U.S. Representative Martha Roby, (R-Montgomery), visited Four Star Freightliner’s Montgomery, Ala. location this week and met with the dealer principal, CFO and other staff members.
The group discussed opportunities for Alabama students which included Four Star’s efforts to bridge the gap between high school and the workforce by providing training and apprenticeship programs for students who are interested in the diesel technology field.
“It was such an honor to have Congresswoman Roby visit our business and interact with our employees,” says Jerry Kocan, dealer principal. “We were able to spotlight our employees and discuss issues that affect them and our business. She was very open and receptive. I believe we shared a common bond in our support of vocational and trade schools in Alabama.”
Also during the meeting, the Four Star team says it reviewed the effects of the 12 percent federal excise tax (FET) on the retail sale of most new heavy-duty trucks. This tax often adds as much as $22,000 to the price of a new heavy-duty truck. Truck dealers have been urging members of Congress to repeal this World War I era tax.
“She was very open, a great listener and asked very good questions,” Kocan says about Rep. Roby. “This visit gave us an opportunity to discuss our day-to-day challenges with an elected leader because I think these leaders want to serve the needs of their constituents. We need to do a better job of expressing our needs when we have opportunities to meet with them.”
