Coalition attacks toll plans

By Staff -- Logistics Management, 1/1/1999

The new federal highway-funding law allows up to three states to impose tolls on interstate highways, but a recently formed industry coalition will challenge any effort to do so.

The new organization, Citizens for Safe and Efficient Highways, says that charging tolls on interstate highways funded through fuel taxes amounts to double taxation. According to a poll commissioned by the group, 77 percent of Americans oppose interstate tolls, while 14 percent favor them.

The first battleground for the coalition will be Arkansas. Under the highway legislation, any state that wants to charge tolls on federal highways must first gain approval from the federal Department of Transportation. The Arkansas Highway Commission voted to make that state the first to apply. Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee opposes the application by the independent board.

American Trucking Associations (ATA) President Walter McCormick, speaking at a press conference held by the coalition, said, "We want to kill this in Arkansas and stop it from spreading to other states."

In addition to the ATA, the coalition includes the Arkansas Motor Carriers Association, AAA Arkansas, the American Highway Users Alliance, the National Association of Truck Stop Operators, the National Taxpayers Union, and Americans for Tax Reform.