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CAMP HILL, PA – The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), the trucking industry’s not-for-profit research organization, has just released the update to its Crash Predictor Model, which statistically quantifies the likelihood of future crash involvement based on specific truck driving behaviors (e.g. prior crashes, violations and convictions).
ATRI’s research draws on data from over 580,000 U.S. truck drivers over a two-year time frame. The analysis identified more than 25 different violations and convictions that increased the likelihood of future crashes, five of which increased future crash likelihood by over 100 percent. Simply having a previous crash increased a truck driver’s probability of having a future crash by 113 percent, 28.4 percent higher than previous ATRI Crash Predictor reports.
Recognizing that traffic enforcement, particularly those activities that target the crash predictor behaviors, is an effective tool for mitigating crashes, ATRI’s research quantifies the “top tier” states which emphasizes those states that have proven track records of maximizing their enforcement resources while minimizing their share of the nation’s truck crashes. Pennsylvania was ranked seventh overall in ATRI’s report.
Other key findings from ATRI’s Crash Predictor Model Update are:
A copy of this report is available from ATRI at www.truckingresearch.org.
Dear Brandon Moree,
As the crisp air finally takes hold and fall sets in in beautiful Pennsylvania, the team at PMTA recently sat down to take stock of what we’ve been able to accomplish over the past twelve months for our members. It’s been a busy year for the trucking industry, and PMTA has been no exception. It is with pride that we share with you the following list or our top 10 accomplishments, which were made possible by leveraging the full power of your PMTA membership this year.
PMTA’s Top Ten Accomplishments This Year
1. Stopped bridge tolling. PMTA and its members fought for a year and a half to stop PennDOT’s plan to toll nine interstate bridges, saving Pennsylvania truckers over A BILLION DOLLARS a year in toll costs.
2. Repealed weight class stickers. PMTA’s effort to repeal weight class stickers finally paid off in January when PennDOT published notice that they were no longer required, saving the owners of 1.6 million vehicles a hassle unique to Pennsylvania.
3. Suspended CARB enforcement. After CARB’s new warranty provisions went into effect, increasing the price of new trucks, PMTA and its members went to work. Though the bill has yet to pass the Senate, PA’s Dept. of Environmental Protection already suspended enforcement of CARB through July 2023. This work sets the stage for tackling the issue further next year.
4. Hosted a sold-out PA Truck Driving Championship. The June 2022 TDC at Kalahari, the first in-person event since 2019, was hugely successful, with 132 drivers and more than 700 people attending the banquet and awards presentation, setting the bar extremely high for next year!
5. Testified on trucking issues before House and Senate committees 13 times. PMTA’s staff and members testified before four different committees in five different hearings over the course of the past year. Lawmakers heard PMTA’s take on issues such as bridge tolling, emissions and electrification, CARB, and inflation.
6. Hired a Director of Chapter Relations. Kelly Hawthorne has been reenergizing PMTA’s eleven chapters, assisting with events, putting resources together, and becoming the go-to chapter resource to ensure that every PMTA member has a local network to turn to.
7. Loaded up the calendar with events. Over the past year, PMTA headquarters hosted sixteen safety training events and Safety Management Council meetings, eight free webinars, and five state legislative events with a total of 20 state lawmakers. This list doesn’t even include our premier events (Annual Membership Conference, Safety Day, and TDC).
8. Began a new committee of Allied members. Originally called the Trade Committee and now the Allied Member Committee, this new group was formed to give trade members a voice in PMTA. It has already suggested ways to provide more educational opportunities for carrier members.
9. Relaunched our trucking leadership program – PA Trucking FFWD. The new class of students in PMTA’s leadership development program began work in January. PA Trucking FFWD is intended to help emerging leaders in the industry develop the knowledge and skills they need to level up and become the next generation of PMTA’s trucking leaders. A new class will be starting soon.
10. Began to plan for the next chapter. PMTA launched a survey of its membership last year to determine what they value in PMTA and how they want to see the association move forward. This survey’s results became the basis for board and committee discussions over goals for the next three years at PMTA.
The new strategic plan will outline the priorities for the association moving forward, along with the plans to get there. In other words, we are literally writing the book on what the future holds for PMTA now. We look forward to working with you over the coming years on the next chapter. Next year’s list of accomplishments promises to be even better!
