On July 22, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) introduced a new bill co-sponsored by Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). As we discussed last Friday, The Focusing Resources, Economic Investment, and Guidance to Help Transportation Act of 2010 or FREIGHT Act is designed to reform and regulate our national freight transportation system.

From reducing the number of freight transportation related fatalities to reducing delays at international ports of entry, the FREIGHT Act considers much more than highway conditions. Ultimately, this bill is meant to transform our nation’s freight infrastructure by creating a process for investing in, planning for and improving the ways freight is handled and delivered.

Various groups, including Coalition for America's Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC), the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Transportation for America support the bill. On July 23, however, the American Trucking Associations (ATA) announced they oppose the proposed legislation.

Why does a transportation organization disagree with a bill ostensibly aimed at improving our country’s transportation infrastructure?

The ATA feels the bill provides inadequate funding for highway improvements.

Because the FREIGHT Act is focused on improving freight transportation using multi-modal solutions, highways are only considered under this bill as they relate to improving access to freight facilities — not highway improvements as a whole. In a statement prepared by the ATA, they stated that highways “which carry more than 68 percent of the nation's freight, would not be eligible for funding beyond very limited connectors to freight terminals."

In other words, full-scale highway improvements would certainly not be a part of the FREIGHT Act. Additionally, there’s discussion within the industry that the bill supports railway freight transport, over highway freight, as a way to reduce highway congestion and reliance on fossil fuels.

As the bill travels through Congress — and goes through the many revisions often a part of that journey — we will keep you apprised of developments, so you understand how the FREIGHT Act’s large goals may affect your position in the transportation industry.

Be sure to check back often for updates, and as always, let me know if you have any specific questions or concerns.