Government

About Government News...

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.

Fuel, Business, Government

Trucking Bankruptcies Double; 1st-Half Capacity Loss Is 4.5%

Trucking company bankruptcies more than doubled in the second quarter, soaring 118% from last year as high fuel prices pushed 970 U.S. carriers out of business, a leading industry analyst said.

August 11, 2008
Business, Government

Large TL Fleets Shed Longhaul to Seek More Regional Freight

Large truckload fleets are gaining business by shifting from marginally profitable longhaul lanes to regional trucking, which in turn is forcing smaller carriers with fewer resources to fight for that longhaul business, industry experts said.

August 11, 2008
Business, Fuel, Government, Logistics

Warehousing: Fleets Acquire Storage Space to Expand Role in Supply Chain

The cost advantage offered by shipping direct and avoiding paying for warehousing and inventory is dwindling, possibly forever, as the price of fuel rises. As a result, more carriers have started looking at warehousing to play a larger role in the logistics process.

August 11, 2008
Business, Fuel, Government

Congress to Review UPS-DHL Air Accord

A congressional panel next month plans to review a plan by UPS to DHL Americas’ air shipments, Bloomberg reported late Friday.

August 8, 2008
Business, Safety, Government

P.A.M. Takes $1.3 Million 2Q Loss

Truckload carrier P.A.M. Transportation Services said it lost $1.3 million, or 14 cents a share, in the second quarter, compared with net income of $2.2 million, or 21 cents, a year earlier.

August 8, 2008
Government

Wholesale Inventories Rise 1.1%

Wholesale inventories rose 1.1% in June, the Commerce Department said Friday.

August 8, 2008
Government, Business, Safety

Productivity Rises 2.2% in Second Quarter

Second-quarter U.S. worker productivity rose 2.2%, the Labor Department said Friday.

August 8, 2008
Fuel, Government

EPA Denies Texas’ Request on Alternate Fuels

The head of the Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday that the agency was denying a request by the state of Texas to cut the amount of ethanol required in U.S. gasoline supplies by 50% over the next year.

August 7, 2008
Business, Safety, Government

Opinion: It’s Time to Reinvent Transportation

The consolidation trend in the truck transportation industry has been in progress for several years but, over the past five years, has accelerated rapidly.

August 7, 2008
Government, Business, Safety

Oberstar Blasts FMCSA for Slow Pace on Drivers’ Medical Certifications

WASHINGTON — On the heels of a report criticizing the federal government’s efforts to ensure that truck drivers are medically qualified, the House transportation committee’s chairman blasted the top truck safety agency for not living up to its mission and for dragging its feet on the health issue.

August 6, 2008