It’s no longer surprising when Pennsylvania’s courts rank high in the Judicial Hellholes Report released annually by the American Tort Reform Foundation. However, a new report on nuclear verdicts issued by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) ranks Pennsylvania number five in the nation for nuclear verdicts from 2010-2019 and number three per capita behind only Florida and New York. Over half of these verdicts came out of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.
Nuclear verdicts, defined as court rulings in which the jury awards the plaintiff more than $10 million, have become increasingly a concern for the trucking industry. Average verdicts in the industry have skyrocketed from $2.3 million to $22.3 million during the same decade mentioned above, almost a 1000% increase. And they’re still rising.
Of course, such awards are disastrous for trucking companies that are impacted, but the trend itself has dramatically driven up the cost and limited the availability of liability insurance, affecting every business in the industry and increasing costs for transportation at a time when supply chain challenges and inflation continue to plague the U.S. economy.
About one in four auto accident trials resulting in a verdict of more than $10 million or more in ILR’s study involved a trucking company.
The ILR report highlights Pennsylvania’s product liability and medical liability cases as making up the majority of the 78 reported nuclear verdicts during the reported period, each with 31% of the total. Auto accidents came in at 15%.
However, recent news may make Pennsylvania’s trucking companies a more frequent target. Pennsylvania Association for Justice (PAJ) President Kila Baldwin recently announced that the association is working to organize a trucking law section so that trial lawyers working on litigation against trucking companies can trade notes on best strategies. PAJ will provide continuing legal education courses and create a listserv for attorneys to share resources and find experts to help them sue trucking companies. “The increasing complexity of these cases means you can’t just dabble in trucking law,” Baldwin said. “They are much more complex than basic automobile accident cases, and may also involve criminal investigations.”
There is also evidence that, with lawsuit numbers rising and trial lawyers focusing on trucks, large verdicts are also on the rise in Pennsylvania since the coronavirus pandemic, with attorneys involved in these cases reporting that the pandemic seems to have made jurors more motivated to help plaintiffs.
A recent article in the Legal Intelligencer reported that as of the end of September, five verdicts had already surpassed $10 million, while in 2021, only four had passed this threshold. Verdicts are also higher this year, with the largest 2022 verdict being at $21 million in an employment liability lawsuit in March, while 2021’s largest was a $19 million verdict in a car-crash case. The second-highest verdict this year was $18 million, while last year’s was just short of $16 million.
Trucking defense attorneys are alert to trends in the industry. Saxton & Stump attorney and PMTA Board member Doug Marcello noted that he’s seen an increase in trucking-related litigation since the pandemic, he thinks, due in part to passenger vehicle operators driving faster and more recklessly. While most accidents involving a truck are the fault of passenger vehicles, Marcello says a lawsuit is likely to follow against the trucking company, no matter who is at fault. “It has become an area where plaintiffs are living by the mantra, hit a truck and get a check. They look at trucks as being 18-wheel ATM machines.”
PMTA’s Board of Directors and Legislative Committee have elevated lawsuit abuse reform to a high priority for the association moving forward in response to these trends. Stay tuned for updates.
In addition, PMTA’s October 19 Safety Day agenda includes a Litigation Trilogy session with updates from excellent speakers on several aspects of litigation in the industry. Please sign up to join us.
President and CEO Rebecca Oyler submitted the letter below to PennDOT yesterday, providing PMTA's comments on PennDOT's long term Freight Movement Plan. You can see PennDOT's proposed plans here: https://www.penndot.pa.gov/ProjectAndPrograms/Planning/Documents/LRTP/FMP-Sept2022.pdf.
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Attention: Michael D. Rimer, AICP 400 North Street Harrisburg, PA 17120 Via email: [email protected]
Dear Mr. Rimer:
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on Pennsylvania’s 2045 Freight Movement Plan (FMP). The Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association (PMTA) and its members have had several opportunities to review development of the plan throughout the process, and we are grateful for PennDOT’s responsiveness to feedback and suggestions from Pennsylvania’s trucking industry. As Secretary Gramian’s message indicates, freight planning is a complex and interconnected process in which the private sector plays a vital role, so PMTA values our constructive relationship with PennDOT and our many other partners in this endeavor.
We appreciate many aspects of the plan, including the focus on resolving truck bottlenecks, the emphasis on safety, aligning freight mobility with land use planning and economic development, and new analytical tools and resources. But our comments will concentrate on the FMP’s truck parking elements. In fact, as outlined in the plan, truck parking touches on all of these other aspects, and addressing it will yield progress in these and other areas.
