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.
NTSB’s Homendy Calls DOT’s Serious Crash Stat Misleading
WASHINGTON — With traffic fatalities spiking higher, the nation’s top safety investigator says a widely cited government statistic that 94% of serious crashes are solely due to driver error is misleading and that the Transportation Department should stop using it.
NACFE Urges Medium-Duty Electrification
If your fleet uses vans and step vans, medium-duty box trucks, terminal tractors or heavy-duty regional haul tractors, then now is the time to think of them as viable options for electrification, the North American Council for Freight Efficiency stressed in its recent initial report from its three-week Run On Less-Electric demonstration in September.
USPS Site Begins Taking COVID Test Requests
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Jan. 18 quietly launched its website for Americans to request free at-home COVID-19 tests, a day before the site was scheduled to officially go online.
TRB to Finalize ‘Critical Issues’ Report
WASHINGTON — Executives with the Transportation Research Board are readying a guiding document outlining issues deemed critical across modes of transportation, the group’s leadership recently announced during TRB’s annual meeting.
Fleets Sustain Safety Culture Through Driver Relationships, Technology
While technologies have provided real-time data and new insights into how to reduce incidents and help drivers to improve their skills, many fleet executives say building a reputation for safety boils down to trust, culture and accountability.
Truck Tonnage in December Increases 1.4% Year-Over-Year
Truck tonnage in December rose a seasonally adjusted 1.4% compared with the same month in 2020 — the fourth consecutive year-over-year gain and the highest measurement since March, American Trucking Associations announced.
Ocean Shipping Rates Driving Inflation, Experts Caution
Ocean shipping rates are expected to stay elevated well into 2022, setting up another year of booming profits for global cargo carriers — and leaving smaller companies and their customers from Spain to Sri Lanka paying more for just about everything.
Milton Wants to Inspect Nikola Vehicles Feds Say He Lied About
Nikola Corp. founder Trevor Milton claims federal prosecutors refused access to the company’s vehicles and equipment he says are crucial to his defense against fraud charges.
DOT Dedicates $27 Billion to Bridge Repairs Nationwide
The Transportation Department is launching a $27 billion program to repair and upgrade roughly 15,000 highway bridges as part of the infrastructure law approved in November.
Nikola BEV Qualifies for CARB Voucher Incentives
Nikola Corp. announced its Nikola Tre battery-electric vehicle is eligible for the hybrid and zero-emission truck and bus voucher (HVIP) incentives from the California Air Resources Board.
January 14, 2022