Paperwork for for-hire carriers just got reduced, thanks to a final rule issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). As a result, they will no longer need to maintain a minimum in cargo insurance, and beginning in March 2011, carriers and freight forwarders will no longer have to file evidence of Continue Reading

Improving truck trailer orders mean increased production, but according to ACT Research Co. (ACT) backlogs are rising, as well. ACT’s latest State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers noted that backlogs jumped 10 percent in May. The good news for the industry and for the economy is that May’s trailer orders are up 59 percent from the same month last year. Even better, there are few order cancellations, according to ACT, because Continue Reading

Four of California’s heavy-traffic trade corridors will benefit from $200 million in voter-approved Proposition 1B funds to help reduce emissions from heavy-duty trucks, locomotives and railyards, commercial harbor craft and other sources. The Los Angeles/Inland Empire, Central Valley, Bay Area and San Diego/Border regions were Continue Reading

In the aftermath of BP’s oil-rig collapse and the ensuing millions of gallons of oil it has spewed into the Gulf of Mexico, a more widespread use of electric vehicles is being called a necessity to help protect national security and the environment. With upwards of 70 percent of oil consumption fueling the transportation industry, the first call is for the government to invest more dollars into making electrification for Continue Reading

Despite its praise for the efforts of Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA) 2010, the American Trucking Association voiced some of its concerns before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit last week. These concerns specifically relate to safety and equality. For example, the ATA suggested determining causation of a crash before entered into drivers’ records so Continue Reading

The first phase of infrastructure improvemets to boost efficiency of Canada’s trade with North America and Asia is underway. The development of a four-lane divided expressway and upgrades to Highway 75 around CentrePort Canada is just the beginning of a multi-pronged plan to move trade more effectively across the country and into the Asia Pacific Gateway, as well as the United States and Mexico. The project calls Continue Reading

With a goal of improving efficiency and reducing costs, Dean Foods plans to remove 50,000 metric tons of carbon from its transportation system by 2013, the equivalent of removing 9,500 cars from the road. Taking one step toward that goal, the nation’s largest dairy processor unveiled a new delivery vehicle equipped with a new prototype truck refrigeration system developed by Thermo King. The electric-powered refrigeration units replace Continue Reading

Growing economic influence in emerging and developing economies could signal a shift in freight, according to a new study, Perspectives on Global Development: Shifting Wealth, published by the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). Population growth coupled with public spending and social infrastructure helps stabilize these Continue Reading

A stronger anti-texting law in Louisiana is garnering praise from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Beginning Aug. 15, drivers caught texting while driving can be pulled over, rather than being merely ticketed for it if pulled over for another offense. Unchanged from the state’s original 2008 ban, drivers face fines of Continue Reading

Recent spikes in new truck sales may not be a sign of prosperity to come any time soon, according to various research firms, like Standard and Poor’s and FTR Associates and industry analysts. Now, FTR Associates is saying, that the jump may be the optimistic part of the rebound-then-fizzle-out sales cycle experienced in the 1982 recession. If that’s the case, truck sales have a hard road ahead to approach recent peak levels in the U.S. in Continue Reading