One of the big challenges to the trucking industry is a plan here in Pennsylvania to charge tolls on some of the bridges throughout the state.
Joe Butzer, Interim President of the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association, says if this plan goes through, the average commuter could end up paying $1,000 a year to cross one bridge.
The money raised by the tolls would reimburse PennDOT which would pay private contractors to repair and maintain bridges for 20 to 30 years.
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He tells Larry and Kevin on the Newsradio KDKA morning show that it would have even a greater effect on the trucking companies.
"We can't pass along the cost of the toll to our customers directly, so basically the trucking companies would have to eat that cost. One bridge tolled that we have to cross would probably cost one truck $5,000 a year," he said.
Butzer is urging Pennsylvanians to contact their legislators and tell them not to pass this plan.
He said the bridge toll plan is a result of a loophole in a 2012 law called Act 88.
The collection of the tolls would be run through the Pennsylvania Turnpike E-ZPass system.
Butzer said he's worried that this toll, along with other fees and costs associated with operating in Pennsylvania, could put many trucking companies out of business.
Currently, the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association represents more than 32,000 trucking companies in the state, over 1,700 of which are in Allegheny County.
A list of bridges that could end up being tolled is expected to be released later this month.