The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association‘s (NSSGA) five-month “Floor It!” grasstops / grassroots campaign kicks into high gear with our first “Jam The Switchboards” day, scheduled for Tue., Nov. 15 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. EST.
The organization is urging everyone to use NSSGA’s Washington Action Hotline at (866) 255-3207 to call the U.S. Capitol switchboard during that time frame.
NSSGA has sample script and talking points for callers (below). The script provides the information to lay out the needs of the system to members of Congress and their staff during the calls
JAM THE SWITCHBOARDS CALL SCRIPT from NSSGA:
Good afternoon. My name is _____________ and I work for ______________ in Senator___________’s state / Congressman _____________’s district. Is the Senator / Congressman available or is there someone else that I can speak to on transportation issues?
Thank you.
I’m calling to express my support for congressional passage of a new multi-year highway bill with at least level funding. The Senate EPW Committee passed a bipartisan bill 18-0 last week and House Republicans are preparing to release a bill of their own.
Holiday travel season will be underway starting next week and our roads will be more congested than ever. Today, Americans travel nearly 3 trillion miles on our nation’s roads and highways each year. Traffic congestion is costing all of us $101 billion a year in wasted time and fuel costs and we lose 34 hours each year due to traffic congestion!
Not only that, The Road Information Program reports 32 percent of America’s major roads are in poor or mediocre condition and deteriorating road conditions are costing each driver $324 a year in repairs and operating costs!
At the holiday season the importance of transportation to our way of life becomes starker and the needs clearer. Please support passage of a multi-year highway bill that continues current funding at a minimum.
Thank you for your time. I appreciate you listening to me.
JAM THE SWITCHBOARDS TALKING POINTS
NOVEMBER – KNOWING THE NEEDS
- The holiday travel season is underway and our roadways will be even more congested as Americans make their way to their destinations.
- Americans travel approximately 3 trillion miles annually on our nation’s roads and highways.
- Forty-four percent of America’s major urban highways are congested.
- Traffic congestion costs American motorists $101 billion a year in wasted time and fuel costs.
- The average U.S. commuter loses 34 hours each year due to traffic congestion.
- Thirty-two percent of America’s major roads are in poor or mediocre condition.
Driving on roads in need of repair costs U.S. motorists $67 billion a year in extra vehicle repairs and operating costs – $324 per motorist.
The Federal Highway Administration estimates that each dollar spent on road, highway and bridge improvements results in an average benefit of $5.20 in the form of reduced vehicle maintenance costs, reduced delays, reduced fuel consumption, improved safety, reduced road and bridge maintenance costs and reduced emissions as a result of improved traffic flow.
