Edward Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades department (TTD – AFL-CIO) of which TCU is a member, testified before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I). The subject of the April 24th panel was “Overview of the United States Freight Transportation System.”
President Wytkind stated, “Without transportation workers, goods would travel only as far as consumers would be willing to drive, exports would never arrive at or leave our docks, and raw materials needed by our manufacturing sector would never be received. As a result, the abundance of choices available to today’s American consumers and businesses would dwindle, jobs would be slashed and our nation’s presence as the leading force on the global field would vanish.”
“The national discussion about the state of our freight transportation system isn’t just another transportation policy debate; it’s about providing American businesses the infrastructure they need to distribute their products to the rest of the world and ensuring the U.S. remains a dominant force in the global marketplace.”
“Freight transportation workers helped move an estimated 12.5 billion tons of freight valued at more than $11.6 billion in 2007. Compared to 10 years prior, this data reflect an increase of 13% in freight weight and 68% in freight value. Notably, the Department of Transportation projected that our national freight tonnage will increase almost 70% by 2020 with some freight gateways experiencing a tripling of freight volumes. This projected growth in freight volume will require leadership in Washington if we’re serious about making sure our infrastructure can keep pace. “
Click here to read the full written statement of TTD President Wytkind’s testimony before the House T&I Committee.
