Commercial trucking officials have been vocal in asking government leaders to consider any option that would support the commercial trucking industry, especially as the trucking industry continues to grow and demand on trucking services show no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Most recently commercial trucking officials asked Congress to do away with the 12 percent federal excise tax on large trucks, making it easier for commercial truck carriers to make additions to their trucking fleet in an effort to meet growing demand. The American Trucking Associations announced last month that they had made an official request of Congressional leaders to strongly consider a House Resolution proposed by Reps. Jim Geriach, R-Penn., and Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, that would repeal the excise tax and replace it with a slight increase in the federal fuel tax.
“The proposal by Congressmen Gerlach and Blumenauer would not only reinforce the ailing Highway Trust Fund, but would provide a boost to U.S. manufacturing and speed adoption of environmentally friendly technologies,” American Trucking Associations CEO Bill Graves said. “It is exactly the kind of pro-growth, deficit-trimming legislation that lawmakers should be looking at as they seek to address our nation’s economic woes.”
The bill, which was introduced in March, would make up for the loss of the 12 percent federal excise tax on heavy commercial truck sales with a 6.3-cent increase in the federal diesel tax.
“Revenues from the excise tax are only paid into the Highway Trust Fund when new trucks are purchased, but when truck sales slump, it puts even more pressure on the already overextended fund,” Graves said in a press release announcing the American Trucking Associations’ support for the bill. “By collecting more in the diesel tax, the federal government could ensure a more stable and predictable source of funding for needed highway and bridge projects.
“Further, by cutting more than $15,000 from the cost of the average new truck, eliminating the excise tax will encourage purchases of trucks, providing a boost for manufacturing and accelerate the adoption of new technologies aimed at improving safety and fuel efficiency,” Graves said. “Legislation like this is a win-win for the government and for the business community and should be swiftly enacted.”
Moves like this by Congress are being considered as a way to further boost the commercial trucking industry, which has been experiencing growth for the past few years. As more commercial trucks are needed to ship goods that also means more professionally trained truck drivers are needed. Many job seekers are finding the commercial truck industry to be a great place to start a new career, but carriers often give first preference to drivers who have received professional training from a school like Diesel Driving Academy where many students are completing the training program with multiple job offers from some of the nation’s top trucking carriers.
