The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced a 60-day extension of the time that motor carriers have to comment on proposed improvements to the agency’s proposed Safety Measurement System. The comment period now runs through July 30.
SMS is the workload prioritization tool that helps FMCSA identify motor carriers for safety intervention. During the extension, FMCSA will conduct further outreach to carriers to encourage them to review how proposed enhancements will affect their SMS score and take action to correct potential safety problems before the changes are implemented.
Carriers can access the SMS Preview through either the CSA Website or the FMCSA Portal using the “CSA Outreach” link. For more information about CSA, visit http://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov.
Printer Friendly Version
Email This Story
RSS
Government: Related News
5/30/2012 – FMCSA Extends Time for Comments on Proposed Safety Measurement System
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced a 60-day extension of the time that motor carriers have to comment on proposed improvements to the agency’s proposed Safety Measurement System. The comment period now runs through July 30….
More
5/24/2012 – Associations Lobby Highway Bill Conferees to Address Trucking’s Needs
Leaders of American Trucking Associations asked members of the conference committee currently negotiating on the highway bill to address several critical issues for the trucking industry — one of them calling for electronic onboard recorders, which the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and a coalition of other groups are lobbying against. …
More
5/24/2012 – FMCSA Offers Consumers Moving Company Checklist
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced the launch of a new “Consumer Checklist” to assist consumers in choosing a responsible interstate moving company and protecting themselves from fraudulent or dishonest household goods movers….
More
5/24/2012 – Major Trucking Players React Positively to NHTSA’s Stability Control Proposal
The American Trucking Associations issued a statement praising the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s proposed requirement for electronic stability control on large trucks….
More
5/23/2012 – U.S. and Mexican Officials to Identify Needed Border-Crossing Projects
U.S. and Mexican officials are meeting today as a first effort to decide where new border crossings and connecting roads may be necessary,…
More
5/22/2012 – Mass. Right to Repair Bill Jumps First Hurdle
A little more than a month after consumers and neighborhood repairers packed a Massachusetts State House hearing room to urge passage of the Right to Repair legislation, the State Senate late Thursday evening strongly approved the measure….
More
5/21/2012 – Three more Mexican carriers in line for cross-border service
Three additional Mexican carriers have cleared a pre-authorization safety audit for long-distance service across the border and are waiting for authority to join the three carriers already operating….
More
5/17/2012 – NHTSA Proposes Stability Control Mandate
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposed a first-ever federal motor vehicle safety standard to require electronic stability control (ESC) systems on large commercial trucks and buses….
More
5/16/2012 – ND DOT Adopts Federal Guidelines for Former Military Drivers
The North Dakota Department of Transportation is now allowing members of the military to apply commercial driving experience obtained while in the military to acquire a North Dakota CDL….
More
5/16/2012 – FMCSA Posts 2012-2016 Strategic Plan
The core of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s strategic plan for the next five years is to press ahead with rules and reforms it already has under way….
More
5/15/2012 – Virginia DMV “Troops to Trucks” Program Puts Veterans to Work
Through the new Troops to Trucks program, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is joining forces with the military and transportation-related businesses to put former servicemen and women and National Guard and Reserves members to work in the transportation industry….
More
5/14/2012 – Highway Bill Conferees Face Daunting Schedule
House and Senate conferees last week began work on the highway bill under considerable pressure of time and necessity.
Counting today, the conferees have 19 working days left before the current extension expires June 30. Their staffs, who do much of the detail work in the conference process, probably will be working close to 24-7….
More
5/11/2012 – CARB Urges Tractor-Trailer Owners to Register Early for Flexibility
The California Air Resources Board is encouraging small fleet owners of 2010 and older model year 53-foot or longer box-type trailers that operate on California highways to report vehicle information now to gain additional time to comply with the Tractor-Trailer Greenhouse Gas regulation….
More
5/11/2012 – DOT Simplifies Stop Sign Regs
The Obama Administration is eliminating 46 regulations on traffic signs to provide more flexibility for state and local governments, including allowing communities to replace traffic signs when they are worn out rather than requiring signs to be replaced by a specific date….
