WASHINGTON — While the debut of automated vehicles in the marketplace remains years away, the technology already available has the potential of improving safety for commercial drivers, officials and experts at the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board here said.

Why don't consumers trust autonomous vehicles? Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao says it's partly because manufacturers need to do a better job explaining the vehicles' capabilities. Here's the week ahead for trucking on Capitol Hill.

President Donald Trump on Jan. 16 nominated Heidi King to lead the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and also announced more nominees for senior roles at other agencies that oversee safety and commerce.

WASHINGTON — D.J. Gribbin, the architect of President Donald Trump’s 2018 infrastructure proposal, touted the administration’s efforts to streamline the federal permitting process for major infrastructure projects.

WASHINGTON — Mary Peters, one of two secretaries of transportation during President George W. Bush’s tenure, was recognized with a lifetime achievement award at the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board.

WASHINGTON — Congress and the White House should focus on crafting a long-term highway bill over the next year that would ensure certainty in funding for big-ticket projects around the country, a group of state transportation leaders said Jan. 15.

Organizers for this year's gathering of the Transportation Research Board in Washington have come up with a list of a dozen topic areas that policymakers need to address to ensure a sustainable transportation network.

The Senate Republican caucus chose Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker to lead the Commerce Committee in the 116th Congress. Wicker succeeds Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), who was promoted to the role of assistant Republican leader.

High on the list of priorities for the new Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives is funding for infrastructure projects, something transportation officials and freight executives around the country agree is badly needed for reducing congestion and to boost regional economies.

Andrew Wheeler, acting administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Nicole Nason, assistant secretary of the Bureau of Administration, were officially nominated to take on new posts.