And it’s a four-letter word, too

By Advance Business Capital

“Bike.”

He’s Bikkkke!

LaHood created a stir last year when he endorsed extending the Highway Trust Fund to the creation of intra-city bike lanes. Over the years the Trust Fund, once off limits to anything but highway construction and repair, has been used for pet transportation projects by both parties. LaHood, a former Republican congressman, has especially stirred the trucking industry by his support of non-trucking schemes to reduce the nation’s reliance on oil. In 2010, he wrote in his official blog, The Fast Lane: “I don’t think anyone who reads this blog doubts my enthusiasm for increasing American transportation options.”

This January The Fast Lane featured an account of a meeting LaHood had recently held with AmericaBikes, a national coalition of biking advocacy groups. The group took the opportunity to present the Secretary with a newly-released study of the economic impact of federally-funded road projects. The study purports to show that in Baltimore, pedestrian and bicycle projects created nearly twice as many jobs per investment dollar than typical road projects.

The group also gave LaHood the results of a poll conducted by the National Center for Disease Control indicating that a majority of Americans support “street scale urban design practices and projects to support physical activity” (i.e. bike lanes). Responding to the studies, LaHood wrote in The Fast Lane that “Together, these are a powerful argument for continuing the Department of Transportation's support for bicycle infrastructure projects.”

LaHood to Cyclists: “Get Involved”

A cycling enthusiast himself, the Secretary wants to encourage every American to drag his or her bike out of that dusty corner of the garage and put it on the road, specifically in that part of the road that is paid for in part by the U.S. government: your local bike lane.

It should be pointed out (as Lahood himself has done) that there’s a difference between his personal support and his power as Transportation Secretary. DOT does not decide how money will be allocated between the competing transport categories of trucking, rail, airplane and canal (and apparently now bicycles). Congress is the only entity with the power of dividing that particular pie.

LaHood’s message to bike supporters is simple: if you want federal funding, be prepared to spend time and money educating lawmakers and raising public awareness. He urged cycling advocates to “get involved” in the political process.

In other words, if bike advocates want more tax dollars invested in bike lanes, they should do the same thing that every interest group does: lobby legislators with letter campaigns, hold rallies, make personal contact, and donate campaign contributions to responsive Congressmen and Senators.

Another way popular way of building political support is to woo the media by encouraging positive articles about the benefits of biking. This explains the recent flood of lunch invitations and bottles of expensive Scotch we’ve received at Blog4Truckers. (Not!)

Trucking Industry to LaHood: “Get Lost”

Now, all of us here at B4T’s vast MediaCentre support physical fitness. Some of us are cyclists, some walk, a few younger ones skateboard, and then there’s the Flashman, whose customized turbo-charged, manure-fueled PowerWalker has set the land speed record for four-wheeled, two-footed vehicles.

So we’re in favor of bike lanes too. We’d like to see more cities build them, but the question raised by Secretary LaHood’s comments is how much—if any—of that money should come from our tax dollars, i.e., the Highway Trust Fund. Responding to LaHood’s blog, Darrin Roth, director of highway operations at the American Trucking Association, was blunt: “We have severe fiscal restraints on this limited pot of money that’s already oversubscribed. While they may be popular at a community or local government level, the federal government is not supposed to be building bike lanes.”

What the Trucking Press Says

Recently Transport Topics, the defacto voice of the trucking industry, has weighed in with an imploring editorial:

“It’s bad enough that the Highway Trust Fund doesn’t take in enough cash to cover the nation’s current needs, but we’ve all had to watch as some of those precious dollars that do flow into the fund get spent on projects that have little to do with highways.

“For years, we at Transport Topics have led the protest over the misuse of Trust Fund dollars on programs that — while they may be full of merit — don’t qualify for Trust Fund financing. The Fund is supposed to be used for projects that enhance the safety and mobility of the people who contribute to it. Thus, it is painful to read about the Transportation Secretary’s recent thoughts on the subject.

“Mr. Secretary, far be it from us to undermine your support for projects that make Americans fit and happy. But we urge you to find another way to pay for them than by tapping the already inadequate resources of the Highway Trust Fund.”

What B4T Says

There matters stand, at least for the moment. Nothing has been resolved, but one thing should be clear. This issue is not going away and, for students of the ungentlemanly art of public finance fisticuffs, this match will be worth watching.

In one corner, we have the brash newcomer to national politicking, American bicyclists. Cycling advocates are young, fit and determined to wrestle more lane-building funds from DOT. What’s more, they have the implied blessing of the Secretary of Transportation, a heavyweight.

In the other corner of the ring we have the American trucking industry, the Big Palooka of transportation lobbying for more than seventy years, ever since it hammered Big Rail to a political pulp back in the 30’s. Right now the smart money is on the Champ.

We at B4T take pride in our role as honest brokers (if that’s not an oxymoron). We report the facts and let you draw your own conclusions. We can’t be bought with liquor and free lunches!

On the other hand, if anybody has the inclination to lobby Congress for federally funded PowerWalker Lanes, well… let’s just say we’re approachable.

This story was drawn from articles in League of American Bicyclists, The Fast Lane, LandLine Magazine and Transport Topics.

This article is provided as a service for truckers and everyone in the trucking industry by Advance Business Capital. ABC is the first and only factoring service designed by truckers for truckers. We provide innovative financial solutions exclusively to For-Hire truckers and Freight Brokers and are proud to be the first factoring company to receive the P3 (Preferred Platinum Provider) endorsement from the Transportation Intermediaries Association.

http://www.advancebcap.com