New campaign for transportation investment

NITL (The National Industrial Transportation League) -- Logistics Management, 7/16/2008 6:44:00 AM

A broad coalition of business, labor and transportation groups led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has challenged presidential and congressional candidates to make investments in highways, bridges and public transportation a priority for their campaigns.

The group calls itself the Americans for Transportation Mobility Coalition. Its call to action is named the FasterBetterSafer Campaign. In addition to the U.S. Chamber, leadership comes from the Laborers International Union of North America and the American Road & Transportation Builders Association.

“We have a transportation system that is overworked, underfunded, increasingly unsafe, and without a long-term plan. Our crumbling roads and bridges and strained public transportation systems are symptomatic of a lack of leadership at all levels of government. It is evident that now is the time to move on a robust and comprehensive plan to build, maintain, and fund a world-class 21st century transportation network," said Chamber President Tom Donohue.

The campaign intends to demonstrate to policy makers in Washington that an aging and overburdened transportation system imposes enormous costs on Americans' safety and quality of life, the environment and the economy. Its message is that as the countdown to the next surface transportation authorization bill begins, the nation's political leaders must understand there is no single answer and all options must be on the table to address the enormous challenges of an aging transportation system.

According to a press release the group issued, “The FasterBetterSafer Campaign will demonstrate to leaders in Washington the groundswell of public support across the country for making transportation a national priority. FasterBetterSafer is growing its grassroots network through aggressive viral outreach and by holding public events around the country. By talking with the media, the general public, and business groups, the campaign will bring increased awareness about this issue right to policy-makers' doorsteps.”