Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/778830
PULSE February 2017 | Overdrive | 7 By Max Heine Editorial director mheine@randallreilly.com you can find unrestored trucks, fully restored trucks from the 1930s to the '80s and everything in between, well over 300 trucks annually. In the case of these famed trucks from the 1970s, as time slipped away, so did each of them. Countless dollars and hours were spent tracking down, securing and re-cre- ating whatever it took to resurrect these rigs. Previous "Duel" Peterbilt owners Neil Lossaso and Dan Bruno, current owner Wike (also owner of the Bandit KW, the only repli- ca in the Hollywood Hill bunch), previous "Movin' On'" Kenworth owner Ker- ry Hoberg, current owners Paul and Craig Sagehorn (also owners of the "B.J. and the Bear" Kenworth) and newest club mem- ber Anthony Fox with the "Convoy" Mack all have played a part in preserving these trucks. They've en- sured that those of us who remember their debuts, as well as succeeding genera- tions, will be able to admire each truck for years. These trucks were introduced as virtually anonymous Hollywood props, but they now are all iconic. One of the anomalies about President Trump is that he doesn't clearly stand for Big Gov- ernment or Small Government. Like a good Republican, he appears to fall mostly in the Small camp, evidenced by his executive orders to put new regulations on hold and begin the overhaul of Obamacare. But some signs, especially his campaign remarks, point the other way: calls for massive deficit spending, expanded tax benefits for maternity leave and child care, and forcing colleges to make tuition cheaper. There's plenty more, too, which brings us to his promise to spend $1 trillion over 10 years on infrastructure. Federal spending this heavy is hardly a GOP trademark, even if sweetened with major job creation. Elaine Chao, expected to become transpor- tation secretary, has echoed the president in calling for increased public-private partnerships for an infrastructure boom. That would include tolling and possibly tax breaks. Such practices have had mixed receptions among both liberals and conservatives, partly because of the awk- ward dance created for the public and private partners. Predating Trump's arrival is another matter that meshes public and private involvement. That's the Federal Highway Administration's request for comments on whether states should be allowed to expand commercial activities at rest areas. This would make way for things such as produce sales or additional vending machines. The truck stop trade group NATSO opposes the idea because it would "undercut high- way-based businesses." While government doesn't need to meddle in markets best served by private enterprise, there's a bigger issue here. That's parking. The share of truck parking places provided by rest areas has been shrinking steadily for years. It's essential to at least preserve remain- ing rest stops by letting them generate a little profit and, most importantly, making them as welcoming as possible with basic services, including food. Another commonality in parking availability and highway spending is scarci- ty. NATSO members continue to add parking spaces, but the inventory never catches up with demand. The shortage is so severe that some major truck stop chains now sell parking reservations. Likewise, highway capacity and maintenance haven't risen proportionately with traffic. The cents-per-gallon-based federal fuels tax, set in 1993, hasn't kept up with inflation or increases in fuel efficiency. That's led to Highway Trust Fund annual deficits of $15 billion or more. Improving rest stops is a fine, simple idea. The future of interstate highway funding is far more complex. Early discussion of Trump's infrastructure plans often noted that "he likes to build things." Let's hope that however he, Chao and Con- gress choose to build out our infrastructure, it doesn't finan- cially punish the industry that already pays more than its share to support roads and bridges. Care to dance? Improvements to the Interstate Highway System, including more services at rest stops, likely will entail the public and private sectors working more closely together. Scan the QR code to catch Mariani's "Smoke and Mirrors" short video about the first-time gathering of the trucks, or search "Hollywood Hill" at OverdriveOnline. com. Posters featuring these rigs can be found at Mariani's Smoke and Mirrors TV website: SmokeandMirrorsTV.storenvy.com.