A Senate panel approved measures that would create the nation’s first freight policy act, under which investment would be targeted to freight projects that increase economic competitiveness, improve mobility and promote energy conservation.

A task force formed to address Idaho’s transportation funding shortfall has disbanded after 18 months of work without making any specific road-revenue-raising recommendations.

Several petroleum companies are exploring technology that would turn natural gas and coal into a liquid fuel that would have the efficiency of diesel fuel but would run cleaner, industry experts said.

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.