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.
U.S. Trade Deficit Shrinks in March
The U.S. trade deficit shrank by 11% in March as imports fell by the most in four years, the Commerce Department said Thursday.
May 2, 2013Nafta Surface Trade Drops 2.1% in February
Surface trade among the United States, Canada and Mexico fell 2.1% in February from the same month a year ago, the Department of Transportation said Wednesday.
May 1, 2013Vermont Gov. Signs Fuel-Tax Increase
Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin (D) signed a transportation budget bill Monday that will boost the state’s current diesel fuel tax by 2 cents beginning July 1, and the gasoline tax by 5.9 cents a gallon, effective Wednesday.
N.Y.-N.J. to Renovate Bayonne, Goethals Bridges
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has awarded a $743 million contract to raise the deck of the Bayonne Bridge by 64 feet to allow larger ships to pass underneath it, an upgrade that port officials said is critical for the port to remain competitive after a widening of the Panama Canal is completed in 2015.
Montana DOT Increases Truck Violation Detection With Cameras
The Montana Department of Transportation increased truck violation detection through the use of in-station cameras to electronically screen trucks, according to technology provider Help Inc.
April 29, 2013Editorial: Easy as Pie
Why is this so hard? Raising federal fuel taxes is the quickest, easiest and most efficient solution available to the U.S. government to pay for the nation’s critical infrastructure needs.
April 29, 2013Court Backs Cross-Border Trucking Plan
A federal appeals court has upheld the U.S. government’s cross-border Mexico trucking plan, rejecting challenges brought by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and the Teamsters union.
April 29, 2013House Panel Urged to Boost Fuel Taxes to Pay for Vital Infrastructure Projects
WASHINGTON — Top executives with two of the nation’s largest trucking companies urged Congress to raise the federal fuel tax in order to fund infrastructure projects that benefit freight.
April 29, 2013First-Quarter GDP Rose at 2.5% Annual Rate
The U.S. economy grew at a 2.5% annual rate in the first quarter, the Commerce Department reported Friday.
April 26, 2013FMCSA Removes Requirement that Truck Drivers Report Out-of-State Traffic Convictions
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said Friday it has eliminated what it said is a redundant requirement that truck and bus drivers report out-of-state traffic convictions to the states where they are licensed.