TCA Supports the ATA Effort to Battle Truck-Only Highway Tolls in Rhode Island

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia:

Today, the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) presented a check to the American Trucking Associations (ATA) in the amount of $50,000 to financially support the industry litigation effort to fight against this highly unreasonable and discriminatory highway funding measure in Rhode Island.

TCA supports the objective of a toll-free national highway system. Tolling schemes that unfairly subject our industry to additional costs, while no other vehicles are required to pay, clearly represents a threat to the safe and efficient ways of delivering freight that our industry prides itself on. While many may view this unfair practice as Rhode Island-specific, it represents a clear path for other states to follow if this measure is allowed to move forward.

TCA Chairman and incoming President Jim Ward, along with First Vice Chair, John Elliott, presented ATA Chair Harold Sumerford, Jr. and ATA President & CEO Chris Spear with a check for $50,000 to support the litigation that ATA has taken up on behalf of the entire industry.

“Supporting the ATA litigation efforts to prevent this unfair practice of discriminatory tolling is an easy sell. Stopping the measure in Rhode Island will ensure that our industry is united in its effort and willing to prevent this tactic from spreading across the nation” said TCA Chairman Jim Ward. “The financial support that we provide ATA will go a long way towards aggressively litigating the case at hand and spreading the message that our industry won’t sit idly by waiting for other states to target our trucks.”

Highlighting the importance of this issue, TCA support stemmed from unanimous votes of its Advocacy Advisory Committee, Financial Oversight Committee, and the TCA Officers to approve this expenditure from specifically board designated funds, earmarked for industry issues that “proactively improve national policies”. TCA leadership has deemed this an area with tremendous potential impact on its membership and has therefore reacted quickly to approve this funding in a fashion that would aid the litigation efforts in an expedited manner.

If you would like to contribute to this much needed litigation, please visit ATA’s litigation website at www.trucking.org/law-litigation.