The Associated Equipment Distributors and Association of Equipment Manufacturers held a rally last week at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio as part of its Start Us Up USA campaign, seeking a renewal of federal highway funding.
Current AED chairman Bennett Closner, president and CEO of San Antonio-Closner Equipment Co. said Texas has lost more than $11 billion in economic activity because of the equipment industry downturn since 2006, the biggest loss of any state. Texas has lost more than 53,000 construction equipment-related jobs in the past three years
The two organizations have held rallies in several cities to urge Congress to increase the country’s investment in infrastructure. The most recent federal surface transportation law expired in September. While still operating under extensions, Congress has yet to pass a reauthorization bill.
