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.
Idaho Infrastructure Faces Multibillion-Dollar Shortfall, ASCE Indicates
Idaho received a C- on the American Society of Civil Engineers’ most recent infrastructure report card, and state transportation officials are willing to weigh funding mechanisms in order to finance needed maintenance and repairs.
Postal Service’s Pricing Methodology Upheld by Appeals Court
The U.S. Postal Service’s method to set prices for competitive services was upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on May 22.
California Worker Status Rule Gives Employers Cause for Concern
Are you an employee, and do you get all the benefits that come with it? Many California businesses wonder what the answer might now be for their workforce. And many may not like the answer under a new test recently adopted by the state Supreme Court.
Security Forces Deployed as Trucker Strike Upends Brazilian Economy
Brazil sank further into chaos May 25 as the fifth day of a nationwide truckers’ strike prompted the deployment of national security forces amid warnings of a calamity in one of world’s largest cities and potentially devastating livestock losses.
Editorial: New FMCSA Chief Shows Vision
Ray Martinez, the newly installed head of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, made the rounds last week, speaking first to trucking executives at American Trucking Associations’ midyear management meeting May 20 and then to lawmakers in the House of Representatives in Washington at a hearing by the Highways and Transit Subcommittee.
May 24, 2018Trump’s Auto-Tariff Threat Adds New Pressure to NAFTA Talks
President Donald Trump’s threat to impose sweeping new tariffs on imported automobiles may be an attempt to pressure his NAFTA partners into striking a deal that would help drive manufacturing jobs back to the United States.
1Q Numbers for Ports Show Continued Strong Growth
With data now in for the first third of the year, operators of some of the nation’s ports said they are setting records as the economy keeps booming — even as volume dipped at the nation’s largest port.
Start of Summer Driving Season Means More Motorists, Analysts Say
The unofficial start of the summer driving season is finally upon us and that means for millions of drivers it will be that time again to hire a dogsitter, pack the swimsuits, sunblock and folding chairs, and drive to the beach (or lake, or pool) to stay cool.
Uber Ends Testing of Self-Driving Cars, Trucks in Arizona
Uber Technologies Inc. confirmed it is shutting down its autonomous vehicle operations in Arizona, including its self-driving trucks, two months after one of its self-driving passenger cars struck and killed a pedestrian in the state.
Nation’s Ports Seek Billions in Multimodal Funding to Stay Competitive
The American Association of Port Authorities believes that in order for America’s ports to remain efficient and competitive during the next decade, more than $20 billion will be needed specifically to improve multimodal and rail access.