In efforts to speed border crossings at certain locations, U.S. and Canadian officials are extending service center hours for drivers applying for the Free and Secure Trade program. One U.S. official was also urging the Food and Drug Administration to add weekend inspectors.

Members of the government-and-industry group working toward a national idling standard for diesel truck engines said they have been working on a plan since May, but they have not identified what the standard should be. embers of the group had told Transport Topics they wanted to have a plan completed by February.

Increased transportation needs from growing populations and greater freight transportation have led states to explore supplementing federal money with other methods of transportation funding, industry experts said.

The South Dakota House approved a bill that would revise the licensing process for truckers and ensure the state complies with federal transportation safety guidelines, officials said.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration must still reach agreement with Mexico for U.S. personnel to conduct safety inspections of Mexican fleets in that country before the agency can allow Mexican trucks to begin operating throughout the United States, said an audit report by the Department of Transportation’s Office of the Inspector General.

Rep. John Dingell said he planned to reintroduce clean diesel legislation he originally had proposed in 2003 when it died in committee.

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear two cases appealing Michigan court decisions that upheld the state’s $100 flat fee on trucks that haul both within the state and from Michigan to out-of-state destinations.

The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration launched a program that would allow fleets to receive daily, weekly or monthly updates on their drivers’ records. Several trucking companies have shown an interest in participating, a state official said.

Security screening devices that use radiation to scan the contents of trucks and trailers at ports and border crossings may pose health risks, Teamsters union representatives said.

A diesel fuel standard requiring a minimum amount of lubricating qualities, which was adopted Jan. 1 by several states, recently has spotlighted the need for lubricity. But industry officials said this standard was necessary several years ago.