Mineta Says Bush 'Opposed' to Higher Fuel Taxes

SAN ANTONIO – U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said Wednesday the Bush administration remained "very strongly opposed to any gas-tax hike."

Speaking here Wednesday at American Trucking Associations' general membership meeting to close its annual Management Conference & Exhibition, Mineta assured the crowd he would fight any efforts to "undermine the stimulative effect of the president's policies," such as a call by some lawmakers to increase taxes on motor fuels.

Mineta also said the new hours of service rules set to take effect early next year do "a pretty good job" of balancing the economic needs of drivers with the need to improve highway safety.

However, he said some alterations to the rules have already been made since they were announced earlier this year, and there was still some "fine-tuning to do."

Mineta said research was ongoing as to the benefits of electronic onboard recorders that would monitor hours of service, but no decision would be made without the consultation of the trucking industry and a study of the costs and benefits.

Mineta congratulated trucking industry on reaching its 100th anniversary and said it was "essential" for revitalizing the U.S. economy.

"When I hear the phrase 'get the economy moving,' the first image in my mind is a convoy of 18-wheelers leading the way," he said.

Mineta also praised the industry for the fifth-straight yearly decline in truck-related highway fatalities in 2002, but challenged the industry to continue taking steps to reduce deaths.

An important first step, he said, was encouraging all drivers to use their seat belts.