Safety

EL PASO, Texas — The United States will grant Mexican trucks access to U.S. highways under a pilot program, Transportation Secretary Mary Peters announced here today.

Inspectors from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will travel to Mexico to conduct safety audits on trucking companies interested in hauling cargo to and from the United States, the Department of Transportation said late Thursday.

The Federal Maritime Commission has approved a settlement negotiated between American Trucking Associations’ Intermodal Motor Carriers Conference and an FMC-regulated ocean carrier, ATA said Thursday.

Rail intermodal traffic fell 2.2% last week, due in part to continuing bad weather, the Association of American Railroads reported Thursday.

WASHINGTON — Leading members of the House Subcommittee on Transit and Highways from both parties sharply criticized the Department of Transportation’s recent push toward privatization and public-private partnerships.

American Trucking Associations President Bill Graves criticized the growing trend of privatization of toll roads on CNBC’s “Street Signs” program Tuesday.

Idaho Bill to Raise Truck Speeds to 70 MPH Fails • Railroad Administration to Set HOS Rules • ATA Backs Medical Certificate/CDL Merger • Driver Passport Teams With CSSG

ARLINGTON, Va. — With a pair of lawsuits challenging federal driver work rules still pending, American Trucking Associations officials have begun preparing responses to the rulings.

Satellite radio rivals XM Satellite Radio Holdings and Sirius Satellite Radio are seeking to merge their operations but may face antitrust hurdles in completing such a deal, news reports said Tuesday.

CARB Will Not Appeal ‘Reflash’ Court Ruling • PeopleNet Upgrades g3 Software • Siemens Buys Powertrain Firm for Hybrid Market • CTA Welcomes Canada’s ‘ecoFreight’ Program