Government
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.
Analysis: Two Experts Envision Trade Under President Trump — Goodbye, Wal-Mart
What would the U.S. economy look like without the trade deals of the past 70 years?
Highway Fatalities Jumped 7.2% Last Year, DOT Says
U.S. highway fatalities in 2015 jumped 7.2% to 35,092, an increase of 2,348 deaths from 2014, the U.S. Department of Transportation reported Aug. 29.
Regulations, Business Trends Put Pressure on Private Fleets
Operators of corporate-owned truck fleets are facing pressure to keep up with a growing number of regulations while also dealing with legal and business issues that go well beyond the traditional realm of equipment maintenance and driver management.
Pennsylvania Lawmaker Meets With Trucking Leaders About Driver Shortage
U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello, a Chester County Republican who represents part of Berks County, was in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, on Aug. 16 for the Commercial Drivers License Roundtable hosted by Berks Technical Institute
Opinion: SOLAS Container Weight Rule Reaches Critical Milestones
Approximately 10% of ocean cargo may cite an inaccurate weight, according to Loadstar. In 2015, an estimated 16.3 million out of 200.5 million TEUs, or industry- standard 20-foot-equivalent container units, of cargo were shipped without an accurate measurement, which speaks to an industrywide problem.
August 29, 2016Advisers Offer Sleep Apnea Guidelines as FMCSA Considers Health Proposal
Top medical advisers to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration have recommended a slate of sleep apnea guidelines that would require truck drivers to participate in costly diagnostic sleep studies if they have a body mass index of 40 or higher, experienced excessive fatigue or sleepiness while driving or have been in a sleep-related accident.
Trucks Continue to Haul Most Nafta Freight by Value, DOT Says
Trucks remained the most heavily used mode for moving goods in June to and from the United States and its Nafta trade partners, Canada and Mexico, hauling 65.4% of freight, U.S. Department of Transportation said Aug. 25.
August 26, 2016US Proposes Mandatory Speed Limiter Devices
The federal government is proposing that heavy-duty vehicles be equipped with devices that limit their speeds on U.S. roadways but said the limiters will not be required to be tamper-proof.
Texas Transportation Commission Approves 2017 Unified Transportation Program
Texas’ Transportation Commission approved the state’s 2017 Unified Transportation Plan on Aug. 25. The $70 billion, 10-year plan is the largest in the agency’s history, more than twice the size of the $33 billion, 10-year plan released just last year.
Consumer Sentiment Eases in August to Four-Month Low
Consumer confidence eased in August to a four-month low as Americans become less optimistic about their finances for the year ahead.
August 26, 2016