A bill has been introduced in the Missouri senate that would raise truck license fees by $10 and would transfer money from the highway trust fund to the Department of Natural Resources for hazardous waste clean-up.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Assn, which opposes the bill, says highway fees should go to highways and that, considering the high cost of fuel, any truck tax increases at this time would be a hardship for the industry. OOIDA also points out that the state already gets $250 of the current $300 federal haz-mat registration fee.
But the bill's sponsor, Democrat Joe Maxwell, says more is needed. Maxwell, who is running for Lt. Governor, claims that spilled fuel becomes hazardous waste when a tractor trailer has an accident and the fuel tank ruptures.
OOIDA is asking Missouri truckers to call their state representatives and ask them to vote no on Senate bill 1064. They're also urged to voice their opinions to Maxwell. His office number is (573) 751-4200.