New federal fuel efficiency standards were announced yesterday, and they affect a broad span of vehicles, ranging from tractor-trailers, heavy-duty pickups and vans, and vocational uses. Tractor-trailers are targeted to achieve a 20 percent reduction in both fuel consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions by model year 2018. Within this group, there are even more specific requirements determined by design and Continue Reading

Using the latest record numbers of vehicle miles traveled from the Department of Transportation, Secretary Ray LaHood emphasized the need for repairing the nation’s deficient roads and bridges. In 2010, Americans travelled three trillion miles, the most since 2007 and the third-highest ever recorded. The most traveled areas include the South Gulf area, a bloc of eight states ranging from Texas to Kentucky, which showed the greatest regional increase in Continue Reading

The first of President Obama’s six-year funding plan for the U.S. Department of Transportation is drawing high praise from U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. The $129 billion budget will address infrastructure needs, such as repairing bridges and repaving roads, while also supporting the development of electric buses and high-speed rail lines that both boost efficiency and reduce emissions. The administration’s six-year proposal would provide $336 billion, a 48 percent increase over the previous authorization, to rebuild roads and bridges, and $119 billion, a 128 percent increase over the Continue Reading

In order to solicit as much feedback from drivers as possible about proposed revisions to the hours-of-service rule, Pegasus TransTech is offering a free service at every Pilot, Flying J and Love’s truck stop location. A free scanning service is being offered so drivers can send their letters to the Department of Transportation (DOT) free of charge. Recent proposed revisions affect the rest periods required for drivers. Critics fear that these changes Continue Reading

After numerous studies linking the dangers of distractions and driving, 30 states and the District of Columbia quickly jumped on board with what seemed like the trendy legislation to ban texting behind the wheel. But some groups are question whether those bans have made the roads safer or if enforcing them is even possible. At its recent annual meeting, the Governors Highway Safety Association delayed action on a California proposal urging states to ban all electronic devices, both handheld and hands-free, while driving. Some seven or eight states prohibit the use of phones while driving, but no one has banned their use completely. According to other studies, the bans may have little effect and may even increase the Continue Reading

Just as happened in the first round of infrastructure funding requests, the demand of requests far exceeded the supply. Almost 1,000 applications for $19 billion of projects from all 50 states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia exceeded the $600 million available, proof according to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood that there is a serious need for highway improvements. The Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants will be awarded based on potential economic impact, energy efficiency and safety improvements offered. DOT says it Continue Reading

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) made preliminary scores based on its Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA 2010) model available to fleets last week, allowing companies to identify unsafe behaviors and address safety compliance issues. In December, each motor carrier’s score will be made public. Prior to CSA 2010′s implementation later this year, the FMCSA recommends that motor carriers verify and update their motor carrier Continue Reading

Effective September 1, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will eliminate the use of registrant-only Department of Transportation (DOT) numbers to boost the accuracy of its safety records. Non-motor carrier vehicle owners who have leased their equipment to motor carriers have posed challenges when the driver of the vehicle has been charged with a safety violation. Often, the negative mark goes Continue Reading

A new bill proposed by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) seeks to develop a national freight policy to ensure the U.S. infrastructure can efficiently move goods in part to protect the economy, while also keeping the costs of moving those goods reasonable. If passed, the bill – called the “Focusing Resources, Economic Investment, and Guidance to Help Transportation Act of 2010 (FREIGHT Act) – would create Continue Reading

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration took one step closer to getting its new hours-of-service proposals enacted. The new HOS proposal was sent to the Transportation Secretary’s office late last month. New rules are typically sent there for review before being sent to White House Office of Management and Budget for a final assessment. According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), the proposal Continue Reading