Graves Says Republican Turmoil Has Weakened Ties to Business

This story appears in the Oct. 28 print edition of Transport Topics.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Facing a long list of changes and challenges, the trucking industry must take steps now to ensure its long-term success, starting with evaluating its traditional political allegiances, said Bill Graves, president of American Trucking Associations.

“We are rapidly moving to a time where political labels mean very little, but the integrity and statesman-like qualities of candidates for office, or those already holding office, must be the measure by which we decide our level of support,” he said here Oct. 21 at the opening session of the federation’s Management Conference & Exhibition.

While saying there is “merit in advocating for reduced government spending,” he called recent tactics by the conservative Tea Party wing of the Republican Party during federal budget negotiations, “foolish, ill-advised, reckless and detrimental” to the future of the United States.

He warned that, with the GOP appearing to be struggling internally with its identity, it was opening a door for the Democratic Party to “dominate presidential elections and likely control one or even both chambers of the Congress.”

He added: “If I was your political broker, my advice would be that you should ‘sell’ your Republican shares and ‘buy’ Democrat.”

Graves said he is concerned of the growing Tea Party trend to help candidates win primaries with an “energized and mobilized base of supporters, but that same victor will be unelectable in the general election.”

It is for that reason, he said, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently said it may reconsider its own position of not getting involved in primary elections.

Graves cited Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) as the type of politician worthy of trucking’s support, despite his party affiliation.

Pryor “is a great friend to the trucking industry and a perfect example of the type of person we need elected and sent to Washington to deliberate and decide the issues confronting our nation,” he said.

At a press conference at the conclusion of MC&E, Graves expanded upon his remarks.

“I think throughout the business community and throughout our country, there was a lot of concern and frustration that we could get to the brink of default and jeopardize our financial markets, our standing in the world, the world economy,” he said. “This was about as serious as it gets, and when I work for and represent individuals who move commerce, I have to take note and I just felt like I needed to speak my mind, and I do think the Republicans seriously mishandled the events of a few weeks ago.”

The tone for Graves’ annual “State of the Industry” address actually was set even before he had spoken his first word.

Graves walked onto the stage to Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are a-Changin’,” which he later said rang true for the industry today, even though the iconic song actually was written in 1964.

During the more than 20-minute speech, Graves touched on many other issues that will require the industry to adjust its ways.

“Change will eventually happen in response to the infrastructure needs of this nation, and Americans will pay higher prices for everything due to increased fuel taxes or the proliferation of tolls, or both,” he said.

He again called an increase in the fuel tax the best way to address the nation’s infrastructure needs and noted former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently advocated a 10-cent increase, despite previously being against it.

“Our position in support of a fuel-tax increase is absolutely the right position to take — and everyone on Capitol Hill knows it — they all know it,” Graves said.

He said change was under way already as trucking and shippers continue to sort out the reduced productivity being caused by the implementation of new provisions of the hours-of-service rule.

Several other current and pending federal regulations — many of which are supported by trucking — were cited as catalysts for change: the Compliance, Safety, Accountability program; the drug-and-alcohol clearinghouse; the electronic logging mandate; and efforts to further improve fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.

The evolution of natural gas as a viable transportation fuel, finding ways to overcome the driver shortage and matching truck capacity with growing economic demands with the shipping community are additional factors certain to lead to operational changes in the coming years, Graves said.

Despite being faced with these countless obstacles, Graves said, the diverse nature of the industry he represents was actually the toughest challenge, making it that much more important they find “some degree of consensus . . . what we’re for and what we’re against.”