ATA Urges Federal Government to Help Bring Down Fuel Prices

The American Trucking Association sent a letter to President Bush, the Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Treasury requesting that immediate steps be taken to address this crisis situation. 

While a letter such as this is to be expected, the timing is interesting as talk continues about a possible truck shutdown scheduled to occur throughout April or early May.   

There were 12 specific demands, but among the most interesting were: 

Release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve; 

Suspend the collection of the 12 percent federal excise tax on motor carriers’ purchase of auxiliary power units , which cut the consumption of fuels in idling truck engines; (clink link for some government savings info and financing program) 

Require states to grant a weight exemption for APUs;  

Continue to fund EPA’s SmartWay Transport Partnership Program, which encourages fuel-saving strategies;