Skip to content

Bill in House Aims to 'Reduce Barriers to New Truck Acquisition'

New bill would cut costs for equipment acquisition. (Photo by Deborah Lockridge)

By Truckinginfo.com Staff

Among the bills introduced on Capitol Hill right before Congress headed out for the election recess was one that would repeal the 12 percent federal excise tax on heavy trucks and trailers, and replace it with a 7.3-cents-per-gallon diesel tax increase.

In introducing H.R. 6312, the Heavy Truck Fairness Act. U.S. Rep Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) said that “new trucks have significant environmental and safety advantages, and Congress should reduce the barriers to new truck acquisition.”

The bill also could help stimulate investment in other truck-related technologies. In addition to taxing trucks, tractors and trailers, the FET applies to safety technologies such as rollover prevention systems, and forward collision and lane departure warning systems, the American Trucking Associations pointed out in its Truckline newsletter. The FET also applies to equipment designed to increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions such as trailer aerodynamics and lighter-weight tractors and trailers.

The American Truck Dealers association praised the legislation.

“ATD commends Congressman Blumenauer for taking the initiative to try and improve new truck sales. As truck prices have increased, so have excise taxes and it has become a barrier for some new truck buyers,” said Kyle Treadway, ATD chairman and president of Kenworth Sales Co. in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“Rather than relying on FET revenue, which fluctuates according to new truck sales, ATD supports instituting a more stable and consistent source of revenue for the highway trust fund through higher diesel taxes,” Treadway said.

This is not the only last-minute bill that would raise the fuel tax. Rep. Laura Richardson, D-Calif., introduced a bill that would create a Goods Movement Trust Fund funded in part by a 12-cent hike in the diesel tax. Richardson’s bill, The Freight Focus Act of 2010, stipulates that any money raised from only a single mode would be dedicated to projects that benefit that mode.

The Obama administration has repeatedly said that it is against any increases in the fuel tax. As Secretary Ray LaHood told a House Committee this summer, “We have almost 10 percent unemployment in America. People can little afford to buy a gallon of gasoline, let alone if we raise the tax on it. I do not advocate and the administration does not advocate raising the gas tax.”

Printer Friendly Version
Email This Story
RSS
Bookmark and Share

Government/Regulations: Related News

10/8/2010 – Bill in House Aims to ‘Reduce Barriers to New Truck Acquisition’

Among the bills introduced on Capitol Hill right before Congress headed out for the election recess was one that would repeal the 12 percent federal excise tax on heavy trucks and trailers, and replace it with a 7.3-cents-per-gallon diesel tax increase….
More

10/8/2010 – Efforts Would Reform International Registration Plan

An effort is under way to change the International Registration Plan, the system through which interstate motor carriers fulfill their vehicle registration obligations, to make the plan more flexible for the industry and simpler for states and industry alike….
More

10/7/2010 – PA Police Put 208 Trucks Out of Service During ‘Operation FracNET’

The Pennsylvania State Police placed 208 trucks out of service during a three-day enforcement effort that focused on commercial vehicles hauling waste water from Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling operations in the state….
More

10/7/2010 – CR Doesn’t Renew Heavier Truck Pilot Program; CVSA Says It’s Not Dead Yet

A pilot program allowing heavier trucks to run in Maine and Vermont was not renewed in a funding measure allowing DOT and other federal agencies to operate until after the November elections….
More

10/6/2010 – CARB Considering Amendments to Reefer Regs

The California Air Resources Board has issued proposed amendments to its Transport Refrigeration Unit regulation….
More

10/5/2010 – HOS Waiver Granted for Fertilizer Delivery

A two-year federal waiver from hours-of-service regulations for truckers delivering anhydrous ammonia fertilizer has been granted to help the agriculture industry….
More

10/4/2010 – New Law Aims to Make CARB More Transparent

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last week signed into law a measure to make the California Air Resource Board’s enforcement efforts more transparent….
More

10/4/2010 – NHTSA Proposing Truck Tire Standards

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published a proposed rule to revise and upgrade Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 119, which specifies requirements for new truck tires….
More

10/1/2010 – Rep. Richardson Introduces Highway Freight Bill

Rep. Laura Richardson, D-Calif., has added some new ideas to the ongoing debate over the federal highway program, introducing a bill that would create a Goods Movement Trust Fund funded in part by a 12-cent hike in the diesel tax paid by trucks….
More

