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Gridlock in Washington, D.C., is increasingly creating gridlock on our highways. Failure to invest responsibly in infrastructure has led to higher costs for everyone — from trucking companies to consumers.

I recently gave a presentation on why trucking companies should improve driver health, and how to do it.

Moving America forward. Designed to move a nation. These aren’t just slogans — they’re mission statements for two industries that are critical pieces of the U.S. economy.

Driving trucks is more a lifestyle than a job, and it’s not for everyone. Drivers often work in the small hours of the night, live on the road for weeks at a time in cramped quarters and pilot big rigs through city streets in maneuvers roughly equivalent to steering the Queen Elizabeth 2 up a creek.

As today’s trucking leaders look closely at new policies aimed at developing higher minimum fuel standards for medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks, we also recognize opportunities for bringing consumer costs under control and strengthening the economy while reducing dependence on foreign oil, lowering carbon emissions and minimizing business costs.

In legal proceedings, we often hear about the burden of proof — implying that facts and data are weighty things that can hold a person down.

In trucking, safety means everything. Yet, when we talk about safety, our attention focuses on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability program scores, historical accident data and compliance standards. These elements, while important, do little to improve safety in the here and now.

By now, you’re well aware of President Obama’s announcement that he will direct the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation to set the next — i.e., the post-2018 — round of medium- and heavy-truck fuel economy and emissions standards.

It’s the age-old question, “What do you do for a living?” Throughout our lives, we’ve spoken with countless professional truck drivers who tell us their responses are met with scorn, disdain and lack of respect.