Business View Magazine | February 2021

25 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2021 “From formation, it has predominantly represented firms that do transport infrastructure work, or horizontal work, as we say in the industry,” says Prasad, referring to roads, bridges, runways, and some aspects of transit and rail work. FTBA’s membership includes contractors, suppliers, engineers, and even lawyers who participate in the transportation building industry. This wide membership range, which currently stands at 475 members, incorporates anyone involved in the transportation construction industry, with the FTBA acting as an umbrella organization for the various professions represented. The association’s historical mandate of championing road builders’ interests remains unchanged even after 85 years of existence. Today, that mandate is embodied in four summarized components: to connect, support, promote, and explore the transportation construction industry in Florida. In keeping with its core mandate, the association participates in intense lobbying at a state and federal level for issues raised by its members, with funding receiving the most attention. “Where we fit in is as an association is influencing policymakers – the governor and the legislators and other elected officials, to create a vision of what the infrastructure in Florida needs to look like,” explains Prasad. “We then educate and convince them that there’s a certain level of funding that needs to be allocated to transportation to realize that vision.” This lobbying is carried out further afield at a federal level in conjunction with the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, the ARTBA, for which the FTBA acts as a Florida chapter. However, despite lobbying at a federal level, the FTBA has seen more success at a state level. “And this is true not only for Florida but Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and other states,” says Prasad. “Left to themselves (by the federal government), states are proving more successful at the local level in raising revenue to keep their infrastructure updated.” FLOR IDA TRANSPORTAT ION BUI LDERS ’ ASSOC I AT ION President, Ananth Prasad