FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Ahead of today’s Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation hearing, the Americans For Modern Transportation (AMT) Coalition released a new report that finds pairing new infrastructure investment with policy changes to modernize our transportation system is needed to meet the needs of American businesses and consumers.
“Our nation’s infrastructure needs more than repairs,” said AMT spokesperson Melissa Manson. “Consumers and business demands have evolved, requiring not just new investment, but policies that leverage technology gains to make our system more efficient and sustainable.”
“It’s time to upgrade to a modern system,” she added.
Entitled “Moving America Forward: Modernizing America’s Transportation Infrastructure,” this review of transportation studies finds low infrastructure investment costs the U.S. economy $101 billion each year. Other key findings include:
- American consumers are increasingly reliant on our nation’s trucking to deliver goods timely and efficiently. Today, 122.5 million households and 7.5 million businesses rely on America’s trucks to transport 70.1 percent of total commercial freight.
- Likewise, to meet consumer needs, businesses supply chain programs have changed, prioritizing more speed, placing new demands on our transportation system. Supply chain programs are moving from an inventory based “manufacture-to-supply” model to a “manufacturer-to-order” model. This means more businesses are relying on the transportation system to rapidly move their supply to meet consumer demand.
- Expanding the use of Twin 33 foot trailers is a safe and common-sense solution to increase shipping capacity to meet the demand of the digital economy. Twin 33 trailers are able to haul more freight per power unit than current trailers, resulting in fewer environmentally damaging CO2 emissions from fuel usage, cost savings for fleets, and less congestion on America’s roadways. Additionally, they perform equal to or better than current trailer combinations in four critical safety measurements.
- Companies should continue to deploy technology upgrades across their fleets that maximize fuel efficiency and minimize emissions. Technologies such as tire pressure monitoring and autoshifting transmissions can save fuel by ensuring trucks are operating at optimal productivity.
- The transportation industry and lawmakers must coordinate to foster innovation through an open regulatory environment. Smart and adaptive vehicle technologies should be incorporated into new trucking equipment and technological innovations, such as platooning, must be supported rather than hindered by unnecessary red tape and government overregulation.
“The advantage of policy changes, like enabling the widespread adoption of Twin 33s and platooning technology, is that we can reap the efficiency, environmental, and safety benefits immediately. Paired with investments that lay the groundwork for long-term gains, these policies will provide a unique jolt to the American economy.”
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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, The National Industrial Transportation League, ULINE, UPS, U.S. Chamber Of Commerce, and YRCW.
Visit americansformoderntransportation.org and follow @amtcoalition on Twitter for more information.