THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY AND THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS STUDY

THE APPARENT DIRECTION AND INTENT OF THE 1974 TRANSPORTATION NEEDS STUDY ARE A SOURCE OF CONSIDERABLE APPREHENSION TO THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY. THE INDUSTRY THINKS THAT THE PROGRAM ENVISIONED IN THE FEDERAL AID HIGHWAY ACT OF 1956 SHOULD BE COMPLETED AND THAT CONSTRUCTION OF OTHER NEEDED HIGHWAYS SHOULD NOT BE CURTAILED. IF SUCH CONSTRUCTION IS CURTAILED, THEN THE INDUSTRY WISHES ITS HIGHWAY USER TAXES REDUCED ACCORDINGLY. IN 1970 THE TRUCK OWNERS OF THE COUNTRY PAID 43.1% OF TOTAL TAXES GOING TO THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND; THESE COSTS ARE JUSTIFIED ONLY BECAUSE THERE IS A FEDERAL HIGHWAY PROGRAM. USE OF THE FUND FOR RAIL MASS TRANSIT, WHICH CAN BENEFIT AT THE MOST 15 MAJOR CITIES IN THE COUNTRY, WOULD NOT BE COUNTENANCED BY THE INDUSTRY, WHICH WOULD DERIVE NO BENEFIT THEREFROM WHILE CONTINUING TO BEAR THE MAJOR BURDEN OF THE USER TAXES. FOR MUCH OF THE COUNTRY THE ONLY FEASIBLE FORM OF MASS TRANSIT NOW AND IN THE FUTURE IS THE MOTOR BUS OPERATING ON HIGHWAYS PROVIDED BY HIGHWAY TAXES. IT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED THAT HIGHWAYS HAVE PLAYED AND CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN SOLVING THE TRANSIT PROBLEMS OF THE UNITED STATES.