Volume II, Issue 7—July/August 2009

Industry Headlines

Help TRALA Fight New “Card Check” Push in U.S. Senate

TRALA and its pro-business allies are gearing up to oppose another push to pass card check legislation in the U.S. Senate this coming fall.  Pro card-check forces are pushing to have a “compromise” of the Employee Free Choice Act introduced in the U.S. Senate in the near future.  While the card check provision eliminating secret ballots may be dropped from the compromise, other onerous provisions of the original EFCA are expected to remain.  These provisions include “quickie” elections, union access to the workplace and binding interest arbitration. Please visit TRALA’s grassroots website section for new sample letters to Congress and the press in opposition to “compromise” bills that will hurt businesses, job creation and economic growth.

New Stopping Distance Rule for Heavy Duty Trucks

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a long-awaited final rule regarding the required stopping distance for heavy duty trucks. The rule will reduce the stopping distance from 355 feet to 250 feet while traveling at 60 miles per hour and loaded to the GVWR capacity. The ruling is a 30% reduction in stopping distance which will apply to 2012 and later truck models and will not require any retrofitting. It will apply to truck tractors only and does not apply to single-unit trucks, trailers or buses. To see the full text of the final rule, please click here.

Trucks Exempted from New Jersey Rental Tax

TRALA and its Industry Council for Vehicle Renting and Leasing succeeded in limiting the application of a new 5% tax on vehicle rentals to exclude trucks and to apply only to rental locations in industrial zones near large commercial airports.  TRALA and the Industry Council opposed the tax in its entirety when it was introduced in May 2008.  The truck exclusion and further limitations were added to the proposal following TRALA’s contact with the bill sponsor and other key lawmakers. To see a copy of the section of AB 4048 that authorizes the new 5% local rental tax, please click here. 

TRALA Helps Push Safety Technology Tax Credit

TRALA is strongly supporting legislation currently being considered in both houses of Congress that would establish federal tax credits for the purchase of advanced safety systems for commercial trucks. The tax credits provided for in the bills would cover up to 50% of the cost of eligible systems installed on commercial trucks.  The tax credits would be limited to $1,500 per safety system and $3,500 per vehicle. Each taxpayer would be limited to $350,000 in tax credits per year. Please click here to see copies of the House and Senate bills.

Truck Renting and Leasing Association ■ 675 N. Washington Street ■ Suite 410 ■ Alexandria, VA  22314 ■ 703.299.9120

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TRALA Industry Wire

Legislative Update

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USI

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TRALA Welcomes New Member