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.
Trump Wants $200 Billion for Infrastructure, OMB Director Says
President Donald Trump plans to propose spending about $200 billion in taxpayer dollars on an infrastructure development plan that would leverage private financing, his budget director said, adding that the plan won’t be ready until this fall.
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ELDs Now or Later? Early Adopters Can Choose
Sometimes it pays to be early. Many carriers still using paper driver logs will need to hustle in the coming months to install electronic logging devices in their trucks by Dec. 18, the implementation deadline for the federal ELD mandate. Fleets that already have deployed e-logs, on the other hand, will be afforded much more flexibility.
Training Vital for E-Log Deployment, Fleets Say
PHOENIX — With just eight months remaining until the federal electronic logging mandate goes into effect, fleets that still rely on paper driver logs soon will need to make the transition to e-logs, but that process involves much more than simply installing a device in a truck.
Infrastructure Funding Inaction Raises ‘Possibility of Catastrophic Failure’ Says Siemens Executive
Failing to fund upkeep for infrastructure systems increases the likelihood of epic disruptions to the flow of goods and people, a senior official with Siemens Rail said in a recent interview with Transport Topics.
‘Warning Signs Are Getting Darker’ for the US Economy, Says CEO of World’s Largest Money Manager
Laurence Fink, CEO of BlackRock Inc., said the lackluster growth of the U.S. economy and uncertainty around the Trump administration’s ability to quickly pass key reforms pose a risk to markets.
Freight Slows Slightly From February to April, Fed says
Growth in freight shipments slowed slightly between mid-February and the start of April, according to a Federal Reserve report.
April 19, 2017Georgia’s I-75 North Truck Lanes Deemed Wasteful in New Report
A $2 billion project that would lead to the country’s first longhaul truck-only lanes through nearly 40 miles along Interstate 75 in Georgia was categorized as wasteful in a new report by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group with the Frontier Group.
April 19, 2017After Failed FedEx Prosecution, Justice Department Institutes New Procedures
SAN FRANCISCO — The U.S. Justice Department in San Francisco has instituted new oversight for complex cases, a federal prosecutor said, following a failed drug conspiracy prosecution against delivery service FedEx Corp.
IMF Raises Global Forecast While Warning of Protectionism Threat
The emergence of protectionist forces could undermine a modest brightening of the global growth outlook and is putting severe strain on the post-World War II economic order, the International Monetary Fund said.
Top Highway Authorizers Call for Trust Fund’s Long-Term Fix
An overhaul of tax policy should include a long-term solution for the Highway Trust Fund, the top authorizers of highway projects plan to say to their tax policy counterparts.