As you know, due to the critical impact of truck parking on our industry, PMTA and its members have raised the issue of the severe truck parking shortage at several forums over the past several years, including in the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee. At the federal level, the American Trucking Associations’ Law Enforcement Advisory Board has recently focused its attention on the issue due to its impact on safety for both truck drivers and the motoring public. PMTA’s members have also raised the issue as a driver recruitment and retention problem, especially for women drivers, whose concern for safe parking spaces is critical to an industry struggling with a nationwide shortage of about 80,000 truck drivers.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), 98% of truck drivers regularly experience difficulties finding safe parking – a sharp uptick from the 75% figure reported just four years earlier. Based on PennDOT’s analysis in the FMP, Pennsylvania is no exception to this problem, with peak usage of the state’s already inadequate 11,600 truck parking spaces observed to be occupied by 12,150 trucks, or 105% of capacity. When drivers are unable to find safe, authorized parking, they are forced to either park in unsafe or illegal locations or violate federal Hours of Service regulations by continuing to drive. Both alternatives compromise safety for the driver and the motoring public.
Unfortunately, the situation in unlikely to improve without action. The FMP points out that freight activity in Pennsylvania will increase 51% in tonnage and 58% in ton-miles through 2045. With parking facility usage already at over capacity during peak periods, these trends demand action on the part of policymakers.
As such, we are happy to see the FMP focus necessary attention on the truck parking crisis, including updated data that illustrates the severity of the issue for the industry in our state and the addition of a performance measure specific to truck parking.
However, the critical nature of this crisis demands action sooner rather than later. Just last week, the Federal Highway Administration released its Truck Parking Development Handbook. This resource provides tools and strategies for public and private stakeholders involved in freight and land use planning that address many of the specific issues identified in the FMP. These include: how to conduct cost-benefit and economic impact analyses of truck parking projects; siting and designing locations for parking facilities; and specific strategies for developing safe truck parking facilities that meet the needs of large trucks. The handbook also includes useful examples of successful truck parking projects, including public-private partnerships that may provide models as Pennsylvania determines solutions to this problem.
The FMP notes that truck parking is not the primary mission of PennDOT, though it plays a role in solving the problem because of its transportation safety responsibilities. However, the role of the public sector in providing resources is critical. The Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58) made available significant resources to state and local governments to address the truck parking crisis. Construction of new truck parking capacity at rest areas or adjacent to private facilities is eligible for funding, as are improvements that allow for increased parking capacity at nontraditional locations, such as weigh stations and commuter lots, when appropriate. According to a memorandum issued by USDOT on September 20, 2022, these resources are available under several federal programs, including:
· National Highway Performance Program;
· Surface Transportation Block Grant Program;
· Highway Safety Improvement Program;
· Carbon Reduction Program; and
· National Highway Freight Program.
Transportation agencies can also apply to USDOT for grants under a number of discretionary programs, including:
· Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight & Highway Projects Program (AKA INFRA);
· National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega) Program;
· Local and Regional Project Assistance Program (AKA RAISE); and
· Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program.
PMTA stands ready to work with PennDOT and other partners on real-world solutions to the truck parking problem that the FMP documents well, including federal funding. The plan sets the stage well for the work ahead. Again, thank you for PennDOT’s hard work on the FMP and your willingness to work with PMTA and other industry partners.
Sincerely,
Rebecca K. Oyler
President & CEO
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced that it has resumed planning work and federal environmental reviews for six bridge replacement projects proposed as part of the Major Bridge Public-Private Partnership (MBP3).
A Categorical Exclusion (CE) Reevaluation is being prepared for the I-78 Lenhartsville Bridge Replacement Project and the I-80 Over Lehigh River Bridge Project to evaluate and document how the projects would affect the surrounding community’s quality of life, including health, safety, cultural resources, environmental resources and more. Approval of the CE Reevaluation is anticipated this fall (2022).
The I-78 Lenhartsville Bridge, which crosses Maiden Creek in Greenwich Township, is aging and does not meet current design standards. The proposed project involves replacing the existing bridge to address the poor structural condition, and to widen it to accommodate acceleration and deceleration lanes and full inside and outside shoulders in each direction.
Through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental review process, the I-78 Lenhartsville Bridge Replacement Project was approved as a CE in November 2019, and the project team was allowed to move forward with final design and right-of-way acquisition.
