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.
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.
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.
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, 2016US Needs to Be Energy Independent
I read Transport Topics regarding Exxon Mobil’s recent shipment of its first tanker load of U.S. crude oil from Beaumont, Texas, to its refinery in Sicily, Italy. The article also indicated that a 40-year export ban had been lifted.
April 18, 2016The ELD Mandate's Carrot and Stick
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration finally released the long-awaited electronic logging device mandate’s final rule in December. The rule states that motor carriers without a current solution in place now have until December 2017 to implement ELDs for any vehicle or combination of vehicles with an actual weight and/or Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 10,001 pounds or more. The rule is meant to improve compliance with hours-of-service safety rules.
April 18, 2016Congressional Capacity
As expected, 2016 has been a slow year on Capitol Hill, especially when it comes to transportation.
April 18, 2016Industry: Training Proposal to Worsen Driver Shortage
Many in the trucking industry say the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s proposed entry-level driver training rule has the potential to exacerbate the nation’s driver shortage. The rule requires that students log at least 30 hours of behind-the-wheel training time.
Tech Training, No-Water Batteries, Portable Lift Systems Among New Products
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The recent annual meeting of the Technology & Maintenance Council included a spacious exhibit hall filled with vendors hoping to lure truck maintenance directors into making purchases for their shops back home.
Fatal Crashes, Fatalities Involving Large Trucks Declined From 2013 to 2014, FMCSA Says
The number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes decreased in 2014 by 5%, to 3,744 from 3,921 in 2013, according to a report released April 15 by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Leaf Spring Vs. Air Ride: Opinions Differ on Suspensions
Maryland-based Ramar Moving Systems hauls specialty items such as art, satellites and, once, a moon buggy.
FMCSA Orders Some Hazmat Tank Operators Inspected in Alabama to Be Re-Inspected
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on April 15 issued a safety advisory notifying the owners and operators of cargo tanks inspected by two testers in Alabama that they must be re-inspected.