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.
LaHood Announces Additional Grants for Rural Roads Under TIGER Program
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has announced $30 million for the replacement or repair of rural roads as part of the agency’s most recent “TIGER” grants.
July 2, 2012Obama Nominates Trottenberg as DOT’s Policy Undersecretary
President Obama has nominated Polly Trottenberg to serve as the Department of Transportation’s undersecretary for policy, the White House announced.
July 2, 2012Highway Bill Deal Reached
Congress was set last week to pass new transportation legislation authorizing highway spending through September 2014, after House and Senate negotiators agreed on a bill that included a mandate for electronic onboard recorders for trucks and a study of the 34-hour restart provision in driver hours-of-service regulations.
July 2, 2012UPS to Add ‘Plastic’ Trucks to Existing Delivery Fleet
UPS said it has completed testing of its “plastic truck,” a composite-bodied vehicle that’s lighter and uses 40% less fuel than its current package cars, and will soon add 150 of the new vehicles to its delivery fleet.
July 2, 2012Border Plan Starts Second Year; Participation Remains Low
A year after U.S. officials agreed to allow Mexican trucks into the country, only four Mexican carriers are participating, far below the number the United States has said would be needed to judge the safety of Mexican trucks.
July 2, 2012House Measure Would Block Mandated Use of EOBRs
The House on Friday passed a transportation spending measure that would block rules requiring electronic onboard recorders on trucks.
Consumer Confidence Drops to Lowest Level This Year
Consumer confidence dropped in June to the lowest level this year, according to the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index released Friday.
June 29, 2012Consumer Spending Unchanged in May
U.S. Consumer spending was unchanged in May, the weakest reading since November, the Commerce Department said Friday.
June 29, 2012First-Quarter GDP Unrevised at 1.9%
The U.S. economy grew at a 1.9% annual rate in the first quarter, the Commerce Department said Thursday, holding an earlier estimate.
June 28, 2012Court Upholds EPA on Greenhouse Gas Emissions
A federal appeals court backed the Obama administration's campaign to limit greenhouse-gas emissions, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
June 27, 2012