Sixty-eight transportation associations signed a letter to the Senate opposing the use of tolls on the U.S. Interstate Highway System in the Senate's version of the Surface Transportation Bill (S. 1813).


In addition to associations from all 50 states, organizations that signed include the Truckload Carriers Association, American Trucking Associations, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, National Private Truck Council, the truckstop group Natso and National Tank Truck Carriers.

Shippers, broker, automotive and enforcement interests also signed the letter, which urges the Senate to vote against the bill.

"Tolling existing Interstates is extremely inefficient," reads the letter. "Even using the most advanced technology, toll collection costs are at least five times higher than the cost of collecting a state fuel tax and in many cases, more than 20 cents out of each dollar of a toll collected is used simply to administer the toll."

The letter also states that tolls could either drive motor carriers to use less-safe secondary roads or put them out of business entirely.

"Keep in mind," the letter says, "that tolls distort the cost of moving freight generally, which has an adverse effect on all Americans, whether or not the toll was paid in their state.

Read read the full letter and list of signatures here.