ACD Press Release

Arlington, VA
February 27, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Matthew McKinney
(703) 527-6223 x3074
mmckinney@nacd.com

NACD Applauds Introduction of DRIVE Safe Act

Arlington, VA – Today, National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) President Eric R. Byer issued the following statement regarding the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate introduction of the Develop Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy (DRIVE) Safe Act.

“The U.S. is undergoing a severe truck driver shortage that is threatening to grind interstate commerce to a halt. It’s a well-known fact that our economy is short tens of thousands of truckers, and that number is set to worsen to 175,000 by 2026. If this shortage is not addressed, we will continue to see increased costs for carriers, shippers, and the businesses like chemical distributors that rely on them, as well as higher prices for consumers. The DRIVE Safe Act can help address this problem by lowering the interstate commercial driving age to 18, opening jobs to a new segment of the workforce while strengthening safety training programs.

“NACD applauds Rep. Trey Hollingsworth (R-IN), Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), and Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) for recognizing the importance of finding solutions to this crisis by introducing the DRIVE Safe Act in their respective chambers. We urge the House and Senate to move quickly in passing the DRIVE Safe Act to ensure our nation’s trucking workforce is able to effectively and efficiently conduct commerce across the country.”

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NACD and its over 440 member companies are vital to the chemical supply chain providing products to over 750,000 end users. NACD members are leaders in health, safety, security, and environmental performance through implementation of Responsible Distribution, established in 1991 as a condition of membership and a third-party verified management practice. For more information, visit www.NACD.com.