News From ASET - September, 1999

ASET Announces John McQuaid as New Co-Chairman

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Americans For Safe and Efficient Transportation welcomes the addition of John McQuaid as our new co-chairman. He will join Mike Regan, president of Tranzact Systems, as ASET’s leaders and spokesmen for greater improvements in America’s transportation policy.

McQuaid is President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Private Truck Council (NPTC) in Alexandria, Virginia. NPTC is a national trade organization representing companies that use their own corporate or “private” truck fleet. Private carriers operate over 80% of all freight-carrying trucks on the road today and log approximately 53% of all total truck miles in the United States.

As a member of ASET, NPTC has been instrumental in helping to build a grass roots effort to increase truck productivity and safety. McQuaid has been a strong advocate for adoption of H.R. 1667, “The Safe and Efficient Transportation Act” introduced this year by Congressmen Merrill Cook (R-UT) and Collin Peterson (D-MN). H.R. 1667 would allow states to increase truck weights on their interstates from 80,000 to 97,000 pounds, with the addition of a sixth axle for better braking and weight distribution.

Before joining NPTC, McQuaid was president of the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA), which he headed since its inception. He also headed the American Trucking Associations’ Freight Claims and Security Council in the late 1980s.

ASET looks forward to working closely with both John McQuaid and Mike Regan as we move toward improving both safety and productivity on our nation’s highways.

New Member of ASET

Maine Motor Transport Association has joined ASET as our newest member this month. Dale Hanington, President of Maine MTA, expressed his support for allowing each individual state to determine if going to a 97,000 pound maximum weight limit on their interstates would be beneficial. Maine was successful in getting a provision in last year’s TEA-21 bill to allow for higher weights on part of Interstate 95 traveling into Canada. ASET is proud to have yet another state trucking association on board as we move toward passage of our legislation, H.R. 1667.

Meetings on Capitol Hill

ASET has been actively meeting with congressional offices to seek support and co-sponsorship for our legislation, H.R. 1667. ASET members have been joining in the meetings to express why this bill will benefit both highway safety and our nation’s economy by increasing transportation productivity. Members such as American Forest and Paper Association, Food Distributors International, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and others have been instrumental in driving these points home to Members of Congress and their staffs. ASET needs continuing participation from all interested parties. If you would like to join us on Capitol Hill visits, please contact Jake Jacoby at (703) 549-9467 or by e-mail.

New Co-Sponsor

Ken Calvert, Republican Congressman from California has recently announced he will co-sponsor H.R. 1667. Representative Calvert is on the House Agriculture, Resources, and Science Committees. He joins Congressmen Collin Peterson (D-MN), Merrill Cook (R-UT) and Joe Barton (R-TX) as supporters of ASET’s legislation. We expect many more Members of Congress to join as co-sponsors of H.R. 1667 as ASET continues our visits with Members on Capitol Hill in the next 2 months.