By Jonathan S. Reiskin, Associate News Editor This story appears in the Feb. 3 print edition of Transport Topics.
WASHINGTON — Federal executive branch officials told members of American Trucking Associations they are eager to work with the federation on spending and regulatory issues that are developing this year.
The Department of Transportation’s acting undersecretary told ATA’s executive committee Jan. 27 that a new five- or six-year highway-funding bill is “an urgent need” that is “absolutely critical” because the Highway Trust Fund probably will go bankrupt before the current MAP-21 law expires Sept. 30.
Peter Rogoff, who assumed the undersecretary’s job the day he spoke to ATA, said failure to authorize highway funding could lead to states shutting down highway projects during the summer, which is the height of road construction season.
Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a Transportation Research Board speech last month that he has started an online ticker counting down to fund bankruptcy, which is expected in August.
Rogoff also said the department is particularly interested in hearing from trucking on the location of the nation’s worst traffic bottlenecks. He said the department wants to avoid funding a random collection of road projects.
“We want to focus on bottlenecks in a way that’s game-changing,” Rogoff said, adding that trucking businesses are in a good position to know where the worst problem sites are.
As for funding the road work, he repeated the Obama administration’s proposal that the highway trust fund should be stocked as part of legislation on corporate tax reform. Rogoff said, though, that if Congress wants to use fuel taxes instead, “We haven’t said we won’t engage with Congress.”
Rogoff also said he expects to hear soon from the Office of Management and Budget on the long-awaited electronic logging device rule and a proposal on a drug-and-alcohol information clearinghouse regarding drivers. ATA has been actively following both proposals.
Rogoff is filling in for Polly Trottenberg, who left the undersecretary’s job to become transportation commissioner of New York City for new Mayor Bill de Blasio. Rogoff has been Federal Transit Administrator since 2009 and before that worked on Capitol Hill on transportation issues.
Janet McCabe, an acting assistant administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, also addressed the ATA meeting. She said her agency is working on Phase 2 of the federal greenhouse-gas rule that went into effect at the start of this year.
The next tightening of carbon dioxide-emissions limits for trucks is supposed to start in 2017.
McCabe, who is in charge of EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, said she thought the agency worked well with industry on Phase 1 of the regulations and on the voluntary SmartWay program as well.
SmartWay sets standards for aerodynamic efficiency for trucks and trailers.
Engine maker Cummins Inc. said in a statement following the meeting that its Phase 2 planning on the greenhouse-gas rule is already being done.
“Cummins is very engaged in the development of Phase 2 GHG and fuel-efficiency rules for heavy- and medium-duty trucks and engines,” Cummins said. “EPA and [the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration] used a collaborative process with the industry and a variety of stakeholders to define the Phase 1 rules.”
