Government

About Government News...

Transport Topics government and regulatory coverage keeps managers of a highly-regulated industry aware of the policy decisions that can shape their businesses. Covering both the legislative and regulatory aspects of policy-making, at both the state and national levels, the news in this category includes looks at infrastructure, hours of service, emissions rules, funding measures, leadership appointments, and more. Readers can follow what’s happening in Congress, at the Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Administration, and in state and local governments.

Government

'Get Something Done’ on Infrastructure Funding Before Next Spring, Rep Bill Shuster Says

WASHINGTON — The top transportation authorizer in the House offered a more precise timeline for when members of Congress should look to advance a long-term infrastructure funding package.

Eugene Mulero | Senior Reporter
March 21, 2017
Government, Business

PrePass Expands Further Into Texas

PrePass transponders now can pay tolls at facilities run by the Texas Department of Transportation, North Texas Tollway Authority and the Harrison County Toll Road Authority, Help Inc. announced.

March 21, 2017
Government, Business, Technology

Capitol Agenda for the Week of March 21: Bridges Aren't Making the Grade

The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the nation's bridges a grade of C+ in its quadrennial report card. ASCE's Tom Smith and ARTBA's Alison Black hope it doesn't take a disaster to get Congress to invest in infrastructure repairs. Watch separate video interviews, part of the week ahead for trucking on Capitol Hill.

Eugene Mulero | Senior Reporter
March 21, 2017
Government, Safety

Despite Mandate, Hair Testing Rule Still Months Away

A proposed rule that would allow trucking companies to conduct government-certified pre-employment drug testing using hair samples likely will not be publicly released until the end of 2017 or early 2018, according to a top official with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Eric Miller | Senior Reporter
March 20, 2017
Government, Business

Indiana DOT Awards Contracts for I-70 Upgrades

Repair work to highway lanes and bridges along the Interstate 70 freight corridor east of Indianapolis is expected to last through the end of the year, the state Department of Transportation announced this month.

Eugene Mulero | Senior Reporter
March 20, 2017
Government, Business

Idaho Transportation Department to Hold Hearings On Heavier Trucks

The Idaho Transportation Department will hold public hearings next week to take comments on allowing trucks up to 129,000 pounds on U.S. Highway 95 and sections of state Highways 3 and 8 in Latah County.

Garrett Cabeza | Moscow-Pullman Daily News (Moscow, Idaho)
March 20, 2017
Letters to the Editor, Business, Government, Safety, Technology, Logistics

Letters: Entry-Level Driver Training, Cost Containment

Readers discuss the regulatory side of entry-level driver training and the best way to maximize profit is containing costs.

March 20, 2017
Editorial, Business, Government, Safety, Autonomous, Technology, Logistics

Editorial: A Useful Discussion on Safety

Last week, we cheered the apparent demise of a federal regulatory provision regarding hours of service. Now we’d like to salute a positive development: a recent discussion on truck safety before a Senate subcommittee.

March 20, 2017
Perspective, Business, Government, Safety, Technology, Equipment, Autonomous

Opinion: Effectively Utilizing Telematics Solutions

The electronic logging device mandate for tracking hours of service has brought a lot of attention to truck telematics, and many experts are providing advice on how to prepare for that transition. But one aspect of telematics that few are addressing is how underutilized most existing systems are. In my estimate, only three in 10 fleets are utilizing their telematics system to the max.

March 20, 2017
Business, Safety, Government

160 US Carrier Bankruptcies Idle 4,510 Trucks in 4th Quarter

The freight-hauling capacity of at least 4,510 heavy-duty U.S. trucks evaporated during the last three months of 2016 as 160 fleets shuttered their doors and quit the industry, according to a study by investment firm Avondale Partners.

Jonathan S. Reiskin | Associate News Editor
March 20, 2017