�������ϲʿ���Ԥ��

This week, �������ϲʿ���Ԥ�� and the Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) are seeking input on how the looming Highway Trust Fund shortfall is impacting business decisions and state transportation programs.   This survey, along with the recently launched Highways for Hardhats campaign, is part of �������ϲʿ���Ԥ��’s continued efforts to raise awareness of the impacts of Highway Trust Fund’s revenue crisis.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) this week announced a proposal to require interstate commercial truck and bus companies to use Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) in their vehicles to improve compliance with the safety rules that govern the number of hours a driver can work. The proposed rule would establish: (1) minimum performance and design standards for hours-of-service (HOS) electronic logging devices (ELDs); (2) requirements for the mandatory use of these devices by drivers currently required to prepare HOS records of duty status (RODS); (3) requirements concerning HOS supporting documents; and (4) measures to address concerns about harassment resulting from the mandatory use of ELDs. This rulemaking supplements the Agency’s Feb. 1, 2011, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) and addresses issues raised by the Federal Court of Appeals in its 2011 decision vacating the Agency’s April 5, 2010, final rule concerning ELDs. MAP-21 directed FMCSA to finalize a rule on ELDs.

Committees in the Senate and the House heard from the U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx and other DOT officials about their FY 2015 budget submission, MAP-21 reauthorization, and how they intend to administer highway and transit programs considering the pending insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF).

With the federal Highway Trust Fund projected to be unable to support any new highway, bridge or public transportation improvements in fiscal year 2015, the �������ϲʿ���Ԥ�� co-chaired Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) developed a new national grassroots campaign called “Hardhats for Highways.”  The campaign is designed to help educate Congress about the connection between local jobs and federal highway and transit investment. Since the launch of  “Hardhats for Highways”  last week in Las Vegas during CONEXPO/CONAGG, over 5000 “Hardhats for Highways” stickers have been requested.

�������ϲʿ���Ԥ�� submitted comments to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on a Draft Core Toll Concessions Public Private Partnership Model Contract Guide for P3 concessions using tolling as the revenue source. The Guide was prepared by FHWA in response to a requirement in MAP-21 that the agency develop model transaction documents for P3s. It is the first of several Guides that FHWA intends to produce dealing with P3 arrangements. �������ϲʿ���Ԥ��’s comments were favorable about the Guide pointing out that FHWA did a good job of balancing the desire for not mandating specific contract language with the equally strong desire to make P3s more uniform from a risk allocation point of view. �������ϲʿ���Ԥ�� participated in a Listening Session that DOT held seeking suggestions on how to implement this MAP-21 directive and also previously submitted written comments and suggested at those sessions that FHWA not develop any mandatory contract language.

Get Involved at www.HardhatsforHighways.org   With your Senators and Representatives working in their home states next week, it is the perfect opportunity to get involved in the Hardhats for Highways campaign.  Contact your members of Congress today to set up meetings with each office and educate them on the connection between local jobs and federal highway and transit investment.

�������ϲʿ���Ԥ�� submitted comments to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on a Draft Core Toll Concessions Public Private Partnership Model Contract Guide for P3 concessions using tolling as the revenue source. The Guide was prepared by FHWA in response to a requirement in MAP-21 that the agency develop model transaction documents for P3s. It is the first of several Guides that FHWA intends to produce dealing with P3 arrangements. �������ϲʿ���Ԥ��’s comments were favorable about the Guide pointing out that FHWA did a good job of balancing the desire for not mandating specific contract language with the equally strong desire to make P3s more uniform from a risk allocation point of view. �������ϲʿ���Ԥ�� participated in a Listening Session that DOT held seeking suggestions on how to implement this MAP-21 directive and also previously submitted written comments and suggested at those sessions that FHWA not develop any mandatory contract language.

Administration to Send Reauthorization Plan to Congress in April This week, committees in the Senate and the House heard from the U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx and other Department officials about their FY 2015 budget submission, MAP-21 reauthorization, and how they intend to administer highway and transit programs considering the pending insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF).

Get Involved at www.HardhatsforHighways.org With the federal Highway Trust Fund projected to be unable to support any new highway, bridge or public transportation improvements in fiscal year 2015, the �������ϲʿ���Ԥ�� co-chaired Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) is launching a new national outreach campaign called “Hardhats for Highways.”  This campaign – which was launched yesterday in Las Vegas at CONEXPO/CONAGG, one of the world’s largest construction trade shows, where more than 125,000 industry professionals are gathered – is designed to help educate Congress about the connection between local jobs and federal highway and transit investment.  

Rep. David Camp (R-MI) this week released a draft proposal for comprehensive tax reform.  Included in the proposal is an initiative to direct $126.5 billion in revenue to the Highway Trust Fund over the next ten years.