The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has issued a rule reaffirming that agency inspectors have the right to open in-transit packages that they suspect do not comply with hazmat regulations or present a potential safety hazard.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration proposed a rule that would strip hazardous materials motor carriers their operating authority if they fail to pay civil penalties within 90 days.

Motor carriers and shippers cited for hazardous materials violations face far greater penalties following the passage of the new federal highway reauthorization law.

Motor carriers and shippers cited for hazardous materials violations face far greater penalties following the passage of the new federal highway reauthorization law.

Proposed changes intended to strengthen federal enforcement of fleets that haul hazardous materials would have the unintended effect of damaging the safety ratings of some of the industry’s safest operators.

The Transportation Intermediaries Association has renewed its bid to force the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to display more information in its database for consistency with another federal agency.

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.

Federal regulators have accepted a petition from several trade organizations who have complained that fluctuating federal hazardous materials safety permit requirements are causing some safe motor carriers to loose their eligibility and even cease operations.

A new study has concluded that Boston should ban the transport of nearly all nonradioactive hazardous materials through the downtown and North End areas to protect the public.