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.
Consumer Confidence Falls to Three-Month Low
Consumer confidence fell in April to a three-month low, according to the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index.
April 26, 2013FMCSA Shuts Four Kansas Trucking Companies
Federal officials said Thursday they have shut down four Kansas trucking companies, alleging that three of them are reincarnations of the fourth and that they were created to avoid financial penalties and an out-of-service order.
Congress Needs to Do More to Address Freight Transportation, Trucking Executive Tells House Committee
A trucking executive told a House committee Wednesday that Congress needs to address the needs of the trucking industry by dedicating real funding to addressing freight transportation needs and by improving the efficiency and productivity of the industry.
April 24, 2013DOT to Issue $474 Million in TIGER Grants for Innovative Transportation Programs
The U.S. Department of Transportation is making $474 million available for a competitive grant program and is asking for applications from state and local agencies who want to use the money.
April 23, 2013NHTSA Pushes to Limit Distractions from Electronics in Cars
The federal government issued guidelines Tuesday to encourage automakers to limit the potential for driver distractions from electronic systems built into passenger cars, including those that connect to cellphones and the Internet.
Pa. Funding Plan Would Raise $2.5 Billion for Transportation
A transportation funding proposal unveiled by Pennsylvania lawmakers last week would raise $2.5 billion by changing how the state collects transportation money, including eliminating the cap on the state’s wholesale fuel tax.
Vermont Eyes Higher Diesel Tax
Vermont’s Senate cut back on a planned gasoline tax increase passed by the House, but proposed raising the state’s diesel tax, the Associated Press reported.
April 22, 2013Editorial: Preserving Preemption
Now all we have to do is wait. American Trucking Associations made its best argument before the U.S. Supreme Court last week about why the Port of Los Angeles is violating a federal preemption law by trying to regulate motor carriers that serve the port.
April 22, 2013Budget Would Cut Funding for Emissions Reductions
President Obama has proposed dramatic cuts in the federal funding that helps truckers buy equipment to reduce diesel emissions, but called for significant increases for research into new vehicle technologies.
April 22, 2013Court Denies Teamsters, OOIDA Bids to Stop Cross-Border Mexican Truck Program
A federal appeals court denied attempts from two truck drivers’ organizations that had sought to stop the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s pilot program that allows Mexico-based companies to operate in the interior of the United States.