More
5/11/2012 – Carriers Can Preview Proposed CSA Safety Measurement System Changes
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has updated the CSA Safety Measurement System website and the SMS Preview website. Carriers can log in to to CSA’s Safety Measurement System site to preview the first package of proposed changes through two websites:…
More
5/9/2012 – ATA’s Graves Not Optimistic about Highway Bill
The country has a lot on the line in the current negotiations over the highway bill, but Bill Graves, president and CEO of American Trucking Associations, is not optimistic that Congress will do what needs to be done….
More
5/9/2012 – Teamsters Endorse Obama in 2012
Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced the union’s endorsement of President Barack Obama for re-election in 2012. Hoffa made the official announcement to more than 1,500 Teamster members attending the union’s annual conference in Las Vegas this week….
More
5/8/2012 – Industry and Safety Groups Press for Recorder Mandate
Trucking and safety interests are pressing congressional negotiators to include an electronic onboard recorder mandate in the highway bill they are drafting. In a letter to leaders of the House-Senate conference committee, industry interest groups strongly urged that the mandate be kept in the bill….
More
5/8/2012 – Motor Carriers Asked to Weigh in on CSA
This week, the American Transportation Research Institute launched its second annual motor carrier survey to identify CSA impacts on trucking operations, as well as carrier perceptions and attitudes toward FMCSA’s maturing regulatory program….
More
5/8/2012 – Stability Control Proposal Nearing Publication
A proposal to require stability control systems on heavy-duty tractors is nearing publication. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposal has been cleared by the White House Office of Management and Budget, the last step in the review process….
More
5/5/2012 – CSA Data May Indicate Move by Drivers to Independent Owner-Operators
Federal safety data indicate that carrier registrations have jumped by 7.5% over the past 14 months, possibly reflecting a move by drivers to go into business for themselves, according to an analysis by QualifiedCarriers, a risk management services provider to shippers….
More
5/4/2012 – Fuel Economy Standards Could Reduce Transportation Funds by $57 Billion
Proposed fuel economy standards could result in a $57 billion drop in tax revenue that goes to federal transportation funds, says the Congressional Budget Office.
New CAFE standards (or corporate average fuel economy standards), proposed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency in 2011, would tighten fuel economy standards for light-duty vehicles manufactured from 2017 to 2025….
More
4/30/2012 – New Jersey Congressmen Call for Suspension in Toll Hikes
Several New Jersey Congressmen asked the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to delay a second round of toll hikes scheduled for December until the agency can prove it has its finances in order, reports New Jersey’s Star-Ledger.
“The planned toll hikes should be suspended until an external audit determines that the audit recommendations have been addressed,” wrote U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg in a letter…
More
4/30/2012 – FMCSA Cracks Down on Reincarnated Carriers
A new rule from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration makes it tougher for carriers that have been sanctioned to reincarnate themselves under a new identity.
The agency last week posted a final rule that changes its procedures in several areas affecting truck lines, intermodal equipment providers, brokers, freight forwards and hazmat proceedings….
More
4/27/2012 – Highway Bill Conferees Face Tough Funding Issues but Share Some Common Ground on Policy
The House and Senate have chosen their conferees for negotiations on the highway bill. They have until June 30 to work out a deal or pass another extension.
The conferees’ toughest challenge will be to agree on the duration and funding of the bill, but their portfolio includes numerous important policy issues, including truck safety and program reforms at the Department of Transportation….
More
4/26/2012 – ATA, OOIDA Square Off on EOBR Debate
In advance of the upcoming conference committee meetings on the surface transportation bill, the American Trucking Associations and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association are urging passage or rejection (respectively) of the Senate’s EOBR requirement….
More
4/25/2012 – Transport Experts Say Public Must Push Congress to Act on Highways
Congress can’t do its job on the highway bill, so the public is going to have to take the lead, says a group of infrastructure experts including five former secretaries of transportation.
The federal highway program is now running on its ninth temporary extension because Congress will not compromise on how to pay for it, said the 60 experts brought together by the University Virginia’s Miller Center….
More
4/23/2012 – FMCSA Withdraws Sleep Apnea Proposal
FMCSA apparently jumped the gun with its Friday announcement that it proposed to adopt the recommendations of two advisory panels for tougher sleep apnea guidelines….
More
4/20/2012 – No Clear Answers on Highway Bill
House passage of another 90-day extension of the highway program sets the stage for another nail-biter.
Including today, there are 31 working days left before the current extension expires. The extension the House passed on Wednesday would give the House and Senate until the end of the fiscal year in September to negotiate the details of a highway bill that lasts longer than 90 days….
