Off-Road Additions: Crop Insurance, Tandem Towing, Ex-Im Bank

The FAST Act is focused on improving the surfaces upon which we travel, but the bill included a few things beyond roads and bridges of note to the industry.

The law restores a $3 billion cut to the federal crop insurance program, which had been part of last year's farm bill but was cut in November’s bipartisan budget agreement. The restoration of the funds provides $3 billion over 10 years for the $9 billion-a-year crop insurance program.

The FAST Act also permits the tandem towing of light- and medium-duty trailers from manufacturers to dealers throughout the U.S., which was a priority for the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers. The tandem combinations will be subject to existing size and weight restrictions.

And, the highway funding bill reauthorizes the Export-Import Bank of the United States for five years. Lawmakers allowed the banks charter to expire in June, a move which critics said put the United States at a disadvantage in export markets.

The Ex-Im Bank helps overseas customers of U.S. companies finance purchases with loans and credit guarantees.

The bloated nature of the bill led some lawmakers who otherwise may have supported the surface transportation funding to vote “no.” S