The Owner-Operator  Independent Drivers Assn. is asking truckers in North Carolina to speak out  against a plan by the state DOT to rebuild Interstate 95 and convert it into a  toll road. The plan will cost billions and be done in phases, according to a Land Line report.

OOIDA leadership is urging members to let officials know  truckers and their customers reject double taxation on I-95. Truckers can make  their opinion known to officials at a series of public meetings scheduled in  February.

“This is going to have a bottom-line impact on their way of  life with the addition of tolls,” said Ryan Bowley, OOIDA director of  legislative affairs. “Obviously the DOT is going to cater these meetings for  residents of North Carolina, but even if you’re an out-of-state trucker and  you’re in the area of where these meetings are taking place, try to go to one.”

A limited number of Interstates can become toll roads  through pilot programs administered by the Federal  Highway Administration and the North Carolina Dept. of Transportation is  attempting to obtain one of the slots in the tolling program, according to  OOIDA.

The state plans to widen and reconstruct I-95 in phases  using all-electronic toll collection to pay for the road work. The toll plan  includes an option that would take photos of license plates and issue invoices  by mail to vehicle owners.

Pointing out that truckers pay their fair share to use  federal Interstates — trucking accounts for 30-40% of the federal Highway Trust  Fund — Browley said it’s unfair to the ask them to pay more in tolls.

“I think it’s important that officials understand that their  decision to toll an Interstate doesn’t just affect that state alone. It’s  called an Interstate for a reason,” Bowley said. “If the federal government,  when they first implemented the system, wanted that system of roads, they would  have set it up that way. But they didn’t. They set it up to be funded by the  fuel tax.”

NCDOT has scheduled seven public  meetings to discuss the plan. Each of the  meetings is from 4 to 7 p.m.:

• Tuesday, Feb. 7 at Robeson Community College, BB&T  Room of the Workforce Development Center Building No. 1, 5160 N. Fayetteville  Road, Lumberton.

• Monday, Feb. 13 at Halifax Community College, Centre  Gallery, 200 College Drive, Weldon.

• Thursday, Feb. 16 at City of Rocky Mount, Imperial Centre  Studio Theatre, 270 Gay Street, Rocky Mount.

• Monday, Feb. 20 at Johnston Community College, Paul A.  Johnston Auditorium Lobby, 245 College Road, Smithfield.

• Tuesday, Feb. 21 at Bill Ellis Convention Center, 2904  Forest Hills Road, Wilson.

• Thursday, Feb. 23 at Dunn Community Center, 205 Jackson  Road, Dunn.

• Monday, Feb. 27 at Double Tree by Hilton  Hotel–Fayetteville, Grand Ballroom, 1965 Cedar Creek Road, Fayetteville.

OOIDA warns that North Carolina isn’t the only state talking  about tolls on I-95. Virginia has won preliminary  approval from the Federal Highway Administration to rebuild its portion of  I-95 using tolls and states in the corridor have also expressed interest.

“If the next highway bill opens up additional slots within  the tolling program, we’re going to see all the I-95 states trying to get in on  it,” Bowley says.

“If I-95 is so important to the economy, which it is, then  why hasn’t it been a priority before now?” Bowley asks. “The only time it seems  they make it a priority is when there’s an opportunity to take money out of  truckers’ pockets. Truckers should not have to pay for decades of mismanagement  by state DOTs.”

Bowley also recommends that truckers making pickups or  deliveries in North Carolina should share their toll concerns with their  customers.

“Make sure you talk about this and how it will affect their  businesses,” he said.