More
4/20/2012 – FMCSA Proposes Guidance for Sleep Apnea
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is proposing tougher standards for sleep apnea evaluation. The agency is adopting the recommendations of two advisory panels, one from the medical community and one representing industry, enforcement, labor and safety advocacy interests, for how medical examiners should evaluate the condition….
More
4/20/2012 – Employee Misclassification Report No Good, Says New York State Motor Truck Association
A new report published by the Drum Major Institute claims to illustrate widespread abuse through the misclassification of employees in the truck transportation industry. The New York Motor Truck Association, however, says this report is just a tool the Teamsters Union is using…
More
4/19/2012 – N.J. Trucking Executive Warns Senate on the True Cost of Tolls
In testimony before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, NFI Chief Financial Officer Steve Grabell warned that rapidly increasing toll rates, as well as the spread of tolls across the country, are a threat to consumers and to the trucking industry….
More
4/19/2012 – New Rule Will Create Registry of Certified Medical Examiners
Truck safety regulators are about to post a new, long-awaited rule aimed at shoring up driver medical standards.
The rule will require those who perform medical exams for drivers to be trained, tested and certified to a national standard. It also will create a national online registry of examiners who have met the certification requirement….
More
4/19/2012 – House Passes Another Highway Bill Extension, Heads to Conference Committee
Once again, the U.S. House of Representatives has kicked the can down the road on highway funding. Despite a presidential veto threat, the Republican legislation extended transportation funding through September — the 10th such extension — and mandates construction of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline….
More
4/17/2012 – Canada Aligns GHG Emissions Regs with U.S.
Canadian Environment Minister Peter Kent announced Canada’s alignment with the U.S. regulations for heavy-duty vehicle and engine greenhouse gas emissions for 2014 and later….
More
4/17/2012 – N.J. Owner-Operators Need IRS Determination for Non-Employee Status
UPDATED — A number of New Jersey fleets have discovered the hard way — with fines to the tune of $800,000 — that the New Jersey Department of Labor now requires owner-operators to first prove that the Internal Revenue Service already deemed them independent contractors before the state will allow an employee exemption….
More
4/16/2012 – California Court Says Employers Must Offer 30-Minute Meal Breaks
California trucking companies will be required to give drivers a 30-minute meal period within the first five hours of driving, according to the California Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Brinker v. Superior Court. …
More
4/13/2012 – FMCSA Wants to Study Overweight Trucks’ Connection to Safety
The DOT wants to better understand the safety performance of overweight vehicles — both permitted and illegally overloaded — so it is looking for state agencies to work with in a study of the issue….
More
4/13/2012 – Study Finds Few Effects from Diesel Exhaust from EPA-07 Engines
The first results of what is said to be the most comprehensive study ever undertaken of the health effects of exposure to new technology diesel engines has found no evidence of gene-damaging effects in the animals studied, and only a few mild effects on the lungs, according to a report issued by the Health Effects Institute….
More
4/13/2012 – Truck Dealer of the Year Nominee Educates Nebraska Rep. on Natural Gas
U.S. Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., visited Omaha Truck Centers, owned by dealer Trey Mytty, to learn more about natural gas in the commercial vehicle industry….
More
4/10/2012 – FMCSA Shuts Down JA Transportation
The U.S. DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration declared New Jersey-based JA Transportation Inc. an imminent hazard to public safety, and ordered the trucking company to shut down its operations….
More
4/9/2012 – New Rule for Medical Examiners Nearing Publication
A final rule to establish a National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners is close to publication.
The rule was cleared last week by the White House Office of Management and Budget, the last stage before publication in the Federal Register….
More
4/5/2012 – Three Oregon Ports of Entry to Switch to Phone-based Services
The Oregon Motor Carrier Transportation Division is closing its registration offices at three ports of entry and replacing over-the-counter services with phones and fax machines truck drivers can use for registration and over-dimension permit services….
More
3/30/2012 – No Highway Bill, So Congress Extends Program for 90 Days
Congress yesterday passed a 90-day extension of the federal highway program, the ninth extension since the program formally expired in October 2009….
More
3/30/2012 – Nasstrac Joins HOS Legal Battle
Nasstrac, the National Shippers Strategic Transportation Council, has joined in the legal efforts to challenge a lawsuit regarding reduced daily driving hours for truckers, reports the Journal of Commerce….
