Congress approves $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill

A historic investment is approaching $1.2 trillion, in addition to the $273 billion over five years in recurring federal program funding allocated to roads and bridges, the IIJA milestone, the largest infrastructure bill in decades, reserves an additional $550 billion in new spending, including $110 billion for roads, bridges, and large infrastructure projects.

A 38% increase in road and bridge funding, and an infusion of highly skilled and younger talent into our workforce,” American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear said in a statement immediately after the legislation’s passage.

One of the benefits that this new project will have will be:

• Provision of insured sub-21 truck driver

• The bill more than doubles funding for transportation safety and establishes new regulations and programs affecting trucking, including a provision that makes minors ages 18 to 21 eligible for interstate driving, a law the Biden administration has maintained is necessary to bolster driver ranks.

• Exemption for hours of service for cattle carriers.

• Automatic emergency braking performance requirements.

• Underride/side underride protection.

• Truck broker/truck dispatcher guide.

• A review of data from the electronic logging device.

• A truck leasing task force.

• A Women’s Truck Advisory Board.

• A Small Business Motor Carrier/Trucker Safety Advisory Committee.

• A study of truck accidents.

As for the routes on planes, trains and ports, the project will also include an investment of $17.4 million for waterway and coastal waterway infrastructure, improvements in inland waterways, port infrastructure and land ports of entry. An additional $66 billion goes to freight and passenger railroads, including dedicated funding for Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor. Airports will receive $25 billion that will increase funding to improve runways, gates and taxiways, and multimodal connections.

The bill codifies a Trump-era executive order that set a two-year goal to complete the environmental review and permitting process for major projects. That faster timeline will allow states to better plan for both road maintenance and large infrastructure projects.

Gallagher John, (nov 6, 2021). Congress approves $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. American shipper.