Asphalt Industry News December 2006

Americans Want Relief from Traffic Congestion
Voters support nearly $40 billion for transportation funding
Most voters asked at the ballot box November 7 whether they would support increasing their tax burden to fund transportation improvements overwhelmingly said "yes." In total, the measures would generate nearly $40 billion in new revenue for transportation infrastructure work, an American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) review finds.

Americans in 14 states voted on at least 30 transportation funding-related ballot initiatives in this year's election. Of the 30 ballot measures, 28 — or 93 percent — asked voters to initiate, extend or increase taxes, or approve bonds to fund transportation improvements. Twenty-three — 77 percent of the bond and tax measures — were approved. On average, voters approved the winning measures by 66 percent.

This included five state initiatives that were all approved. In California, voters approved a bond issue of up to $19.9 billion for transportation improvements and told state officials in a separate measure to stop diverting the state sales tax on motor vehicle fuels for non-transportation purposes.

In Minnesota, a new constitutional amendment will dedicate all of the sales tax from car and truck sales to highway and transit investment, which should generate $300 million each year. Voters in New Jersey increased the portion of the existing state gas tax that is dedicated to transportation, which is expected to generate an additional $78 million annually.

Local measures included eight initiatives to extend or renew an existing sales tax for transportation purposes (all eight were approved), 12 new taxes for transportation (eight approved, four were defeated) and two increases in existing sales or property taxes (both approved). A highway bond initiative, in Stafford, VA, was defeated. Spokane County, WA, had two advisory questions on transit funding. In both cases, voters defeated the proposals.

A summary of these and other transportation measures decided November 7 can be found online at www.artba.org./ballot.

Deere Marks 50th Anniversary
Construction & Forestry Division created in fall 1956
It was 50 years ago when John Deere created its Industrial Equipment Division to provide a springboard for the company to enter the construction and forestry market. Today, the John Deere Construction & Forestry Division — so named in 2000 — distributes its construction, forestry and worksite products through a network of more than 1,300 dealer locations worldwide.

In 1956, company leaders saw an opportunity for the company's products to be adapted to the construction and forestry market.

"Fifty years later, the Construction & Forestry Division serves customers all over the world, with sales of nearly $6 billion," Bob Brock, senior vice president of sales and marketing, says. "And our construction equipment performs a full range of earthmoving and material handling work."

Ingersoll Rand Offers Reman Solutions
Program designed to reduce machine downtime
The Ingersoll Rand Reman Solutions program offers contractors cost-saving benefits and reduced machine downtime with remanufactured and warranty-backed paver and compactor replacement components. The Reman Solutions program covers motors, hydraulic pumps, torque hubs, starters and alternators.

These components are engineered and rebuilt through the program to provide the same or better power and functionality than the originals. Each component has a list of parts that are replaced 100 percent of the time, regardless of their condition. Ingersoll Rand Reman Solutions rigorously tests other parts used to remanufacture components to ensure the highest quality.

Ingersoll Rand backs Reman Solutions components with a one-year full parts warranty that includes labor when installed by a certified Ingersoll Rand technician.

There is no need for excessive machine downtime while components are being rebuilt. Ingersoll Rand keeps a large quantity of remanufactured components in stock for off-the-shelf availability.