WASHINGTON — A Transportation Research Board subcommittee last week continued exploring potential research ideas aimed at assisting federal truck and bus regulators in establishing a congressionally mandated “alternative compliance” program that would reward carriers for exceeding regulatory requirements.

WASHINGTON — A top Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration official issued a “call to action” last week, citing preliminary statistics showing that fatalities in crashes involving large trucks and buses increased 7% to 8% in 2016.

Watch a replay as the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee conducted a confirmation hearing Jan. 11 to consider the nomination of Elaine Chao as transportation secretary.

With the April compliance date for the federal government’s new food transportation safety rule fast approaching, regulators are preparing to clamp down on bad actors in the food supply chain.

The Environmental Protection Agency said Dec. 20 that it is beginning work on a proposed rule that would set new standards to reduce oxides of nitrogen for heavy-duty engines beginning model year 2024, the same year a provision kicks in for the agency’s heavy-duty Phase 2 greenhouse-gas program.

In written comments to federal regulators, several large trucking companies and trade organizations echoed concerns of owner-operators that a proposed rule for a heavy-truck speed limiter will not improve safety on U.S. highways, and may even cause more crashes due to speed differentials.

The 2017 National Defense Authorization Act passed by Congress earlier this month contains a provision that will soon permit truck drivers to use their Transportation Worker Identification Credential as sole proof of identity when entering any of the nation’s 700 military installations.

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Dec. 13 issued a proposed rule offering guidance for the development of vehicle-to-vehicle technologies that would provide advance warning of potentially life-threatening crashes for light vehicles.