Members of the Senate and House announced the creation of the new, bipartisan and joint Pennsylvania Competitiveness Caucus. 

"PMTA members know firsthand how critically important competitiveness is to success," said PMTA President & CEO Rebecca Oyler. "Pennsylvania’s economy runs on trucking – literally. Trucks are the backbone of the supply chain, delivering essential goods like medicine, food, raw materials, fuel, construction materials, electronics, household goods, and countless other products that we all depend on every day. And competitiveness is essential to the 70,000 trucking companies based in the state and many others operating here. These are the companies that employ one in every 15 workers and transport 96% of manufactured goods in the Commonwealth."

Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York) reported at a press conference launching the caucus that PA ranks 41 in business friendliness and 46 in growth. She emphasized the human impact behind these statistics, sharing a story of a local business owner affected by the state’s slow permitting process. She explained that the caucus aims to tackle those challenges through bipartisan collaboration and initiatives, like the Streamlining Permits for Economic Expansion and Development (SPEED) program, which streamlines permitting to attract businesses. She said the ultimate goal is to retain families, businesses and opportunities within Pennsylvania, ensuring a prosperous future for the next generation. She called for bold action and bipartisan efforts to improve Pennsylvania’s economy.

Sen. Nick Miller (D-Lehigh) offered remarks on behalf of the Senate Democratic Caucus Chairman Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton). He emphasized the importance of teamwork in creating this bipartisan effort to advance Pennsylvania’s competitiveness on a national and global scale. He said key priorities of the caucus include innovation, infrastructure, economic growth, workforce development and strengthening education, including for public and vocational and technical training schools. He said he looks forward to working across party lines to deliver results for Pennsylvania.

Rep. Joshua Kail (R-Beaver), House Republican Caucus Chairman, said Pennsylvania has incredible potential in its natural resources, market access, resilient workforce and capital availability compared to the low rankings in business friendliness, growth prospects and state economy. He said the legislature needs to address these issues by removing obstacles that hinder opportunity and engaging stakeholders across the state to fostering bipartisan cooperation.

Rep. Paul Friel (D-Chester), House Democratic Caucus Chairman, said Pennsylvania already has the necessary resources but needs better coordination and policies to unlock potential. He compared legislators to defense coordinators in football, as they are tasked with creating a roadmap to enable success for farmers, manufacturers, families and workers. He said the bipartisan and bicameral caucus aims to develop policies and guardrails to foster economic growth while removing existing barriers. He said he is optimistic about the caucus’ mission to improve Pennsylvania’s rankings and create lasting opportunities for future generations.

"A competitive business environment is essential to keeping goods moving efficiently," said Oyler. "But unfortunately, truckers in Pennsylvania are driving uphill – Pennsylvania is the fifth most expensive state in the nation in which to operate a truck, a fact that affects our ability to compete and to serve the businesses and communities that depend on us." 

"The elevated cost of trucking in Pennsylvania increases costs throughout the state economy because transportation costs stack at every level of the supply chain where a truck hauls a good. Making Pennsylvania more competitive for trucking will help all Pennsylvania businesses be more competitive by lowering costs and increasing efficiency.

"PMTA supports the work of the new Competitiveness Caucus and looks forward to working with lawmakers to enact policies that strengthen our economy and the essential trucking industry that keeps it running," said Oyler.