The Safer Highways and Increased Performance for Interstate Trucking, or SHIP IT Act was introduced to the House of Representatives this past week. This bipartisan bill would modernize certain vehicle waivers in response to disease and supply chain emergencies. It would also incentivize new truck drivers to enter the workforce through tax credits, streamline the CDL process, and expand access to truck parking and rest facilities. This bipartisan bill will help modernize the trucking industry, improve our supply chain, control costs, and help attract more truck drivers to the workforce.
This bipartisan bill will allow states to issue special permits for overweight vehicles and loads during emergencies. The reason behind this, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, drivers weren’t allowed to exceed weight limits to help time sensitive or perishable products arrive on time and continue to meet safety standards. With the driver shortages in the industry, allowing drivers to exceed these limits under special circumstances, would provide immediate productivity. This bill will allow states to issue special permits if similar situations occur in the future.
The main goal of this bill is to attract more truck drivers to the industry through tax credits and grants and provide economic benefits for people planning to join the trucking industry. As well as help streamline the CDL process and make it easier for states and third parties to administer CDL tests. Under this current bill, drivers that log at least 1,900 hours in a year could be eligible for a $7,500 tax break, and new truck drivers could be eligible for a $10,000 tax break.
If approved, nearly 800 million through 2026 would be provided for parking projects connected to commercial vehicle operations. There is currently one space for every 11 semi-trucks on the road. The lack of available parking spots may push drivers to end their days earlier. During the conversation about this bipartisan bill, Mike Bost said, “This bill will help make our roads and interstates safer by ensuring that truckers no longer have to risk pushing themselves too far to make it a few extra miles to the next rest stop.”
House Lawmakers Introduce Truck Parking Bill | Transport Topics (ttnews.com)
SHIP IT Act Aims to Attract Drivers, Boost Capacity | SupplyChainBrain
How SHIP IT Act aims to overhaul trucking industry – KNBN NewsCenter1
SHIP IT Act promises relief from trucking supply chain challenges (foodnavigator-usa.com)
