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.
EPA Reverses Course, Will Enforce Rule Limiting Production of Glider Trucks
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler has reversed a controversial decision made earlier this month that would have allowed the proliferation of glider kit trucks until the end of 2019.
US Economy Surges to 4.1% Growth Rate in 2Q
WASHINGTON — The U.S. economy surged in the April-June quarter to an annual growth rate of 4.1%. That’s the fastest pace since 2014, driven by consumers who began spending their tax cuts and exporters who rushed to get their products delivered ahead of retaliatory tariffs.
Daimler AG’s Board Approves Restructuring Aimed at Mastering Rapid Change
Daimler AG announced its board has approved a restructuring, first discussed in 2017, that would create three independent units under Daimler’s umbrella as a holding company after the most thorough due diligence in the company’s 130-year history.
Editorial: Turning Wheels and Trade Deals
It’s quarterly earnings season, a time of year when the Transport Topics business reporting team is immersed in revenue figures and profit-and-loss numbers. Based on the numbers for the second quarter, the industry is doing pretty well.
July 26, 2018Savannah Port Sets Container Record
The year has been another one for the record books at the Savannah ports.
Senate Continues Consideration of Transportation Funding Bill
A fiscal 2019 transportation funding bill that would call attention to concerns livestock haulers have raised about electronic logging devices is included in a legislative package under consideration in the Senate.
Motor Carriers Group Challenges California Law That Defines Independent Contractors
In a federal lawsuit filed July 19, the Western States Trucking Association alleges that the California Supreme Court’s new “ABC test” requirement for deciding if a contractor should be an employee “forces virtually all independent contractors to become employees to those they choose to contract or work with.”
Controversial $10 Million Toll Study Approved in Connecticut
Connecticut’s State Bond Commission recently approved a $10 million study to assess the feasibility of tolling on certain routes in the state.
NAFTA Talks to Pick Up Again as Threat of Auto Tariffs Looms
High-level talks for a new NAFTA are picking up again this week following two months of limited negotiations that were marred by tit-for-tat tariff battles and diplomatic fallout.
Trump Deregulatory Efforts Flounder in Court
A year and a half into the Trump administration’s war against what it deems unneeded regulation, the legal record is coming into focus. And, according to law professors who follow regulation, it ain’t pretty.