FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 4, 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Ahead of today’s Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security hearing, “Keeping Goods Moving: Continuing to Enhance Multimodal Freight Policy and Infrastructure,” the Americans for Modern Transportation coalition released the following statement from spokesperson Melissa Manson:
“There is no denying the rise of e-commerce has elevated the need to modernize our transportation system and ensure our nation’s infrastructure is able to adequately meet the demands of the modern consumer and their families. We urge Congress to consider all available policy tools to increase efficiency and enhance our multi-modal freight policies so that our nation’s economy can reap the benefits of a modern system.
“Between 2000 and 2015 the tonnage of goods moved by America’s trucks increased 24 percent, a trend we expect to further hinder the ability of shippers to meet the demands of consumers by exacerbating the deterioration of our nation’s already outdated infrastructure.” added Manson.
This hearing comes at a critical time for Congress, as reflected in the results of recent Morning Consult polling, Americans are wholly dissatisfied with the state of our infrastructure and are strongly supportive of efforts to modernize federal trucking regulations:
- 70 percent of respondents rate the quality of roads as poor or fair
- 65 percent of respondents rate the quality of bridges as poor or fair
- 70 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly support updating federal trucking regulations to allow new types of freight trucks to operate on the road
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About Americans for Modern Transportation
Americans for Modern Transportation represents the nation’s largest shippers, deliverers, and retailers who are committed to improving the safety and efficiency of America’s transportation system and modernizing the delivery of products across the country. The coalition’s founding members include Amazon, American Highway Users Alliance, Carbon War Room, Estes Express Lines, FedEx, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, International Foodservice Distributors Association, International Warehouse Logistics Association, National Association of Manufacturers, National Retail Federation, National Shippers Strategic Transportation Council, North American Council For Freight Efficiency, Retail Industry Leaders Association, Securing America’s Future Energy, Sysco, The National Industrial Transportation League, ULINE, UPS, U.S. Chamber Of Commerce, XPO Logistics and YRCW.
Visit americansformoderntransportation.org and follow @amtcoalition on Twitter for more information.