Opinion: Why Illinois Truckers Celebrate New Capital Program

SPRINGFIELD -- Much of the focus from the legislative session is on our finances. We'll be paying more at the gas pump and in other taxes and fees moving forward.

But for Illinois truckers, a gas tax increase is good news because of two important changes Illinois legislators made this year. Read more from the Illinois Trucking Association in this letter:

A whirlwind end to a historic legislative session has resulted in two important pieces of good news for Illinois trucking companies: a new capital bill to fix our infrastructure, and the end of a misguided truck fee that only added to the work we have to do to address our roads and bridges.

We give tremendous credit and a hearty thank you to a bipartisan group of legislators and Gov. Pritzker for their leadership in approving a new capital bill that will make the first major investment in fixing our transportation system in 10 years.

Our trucks drive every day over broken and crumbling concrete and asphalt and are stuck in congested traffic. With Illinois a national leader in transporting good and services around the country and the world, often by truck, the billions of dollars we will spend over the next six years under this plan will save us tremendous costs.

Included in the capital bill is a repeal of the Commercial Distribution Fee, created in 2004 as a hidden sales tax on truck license plates. The CDF adds as much as $400 to the cost of a semi-truck license plate and has cost the industry nearly $1 billion since it was implemented. Worse, the money is swept into the General Revenue Fund, not used for infrastructure.

No one likes higher fuel prices, but we strongly support this plan that ensures we are investing in our infrastructure through protected funds and repealing the CDF. Illinois’ economy moves ahead with trucks, and we can roll on with this help from Springfield.

Matt Hart

Executive Director

Illinois Trucking Association

Springfield