KMCA's Call on Washington
KMCA Executive Director, Tom Whitaker and Communications Director Becky Crawford took 10 members to Washington D.C. for two days in June 2011. The group visited the new Capitol Hill ATA office and were briefed by ATA Staff on various ATA efforts such as:
Energy Policy- Reauthorization priorities
- NAFTA (Mexican Trucks)
- Highway Policy (IE eliminating the excise tax and adding fuel tax)
- Adding fuel tax for the highway program
- Safety and hours of service
The group visited the offices of Senator Roberts and Senator Moran, Rep. Lynn Jenkins, Rep. Kevin Yoder, Rep. Mike Pompeo, and Rep. Tim Huelskamp. While visiting with the members of Congress they discussed KMCA’s views on:
- Hours of Service
- Senate Bill 876 Safe Highways & Infrastructure Preservation Act (SHIPA) that would roll back weights.
- Lifting the Freeze on longer combinations and the Kansas House Resolution 6017 requesting the lifting of the freeze.
- Highway Reauthorization (SAFETEA-LU)
- Regulatory Overload by (FMCSA) (IE: 11 new rules Proposed and 7 Final Rules since January 2011)
- Driver Shortage
- The TWIC Program
- Toll Roads
The group had healthy discussions about all these issues and felt that we had good support by all. The group also thanked each member numerous times for their support in signing the Hours of Service letter to Secretary Hood. Kansas was one of few states that had their entire delegation sign on to the letter that supports keeping the current HOS.
Members who went on the trip included:
Kimberly Bonhart, UPS; Larry and Dina Dinkel, Jim Mitten Trucking; Trenn Davis and Valerie Gall, Tad Bit Trucking; Brenda Miller, Convoy Systems and Jay Miller, Driver for FedEx Freight; Ken Leicht, Miller Trucking LTD/Frito Lay, Inc; Sherwin Fast, Great Plains Trucking; and Karl Cushey, Con-way Systems.
