and the economy. TheAlliance
is composedof associations representing
restaurants, trucking companies,
truck stops and travel plazas, aswell
as themovingand storage industry,
vehicle rental industry,motorists and
motorcyclists. Thegrowingorganization
alsohasmany companies and individual
citizenmemberswhooppose tolls.
ATFI is recruitingboth contributing
andgrassrootsmembers in efforts to
buildabroad coalitionof large and small
businesses, aswell as individualswho
wouldbenefit fromkeepingnew tollsoff
existing interstates. SC&RA encourages
all of itsmembers to consider joining
theAlliance.A financial contribution
isoptional. Formore information, visit:
■
MAY 2014
ACT
Strength in numbers
will uphold toll-free
interstates.
EXECUTIVEVICE PRESIDENT
Joel Dandrea
5870 Trinity Centre
Parkway,
Suite 200
Centreville, VA
20120
Ph: 703-698-0291
Fax: 703-698-0297
Tolling times