More
3/28/2012 – CSA Changes Available for Review
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is previewing a half-dozen important changes it plans to make in the CSA safety enforcement system.
In the announcement in yesterday’s Federal Register, the agency also discussed a controversial decision it recently made to back away from plans to clarify crash accountability data in CSA….
More
3/27/2012 – FMCSA Urged to Step Up Effort Against Reincarnated Carriers
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration could step up its effort to catch reincarnated carriers by making better use of the data it has, according to the Government Accountability Office….
More
3/26/2012 – FMCSA Officials Get Input on EOBRs at Mid-America Trucking Show
LOUISVILLE, KY — Officials with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration got an earful Friday about a number of issues relating to hours of service, electronic onboard recorders, and how trucking companies use EOBRs and other in-cab technologies to harass drivers….
More
3/22/2012 – House Will Push Highway Extension
The House, unable to resolve internal differences regarding its five-year, $260 billion highway bill and opposed to the Senate’s two-year, $109 billion measure, is going to push for a three-month extension of the current program….
More
3/22/2012 – Cummins to Have 2014-compliant Engines in Service by 2013
LOUISVILLE, KY — Cummins Inc. says it will be ready to ship its full line-up 2014-compliant heavy-duty diesel and natural gas engines a full year ahead of deadline, and they’ll feature improved reliability and fuel economy….
More
3/21/2012 – ATA: Common Sense Must Govern CSA Crash Accountability Decisions
American Trucking Associations‘ leaders expressed serious concern over the recent decision by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to continue to count every truck-involved crash in CSA scores, including those the truck driver could not have prevented….
More
3/16/2012 – ATA, TCA File Issue Statements with Court in HOS Challenge
The American Trucking Associations and the Truckload Carriers Association each filed motions to intervene with the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in litigation challenging the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s recently published hours-of-service regulations….
More
3/15/2012 – Dealer Plans to Participate in New Wisconsin Job-Training Program
Peterbilt dealer JX Enterprises hosted Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker as he signed Assembly Bill 450, popularly known as Wisconsin Wins, into law this week….
More
3/15/2012 – Senate Passes Highway Bill, 74-22
In an unusual display of bipartisanship, the Senate passed a two-year, $109 billion highway bill by a vote of 74 to 22.
All of the Senate’s Democrats and half of its Republicans voted for the bill….
More
3/14/2012 – Senate Close to Passing Highway Bill
The Senate is close to passing a two-year, $109 billion highway bill that could become a model for what the House will do with its transportation legislation.
The bill, called Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), would streamline the federal transportation program, accelerate project delivery, eliminate earmarks, increase financing resources and fund improvements in freight distribution….
More
3/12/2012 – FMCSA Stops Plan to Determine Accountability in CSA Crash Data
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration last week reversed course on a long-planned correction in its CSA safety enforcement system.
The agency was close to proposing a way for carriers to get an assessment of fault in the crashes used to determine their safety rating, but on Thursday Anne Ferro told industry representatives that the agency will not go ahead after all….
More
3/9/2012 – House May Default to Senate’s Highway Bill
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) yesterday gave the clearest indication yet that Congress will go with a short-term highway bill like the one the Senate is close to passing.
“The current plan is to see what the Senate can produce…
More
3/9/2012 – ATD Study: EPA Grossly Underestimated Emissions Systems Costs
A report released yesterday by The National Automobile Dealers Association and American Truck Dealers questions the Environmental Protection Agency’s cost analysis of 2004-2010 emissions control mandates. Data collected by ATD shows EPA’s cost estimates were off by a factor of between two and five….
More
3/8/2012 – Obama Visits DTNA Truck Plant, Addresses Energy Issues
President Barack Obama toured Daimler Trucks North America‘s Mount Holly, N.C., manufacturing plant Wednesday and spoke on alternative fuel technologies while praising DTNA’s commitment to natural gas….
More
3/8/2012 – Volvo Trucks First U.S. Manufacturer to Achieve Dual Energy Certifications
Volvo Trucks‘ New River Valley assembly plant in Dublin, Va., is the first U.S. facility to be certified to the ISO 50001 standards under a pilot program supported by the U.S. Department of Energy….