The I-80 Over Lehigh River Bridges, which cross over the Lehigh River, Lehigh Gorge State Park, Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad and SR 1005 (River Road) in Carbon and Luzerne Counties, are aging and reaching the end of their serviceable lifespan. The proposed project will address the deterioration of the aging bridge structures and provide safe connectivity for interstate travelers, commuters, commercial users, emergency services, tourists and local residents.
In November 2020, the MBP3 was proposed by PennDOT and approved by the Pennsylvania P3 Board, which includes representatives from all four legislative caucuses, to rehabilitate or replace major Interstate bridges using toll revenues, providing PennDOT with a means of addressing the state's growing backlog of needs without using or impacting the funding for PennDOT's larger program. In February 2021, PennDOT announced nine candidate bridge projects, including the I-78 Lenhartsville Bridge Replacement Project, for inclusion in the program.
An Environmental Assessment (EA) was prepared to study the potential impacts related to tolling and toll diversion in accordance with NEPA. The EA was made available for public comment on May 4, 2022. Comments received on the project’s EA in Spring 2022 were evaluated and considered in the development of the CE Reevaluation. Updated information on the project and potential impacts is available on the project website at www.penndot.pa.gov/i78Lenhartsville and at www.penndot.pa.gov/i80LehighRiverBridge. A comment form is available on the website.
In July 2022, the General Assembly amended the state’s P3 law to remove tolling as a means of funding the MBP3. This means PennDOT will have to reallocate currently programmed state funds and federal funds now available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which will result in the deferral or elimination of some projects in the 2023 12-Year Program (TYP).
PennDOT entered into a Pre-Development Agreement (PDA) with Bridging Pennsylvania Partners (BPP) to advance preliminary design work for the MBP3 bridges. The PDA will lead to separate contracts to finalize design, build, finance and maintain packages of bridges in the MBP3, including the I-80 Lenhartsville Bridge the I-80 Over Lehigh River Bridges. PennDOT will repay the amounts financed by the development entity through recurring availability payments over 30 years, beginning when construction is complete.
Remember our fallen U.S. Veterans.
Honor those who Serve.
Teach your children the value of our Freedom.
Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, a worldwide wreath-laying ceremony takes place at Arlington National Cemetery, along with 2,500 other locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea, and abroad in honor of American heroes.
This amazing logistical feat would not be possible without the help of hundreds of volunteer trucking companies. The efforts of the generous trucking company owners, the drivers, and all their employees make the mission possible. The trucks are responsible for carrying thousands of Veteran’s Wreaths to a growing number of participating cemeteries across the United States. These fine people make up our “Honor Fleet”
This year, Wreaths Across America has open loads of respect for Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Ohio, along with other destinations. Help is needed by PMTA members to continue to Move the Mission.
If you think you can help, please contact [email protected] or call Don Queeney direct at 757-761-5710. https://trucking.wreathsacrossamerica.org/
Many carriers consider this program The Best Thing in Trucking. Please, come join our Honor Fleet and help us all to Remember, Honor and Teach.
“Thank you to all the transportation companies and professional drivers that make our goal possible each year.”
- Wayne Hanson, WAA Board Chairman
On September 26, Health Canada announced that the COVID-19 vaccine requirement, along with other rules associated with cross-border travel, will expire on September 30, 2022.
Effective October 1, 2022, all travelers, regardless of citizenship, will no longer be required to take the following health measures:
Submit public health information through the ArriveCAN app or website:
1. Provide proof of vaccination 2. Undergo pre- or on-arrival testing 3. Carry out COVID-19-related quarantine or isolation 4. Monitor and report if they develop signs or symptoms of COVID-19 upon arriving to Canada.
1. Provide proof of vaccination
2. Undergo pre- or on-arrival testing
3. Carry out COVID-19-related quarantine or isolation
4. Monitor and report if they develop signs or symptoms of COVID-19 upon arriving to Canada.
For more information, see the announcement from Health Canada.
To date, there has been no announcement from the U.S. that the federal government will be making any similar changes to the current COVID-19 vaccine requirements for foreign nationals entering the country.
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) invites the public to review and offer comments on a revised draft of the agency’s 2045 Freight Movement Plan (FMP) during a 15-day public comment period from September 21 through October 5, 2022.
