In The News
Arkansas Gov. Hutchinson lauds trucking for leadership in safety, security, economy
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — It wouldn't be a stretch to call Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson a trucking-oriented governor. If you don't count a side note about playing pick-up basketball with some of Cuba's national basketball team during a recent trip there, Hutchinson confined all his comments to trucking, displaying both support and knowledge of the industry here Wednesday in a speech at the American Trucking Associations' Safety, Security and Human Resources National Conference and Exhibition.
The first Undersecretary of Homeland Security and the 46th governor of Arkansas, Hutchinson noted that Arkansas is home to J.B. Hunt Transport Services, ArcBest, PAM Transport, USA Truck, Maverick and other large carriers as well as 4,800 small trucking companies.
One in 11 jobs in Arkansas are in trucking, he noted, adding that trucking provides Arkansans $3.5 million in yearly wages and generates $448 million in fuel taxes annually.
He applauded ATA and member carriers for supporting hair follicle testing as an adjunct to urine tests and told a story about his son, the manager of a sporting goods store, who has had prospective employees certain they would pass a urine drug test but when told they would have to undergo a hair follicle test, walk out the door, and he noted that Arkansas legislators were instrumental in introducing legislation for follicle testing in the trucking industry.
Hutchinson also thanked truckers and trucking for their leadership in security, safety and the economy, calling them "valuable partners," adding that he is dedicated to increasing job skills training for truck drivers in the state and also enhancing education for diesel mechanics, which he said are also in short supply in trucking.
In his work in the private sector as a consultant on Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) credentials, Hutchinson said he learned that the carrier CEO "sets the pattern for security," and that has to be followed up with policy, training and auditing of a security system to make it work.
Hutchinson said he has a keen interest in what transpires on Capitol Hill with the highway bill, and that traditionally in the state, diesel and fuel taxes create a limited source of income to fund bridge and road projects and that general revenue sources are safer, adding that he is working with trucking interests in the state to come up with a winning formula for obtaining highway revenues and that the answer must be a tax that can grow with the economy, not stay stagnant.
Under new leadership of Paul Ryan as House speaker, Hutchinson said he is "much more optimistic" there will finally be a highway bill that will give states not only increased federal funding but "certainty" they'll be available.
Hutchinson noted that Arkansas is leading the nation in teaching computer coding (the language of computers), making the instruction mandatory in schools, and even tied that to trucking since "trucking is sophisticated as it gets" and will need computer programmers.
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