The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) welcomes possible fuel tax relief and plans to ease road congestion by various transit measures recently promised by Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford on the campaign trail.

OTA has confirmed with the Ford team the fuel tax announcement includes diesel fuel.

“The impact of road congestion and the cost of diesel fuel have significant impacts on the operating costs of the trucking industry in Ontario,” said OTA president Stephen Laskowski. “We will support any plan that lowers our costs, increases our mobility across the province and lowers our taxes,” said Laskowski.

Fuel is typically the second leading cost behind labour. Historically, OTA has called for the dedication of fuel taxes going towards increasing the mobility of commercial vehicles in the province of Ontario.

According to a 2006 Metrolinx study, the cost to the Ontario economy as a result of lost productivity due to congestion, measured in the form of GDP, will be over $7 billion by 2031.