More
3/7/2012 – Obama to Visit North Carolina Daimler Trucks Plant
President Obama will visit a Daimler Trucks North America plant in North Carolina today, where he’s expected to tout the economy, job growth and fuel-efficiency standards….
More
3/2/2012 – New Jersey Bill Would Make Owner-Operators Employees
A proposed New Jersey bill, A1578/S1450, dubbed the “Truck Operator Independent Contractor Act,” seeks to define drayage and parcel delivery owner-operators as employees of the companies they provide services for, rather than independent contractors….
More
3/2/2012 – Movement but Not Much Progress on Highway Bill
As the Senate lumbers through debate on its highway bill, and the House considers changes to its approach, the outcome may be a short-term surface transportation program that preserves funding near current levels. …
More
2/29/2012 – ATA Files Brief in Support of FMCSA on EOBR Challenge
American Trucking Associations filed an amicus (friend of the court) brief on Feb. 24 with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in support of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration‘s defense of electronic logging devices….
More
2/27/2012 – New York Motor Truck Says ‘Fair Play Act’ Anything But
Legislation has been introduced in both the New York State Senate and the Assembly to address the “misclassification” of truck drivers as independent contractors. However, the legislation would be so far-reaching, it would “effectively eliminate the owner-operator business model the trucking industry has been using for over 70 years,” according to the New York State Motor Truck Association….
More
2/27/2012 – Safety Groups Go to Court Over New HOS Rule
The federal rule for truck driver hours of service still fails to make needed improvements regarding tired truckers…
More
2/24/2012 – ATA Seeks Change in New Tank Vehicle Definition
American Trucking Associations says the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s new definition of a “tank vehicle” is too expansive and needs to be changed….
More
2/23/2012 – EOBR Listening Session Set for Mid-America Trucking Show
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will host a listening session at the Mid-America Trucking Show on how electronic onboard recorders might be used to harass drivers. The session, scheduled for 10 a.m. March 23 at the show site in Louisville, Ky., is part of the agency’s revised approach to writing a new EOBR rule….
More
2/23/2012 – New Definition of Tank Vehicle Will Affect CDL Endorsement Requirement
A change in the official definition of a “tank vehicle” has led to confusion about who needs a tank truck endorsement on a commercial driver’s license….
More
2/17/2012 – DOT Proposes ‘Distraction’ Guidelines for Automakers
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the first-ever federally proposed guidelines to encourage automobile manufacturers to limit the distraction risk for in-vehicle electronic devices….
More
2/17/2012 – EPA Challenges Navistar Engine Claims
The Environmental Protection Agency believes that Navistar violated engine certification requirements and may file a complaint that could lead to a fine. The agency signaled its intent in a certified letter to Navistar Jan. 30,…
More
2/16/2012 – Truckstops Fight Amendment in Highway Bill
(UPDATED) Truckstop and convenience store interests are opposed to a provision of the House transportation bill that would allow states to privatize interstate rest areas….
More
2/15/2012 – Nearly 70 Transportation Associations Sign Letter Opposing Tolls
Sixty-eight transportation associations signed a letter to the Senate opposing the use of tolls on the U.S. Interstate Highway System in the Senate’s version of the Surface Transportation Bill (S. 1813)….
More
2/15/2012 – Highway Bills Face Uphill Climb in Congress
The Senate and House are taking their highway bills to the floor this week in the face of daunting odds. Passage of this key infrastructure legislation, which sets policy and funding levels, is going to be a near thing at best, given the politics of the bills and considering the March 31 deadline. …
More
2/15/2012 – ATA Suing to Overturn Hours of Service Rule
American Trucking Associations is suing to overturn the new hours of service rule. ATA is asking the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to set aside the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rule as arbitrary and capricious….
More
2/14/2012 – FMCSA Plans a Third Proposal to Answer EOBR Questions
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration decided to take a step back from its pending electronic onboard recorder rules and begin a supplemental process to resolve legal and technical problems….
More
2/14/2012 – Obama’s 2013 Budget Calls for Major Transportation Funding
The White House budget for the fiscal 2013 includes a $476 billion surface transportation reauthorization bill to invest in highway, bridge and mass transit projects through 2018….
More
2/13/2012 – New York DMV to Waive Road Tests for Veterans Applying for CDLs
As part of his “Experience Counts” campaign to help returning veterans get jobs in New York State, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo implemented two initiatives, one of which waives commercial driver’s license road tests for veterans with qualifying driving experience….
