Shipping and Logistics
ATA CEO Implores Senators to “Do Their Job”
Written by Sandy Williams
May 13, 2021
American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear gave a blunt and passionate testimony to the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee on May 11, calling for bipartisan support for infrastructure legislation.
“Infrastructure is NOT partisan. If anyone in Congress believes that roads and bridges are political, you haven’t been driving on them. But they are in desperate need of your leadership and support,” said Spear.
Trucking employs 7.8 million Americans, accounting for one of every 16 jobs in the U.S. The industry moves more than 71% of the nation’s freight totaling $10.4 trillion worth of goods annually, said Spear.
“And despite a chronic and growing shortage of drivers, our industry and our intermodal partners here today are the glue that has kept this economy together these last 14 months.
“In fact, no pandemic, hurricane, flood, fire… no tariff, no tweet, or senseless partisan bickering is going to keep our industry from doing its job. But we are here today to ask that you do yours. Investments in our supply chain are desperately needed, including the roads and bridges that connect our ports, rail yards, and airports to the National Highway System,” said Spear.
“And understand that if these investments are indeed made, you have the opportunity to go home before your constituents and point and say… that road… that bridge… that railroad, port, waterway, airport… I did that. I helped make that happen.”
“In other words, stop blaming each other for the things you don’t do and start taking credit for the things you should do. These investments are long overdue,” said Spear. “They are the things Americans – your constituents – need, use and rely on every single day. They’ll be grateful.”
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Shipping and Logistics
Reibus: Flatbed, dry van rates ticked up post-hurricanes
After closing the third quarter -3.84% on a y/y basis, our first look at fourth-quarter flatbed spot rates puts us virtually flat y/y, coming in at -0.68%.
Leibowitz: Thorny issues remain as ILA-USMX talks kicked into 2025
On Thursday, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the US Maritime Alliance (USMX), representing carriers and port operators on the East and Gulf Coasts, announced a three-and-a-half-month extension of the recently expired collective bargaining agreement. The extension kicks the can down the road until Jan. 15, 2025, after the 2024 election and the certification of the results on Jan. 6.
Ports strike over as longshoremen reach tentative pact with employers
The International Longshoreman's Association (ILA) union and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) reached a tentative agreement on wages on Thursday evening. The move ends a strike at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports that began on Tuesday and that had threatened significant supply-chain disruptions.
ILA rejects 50% raise, strikes ports on East Coast, Gulf Coast
The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) launched a strike just after midnight on Tuesday at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports. The work stoppage spans from New England to New Orleans. It came after a last-ditch offer by the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), which represents maritime employers, failed to meet union demands.
Calls for talks as coastwide labor strike could hit supply chains on Tuesday
Unless a last-minute deal is struck by midnight on Monday, a massive work stoppage will hit ports up and down the East and Gulf Coasts on Tuesday and cause widespread supply chain disruption. Master contract negotiations remain stalled between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX). The employer group took […]