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.
Diesel Emissions-Reduction Funds Available in SoCal
California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District is offering incentive funding of up to $50,000 for the purchase of a diesel truck or up to $100,000 for the purchase of a natural gas truck, in return for scrapping an older Class 8 diesel truck, the agency said.
March 2, 2010J.B. Hunt Names Doug Duncan to Board
J.B. Hunt Transport Services said it has elected Doug Duncan, former president of FedEx Freight, to its board of directors.
March 2, 2010Senate Expected to Pass Biodiesel Tax Credit Bill
Senate Democrats expect to pass an unemployment benefits bill soon that includes a provision retroactively reinstating a biodiesel tax credit through the end of the year, according to a spokeswoman for Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.).
March 2, 2010Pa. Gov. Wants Sales Tax on Trucking, Warehousing
Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell (D) has proposed that the state extend the sales tax to services including trucking and warehousing, a move industry leaders said imperils a business sector the state actively recruited and developed.
March 2, 2010Senate May Not Approve DOT Funds Until Next Week
With about 2,000 federal workers on continued furlough at key Department of Transportation agencies, the Senate may not pass a bill reinstating funding for them until next week, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.
March 2, 2010DOT Furloughs Under Way as Funding Flap Continues
The Department of Transportation is furloughing nearly 2,000 employees without pay starting Monday and is temporarily shutting down highway reimbursements to states worth hundreds of millions of dollars as a result of a Senate impasse over federal transportation funding.
March 1, 2010House Leaders May Seek ‘Adjustments’ to Senate’s Jobs, Highway Legislation
The U.S. Senate last week passed legislation that would extend current highway legislation and transfer $20 billion to the Highway Trust Fund, but a key legislator reportedly said the Senate bill would not pass the House of Representatives, which already has approved a broader, more expensive measure.
March 1, 2010FMCSA to Allow UCR Fee Collection
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is set to allow states to collect fees for the Unified Carrier Registration program, despite the fact the agency has yet to finalize what the level and structure of the fees will be for 2010.
March 1, 2010Iowa Biodiesel Mandate Dies in Committee
A proposed 5% biodiesel mandate has died in the Iowa state legislature, the Fort Dodge Messenger reported.
March 1, 2010Cap-and-Trade Opponents Gaining in Senate as EPA Moves on Greenhouse Emissions Rule
While U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson indicated last week that her agency was moving forward with plans to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, opposition to a Senate cap-and-trade bill seemed to be gaining enough momentum to block its passage.
March 1, 2010