More
2/9/2012 – Senate Committee Clears Highway Funding Measure
The Senate Finance Committee Tuesday evening passed a bill to provide funding for a two-year highway program.
The measure is a $9.6 billion bundle of transfers and revenue offsets that no one on the committee particularly liked as a solution to the highway funding shortfall but a majority accepted because failure to act would doom the highway bill….
More
2/7/2012 – Senate to Vote on Highway Funding Proposal
Today the Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to vote on revenue provisions to supplement the Highway Trust Fund and pay for the Senate’s proposed highway bill.
Passage of the measure will put in place a key provision for the Senate’s plan to reauthorize the federal highway program with a $109 billion, two-year bill. The House, meanwhile, is working on a $260 billion, five-year bill. …
More
2/6/2012 – House Highway Bill Clears Committee on Party-Line Vote
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee did its job last week, reporting out a bill that would reauthorize the federal transportation program for five years at current funding levels. It was a squeaker, though, and the outlook for Congress finishing the job before the current program expires on March 31 is not rosy….
More
2/3/2012 – House Panel Kills Truck Weight Increase
An increase in federal truck size and weight limits did not survive a House committee vote yesterday. Members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee voted 33 to 22
to study the increased limit, rather than actually increasing it….
More
2/2/2012 – House Highway Bill Challenges Hours of Service Restart Provision
In the House highway bill unveiled yesterday, Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., finally revealed what he meant when he said he will challenge the new hours of service rule. The bill could force the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to rewrite the 34-hour restart provision of the rule, which limits the restart to once a week with two sleep periods from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m….
More
2/1/2012 – House Highway Bill Would Allow Heavier Trucks
The House of Representatives yesterday unveiled its version of a new highway program that would spend $260 billion over five years. The bill trims the Department of Transportation by consolidating or eliminating programs, gives states a greater say in how they spend federal money and speeds up the project approval process….
More
1/31/2012 – EPA Sets Penalties for Emissions Non-Compliance
Navistar Inc. may have to pay penalties of up to $1,900 per engine if it cannot meet heavy diesel emission standards, according to a new Environmental Protection Agency rule….
More
1/30/2012 – Hours of Service: Did FMCSA Find a Sweet Spot?
Almost no one is happy about the new hours of service rule. Maybe that means the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration made the moves that will lead to stability, at long last.
Or maybe not….
More
1/30/2012 – BTS Releases Interactive State Transportation Facts and Figures
The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics released State Transportation Facts and Figures, an interactive web transportation mapping application that allows customers to find and download state-by-state transportation data, comparisons and rankings….
More
1/26/2012 – Carriers Responding to New Health Care Costs
More than 80% of carriers report that recent health care changes will adversely affect them, according to the recent fourth quarter national Business Expectations Survey by Transport Capital Partners….
More
1/26/2012 – FMCSA Clarifies Push-to-Talk Guidance
FMCSA released updated FAQs on its new handheld mobile telephone ban to clarify that the use of the push-to-talk function on mobile phones is permitted, under certain limited conditions….
More
1/26/2012 – House Readies Highway Bill
House Republicans will introduce a highway bill next week, said Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Mica’s announcement followed President Obama’s call in his State of the Union address for funding the highway program with money not spent on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan….
More
1/23/2012 – Judge Rejects Navistar Bid for SCR Engine Recall
A federal judge rejected Navistar’s bid to have the Environmental Protection Agency recall 2010 engines that use selective catalytic reduction to meet emission standards.
The judge, Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, said Navistar’s arguments for the recall are not persuasive and dismissed the case….
More
1/19/2012 – Measure Would Allow Truckers to Go 75 mph in Idaho
A senator in northern Idaho wants to allow truckers to drive 75 mph in the state. The current speed limit for semis in Idaho is 65 mph while cars are allowed to drive 75 mph….
More
1/19/2012 – Booz Allen: America Needs to ‘Reimagine’ Infrastructure
As the nation prepares for Obama’s 2012 State of the Union address, Booz Allen Hamilton, a strategy and technology consulting firm, outlined items it says should be included in any discussion about the country’s aging infrastructure….
More
1/19/2012 – Obama Rejects Keystone XL Pipeline Proposal
President Obama announced that his administration is rejecting the controversial proposal for the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline, which would have transported 700,000 barrels of oil daily from Canada, Montana and the Dakotas to U.S. refineries in Houston….
