News From ASET - July, 2000
NAM Joins ASET
The
National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)
voted to join as a member of Americans For Safe and Efficient Transportation.
On June 22, the NAM Transportation Task Force met in Washington, DC to discuss both the recent Hours of Service proposal by DOT and ASET's legislation, H.R.1667. The Task Force vote was unanimous in favor of allowing individual states to increase the allowable truck weight on the Interstates from 80,000 to 97,000 pounds with the addition of a sixth axle.
The NAM is the nation's largest and oldest multi-industry trade association. The NAM represents over 14,000 manufacturing firms throughout the country and consistently is ranked among the most influential groups in Washington, D.C.
Members of the NAM include AK Steel, Coors Brewing Company, Ralston Purina Company, American Iron and Steel Institute, American Forest and Paper Association and many others from industries ranging from power companies to automobile manufacturers.
The diversity and size of the NAM's members will make for a powerful partner in advocating ASET's position on productivity and safety enhancements. The NAM has agreed to actively lobby with ASET on H.R.1667 with congressional representatives and staff in the coming months.
ASET welcomes the NAM as a prominent member of our growing alliance. ASET will continue to seek to broaden our base of support from manufacturers, motor carriers, shippers, and logistics companies.
For more information, please contact Jake Jacoby at (703) 549-9467 or by email.
Hours of Service Proposal
The Department of Transportation recently published its proposed changes in the Hours of Service regulations. According to DOT, the proposed changes would cost motor carriers and shipper companies hundreds of millions of dollars annually while putting more trucks onto our ever-growing congested highways.
ASET's members and affiliated companies are strongly opposed to any regulation that would jeopardize lives while increasing the cost of doing business. The attempt by DOT is to reduce fatigue-related accidents by truckers. However, by forcing more trucks onto the road, especially during daytime hours, DOT threatens to increase the chances for accidents when passenger vehicles most traverse the highways.
ASET is in the process of completing our official comments to the Department of Transportation on this matter. We will be e-mailing our members to get their input and then have all members and participants sign off on the letter before it is sent to DOT. Safety and efficiency can both be improved simultaneously if legislators carefully look at ways that make sense such as ASET's proposed legislation, H.R. 1667. However, when legislation or regulations arise that will be counterproductive to this premise, ASET will vigorously fight to stop them from becoming law.
ASET's official comments to the DOT will be available soon.
ASET has received very positive press coverage in recent months. With the Hours of Service proposal by DOT making headlines recently, some are saying that ASET's 97,000-pound legislation is needed more than ever. This sentiment was expressed in a May 22 Traffic World article. ASET has also been discussed in both Heavy Duty Trucking and Transport Topics after our Spring Fly-In on April 4.
To view these articles, please click here.