News From ASET - May, 2008

ASET Holding Fly-In Event May 13-14

ASET will host a fly-in meeting in Washington, DC on May 13-14 to urge Congress to adopt several demonstration pilot projects in the upcoming congressional highway reauthorization bill. The current highway bill is scheduled to expire in September of 2009 and deliberations and hearings have just begun on crafting the next bill's priorities.

The coalition will target the following five states: Maine, Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Carolina and Georgia. A sixth state - Texas - remains a strong possibility to be added. These states were chosen in part because of their economic base for ASET's membership but also because of their distinction of having a port or border issue. Because Canada, Mexico and most of Europe operate heavier trucks on six axles, the U.S. is at a competitive disadvantage and thus, when a container reaches a U.S. port or a truck arrives at the U.S./ Canadian border, either permits or the break-up of freight often must occur. Giving cross-border help to those moving between Minnesota, Wisconsin and Maine and the Canadian border will address this issue on a small scale - as will giving the ports in South Carolina and Georgia access to heavier containers coming into their ports.

The focus of the fly-in will be to educate Members of Congress on the need for such pilot projects and to ask for their support. ASET will also be reaching out to state DOT's and legislators to attempt to garner their support as well. While coalition members would readily like to see the entire country allow heavier, six-axle trucks on their roads, this small, targeted approach has a better opportunity for success and by carefully monitoring the results of accident rates, infrastructure savings, and improvements in productivity, Congress will better be able to determine the potential benefits of making changes in trucking legislation in future highway bills.

Fly-In participants will break out into small groups to meet with the delegations of the five targeted states on the afternoon of May 13 and morning of May 14 and attend a dinner at a Capitol Hill restaurant the evening of May 13 as well. If your company would like to support ASET and participate in this event, please contact Jake Jacoby at jjacoby@aset-safety.org as soon as possible or view our fly-in invite by clicking here.