More
1/18/2012 – ATRI Updates Online Idling Regulations Compendium
The American Transportation Research Institute has updated the list of idling regulations, both state and local, on its website, atri-online.org….
More
1/18/2012 – CSA BASIC Fact Sheets Available on the Web
The Compliance, Safety, Accountability(CSA) program released a new Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Category (BASIC) fact sheet series on its website….
More
1/16/2012 – Minnesota Governor Addresses Infrastructure Problems With New Task Force
The day after announcing a $775 million jobs plan for Minnesota, Gov. Mark Dayton announced plans to establish the Commissioner’s Transportation Finance Advisory Group, a task force that will be responsible for recommending new ways to finance a better state infrastructure….
More
1/16/2012 – NC Opens More Roads to Doubles
The North Carolina Department of Transportation will now allow the operation of double-trailer combinations on several freeway routes in the eastern part of the state plus the Triangle area….
More
1/12/2012 – TRALA-Supported Virginia Legislation Addresses Motor Vehicle Rental Tax
Delegate James Massie (R-Henrico) has introduced Virginia legislation, sponsored by the Truck Renting and Leasing Association, that would limit the types of revenue taxed under the commonwealth’s 10% motor vehicle rental tax….
More
1/11/2012 – New Jersey Assemblyman Alex DeCroce dies at 75
New Jersey Assembly Majority Leader Alex DeCroce, 75, died suddenly late Monday night at the Statehouse, just after the 214th Legislature held its final voting session….
More
1/9/2012 – FMCSA Reminds Carriers to Update VMT, Power Unit Data
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is reminding commercial motor carriers they they need to update their Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT) and Power Unit (PU) data on their Motor Carrier Registration form, known as the MCS-150….
More
1/6/2012 – NY Crossover Mirror Law Effective Friday, Jan. 13
A New York law requiring trucks to have crossover mirrors will go into effect next Friday, Jan. 13….
More
1/6/2012 – In State of the State, Cuomo Reveals Plans to Better NY Roads and Bridges
In Gov. Cuomo’s state of the state address yesterday, he introduced a plan for the New York Works Fund and Task Force, an entity that would make all the funding decisions for roads, bridges, parks, flood control and municipal water systems….
More
1/3/2012 – Former FMCSA Supervisor Jailed for Accepting Bribes
A DOT official in New York State was sentenced Thursday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to felony bribe-taking….
More
1/3/2012 – Cell Phone Restrictions Now in Effect
Interstate truck and bus drivers are prohibited from using handheld cell phones while driving as of today, Jan. 3, under a final rule posted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration….
More
12/29/2011 – Poll Finds Tolls More Popular Than Higher Fuel Taxes
In a Reason-Rupe poll of 1,200 adults, 58% of respondents said they would rather pay tolls if and when they use a particular lane or highway, rather than paying higher fuel taxes….
More
12/28/2011 – Motorcoach Drivers May be Next to Get New HOS Rules
First, airline pilots were handed a new set of HOS rules. Then trucking got new marching orders from FMCSA. Bus drivers may be next. FMCSA has published a public listening session notice for motorcoach HOS….
More
12/28/2011 – New HOS Rule Will Cause Delays for Manufacturers and Cost the Economy
National Association of Manufacturers has come out against trucking’s new hours-of-service rule, saying the rule will have a negative impact on manufacturers’ supply chains, distribution operations and productivity….
More
12/27/2011 – California Reminds Truck Owners of Jan. 1 Clean Air Deadline
The California Air Resources Board is reminding owners of heavier diesel trucks and buses that new emission reducing regulations go into effect Jan. 1, 2012, and many businesses may need to report compliance online….
More
12/23/2011 – New Hours Rule Likely Headed Back to Court
There’s a good chance the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s new hours of service rule is going back to court.
Just hours after the new rule was released, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety indicated that it may resume its challenge of the 11-hour limit on driving….
More
12/22/2011 – Clean Ports Bill Introduced in Senate
A bill that would give ports more authority over drayage operations has been introduced in the Senate. Among other things, the bill would clear the way for ports to ban owner-operators and require all drivers to be employees of companies. …
More
12/22/2011 – Final HOS Rule Retains 11-Hour Driving Limit
The long-awaited final rule on revised hours of service has been released, keeping the current 11-hour daily driving limit but cutting by 12 hours the maximum number of hours a truck driver can work within a week….
