Today, January 17, ATA filed comments with FMCSA in response to the Agency’s December 2011 Notice on the State of Alabama’s Metal Coil Securement Act. In 2010, ATA petitioned FMCSA requesting ( Article Continued... )

Prior to the New Year, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced plans to extend the registration and initial compliance deadlines for fleets participating in the Large Fleet Compliance Option 2 of the Tractor-Trailer Greenhouse Gas Regulation. ( Article Continued... )

Today, January 3, 2012, FMCSA and PHMSA’s final rule restricting mobile telephone use for CMV interstate drivers and intrastate hazmat drivers went into effect. The new restrictions prohibit CMV drivers from holding, dialing, or reaching for a mobile tele ( Article Continued... )

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is offering additional free training classes for fleets who plan to submit compliance reports under the state’s Truck and Bus Regulation. The regulation phases in diesel particulate filter requirements on most Cla ( Article Continued... )

On December 29, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California ruled that the state's low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS) is unconstitutional and violates the “dormant” commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution (National Petrochemical & Refiner ( Article Continued... )

Today, Dec. 22, FMCSA posted its new HOS rule on its website at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics/hos-final/hos-final-rule.aspx along with other materials, including a Q&A document. ( Article Continued... )

ATA filed comments today with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, on the agency’s proposed Unified Registration System, or URS. URS (which is unrelated to the Unified Ca ( Article Continued... )

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) has argued that, as a result of an August decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, motor carriers may no longer voluntarily use electronic on-board recorders. ( Article Continued... )

On Friday, December 2, FMCSA and PHMSA published a joint final rule restricting CMV interstate drivers and intrastate hazmat drivers’ use of hand-held cellular ( Article Continued... )

FMCSA announced its intention to revise the eligibility requirements for the federal Hazardous Materials Safety Permit (HMSP). ( Article Continued... )

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) voted 2-1 yesterday to consider adopting a smaller number of amendments to its proposal to amend its procedures governing representation elections – commonly referred to as the “quickie election rule.” The origin ( Article Continued... )

On August 3, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to establish an Ammonium Nitrate Security Program (ANSP ( Article Continued... )

Fleets operating Class 7 and 8 trucks in California (outside of the state’s ports and rail yards) should be aware of the in-use engine emissions requirements which are scheduled to take effect. Beginning January 1, 2012, trucks with model-year 1996 - 1999 ( Article Continued... )

Since the events of September 2001, our service members have played a tremendous role in fighting terrorism and keeping our country secure. The readiness of the Regular, Guard and Reserve components of our Armed Forces is at an all-time high and we can ta ( Article Continued... )

For the first time since 1988, EPA is proposing revisions to its underground storage tank (UST) requirements. EPA is recommending significant changes and additions including requirements for secondary containment for new and replaced USTs, ( Article Continued... )

Following up an early October meeting, ATA President Bill Graves recently wrote a letter to the White House Office of Management ( Article Continued... )

On November 16, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation (H.R. 674) that repeals the pending federal requirement that all levels of government withhold 3 percent of the gross amount owed to government contractors. The legislation h ( Article Continued... )

On November 14, a Louisiana District Court granted the State’s motion to dismiss a legal challenge brought by the Louisiana Chemical Association to Louisiana’s anti-indemnification law. The court agreed with the state that the Chemical Association ( Article Continued... )

Today, November 17, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) released its report detailing the extent to which CSA has impacted the daily operations of trucking companies. ATRI’s report also describes and analyzes motor carrier attitudes towa ( Article Continued... )

On November 15, 2011, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published a final rule that extends the requirement that drivers maintain a copy of their medical certificate on their person. ( Article Continued... )

Wednesday, November 9, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee unanimously passed its reauthorization plan - MAP 21. ATA ( Article Continued... )

On November 9, ATA joined 53 other industry associations on a letter to the members of the congressional appropriations conference committee calling for increased funding for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). ( Article Continued... )

On Tuesday, November 1, the U.S. Department of Transportation officially transmitted FMCSA’s draft final hours of service rule to the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. OMB’s review is the final step in the government’s regula ( Article Continued... )

Pre-2011, 53-foot or longer box-type dry van and refrigerated trailers that operate in California need to be brought into compliance with specific aerodynamic requirements under the California Air Resources ( Article Continued... )

On Friday, October 28, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration released the following statement regarding the publication of the Hours of Service regulations: “The petitioners have agreed to extend the October 28, 2011, deadline for publication of ( Article Continued... )

