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-Led Coalition Sues to Block Federal Vaccine Mandate
American Trucking Associations, along with three state trucking associations and a number of groups representing various facets of the supply chain, have sued the Biden administration over its employer-based COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
White House Unveils Port Funding to Ease Supply Chain Congestion
BALTIMORE — The Biden administration is relying on infrastructure dollars to help fix the clogged ports and blanket the nation with internet access — but a series of initiatives rolled out on Nov. 9 show that the urgent pace might not be fast enough to address the immediate needs of an economy coping with a supply chain squeeze and a shift to remote work.
Infrastructure Bill Revives Debt Ceiling Concern
A seemingly innocuous point in the Biden administration’s infrastructure bill related to the Highway Trust Fund has rate market investors once again sharpening their focus on exactly when the U.S. government might breach its borrowing limit.
Savannah Port Gets Funds to Expand Container Storage
The U.S. Department of Transportation will allow the Georgia Port Authority to build storage for shipping containers at sites near the Port of Savannah using $8 million in unspent federal grants, part of a new plan to relieve supply chain bottlenecks at U.S. ports.
Congress Mandates New Car Tech to Stop Drunken Driving
WASHINGTON — Congress has created a new requirement for automakers: Find a high-tech way to keep drunken people from driving cars.
Brent Spence Bridge May Finally Get Fix in $1 Trillion Bill
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Nov. 8 launched his sales pitch for his recently passed $1 trillion infrastructure bill, predicting that a notoriously congested bridge that sits in Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell’s backyard finally will get a long overdue overhaul.
US Producer Prices Climb 0.6%, Adding to Inflation Concerns
Prices paid to U.S. producers accelerated in October, largely due to higher goods costs, fueling concerns about the persistence of inflationary pressures in the economy.
FMCSA Announces Final Rule Requiring Annual Inspections of Rear Underride Guards
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a final rule amending safety regulations to specifically add rear underride impact guards as a required item on the list of annual inspections for motor carriers and roadside inspectors.
Biden Team Defends Vaccine Mandate, Wants Cases Combined
With its private employer vaccine mandate on hold, the Biden administration wants the multiple challenges to its workplace rule consolidated in a single federal court and has asked for a decision by early next week.
Diesel Rises 0.3¢ to $3.730 a Gallon
The national average for diesel barely budged, nudging up three-tenths of a cent to $3.730 a gallon, according to Energy Information Administration data released Nov. 8.
November 8, 2021