More
12/21/2011 – Hours of Service Rule Could be Published as Soon as Tomorrow
The revised hours of service rule has been cleared by the White House Office of Management and Budget, and is expected to be released soon, perhaps tomorrow….
More
12/20/2011 – Legislators Seek Info on Remanufactured Parts
A group of legislators is asking the Government Accountability Office to look into the use of remanufactured parts by non-defense federal fleets….
More
12/20/2011 – FMCSA Reminds Carriers to Update Fleet Data
Motor carrier data used to calculate SMS scores, such as Vehicle Miles Travelled and Power Unit data needs to be updated….
More
12/15/2011 – NTSB Recommendations Include Video Recorders, Collision Prevention
Tucked away in the same document in which the National Transportation Safety Board recommended cell phone bans for all drivers was a reiteration of previous recommendations to require video event recorders in heavy trucks, look at mandating collision avoidance systems, and other truck-specific issues….
More
12/15/2011 – NHTSA Closer to Posting Stability Control Proposal
A proposal to require stability control systems on truck tractors moved a step closer to publication this week when it was sent over to the White House Office of Management and Budget for final vetting….
More
12/15/2011 – Senate Commerce Committee Passes Truck Safety Bill
In a contentious session yesterday, the Senate Commerce Committee cleared the truck safety section of the pending highway bill.
The committee cleared the bill 13 to 11 on a party-line vote, not because the Republican minority opposes the safety provisions, but because the measure includes an amendment concerning freight planning that the minority does not like….
More
12/14/2011 – NSTB Calls for Nationwide Ban on Cell Phone Use While Driving
After investigating a 2010 multi-vehicle highway accident in Gray Summit, Mo, the National Transportation Safety Board Tuesday called for the first-ever nationwide ban on driver use of “personal electronic devices,” such as cell phones, while operating a motor vehicle….
More
12/14/2011 – FMCSA Proposes Tougher Procedures on Reincarnated Carriers
A new rule proposed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration would make it tougher for carriers that have been sanctioned to reincarnate themselves under a new identity.
The agency is proposing to change its procedures in several areas affecting truck lines, intermodal equipment providers, brokers, freight forwards and hazmat proceedings….
More
12/8/2011 – A Rare Glimpse of Bipartisanship on Highway Bill
In an unusual display of bipartisanship, a large group of House members from both parties pledged to work with President Obama on a six-year highway reauthorization bill. Sixty-two Democrats and 49 Republicans signed a letter asking Obama to support a six-year, fully funded bill….
More
12/8/2011 – Advisory Panels Urge Tougher Screening for Sleep Apnea
Trucking moved a small step closer to a sleep apnea regulation yesterday, when advisors to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recommended that the agency toughen up its approach to the disorder.
Two advisory panels, one from the medical community and one representing industry, enforcement, labor and safety advocacy interests, said the agency should tell medical examiners that drivers with a body mass index of 35 or more must be evaluated for sleep apnea….
More
12/7/2011 – FMCSA Live Webcast Today: Medical Review Board Meeting on OSA
Today, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will live webcast a meeting held by the agency’s Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee and Medical Review Board to discuss obstructive sleep apnea. Proceedings can be viewed live at www.fmcsa.dot.gov between 8AM and 5PM….
More
12/7/2011 – Advisory Committee Wraps Up Work on EOBR Recommendations
The Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee this week wrapped up work on recommendations to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on technical details of the pending electronic onboard recorder requirement….
More
12/5/2011 – CRASH says New Safety Data Validates Need for New HOS Rule
In a press release issued Friday, the Truck Safety Coalition says truck crash fatalities rose to nearly 4000 in 2010, from 3,380 casualties in 2009….
More
12/5/2011 – HOS Debate Hurting Rate Negotiations: FTR
FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index, as reported in the December Trucking Update, declined to a reading of 3.4 in October, primarily due to further delay in the issuance of revised Hours of Service regulations….
More
12/2/2011 – CARB TRU Compliance Extension Application Forms now Available
Owner of reefer equipment unable to comply with the Dec. 31 2011 deadline due to delays in delivery, installation, or financing, reefer owners may apply for a compliance extension….
More