9/30/2010 – Pennsylvania Puts 139 Hazmat Trucks Out of Service

The Pennsylvania State Police placed 139 trucks out of service and issued 572 traffic citations during a one-day statewide enforcement effort focusing on commercial vehicles that transport hazardous materials….
More

9/30/2010 – Carrier Alliance Pushing for Congress to Pass EOBR Mandate Next Year

The group of trucking companies that is pushing legislation to mandate electronic onboard recorders plans to spend the rest of the year gathering allies and building support for passage of the bill next year….
More

9/29/2010 – Highway Loss Data Institute: “Texting Bans Don’t Reduce Crashes”

Researchers at the Highway Loss Data Institute in Arlington, Va., say laws prohibiting motorists from texting while driving are not bringing down crash rates. In fact, HLDI says crash rates tend to increase after a ban goes into effect….
More

9/29/2010 – Industry Applauds California Brake Lining Legislation

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed legislation aimed at reducing the amount of copper in brake pads — a bill brake makers applauded after working with legislators to address potential problems with the initial proposal….
More

9/28/2010 – Journalism Investigation Targets Adoption of NTSB Recommendations

What is being billed as “a major investigation into transportation safety in America,” conducted by journalism students from 11 universities, says the National Transportation Safety Board, the federal panel charged with investigating accidents and proposing ways to prevent them, has essentially given up on 1,952 of its safety recommendations – one of every six it has made since 1967….
More

9/27/2010 – AAR Opposes Proposal to Allow Heavier Trucks


The Association of America Railroads voiced its opposition to the Obama administration’s request that Congress make permanent programs allowing higher-weight trucks access to the Interstate system in Maine and Vermont….
More

9/24/2010 – CSA 2010: Report from the Field

Starting in December, compliance with federal safety regulations is going to get a lot tougher, say carriers that have been participating in the pilot version of the new safety regime, CSA 2010. Pilot carriers in a recent webinar warned that a carrier’s performance under the SafeStat measurement system is not a reliable indicator of how it will perform under CSA 2010….
More

9/23/2010 – Apply Now for Next Round of California Truck Replacement Grants

The California Air Resources Board will open a second round of grant requests to help truck owners with pre-2004 diesels meet its 2007 emission standards, and Cascade Sierra Solutions (CSS) is standing by to help steer truck owners through the application process….
More

9/22/2010 – FMCSA Posts Ban on Texting While Driving

Following up on guidance it issued earlier this year, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has posted a formal rule banning truck and bus drivers from texting while driving. The rule also prohibits carriers from requiring or allowing their drivers to text….
More

9/22/2010 – Despite CSA 2010 Deadline, Relatively Few Carriers Have Checked Data

A new era in truck safety enforcement is going to begin in December, but so far relatively few carriers have taken an active interest in what the new regime will mean to them….
More

9/21/2010 – Illinois Task Force to Address GPS Use by Truckers

A new Illinois task force is looking at the issue of truckers straying off of truck-friendly routes when using consumer GPS routing systems….
More

9/21/2010 – FMCSA Proposes Texting Ban for Hazmat Drivers

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood kicked off the 2010 national Distracted Driving Summit today with an announcement that he is initiating a new rulemaking to prohibit commercial truck drivers from texting while transporting hazardous materials….
More

9/20/2010 – Obama Administration Asks to Make Truck Weight Increase Permanent

The Obama Administration has included a provision in the Fiscal Year 2011 Continuing Resolution that formally asks Congress make permanent two pilot programs that give heavier, six-axle trucks full access to interstate highways in Maine and Vermont….
More

9/14/2010 – FMCSA Makes Technical Changes in Recorder Rule

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has made some technical changes in its new electronic onboard recorder rule in response to concerns raised by makers of electronic onboard recorders and trucking interests….
More

9/14/2010 – 1099 Rule Change Stalled in Senate

Two amendments that would have addressed a provision in this healthcare reform legislation that would burden businesses with more tax paperwork failed to move forward in the Senate today….
More

9/10/2010 – Fraudulent Medical Review Officer Sentenced

A man who acted as a Medical Review Officer on DOT-regulated drug tests without being a licensed physician has been sentenced to 22 months in federal prison, plus payment of restitution and community service….
More

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER
We'll deliver tax strategies to your inbox from our CPA firm.
We hate spam. Your email address will not be sold or shared with anyone else.