Trucking industry group spent $418K lobbying in 1Q

The American Trucking Associations lobbied on climate change, air pollution, hazardous materials, fuel efficiency, labor, safety and border security issues, according to an April 28 filing with the House clerk's office.

Members of the Arlington, Va.-based group include United Parcel Service Inc., FedEx Corp., JB Hunt Transport Services Inc. and YRC Worldwide.

The ATA has said the nation's 3.5 million truck drivers are on pace to spend a record amount on diesel fuel this year, as oil prices continue to surge.

The trade group, which spent more than $1.9 million lobbying last year, won a key victory in December when federal regulators maintained existing limits on drivers' hours, rather than endorsing a court order sought by consumer advocates that would have required one less hour behind the wheel each day.

Besides Congress, the trade group lobbied the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Labor and Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, Internal Revenue Service and the White House in the first three months of the year.