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.

A California Air Resources Board regulation limiting trucks to five minutes of idling time when they are not active was scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, but the agency did not anticipate strict enforcement of the regulation, its spokesman said.

House of Representatives Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) indicated that when Congress convenes in January he would seek funding for highway projects left out of the 2005 transportation spending bill, a congressional staff member said.

The California Air Resources Board voted Dec. 9 to require five engine manufacturers to upgrade emission reduction software in certain trucks that operate in the state by the end of April. The mandate replaces the voluntary plan instituted earlier this year.

The California Air Resources Board delayed action earlier this month on a request for a waiver from the federal Clean Air Act, a waiver that would allow the state to impose tougher emission rules..

Congress did not pass legislation authorizing new multi-year transportation spending before it adjourned last week, so the 109th Congress will have to start over with the measure after it convenes in January, congressional committee staff members said.