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.
FMCSA to Propose Electronic Onboard Recorder Rule Thursday
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said late Tuesday that it will announce a proposed rule regarding electronic on-board recorders for commercial trucks and buses on Thursday morning.
January 10, 2007TT Podcasts: RoadSigns
Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America, discusses what it takes to make electric vehicles successful in the trucking industry.
Crude Oil Closes at 19-Month Low, at $54.02 a Barrel
Crude oil futures hit a 19-month low price, closing at $54.02 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange Wednesday following a Department of Energy report showing strong heating-oil inventories, Bloomberg reported.
January 10, 2007ATRI Issues Final Request for HOS Sleeper-Berth Data
The American Transportation Research Institute issued a final call Tuesday for motor carrier safety data to measure the effects of the federal hours-of-service rule’s split sleeper-berth provisions.
January 9, 2007YRC Folding USF Bestway Unit Into USF Reddaway
Less-than-truckload carrier YRC Regional Transportation said late Monday that its USF Bestway and USF Reddaway units will consolidate into one organization under the USF Reddaway brand.
January 9, 2007Diesel Average Price Drops 4.3 Cents to $2.537 a Gallon
The average retail price of diesel fuel dropped 4.3 cents to $2.537 a gallon, the Department of Energy reported Monday.
January 9, 2007CDL Fraud Probe Targets False Addresses
Several people who obtained commercial driver’s licenses from a southern Missouri trucking school gave false home addresses, and state officials acknowledge they currently have no way to stop the practice, the Associated Press reported.
January 9, 2007Delaware May Lease Its Toll Roads, Paper Reports
Delaware may consider leasing its toll roads to pay for road projects, in a move similar to other states, the Delaware News Journal newspaper reported Sunday.
January 8, 2007Gasoline Price Rises 3 Cents from Mid-December, Lundberg Says
Average U.S. retail gasoline prices rose 3 cents over the past three weeks to $2.32 a gallon, according to the latest Lundberg survey of gasoline prices released Sunday.
January 8, 2007Technology Briefs — Jan. 3 - Jan. 8
TransCore Inks Satellite Pact with Norwegian Firm • WTO Urged to Scrap Duties on ‘Green’ Technology • Iowa Judge to Rule on Speed Cameras
January 8, 2007Electronic Recorder Rule Near as White House Gives Approval
The White House late last month gave its approval for a proposal that could force truckers to use electronic recorders to monitor their hours of service, clearing the way for the rule to be published after more than two years of discussion.