Safety

WASHINGTON — While truck-to-truck communication, driver training and safety have advanced the effort to hasten platooning to market, another critical aspect is looming and just may cause momentum to pull back some: the impact on infrastructure.

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation banned tractor-trailers from all state highways for most of Jan. 4 as the state faced heavy snow and high winds.

2018 could bring commercial applications of truck platooning after successful demonstrations of the driver-assisted technology last month in Florida and Michigan by platooning developer Peloton Technology.

FMCSA announced Jan. 4 that some states will start using multiyear commercial vehicle safety plans when carrying out projects made possible by the agency’s largest grant program supporting states.

Bipartisan legislation designed to exclude from the trucking industry those involved in human trafficking was advanced to the White House Dec. 21.

The world’s biggest carmakers and technology companies are spending billions of dollars to perfect your ability to drive without thinking. Nissan Motor Co. is taking a different direction — trying to “decode” your thinking so hands-on driving is more fun.

Trucking firms are revved up for 2018, with predictions of tight capacity and strong demand for freight hauling setting the stage for an anticipated big year ahead for the industry, and indicators pointing to a potentially sustained period of business expansion in the United States and around the globe.

Federal trucking regulators have granted a 90-day waiver to agricultural commodities and livestock haulers from installing electronic logging devices in their trucks, and issued a separate clarification on potential miles that are exempt from hours-of-service requirements for agriculture haulers.

No matter your place on the political spectrum, it is undeniable passage of the Republican-led tax reform measure was a monumental feat. This week we highlight our favorite news items from Capitol Agenda in 2017.