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.
Rep. Hanna Urges U.S. Transportation Chief to Ensure Fair HOS Study
Rep. Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.) recently urged Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to make sure a study of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s hours-of-service rule consists of drivers who are representative of the industry.
NTSB Urges Increased Safety Requirements for Oil Tank Cars
The National Transportation Safety Board on April 6 urged hazardous material regulators to step up requirements for replacing or retrofitting tank railcars that carry flammable liquids such as crude oil and ethanol with better thermal protection.
Arkansas Truckers Now Operating With Anti-Indemnification Protection
Arkansas has become the 42nd state to protect truckers against having to choose between losing a load or signing a contract that makes them liable for any and all accidents, regardless of who is to blame.
Texas, Indiana Counties Issue Most CSA Points, Vigillo’s Bryan Says
An inordinate number of inspection violations issued in several counties in Texas and Indiana are examples of “disparate enforcement” that limits the effectiveness of the federal Compliance, Safety, Accountability program, according to the head of a data analytics firm.
ILWU Rank-and-File Vote Begins After Leaders Back Contract
International Longshore and Warehouse Union leaders recommended approval of a tentative five-year contract, clearing the way for a vote by 20,000 rank-and-file dockworkers over the next month.
April 6, 2015Rep. Bill Shuster, Colleagues Discuss Transportation in Pennsylvania This Week
Rep. Bill Shuster, the top transportation authorizer in the U.S. House, has assembled a group of fellow lawmakers and transportation officials for a two-day tour of his home state of Pennsylvania to meet with stakeholders to discuss ways of improving aging infrastructure.
TT Archives: Gas Tax
After what reporter Thomas Strah described in this Aug. 16, 1993 edition of Transport Topics as “dramatic and partisan legislative showdown,” Congress passed a bill raising the federal tax on gasoline and diesel by 4.7 cents a gallon.
April 6, 2015US Delays Greenhouse-Gas Rule
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The federal government has delayed the publication of a new greenhouse-gas emissions rule for trucks, a topic that was already top of mind for engineers, manufacturers and other industry leaders attending the Mid-America Trucking Show.
April 6, 2015FMCSA Official Defends CSA, New App; Truckers Express Concern, Frustration
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A senior Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration official defended the Compliance, Safety, Accountability program and the recently unveiled smartphone app designed to facilitate access to the program’s ratings and performance data.
April 6, 2015Drivers Worry Federal Medical Guidelines Could Result in Additional Disqualifications
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Drivers attending the Mid-America Trucking Show criticized current medical guidelines, but a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration official stressed the need to ensure they are fit to work.
April 6, 2015