House bill would boost freight, transportation funding with 1 percent shipping fee

highway roadA bill reintroduced in the U.S. House last week would, if passed, take steps toward bolstering federal funding for freight movement projects in the U.S. by implementing a 1 percent shipping fee, to be paid by the entity paying for the shipment, per the bill. 

Funds from the 1 percent fee would be deposited directly into the National Freight Mobility Fund and would be used to issue grants for projects that would help increase the efficiency of freight movement in the U.S. 

The bill, dubbed the Freight Infrastructure Reinvestment Act, was introduced by Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.). 

“Our nation’s freight transportation system plays a significant role in our ability to grow the economy and compete globally,” said Smith.  “With our nation’s freight expected to double by 2040, it is critical to start making investments in freight and transportation infrastructure now to keep America competitive internationally for years to come.”

The bill would also establish a National Freight Mobility Infrastructure Improvement Program, which would rely on planners to work with communities to find projects to help increase national or regional freight flow.

Those planners would then apply for grants, and the secretary of transportation would determine who gets the federal money, based on a project’s cost effectiveness, economic impact and its ability to help freight infrastructure. 

New
Overdrive's Load Profit Analyzer
Know your costs? Compute the potential profit in any truckload, analyze per-day and per-mile breakouts, and compare real offers on multiple loads or game out hypothetical rate/lane scenarios. Enter your trucking business's fixed and variable costs, and load information, to get started.
Try it out!
Attachments Idea Book Cover

Click here to see text of the bill. 

Looking for your next job?
Careersingear.com is the go-to platform for the Trucking industry. Don’t just find the job you need; find the job you want with the company that wants you!
Pride & Polish
Overdrive’s annual Pride & Polish virtual truck show attracts entries from across the nation showcasing show-quality design, mechanical ingenuity and plenty of trucking-business pride. Find recent-history awards shows, in-depth features about the winners, and more.
Read More
Pride & Polish Promo Image