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.
EPA, NHTSA Drop Emissions, Efficiency Rules
Federal regulators withdrew some portions of a rule they tried to finalize in June that would have made minor technical amendments to the upcoming greenhouse-gas emissions and fuel-efficiency standards for heavy trucks.
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Ambassador Bridge Boosts Truck Tolls
Tolls on the Ambassador Bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, rose 25 cents per axle Thursday for all truck classes, bringing the toll for a 5-axle, 80,000-pound truck to $27.50, the bridge’s owners said.
August 15, 2013Canada Suspends License of Railroad Involved in Quebec Crash
Canadian regulators have suspended the operating certificate of the railroad involved with last month’s railcar crash in Quebec that killed 47 people, Bloomberg News reported.
August 14, 2013OMB Clears Rule to Streamline FMCSA Registration
The White House Office of Management and Budget has approved a rule to streamline three federal motor carrier registration systems into one, the final step before the final rule can be published.
House Letter Asks DOT to Consider Size, Weight Effect on Local Roads, Bridges
Forty-five members of the U.S. House sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx asking that the truck size and weight study the federal government is conducting address the effect that heavier or longer trucks would have on local roads and bridges.
FMCSA Asks for Public Comment on Livestock Exemption, Munitions Hauling
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration asked the public Monday to weigh in on whether it should grant a permanent exemption to the rest-break requirement in the new hours-of-service rule to truckers hauling livestock.
Postal Service’s 3Q Loss Narrows
The U.S. Postal Service reported a $740 million loss for its fiscal third quarter, compared with a $5.2 billion loss in the same quarter last year, Bloomberg News reported.
August 12, 2013Mexican Fleets Cite Benefits From Cross-Border Program
Mexican trucking companies that are participating in the U.S. cross-border freight pilot program said it allows them to provide faster service to customers and to have more control over their own operations than the older alternatives, such as transferring freight to U.S. carriers near the border.
August 12, 2013Opinion:Help Wanted: Criminals Need Not Apply
EPA Sets Final 2013 Renewable Fuel Standards
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized the 2013 percentage standards for four fuel categories that are part of the Renewable Fuel Standard program established by Congress to reduce carbon climate change.