With the economy providing an almost perfect blueprint for growth with low inflation, falling interest rates and near full employment, the big stories in 1998 revolved around litigation, union activities and the future of the trucking industry’s most important lobbying organization.

Members of American Trucking Associations adopted a historic plan to restructure and revitalize the 65-year-old federation. Walter B. McCormick Jr., president of the association, said he will implement members’ vision of a leaner, more responsive organization that “speaks with one voice” on critical policy issues.

Congress adopted a transportation bill that spends more on roads than ever before while opening the door to tolls on some Interstate highways.

A proposal to transfer the Office of Motor Carriers from the Federal Highway Administration to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration generated a flurry of lobbying activity and might serve as a backdrop for changes in truck safety ratings and hours-of-service rules in the new year.

Environmental regulations provided fodder for attorneys in 1998.

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice accused six diesel engine manufacturers of illegally programming their products to get around emissions test limits. In October, a controversial settlement was announced that experts said could cost the industry hundreds of millions of dollars and hurt fuel economy.

In California, the truck industry quashed a lawsuit that would have required health warning labels on trucks and helped craft a compromise that labels as toxic only the particulate matter in diesel exhaust.

For the full story, see the Jan. 11 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.