Trucking PACs Lag Air, Lead Rail

Related Stories Key trucking legislators are re-elected. ATA's TruckPac raised and spent more money this election than in previous years. A list of TruckPac's top contributors. (Note: To return to this story, click the "Back" button on your browser.)

Trucking was the 35th largest industry and interest group contributor to congressional and Senate campaigns and political parties in last week’s election, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Trucking company political action committees and employees of trucking companies contributed $4,448,870 to candidates for the U.S. House and Senate and the two major political parties, according to records on file at the FEC as of Oct. 1. The records were analyzed by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, which advocates campaign finance reform.

Trucking ranked just beneath PACs run by the leadership of the House and Senate, according to the center. With $5,940,634 in contributions, air transport ranked 19th in the center’s analysis. Railroads ranked 48th, with $3,078,372 in contributions, and the maritime industry ranked 60th, with $1,807,167 in contributions. Transportation unions ranked 14th, with $9,114,729 in contributions.

The trucking contributions are skewed somewhat because of the massive contributions given by United Parcel Service and Federal Express Corp., both of which are traditionally among the largest donors to political campaigns.

UPS was the 12th largest overall contributor to campaigns and political parties through its PAC, giving $1,558,181, as of Oct. 1. FedEx ranked 30th, giving $1,205,216.

When those PACs are removed from consideration, trucking ranked 62nd among industry and interest group contributors.

Trucking interests were the top freight transportation contributors to candidates for the U.S. House and Senate, according to the center. PACs affiliated with trucking companies and trucking trade groups contributed $2,530,793.

Air transport interests contributed $1,855,741 to candidates for federal office, according to the analysis. Railroads and related industries contributed $1,558,282, and maritime interests gave $899,790 to candidates.

With $1,791,147 in contributions reported as of Oct. 1, UPS PAC was the 13th largest donor to House and Senate candidates in the 1998 elections. Federal Express Corp. ranked 36th, giving $948,000.

ATA’s TruckPac contributed $245,501 to candidates in the 21 months ending Sept. 30, while the affiliated Truckload Carriers Association PAC contributed $8,350 and the National Tank Truck Carriers PAC gave $8,250.