28 Feb KARA Joins Federal Coalition Letter to Improve Supply Chain Function by Aiding Truck Transportation
Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association (KARA) joined like-minded agribusiness trade associations on both the state and national level to sign a federal coalition letter to congressional leaders aimed at improving supply chain function by aiding truck transportation through the Safer Highways and Increased Performance for Interstate Trucking Act (SHIP IT).
SHIP IT aims to bolster our nation’s driver workforce with two years of tax incentives for qualified drivers, grants to help cover driver schooling costs, and additional options for obtaining commercial drivers’ licenses. The bill also provides authorization for additional parking facilities to help improve drivers’ quality of life.
The bill increases truck productivity and environmental efficiency by allowing states to opt into pilot programs to permit trucks with at least six axles to weigh up to 91,000 pounds on Interstate Highways. The additional axle and associated set of brakes serve to increase stopping capability. Trucks would be required to comply with the Federal bridge formula and axle weight limits to protect bridges and roads. In addition, SHIP IT provides the Secretary of Transportation the authority to relax truck weight limits during emergencies to help with relief efforts.
SHIP IT also helps ag haulers by providing a 150-air-miles exemption from hours-of-service regulations on the backend of hauls to provide needed flexibility for agriculture and its seasonal changes in freight demand.
The letter is scheduled to be sent on March 7, 2023.