Congress has taken the first step toward developing the nation's next long-term surface transportation authorization, advancing legislation that includes several priorities long advocated by the trucking industry.

The U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee recently approved the BUILD America 250 Act, a five-year surface transportation reauthorization proposal that would guide federal investment in highways, bridges, freight infrastructure, safety programs, and other transportation initiatives. While committee approval marks an important milestone, the legislation must still be considered by the full House of Representatives. The Senate is expected to develop its own version of a transportation authorization bill, meaning substantial debate and negotiation remain before any final legislation can be sent to the President.

For the trucking industry, the committee-approved bill includes several provisions that have been the focus of years of advocacy efforts by the American Trucking Associations (ATA), state trucking associations, and industry stakeholders. 

For the trucking industry, the committee-approved bill includes several provisions that have been the focus of years of advocacy by ATA, PMTA, and other state trucking associations. Among the notable provisions are:

• • Dedicated truck parking funding, including $750 million over the next five years to expand safe, legal truck parking capacity nationwide.
  • Robust funding for roads and bridges, helping address congestion, freight bottlenecks, and aging infrastructure.
  • Freight mobility investments designed to improve the efficient movement of goods through the nation's supply chain.
  • Project delivery reforms intended to reduce delays and accelerate transportation improvements.
  • Electric vehicle fees, ensuring that electric vehicles contribute to the Highway Trust Fund for the maintenance and upkeep of highways.
  • Blocks congestion pricing on interstates.

  Safety & Regulatory Improvements

  • Continued support for motor carrier safety programs that improve highway safety and strengthen enforcement efforts.
  • Option to equip protections, preempting lawsuits that seek to impose liability for failing to equip vehicles beyond NHTSA safety standards.
  • Directs a review of FMCSA's New Entrant Safety Assurance Program to ensure only safe trucking companies enter the industry.
  • Directs FMCSA to remove noncompliant CDL training providers from the Training Provider Registry within 90 days.
  • Strengthens oversight of electronic logging devices by improving certification verification processes.
  • Directs DOT to recognize hair testing as an approved drug testing method within one year of HHS issuing final guidelines.
  • Directs DOT to create national performance-based safety requirements for autonomous vehicles.

  Workforce & Industry Protections

  • Extension of the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Program, creating a pathway for qualified 18-to-20-year-olds to enter the industry.
  • Bathroom access requirements for truck drivers at shipper and receiver facilities.
  • Measures addressing freight fraud and carrier oversight, helping protect motor carriers and consumers.
  • Inclusion of the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act, helping consumers avoid moving scams while protecting legitimate moving companies from fraud.
  • Improvements to transportation data and regulatory systems intended to increase efficiency and transparency.

   

One of the most significant trucking provisions included in the legislation is support for expanding truck parking capacity. The shortage of safe, legal truck parking remains one of the industry's most persistent challenges and has been a top advocacy priority for PMTA and ATA. In Pennsylvania, studies have found that demand for truck parking far exceeds available capacity, reaching 103% at peak hours, forcing drivers to spend valuable time searching for parking and, in some cases, park in unsafe or unauthorized locations.

Infrastructure investment and freight mobility improvements are equally important. Traffic congestion alone cost Pennsylvania's trucking industry an estimated $3.7 billion in 2024, increasing costs for carriers, shippers, and consumers alike. As a major freight corridor connecting the Northeast and Midwest, Pennsylvania relies on an extensive network of aging roads and bridges that require ongoing investment to support the efficient movement of goods throughout the region. 

Many of the priorities included in the committee-approved legislation reflect issues that PMTA members have raised directly with Pennsylvania's congressional delegation during the Association's annual Call on Washington. During meetings with lawmakers and congressional staff, PMTA members have consistently emphasized the need for expanded truck parking, reliable highway funding, improved freight mobility, and policies that support the safe and efficient movement of goods throughout Pennsylvania and the nation.

The inclusion of these provisions demonstrates the importance of sustained industry engagement in the policymaking process. While the final shape of the next surface transportation authorization remains uncertain, trucking's priorities are already front and center as Congress begins its work.

PMTA will continue monitoring the legislation as it moves through the House and Senate and will work alongside ATA and other state trucking associations to advocate for policies that strengthen freight mobility, improve safety, expand truck parking capacity, and support the trucking industry's essential role in Pennsylvania's economy.