Arkansas Trucking Association

The Arkansas Trucking Association today commended Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and other legislative leaders for introducing a long-term, sustainable infrastructure plan to fund roads and bridges across the state.   

Under the proposal, $300 million in new highway spending is predicted to generate hundreds of millions in economic activity and thousands of new jobs.

The highway plan would allow the cities, counties and the Arkansas Department of Transportation to invest in infrastructure that will connect communities and businesses. Ninety percent of Arkansans recognize the need for repair and believe improving the state's infrastructure is key to driving economic activity.

ATA President Shannon Newton noted the commitment of the Governor and legislators in formulating the proposal. "For too many years and legislative sessions, we've seen the can kicked down the road. ATA members are pleased to see decisive action on the part of the General Assembly and the Executive Branch in bringing long-term confidence to funding the highways where we do business."

Arkansas Trucking Association applauds the U.S. Department of Transportation for announcing its $1.5 billion investment in infrastructure projects around the U.S. including two important projects in Arkansas. DOT Sec. Elaine Chao announced today that $45 million would be awarded for Arkansas infrastructure through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program which is allocated for nationally and regionally significant projects. Interstate 49 at the Arkansas-Missouri border will receive $25 million to complete the project and an extension of a Hot Springs bypass will receive $20 million.

Arkansas legislators including Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), Rep. Steve Womack (Ark.-03) and Rep. Bruce Westerman (Ark.-04) supported the grant applications and asked Transportation Sec. Elaine Chao to award the funds to these projects in order to boost economic development in the area.

Spear, Newton and outgoing American Trucking Associations Chairman Dave Manning with prize money  photo by John Sommers II for Transport Topics

Arkansas Trucking Association is proud to announce President Shannon Newton was named the 17th recipient of the American Trucking Associations' President's Trucking Association Executives Council (TAEC) Leadership Award during ATA's 85th Management Conference and Exhibition in Austin, Tex. today.

Newton was recognized as a leader in the industry for her advocacy efforts and for promoting the image of the industry across the state and the nation.

"Our industry benefits greatly from leaders like Shannon who build coalitions, generate relationships and make sure pro-safety, pro-trucking policies are enacted at the state level and supported at the national level," said incoming ATA Chairman Barry Pottle, president of Pottle's Transportation. "Shannon is a great example of the wonderful relationship ATA has with our state federation and how we can use those to make a positive impact in our industry."

The President's TAEC Leadership Award was created in 2002 by ATA to honor a state trucking association leader and to create an enduring legacy for that leader and for the industry. The award comes with a $10,000 grant for a non-profit 501(c)(3) trucking education or research organization chosen by Newton.

On Oct. 18 the Arkansas Supreme Court released its ruling that the votes on Issue 1 (“tort reform”) will NOT be counted on the Nov. 6, 2018 general election ballot. By a 6-1 vote, the Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s decision that the legislature improperly referred Issue 1 in violation of Art. 19, Sec. 22’s separate-vote requirement and its three-amendment per election limitation. The Court based that determination on its conclusion that the four sections of Issue 1 are not “reasonably germane” to each other or to a “general subject” under the test established by Forrester v. Martin. The Supreme Court’s ruling means that while Issue 1 will appear on the ballot, the Secretary of State is prohibited from counting the votes.

The Arkansas Trucking Association worked diligently through the Arkansans for Jobs and Justice Coalition and proudly collaborated with a diverse group of individuals and interests – including, but not limited to, the Arkansas State Chamber, the Arkansas Hospital Association, the Arkansas Medical Society, the Arkansas Farm Bureau, the Arkansas Health Care Association and the Poultry Federation – to amend our Constitution to allow Arkansas to grow jobs, improve our healthcare system and stabilize costs of doing business in this litigious environment. This coalition has worked extremely hard and spent nearly $3 million dollars to educate Arkansas voters.

In October, Congress passed a negotiated compromise version of the FAA Reauthorization bill.  The trucking industry, led by American Trucking Associations and strongly supported by the Arkansas Trucking Association, had sought to have language included that would solve an interstate commerce preemption issue related to meal and rest breaks through legislative means. However, that language was not included in the final version of the bill.

Pivoting their strategy, the American Trucking Associations filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Transportation seeking preemption of California's redundant meal and rest break requirements.  The petition relies on section 31141, title 49 of the United States Code, under which the Secretary of Transportation has the authority to determine that state laws on commercial vehicle safety that conflict with federal safety standards or burden interstate commerce may not be enforced.