Government

The U.S. gross domestic product rose at a 1.7% annual rate in the second quarter, up from 1.1% in the first quarter, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.

Michigan has proposed a sweeping plan under which private companies would take over work currently handled by the state’s transportation department — from operating rest stops and freeway lighting to replacing, repairing and maintaining bridges along interstate highways.

Four congressmen said they will introduce an amendment soon to temporarily block the federal government’s new hours-of-service rule for truck drivers, saying the rule would cost the trucking industry hundreds of millions of dollars if it is not stopped.

The National Transportation Safety Board is calling for all new vehicles to be equipped with connected vehicle technology that could allow them to automatically warn drivers about other vehicles at intersections.

Beginning in September, the Alliance for Toll Interoperability will be enrolling toll agencies across North America in its new central collection system, a hub that founders said is the first step toward toll-system “interoperability.”

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration has ordered a trucking company to reinstate a driver and repay him more than $131,000 for allegedly firing him for refusing to drive longer than allowed by law.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission voted Monday to increase its tolls by 12% for cash users and 2% for E-ZPass transponder users, effective in January.

Penske Automotive Group said it will buy an Australian truck distributor that sells a variety of truck brands for $200 million.

Reading the July 15 article titled “Carriers Say Wheel Covers Cut Fuel Costs By Making Vehicles More Aerodynamic” raised a flag with my safety sense. Working for a fleet safety firm, we conduct fleet inspections and compliance review audits for carriers looking to improve/maintain their safety performance and scores for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability program.

Independent studies have confirmed that anomalies and flaws exist in the relationship between crash likelihood and a trucking company’s BASIC scores as calculated under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability program.