TIA Statement on Passage of Bipartisan Infrastructure Package

MEDIA CONTACT:

marketing@tianet.org

AUGUST 10, 2021 – ALEXANDRIA, VA – Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), the voice of the third-party logistics industry, issued the following statement in response to the Senate’s bipartisan passage of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill:

The United States Senate today passed the bipartisan surface transportation reauthorization bill on a 69-30 vote. Included in the final language passed by the Senate is $550 billion in needed funding for our traditional infrastructure projects, including money for roads, bridges, transit, Amtrak, and more.

“TIA is proud to support this bipartisan measure; the U.S. economy and supply chain deserve to have the best infrastructure and most robust surface transportation in the world,” noted Chris Burroughs, TIA Vice President of Government Affairs. “This legislation delivers on that goal, and with more the $11 billion dedicated to safety, TIA is proud to call upon the U.S. House of Representatives to pass this bill and for President Biden to sign it into law.”

Built into the legislation are three provisions TIA fully supports and is proud to present to its members. First, a provision that clarifies the role of a dispatch service in the supply chain. Second, language which asks for a full review of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) National Consumer Complaint Database and the subsequent action taken by the Federal Government. Included in this review is a mandate to include brokers in the process. Finally, a new apprenticeship pilot program for under 21-year-old drivers seeks to increase the carrier selection pool. This is a huge issue in the supply chain as the driver shortage continues to hamper transportation.

TIA applauds the work of the bipartisan group of U.S. Senators that put partisan politics aside and delivered on a surface transportation reauthorization that addresses our crumbling infrastructure and provides much-needed legislative clarity for the 3PL and freight brokerage industries.

To hear more about this legislation and TIA’s positions, please watch the video below.