As the nation began easing its way out of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, activity on closely watched initiatives related to the trucking workforce heated up, while efforts to advance new laws for trucking fleets kept stakeholders engaged.

As 2022 comes to a close, a significant shift is taking place at America’s ports. Until late summer, Los Angeles’ was the busiest in the nation, but that honor now belongs to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Federal regulators and shippers are questioning Union Pacific’s decision to temporarily limit some businesses’ shipments as part of its effort to clear up congestion across the railroad.

Gov. John Bel Edwards, the Port of New Orleans and two global maritime companies on Dec. 13 announced the formation of a public-private partnership to build a new $1.8 billion container facility on the lower Mississippi River.

With extra holiday congestion at the El Paso border, Texas Department of Public Safety officers are conducting random enhanced inspections on commercial vehicles as they cross international ports of entry from Mexico into Texas to combat illegal activity.

Railroad workers are continuing their demand for paid sick days. The Sheet Metal, Air, Rail Transportation Union, or SMART, held an informational picket near the rail yard on Rice’s Point on the afternoon of Dec. 13.

Replacing pavement at Otay Mesa land port of entry in California is the latest of 50 modernization projects the General Services Administration has embarked on using $3.4 billion in federal infrastructure funds.

Earlier emergency orders have been extended in Georgia for supply chain and oversize permits and in Nebraska for driving hours hauling fuel.

The Office of Trade at U.S. Customs and Border Protection is launching a testing project for a global business identifier to streamline tracking of goods in supply chains.

Shippers urged the U.S. railroad regulator to create more competition in the industry during hearings in which Union Pacific Corp. was called to explain a spike in service restrictions.