Truckers to US DOT: Busways Are Good for Us! - Streetsblog New York City

"The federal government has lost its trucking mind. So says the state's trucking industry trade group, which is demanding that the Federal Highway Administration abandon its objection to the 34th Street busway - a red flag speciously thrown up by Administrator Sean McMaster on the false premise that truckers would not be able to access the crosstown corridor because of the city Department of Transportation's plan to put down red paint."

""We support DOT's busway initiatives, including the 34th Street busway project, and believe they are an important tool to improve mobility and facilitate local deliveries," Gian Marco DeFilippis, a spokesperson for the Trucking Industry of New York told Streetsblog. "We remain hopeful that the city and federal government can resolve this matter in a way that keeps this important initiative to move forward." The statement will be welcome news for opponents of the federal government's baseless claims for sovereignty over the city's own streets, but the Trucking Industry of New York's attitude is not surprising."

"The plan for 34th Street will allow trucks drivers to drive the length of the corridor, like they can on almost every busway in the city (with the exception of the Archer Avenue and Fulton Street busways). To reduce the congestion that actually delays buses and crucial trucking, private vehicles and cabs that access the corridor will be required to make the first right turn to exit it. Supporters of the busway - i.e. people who are not using a time-tested transit-priority design to exact petty political revenge - know that restricting the amount of private cars on a street makes things easier for truck drivers to get around and find space at loading zones."

The Federal Highway Administration has objected to the 34th Street busway, citing concerns that truckers would be unable to access the corridor because of red paint markings. The Trucking Industry of New York demands that the FHWA abandon its objection and publicly supports the Department of Transportation's busway initiatives as tools to improve mobility and facilitate local deliveries. The 34th Street plan allows trucks to drive the corridor length, with private vehicles and cabs required to make the first right turn to exit. Restricting private cars is intended to reduce bus delays and help truck drivers find loading space. Federal legal claims challenging these measures have been characterized as baseless.

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