The Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009, which was recently submitted to Congress for consideration, primarily focuses on highways and transit, but touches on several key areas for freight transportation. Specifically, the impacts Georgia can expect to face are more stringent standards for new commercially licensed drivers between now and 2019, as well as direct or indirect impacts on logistics providers, of which six of the top 50 are in the state. In Georgia, the transportation industry generated $5.6 billion in sales for the state’s economy.

On June 18th, U.S. Representative James Oberstar and his committee submitted THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2009 for Congress to consider. And while U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood urged Congress to delay work on the so-called transportation reauthorization bill and extend the current law by at least 18 months (along with providing $13 million or more in emergency funds to cover the Highway Trust Fund shortfall), Chairman Oberstar says that is unacceptable. The bill is primarily focused on highways and transit, but also has several key points for freight transportation.

The Authorization Act strengthens the oversight of motor carriers which means more stringent standards for the anticipated 80,000 new commercially licensed truck drivers in Georgia between now and 2019. Georgia currently has almost 450,000 commercially licensed truck drivers and is home to six of the top 50 cargo carriers; the Authorization Act will directly or indirectly affect all of these logistics providers. In 2008, truck drivers, cargo carriers and other industries making up the Core Transportation sector generated $5.6 billion dollars in sales for Georgia’s economy.

As proposed, the bill sets forth the following:

 Creates an Undersecretary of Transportation for Intermodalism responsible for the creation of a National Transportation Strategic Plan. State long-range plans will be the foundation for a comprehensive multimodal long-range national plan.

 Provides $50 billion for Metropolitan Mobility and Access to unlock the congestion that chokes major metropolitan regions of which Atlanta ranks in the top 5.

 Provides $25 billion for Projects of National Significance to enhance U.S. global competitiveness by increasing the focus on goods movement and freight mobility.

 Creates a National Infrastructure Bank that may provide grants, loans, loan guarantees, lines of credit, private-activity bonds, tax-credit bonds, and other financial tools to help metropolitan regions mitigate congestion. These National Bank financial tools will also finance the high cost projects of national significance that meet the requirements for improving economic productivity by facilitating international trade and relieving congestion at major trade gateways and corridors.

 Reauthorizes the capital grant program for short line and regional railroads. These grants can be used by Georgia’s 13 short line railroads to rehabilitate, preserve, or improve railroad track (including roadbed, bridges, and related track structures such as sidings and switches) used primarily for freight transportation.

Further, the Act increases mandatory regulations aimed at the trucking industry to increase safety and reduce fatalities. Following are highlights from the Authorization Act that specially address safety:

 Institutes a higher bar for entry into the industry by requiring motor carriers to demonstrate knowledge of safety regulations (by proficiency exam) prior to receiving authority to operate.

 Requires additional review to identify and prevent “reincarnated” carriers; those carriers previously shut down due to violations.

 Establishes a drug and alcohol testing clearinghouse of positive drug and alcohol test results and refusals to test by commercial drivers. Prohibits employers from allowing an individual to drive until they have been verified through the clearinghouse that they are not in violation.

 Mandates electronic on board recorders (EOBRs) on all commercial motor vehicles to enforce hours-of- service regulations.

 Institutes training requirements for commercial drivers prior to obtaining a CDL.

 Improves oversight of commercial driver medical qualifications. Requires the Secretary to develop unique medical examination and certification forms to be used to conduct all examinations of commercial drivers.

Chairman Oberstar’s ambitious vision for national transportation policy at a cost of $450 billion is silent on how this bill will be funded. Additionally, this bill provides for $50 billion in high-speed rail for a total proposed investment of $500 billion over the next six years. Minnesota’s Star Tribune quoted Chairman Oberstar regarding this issue, “What is it going to cost to deliver this? That’s an issue you have to put off till the end,” Oberstar said of the bill. “You can’t talk investments and dollar amounts until you have something to show the public.” The Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC) is calling on Congress to create a dedicated federal Freight Trust Fund (FTF), modeled after the Highway Trust Fund to pay for freight-only projects. CAGTC hopes to get this Freight Trust Fund included in the final version of Oberstar’s legislation.

[source - logistics.georgiainnovation.org/]