Transportation infrastructure is the lifeblood of our economy. Unfortunately, that lifeblood has been ignored over recent years and has been allowed to become anemic, threatening the veins and arteries that feed our very economy. As Infrastructure Week kicks off in earnest next week, we are reminded of how important our roads, bridges, airports, and seaports are to growing the US economy and ensuring we continue being a global economic powerhouse.
As small businesses that rely on infrastructure every day to transport their products, chemical distributors are uniquely tied to our nation’s transportation system. According to NACD’s most recent Membership & Safety Report, when it comes to transporting products by road alone, each year our member companies:
And that’s not even the whole story. Forty percent of our member companies receive product by rail and numerous others import and export products in cargo ships. Having a reliable network of transportation options is a vital component of chemical distribution, since our chemical distributor members operate in 1,900 facilities across all 50 states.
Yet, despite chemical distributors’ $30 billion contribution to the economy, for years investing in our nation’s infrastructure to make their business not only possible but also efficient and competitive has taken a back seat to other federal initiatives. According to a recent analysis by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), America’s infrastructure report card comes in at a D+, with traffic delays costing more than $160 billion in wasted time and fuel. In fact, drivers spent almost 7 billion hours in traffic delays in 2014 alone according to ASCE.
Across the board, it’s clear from the report that America’s infrastructure is failing. ASCE gives hazardous waste infrastructure a D+, energy infrastructure a D+, ports a C+, roads a D, and wastewater infrastructure a D+. With such a broad swath of American infrastructure in dire straits, we must commit ourselves to rebuilding these networks if we want to have a 21st century economy. That’s even more true when you consider that China has invested $11 trillion in its infrastructure over the last decade.
Fortunately, President Trump has indicated his desire for shoring up the transportation networks that make our economy competitive. As his team works with Congress on a cornucopia of other issues, including tax reform legislation and the FY 2018 appropriations process, his administration must focus on desperately needed improvements to the U.S. transportation and infrastructure system. Without this significant investment, the products NACD’s members and others deliver could end up being delayed, and worse yet, jeopardize the safety of our drivers when making these shipments. That should be unacceptable to all Americans. It’s time to act now before this country’s D+ turns into an F.