HILTON HEAD, S.C. - The American Trucking Associations are addressing the challenges to freight transportation by encouraging size and weight provisions to maximize productivity and decrease roadway demand; examining the potential for truck-only lanes; and improving use of existing infrastructure through freight planning, ATA Chairman Charles "Shorty" Whittington, president of Grammer Industries, told participants attending the 75th Annual Meeting of the Forest Resources Association in Hilton Head, S.C., March 16.

A transporter of agricultural commodities himself, Whittington also stated, "ATA is promoting more truck productivity to reduce congestion, improve the transportation environmental footprint, and allow for a further reduction in truck-related fatalities, now at an all-time low."

The Forest Resources Association advocates higher truck weights on the federal highway system within the framework of the 2009 federal highway reauthorization bill, now being developed in the 111th Congress.

Whittington continued, "It is extremely important for all segments of the transportation industry to advocate strongly for their needs in improving and making more productive our vital national highway system, as almost 69 percent of total freight tonnage transport and 90 percent of all agricultural commodities transport is by truck today."

He affirmed, "I compliment the Forest Resources Association and the Agricultural Transportation Efficiency Coalition on their support for efforts to increase forest and agriculture industry productivity, safety, and job retention, as well as to reduce fossil fuel emissions.  This kind of forward thinking is needed as we examine and reauthorize funding for our highway infrastructure for the next five years."

The Agricultural Transportation Efficiency Coalition, in which FRA participates, is a leader in promoting gross vehicle weight reform for forest and agricultural forest products.  Please visit www.ag-haul.org.