The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Tuesday announced a slate of changes to its safety rating system designed to ratchet up enforcement of hazardous materials carriers and mitigate an inspection bias against flatbed haulers.

American Trucking Associations has asked the federal government to overturn an Alabama law requiring truck drivers who transport metal coils to obtain special certification to do so.

CRST International said it named Jim Schommer president of its CRST Malone flatbed unit.

Flatbed trucking, which has been battered by declines in manufacturing and construction during the recession, is finally showing sustained signs of improvement, with better volumes leading to freight-rate increases, carriers and their shippers have said.