“The Freight Movement Plan underscores our ongoing commitment to freight planning statewide,” PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian said. “Through our planning efforts, we want to ensure that the Department is properly positioned not only to accommodate the demands of freight transportation, but to help facilitate it.”
The FMP provides information on PennDOT’s efforts to continually improve the safe and efficient movement of freight statewide. Having an approved and up-to-date freight plan helps ensure Pennsylvania remains eligible for federal funding under the National Highway Freight Program (NHFP). This federal program will add an average of $58.5 million annually to the state’s program
The plan is available on PennDOT’s website, and an electronic comment form is available.
Through collaboration with freight stakeholders, PennDOT developed the plan over a two-year period. The plan addresses all state and federal provisions for freight planning, including those from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was signed into law by President Biden November 2021.
The plan is an update to Pennsylvania’s current freight plan, PA On Track, which the Federal Highway Administration approved in November 2017.
Subscribe to statewide PennDOT news and traffic alerts at www.penndot.pa.gov/news or choose a region under “Regional Offices.” Information about the state’s infrastructure and results the department is delivering for Pennsylvanians can be found at www.penndot.pa.gov/results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.
On Friday, September 16, 2022, PMTA and its Northwest Chapter, along with Klapec Trucking Co., hosted a Legislative Meet-and-Greet at Klapec’s facility in Reno, PA. Members were able to hear from local lawmakers and discuss with them many issues affecting their companies and the trucking industry in PA.
In attendance at the event were:
PMTA Northwest Chapter President Dale Knox welcomed the group, introduced the team from Klapec Trucking, and thanked them for hosting the event. Dale introduced PMTA President & CEO Rebecca Oyler, who reiterated her thanks and talked about Klapec’s history as a Pennsylvania family-owned business. Klapec is an example of the type of company PMTA works hard on behalf of every day. She then discussed some of the barriers that hold the trucking industry back in PA, including high costs to operate compared to other states, CARB, and PA registration requirements. Rebecca thanked the legislators who voted to stop PennDOT’s P3 bridge tolling initiative.
Sen. Hutchinson stated that the legislators were there to learn from the experts in the audience. He was pleased that the tolling was stopped because it would have been a drag on the trucking industry. It is his goal to help businesses grow. This means limiting costs that government imposes, especially with inflation so high. He mentioned that several tax code changes will make attracting and retaining businesses easier. He is also concerned about unpaid Turnpike tolls and stated that the General Assembly is considering ways of addressing this.
Rep. James mentioned his work in ensuring that elections are run well because, “no matter how you’re registered, you want your vote to count.” Tourism is an important focus for him as well, as many local businesses are struggling to recover from the pandemic. He also stated that the General Assembly has worked on several constitutional amendments this year.
Rep. Oberlander stated that the anti-tolling coalition will continue to be vigilant to ensure that tolling isn’t presented as a solution again. She was interested in addressing the CARB issue that Rebecca had mentioned, getting Pennsylvania out of California’s emissions standards. She had heard from constituents about new CDL requirements (ELDT) preventing veterans drivers from getting back into the industry.
Rep. Smith, who owned his own trucking company before running for the General Assembly, talked about going into the transportation industry because he didn’t want to sit behind a desk. He compared being a House member to being a dispatcher – he never knows what will come up on any given day as he is out and about meeting with constituents. He would be interested in sponsoring a bill that would allow federal inspections to be sufficient for PA-registered tractors.
Brad Moore talked about the importance of associations for businesses. Legislators and staff know a little about a lot but depend on associations like PMTA to educate them on the details. He thanked the members in the room for their work, saying that trucking is a unique industry that touches every other industry. He mentioned workforce and inflation as being significant issues that affect the industry.
PMTA’s first member question related to electric trucks. He was concerned that state and/or federal policy would push the industry to all electric, like California, by 2035. Rep. Oberlander believed that this is unachievable and unnecessary. Sen. Hutchinson stated that he is opposed to having PA’s regulations tied to other states.
The member wondered what the legislators thought about a mileage-based user fee. He was especially concerned that it may be an add-on to the fuel tax, and the fuel tax wouldn’t go away. Rep. Oberlander responded that electric vehicles are not currently paying their fair share of roadway taxes. The General Assembly had tried to increase their registration fee, but this was defeated.
