Brooklyn Borough President Howard Golden's office framed the debate by demanding that "the existing truck route network needs to be adjusted to recognize altered travel patterns, an increase in truck traffic and traffic congestion, stricter traffic safety requirements and conflicts with communities over inappropriate utilization of local streets."

New York City Council Speaker Peter Vallone called for the contract's need "to place more emphasis on 'quality of life' issues…including the danger posed to our children who could be injured by passing trucks."

Council Member Able from Queens added, "it greatly concerns me that the emphasis for the contractor is to be placed on increasing the efficiency of freight operations rather than on how truck routes can be designed to lessen the negative impact on neighborhoods."

Most speakers including Council Members Espada, Freed and Miller also pointed to the need for better enforcement. As Council Member Golden from Brooklyn put it, "the present methods of enforcing truck routes are deficient. We can keep trucks off residential street through aggressive enforcement of traffic regulations, better signage, and the use of traffic calming devices." Senator Gentile and Assembly Members Millman and Stringer, pointed to the need to broaden the study to decrease the numbers of trucks in the city.

Only the prospective contractor spoke in favor of the contract as it now stands.

NYC DOT's proposed $600,000 contract, funded through a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant, primarily focuses on moving trucks "more efficiently" through the city and ignores quality of life, health, and safety issues (see MTR #215).