The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration does not know how it will achieve Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater’s aim of cutting the number of truck-related deaths in half by 2009, the General Accounting Office says in a new report.

A federal report says the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration does not know how it will achieve Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater’s aim of cutting the number of truck-related deaths in half by 2009.

Transportation labor flexed its political muscles July 20 at the start of the third national convention of the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Department, getting support for issues important to their membership from several Congressional leaders.

The stage is being set for a congressional a debate on the subject of bigger and heavier trucks, perhaps as soon as next year.

Road construction could take as much as 20% longer to complete and cost as much as 15% more if proposed changes in hours-of-service regulations for truck drivers take effect, according to Associated General Contractors of America.

The Department of Transportation does not know exactly how many lives will be saved by proposed revisions to the federal hours of service regulations, a new report says.

After hearing from 700 witnesses at eight public hearings, federal officials say they are skeptical about trucking’s assessment of the effect proposed changes in the hours-of-service regulation will have on the industry.

J.B. Hunt Transportation estimated its costs will increase $250 million annually if the federal hours-of-service proposal is implemented.

The stage is being set for a congressional a debate on the subject of bigger and heavier trucks, perhaps as soon as next year.

The largest state trucking association has become the second carrier group to support the use of electronic on-board recorders to monitor compliance with hours of service regulations — with some caveats.