TORONTO, (Jan. 9, 2004) — Canada’s largest newspaper has given Railway Association of Canada President Bill Rowat a page in its Editorial section in which he lobbied to have truckers pay more for highways.

In an article published by the Toronto Star tiled “Let truckers pay more on highways,” Rowat said more cash from the trucking industry is what the province and the city of Toronto need to combat gridlock, adding that more should be done to support rail.

“Public investment in highways helps reduce the cost and improves the service of commercial road users,” he wrote. “By doing so, it induces traffic to shift from other modes contributing to increases in congestion and gridlock.”

He added the government should scale back it’s offering of the “free rider problem” to trucks, and advocated a “user pay” solution for some road users. Moreover, Rowat told readers truckers don’t pay their fair share of repairs for road damage caused by heavy-duty vehicles.

Rowat did not note, however, both truck carriers and passenger car operators pay a high percentage of fuel tax that the government should theoretically put towards roadways and highway systems. Nor did he mention the various load and weight restrictions, as well as spec’ing requirements imposed on trucks to limit road wear and tear.

The Ontario Trucking Association is preparing a response.