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.
Buttigieg Reinstates Local Hiring Program
WASHINGTON — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on May 19 reinstated an Obama-era pilot program that aims to aid minority and disadvantaged people by ensuring local hiring for public works construction projects, reversing a decision by the Trump administration.
ATRI Marks 20th Anniversary
The American Transportation Research Institute is marking 20 years of providing the industry with research into the issues it confronts every day.
Industry Rejects Tax Proposal Targeting Trucks
A Senate proposal to impose a vehicle-miles-traveled fee exclusively on commercial vehicles drew a strong rebuke from the leaders in the trucking industry.
Biden Considering Point-of-Sale Rebates for Electric Car Buyers
The Biden administration wants to give consumers rebates for purchasing electric vehicles to help the U.S. compete against China in manufacturing the next generation of automobiles, White House climate adviser Gina McCarthy said.
ATA Extends Contract for President, CEO Chris Spear
American Trucking Associations President Chris Spear has signed a contract that extends his leadership of the organization for five more years, ATA announced.
China Bill to Include $52 Billion for U.S. Chip Manufacturing
The Senate will include $52 billion to bolster domestic semiconductor manufacturing in a broader bill to enhance U.S. competitiveness with China, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.
At Ford Visit, Biden Says Future of Autos Is Electric
Without mentioning his predecessor’s name, President Joe Biden criticized former President Donald Trump while visiting a Ford Motor Co. plant in Dearborn, Mich., on May 18, saying Trump’s rollback of fuel standards delayed an inevitable move to electric vehicles.
Biden Takes Spin in Ford’s Electric F-150
President Joe Biden made an unscheduled stop at a Ford Motor Co. test track outside Detroit on May 18, where he hopped into the company’s new all-electric F-150 pickup truck and took a spin.
NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt to Step Down at End of June, Source Says
WASHINGTON — The chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board will step down from his position at the end of June, and the Biden administration is expected to nominate a fellow board member to replace him, a person familiar with the matter told the Associated Press on May 17.
Minnesotans Weigh In on Vehicle Electrification Priorities, Barriers
Electric vehicle charging opportunities should be prioritized as a strategy as Minnesota embraces transportation electrification, according to participants of a public engagement session held May 17.