Safety
Transportation businesses face a host of dynamic risk issues that can significantly impact their financial and operational health. The news in this category focuses on the latest safety and security initiatives, resources and regulations and addresses topics that include fleet safety, claims administration, driver hiring and retention, risk management and compliance.
FMCSA Seeks Feedback on Trust Fund Practices
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is seeking comment and will hold an informal roundtable discussion on May 20 pertaining to the adequacy of existing trust fund industry practices for property brokers and freight forwarders.
Daily Briefings from Transport Topics
Transport Topics has partnered with Spoken Layer to make one-minute daily briefings available on all your smart devices. Simply say “Alexa, play Transport Topics” or “Okay Google, talk to Transport Topics” to get the day’s biggest trucking headlines.
Truck-Involved Deaths Dip
Even though large trucks traveled upward of 4 billion more miles in 2014 than in 2013, fewer of them were involved in fatal crashes and fewer people died in those accidents.
A Welcome Reduction
Readers of Transport Topics see stories every week that involve the different ways trucking companies, industry suppliers and government regulators all aim to improve highway safety. So signs of progress should not be a surprise.
April 25, 2016March Tonnage Increases 2.2% Amid Slow Economic Growth
Truck tonnage rose 2.2% in March on a year-over-year basis, reflecting slow economic growth and mixed freight trends, American Trucking Associations reported.
Traffic Costs Industry $49.6 Billion During 2014, ATRI Study Shows
Traffic congestion on the nation’s highways added more than $49.6 billion in operational costs for the trucking industry in 2014, according to a study released April 19 by the American Transportation Research Institute.
Four Families Settle Georgia Truck Accident Lawsuits
Total Transportation of Mississippi, the employer of a tractor-trailer driver blamed for a fiery interstate crash that killed five Georgia nursing students, has agreed to settle multiple wrongful death lawsuits for large sums, with at least one victim’s family receiving $14 million, attorneys in the case said April 20.
April 22, 2016Mack Unveils 2017 Powertrain
AUSTIN, Texas — Mack Trucks celebrated Earth Day here by rolling out its 2017 powertrain designed to meet the second part of Phase 1 federal greenhouse-gas limits that start in January, including new technologies for its MP7 and MP8 engines.
Senate Panel Approves DOT Issuing Speed Limiters Proposal in Fiscal 2017 Transportation Bill
WASHINGTON — Legislation that would require the U.S. Department of Transportation to advance a proposal on speed limiters for trucks was approved by a Senate panel April 21.
Capitol Agenda for the Week of April 19: Addition by Appropriations?
Trucking leaders have been pressing Congress to adopt a meal-and-rest-break proposal, as well as corrective language to an hours-of-service provision in a fiscal 2016 funding law. This week, Senate funding leaders might be listening. Here's the week ahead for trucking on Capitol Hill.
Cass Freight Index Dips 1.5% in March from 2015 Level
Cass Information Systems’ freight index, based primarily on trucking, dipped 1.5% in March on a year-over-year basis, but gained 1.4% from February of this year.
April 18, 2016