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US truck, rail industries rally to lobby congress

The US’ trucking and rail industries are reportedly putting aside their differences to present a united front as they push Donald Trump’s incoming administration for limits on transportation regulators’ ability to set new rules.
“Leaders of the industry trade groups say they are trying to unite transport representatives in Washington, including airline, automobile and shipping groups, in the effort to reverse Obama administration–era safety initiatives and slow the process for enacting new regulations,” stated the Wall Street Journal’s Paul Page.
Lobby groups are reportedly anticipating business-friendly policy changes with Donald Trump on the Oval Office and the Republican Party controlling both chambers of Congress.
Over the past eight years of Barack Obama’s presidency, Page said, a series of freight and passenger transport rules intended to reduce traffic and rail accidents have been introduced. Opponents of the regulations claim that such safety benefits remain unproven and the new rules have added costs at a time when corporate profits are already suffering from poor freight volumes.
Changes requested by the industry groups include rule changes of truck driver work limits and safety-equipment requirements for trains. They also want the process for rule introduction to be modified, with an added requirement for more consultation with industry, something which is a standard component of the process to develop new rules but which the groups claim was avoided by Obama through executive orders and safety advisories.
Chris Spear, CEO of the American Trucking Industry told Page in an interview, “Industry needs to be involved in developing the process that makes the rules. There should be a clear return in exchange for compliance.”

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