Multiple Pennsylvania bills are intended to provide economic relief for certain truck drivers.
One Pennsylvania state lawmaker is once again pursuing a rule to provide relief for trucks serving ports in the state.
Sen. Christine Tartaglione, D-Philadelphia, has reintroduced a bill that would reimburse Pennsylvania-based truck drivers for tolls incurred when transporting goods to and from port facilities in the state along the Turnpike.
Data previously provided by legislators showed an analysis by the Port of Philadelphia that shippers using the Port of New York/New Jersey achieved an annual cost savings of $167,000 compared to Philadelphia. Shippers save $500,000 annually using the Port of Baltimore.
“Due to tolls on the Pennsylvania Turnpike – and the lack of tolls on highways like I-80 and I-83 – our port facilities are losing market share to New York, New Jersey and Baltimore,” Tartaglione wrote in a bill memo. “As a result, Pennsylvania and its taxpayers are essentially subsidizing the ports of Baltimore and New York/New Jersey.”
She added that “companies need to use PhilaPort but are having to pay hundreds of dollars in tolls each run to and from the port.”
Tartaglione said that losses in activity or increases in costs each translate to a negative impact on the state’s businesses, the people who work there and the communities they support.
The statehouse pursuit marks the fourth time in as many sessions that Tartaglione has introduced legislation to address truck driver tolls. Each of the previous attempts failed to advance from committee.
This year’s bill, SB379, is in the Senate Transportation Committee.
House Bill 260
One House bill would increase the reimbursement amount truck drivers can receive for undyed diesel used in reefer units.
Pennsylvania now allows a person to be reimbursed on any purchase for reefers up to 75 gallons.
Sponsored by Rep. Russ Diamond, R-Lebanon, HB260 would increase the maximum reimbursement allowed for tax paid on undyed diesel used in affected trucks from 75 gallons to 100 gallons.
Diamond said the change would give full access to the reimbursement for truck drivers who have reefer fuel tanks with a capacity exceeding 75 gallons.
“This legislation will ease the burden on truckers who haul refrigerated goods across the Commonwealth,” Diamond wrote.
The bill is in the House Transportation Committee. LL
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