The federal government’s first study of truck sizes and weights in nearly 20 years examines ways of increasing productivity through wider use of heavier or longer vehicles as well as potentially adverse effects of allowing increases in dimensions but draws no conclusions and makes no recommendations.

Congressional Republicans say they will mount an effort to stop new workplace ergonomics rules from being implemented when they return to Washington early next month.

In one corner are the truckers and their customers who believe they can improve their economic productivity by increasing the capacity of a trailer for additional cargo weight or more cubic space.

Parents of a teenage driver killed when his car went under the side of a semitrailer were awarded $400,000 by a Texas jury, which found the manufacturer negligent for not having side underride guards on its trailer.

The federal government’s first study of truck sizes and weights in nearly 20 years examines ways of increasing productivity through wider use of heavier or longer vehicles as well as potentially adverse effects of allowing increases in dimensions but draws no conclusions and makes no recommendations.

Congressional Republicans say they will mount an effort to stop new workplace ergonomics rules from being implemented when they return to Washington early next month.

The fight over truck weight is shaping up like this: In one corner are the truckers and their customers who believe bigger and/or heavier trailers will boost productivity. In the other corner are truckers who feel pressured to buy these bigger trailers without getting paid more to move the freight.

Parents of a teenage driver killed when his car went under the side of a semitrailer were awarded $400,000 by a Texas jury, which found the manufacturer negligent for not having side underride guards on its trailer.

American Trucking Associations, industry groups and three states argued Nov. 7 before the U.S. Supreme Court that the Environmental Protection Agency exceeded its administrative authority in establishing new state standards to regulate ozone and airborne particulate matter in 1997.

More Capitol Hill hearings on railroad freight services and rates are likely no matter which party controls Congress in the next session, but it remains to be seen whether sentiment for any level of re-regulation of the rail industry will grow.