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.
ATA Calls on Texas Governor to Stop ‘Senseless Inspections’
The head of American Trucking Associations is calling on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to end the truck inspection initiative he recently launched at the state’s border with Mexico, chastising the plan for the crippling effect it is having on the economy, and trucking in particular.
Factory Output Rises More Than Forecast
U.S. factory production rose in March by more than forecast, marking the third straight month of gains that show steady progress for manufacturers against a backdrop of gradually improving supply chains.
Port Completes Project to Deepen Savannah River
SAVANNAH, Ga. — After decades of political wrangling and environmental roadblocks and nearly seven years of dredging muck from the river bottom, one of Georgia’s most anticipated economic development projects — the nearly $1 billion deepening of the Savannah River channel — finally is complete.
Fertilizer Company Says Union Pacific Limits Will Hurt Farmers
OMAHA, Neb. — A major fertilizer company says the limits Union Pacific is putting on rail traffic to clear up congestion will delay shipments that farmers need during the spring planting season.
Texas Moves to Ease Border Gridlock Over ‘Sense of Urgency’
AUSTIN, Texas — The logjam of trucks at the U.S.-Mexico border finally began breaking April 14 after nearly a week as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott eased off his latest dramatic action over immigration that has gridlocked some of the world’s busiest trade ports and taken a mounting economic toll.
Truckers Fill Parking Lots as I-94 Remains Closed in N.D.
Semitrailer drivers filled parking lots in Jamestown, N.D., because I-94 to Montana was closed overnight April 13 due to a blizzard.
Indiana River Port Featured in White House Rural Infrastructure Tour
The Department of Transportation has released $44 billion for rural infrastructure, an announcement that reinforced a White House commitment and aligned with a visit by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to a small Indiana river port.
TXTA Chief: Driver Wait Times at Border Becoming a Burden
The discomfort of drivers having to wait long hours to enter Texas from Mexico should be considered amid the focus on freight delays resulting from Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent directive to enhance border safety inspections, says the head of the Texas Trucking Association.
Consumer Sentiment Unexpectedly Rises to Three-Month High
U.S. consumer sentiment unexpectedly rose to a three-month high in early April as optimism about job growth and wage expectations more than outweighed decades-high inflation.
Mexican Truck Exports Plunge 80% as Border Blockade Persists
Mexican semi-truck exports to the U.S. have slumped 80% in a matter of days as a border blockade to protest Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s stepped-up vehicle inspections drags on.