Rep. Smith noted that trucks already pay a mileage-based tax, but cars are different, and the solution is more complicated. He said discussions need to happen. The answer must be either/or, and not both. Sen. Hutchinson stated that electric vehicles should not get a free ride as they are already highly taxpayer subsidized. He believes that the public will not tolerate a GPS-based mileage-based system because of privacy concerns and that a simpler system will need to be found. Rep. James noted that he has not yet seen a workable plan for replacing the fuel tax, so discussions must continue.
A member asked about high truck registration fees in Pennsylvania forcing many national trucking companies to register out of state. Lower fees may bring them back to Pennsylvania and increase funding for roads and bridges. Rep. James responded that the legislature is aware of it and discussing potential solutions. Sen. Hutchinson asked PMTA how PA compares to other states, and PMTA staff volunteered to send that information to the participants.
A PMTA member brought up abusive towing practices and provided an example towing bill his company received with an exorbitant cost. He said that something needs to be done to stop the practice. Rep. Smith responded that this happened to his company too, so he is aware of the issue. He also mentioned auto insurance minimums as a high priority for him. The legislators were interested in addressing the issue. Rebecca mentioned that abusive towing is a national as well as a state issue and that PMTA is working on several fronts on the issue. It is a problem that many PMTA members have experienced, and it must be addressed.
A member asked about drug and alcohol testing. She understands why random testing is necessary but wondered whether there could be any flexibility. Testing providers have 9-5 hours, but drivers don’t. Working around their hours and travel to get 50% of drivers tested every year is difficult.
A member brought up PennDOT’s winter weather restrictions. He said that drivers know when conditions are bad and when they need to park their truck. Rep. Smith agreed and mentioned that the legislature was able to get milk haulers exempted last year. He stated that local drivers know how to drive (or not drive) in bad weather, but some truckers on the road are still a problem. Rep. Oberlander said that PennDOT has been lowering speed limits, rather than shutting down the roads, which is what they want to see. Rebecca stated that PMTA has been discussing the restrictions with PennDOT.
Another member brought up lawsuit abuse as a major concern and mentioned that safety systems and technology are preventing accidents and reducing severity. However, insurance rates continue to climb. The participants agreed that this is an issue that should be addressed.
Kyle Hannon thanked participants and volunteered to pass on to Sen. Casey many of the concerns that members brought up. The event closed with thanks all around, lunch, and a No-Zone display featuring a Klapec truck.
On Thursday, September 15, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), and the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association (PMTA), along with members of PMTA's Road Team, gathered at the I-81 southbound rest area near Grantville to recognize National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.
Representatives from each agency discussed the important role of truck drivers in Pennsylvania and interstate commerce. The PMTA team distributed coffee and doughnuts sponsored by the GIANT COMPANY to drivers who stopped by.
WHAT: PennDOT, PSP, PMTA recognized the important role the trucking industry plays in commerce.
WHEN: Thursday, September 15, 2022; 8:00 - 10:00 AM
WHERE: Grantville Rest Area, I-81 southbound, mm 79
MEDIA CONTACT: Fritzi Schreffler, 717-418-5016
Below are the remarks shared by PMTA President and CEO Rebecca Oyler in recognition of and thanks to America's truck drivers.
Good morning.
I would like to thank you all for being here this morning as the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association and our partners with the Pennsylvania State Police and with PennDOT extend our gratitude for the truck drivers in our state. We are here specifically to recognize National Truck Driver Appreciation Week but in reality, we at PMTA are thankful for truckers all year round.
Incredibly, 96.2 percent of manufactured tonnage is transported by trucks in Pennsylvania. That comes out to about 414,000 tons per day. Nearly 88% of all Pennsylvania communities depend exclusively on trucks to move their goods.
In Pennsylvania, if you bought it, a truck brought it. The shirt on your back, the food on your table, and the gas in your gas tank got to you because it was first on a truck.
PMTA is grateful to the men and women that climb behind the wheel everyday to deliver goods to warehouses, stores and even our front doors. Every day we share the road with these guardians of commerce, and we are thankful for their dedication to safety and their commitment to move freight securely and efficiently.
There are more than 3.7 million truck drivers in America and one in every 15 Pennsylvanians work in the transportation industry, so there is a good chance that you know a truck driver. So if you get the chance, we encourage you to say a word of thanks. And if you don’t know a driver personally, there will be one delivering your next Amazon package at your door soon.
Thank you to all those out there on the roads today keeping America Moving.
Thank you.
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