Trucking, contractors and pilots testify in support of MDT funding and services
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Summary
Three industry groups — the Montana Trucking Association, Montana Contractors Association and Montana Pilots Association — testified before the Appropriations Committee, asking the legislature to maintain support for MDT operations and to consider efficiency and funding continuity as federal grant spending grows.
Three industry groups delivered public testimony during the Appropriations Committee (Section C) meeting as the committee reviewed the Montana Department of Transportation’s budget.
Duane Williams, executive director of the Montana Trucking Association, told the committee trucking pays a substantial share of road‑related taxes and asked the legislature to prioritize efficient disbursement and well‑maintained, plowed roads. “The trucking industry itself, pays 40% of the taxes for our roads,” Williams said, and he emphasized drivers’ reliance on updated travel information systems and safe parking at rest areas.
David Smith, executive director of the Montana Contractors Association, described the contractor workforce and federal wage rules. Smith said projects using federal funds are paid under Davis‑Bacon prevailing wage requirements and noted that construction wages in Montana “are about 30% more than the average.” He also cited supply‑chain and material constraints, particularly gravel permitting and availability, and recalled contractor deployments after the Yellowstone floods as an example of industry support for MDT recovery work.
Tim Robertson, president of the Montana Pilots Association, told the panel aviation is vital statewide for travel, firefighting, agricultural services and tourism and commended MDT’s Aeronautics Division as “responsive, efficient, well‑oiled,” urging continued support for aeronautics programs.
Why it matters: The witnesses highlighted user groups that depend on MDT operations—from snow removal to rest‑area parking and aviation services—and asked the committee to consider operational efficiency and continued funding continuity as the department manages an increased federal aid program and tight state match resources.
The committee did not take formal action on the public comments; they were entered for the record and considered alongside the fiscal presentations later in the hearing.