Choosing trucks over trains is becoming a thing of the past and for many years, vehicles and the trucking industry have failed to pay enough tax revenue to completely compensate for the damage that has been inflicted on America’s roads. More and more people are turning to the freight transportation network to cut down on the deficiencies found in the long haul trucking network. Continuing to invest in long haul trucking could spell disaster for the future of the American economy and it can lead to less of a reliable system moving forward. The real cost of choosing trucks over trains includes some of these effects.
Crowded Highways And Steeper Taxation
Choosing trucks for your freight option ensures a massive amount of congestion on highways and ongoing traffic delays. Lost productivity is costing the American economy roughly $160 billion each year and that doesn’t account for the wasted fuel and time.
Repairing the damage caused by trucks close to the overall weight limit could cost taxpayers at least $1.1 billion each year. With nearly 1500 bridges in America’s interstate system, remaining cost balances fall onto the taxpayer.
Allowing heavier trucks will leverage private investment over the nation’s infrastructure. Freight rail has had billions of dollars invested in it and the nation’s ports are designed to transfer intermodal containers from cargo ships to freight rather than onto trucks. Moving America’s freight by rail will help America to achieve its environmental policy goals like reducing fuel consumption and a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Choosing efficient freight options by rail with new locomotives reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 75% on average.
Investing in the future freight means choosing an option that is widely efficient and beneficial for the American economy. Choosing trains over trucks represents a more advantageous future for our economy, environment and for tax savings from the average citizen.
This post was written by Justin Tidd, Director at Swartz Engineering. For nearly a half a century, Swartz Engineering has been at the forefront of industry safety. They are a family-owned company specializing in power distribution for the electrical industry. They are the leading manufacturer of voltage transducers. Our design ensures maximum flexibility for excellent reliability and a high return on investment.