The federal heavy vehicle use tax (HVUT) is usually due by August 31 for the July through June tax year, and is filed on Internal Revenue Service Form 2290. ( Article Continued... )

On October 31, ATA filed comments with the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) on the group’s economic analysis of a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). ( Article Continued... )

Developments in California Meal-Break Cases ( Article Continued... )

Last week, Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) filed an Hours of Service-related amendment for consideration and possible inclusion in the FY 2012 Transportation Appropriations bill. If enacted, the amendment would have stopped the proposed HOS changes from bein ( Article Continued... )

Earlier this week, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) voted 3-2 to publish a final rule imposing speculative position limits for oil futures contracts and certain ( Article Continued... )

On Friday, Oct. 21, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) voted unanimously to adopt a number of amendments to the existing TRU regulation; however, they rejected an industry-supported ( Article Continued... )

Last week, the California Air Resources Board gave final approval to the nation’s only cap-and-trade regulation. The regulation ( Article Continued... )

The California Supreme Court has at long last scheduled oral argument, for November 8, 2011, in the Brinker meal and rest break case. At issue in that appeal is whether California requires an employer to ensure that its employees take a meal break or only ( Article Continued... )

ATA Files Amicus in Washington Classification Case ( Article Continued... )

On October 7, ATA filed comments with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), ( Article Continued... )

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) will consider proposed amendments to its existing transport refrigeration unit (TRU) regulation on Friday, October 21. The proposed amendments include extending the second compliance deadline for TRUs with model-y ( Article Continued... )

On October 7, ATA filed comments with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), demonstrating that a Boston-funded safety analysis of alternative hazardous materials routes was flawed and biased in a manner calculated to support the city’s ( Article Continued... )

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced on its website yesterday that it was delaying the effective date of its recent rulemaking requiring employers to post notices of employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act. The posting requir ( Article Continued... )

Companies that operate Class 7 and 8 trucks with 1996 – 1999 model year engines in California will face new statewide emission requirements at the beginning of 2012. Unless they qualify for an exemption, affected trucks will need to be retrofitted with di ( Article Continued... )

Surface transportation trade between the United States and its North American neighbors, Canada and Mexico, was 18.1 percent higher in July 2011 than in July 2010, totaling $72.4 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U ( Article Continued... )

ATA Wins Challenge to Port Independent Contractor Ban ( Article Continued... )

Wednesday, September 21, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released the findings of their annual report on congestion at freight significant highway locations. The research, which assesses ( Article Continued... )

Monday, September 19, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell announced he had received approval from the Federal Highway Administration to move forward with an application to the agency asking for permission to institute tolling on Interstate 95 as a way to pay for ( Article Continued... )

The Internal Revenue Service issued guidance on September 16 to motor carriers and others who must file and pay the federal Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (Form 2290). Since Congress did not extend the federal highway taxes by the usual HVUT filing date of August ( Article Continued... )

The member jurisdictions of the International Registration Plan have approved an extensive amendment that revises the Plan’s rules for IRP audits and its requirements for carrier record-keeping. Voting on the amendment, which required three-quarters of th ( Article Continued... )

In response to a petition from the Automobile Carriers Conference, on September 13 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued a final rule, effective October 13, 2011, that eliminates the requirement to have rear brakes activated in a triple saddl ( Article Continued... )

On Friday, September 9, Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana ordered the immediate closure of the Sherman Minton Bridge on I-64 between Indiana and Kentucky because of a crack found in a load bearing support beam. The crack was discovered Thursday while the ( Article Continued... )

On Sept. 2, the Teamsters and Public Citizen filed a “Petition for Review” with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals asking the court to review the U.S. Dept. of Transportation’s (DOT) plan to implement a cross-border pilot program with Mexico. ( Article Continued... )

ATA Urges Senate to Reform Patent System ( Article Continued... )

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is scheduled to consider proposed amendments to its existing transport refrigeration unit (TRU) regulation on October 20 or 21. The proposed amendments include extending the second compliance deadline for TRUs wit ( Article Continued... )

On Friday, Sept 2, on the heels of the Obama Administration's decision to abandon a costly, proposed EPA regulation, ATA sent a letter to the White House's Office of Management & Budget (OMB) urging the Administration’s head of regulatory affairs ( Article Continued... )

In an August 30 letter to House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), President Obama identified the Administration’s proposed rules on hours-of-service and electronic onboard recorders as having potential costs of more than a $1 billion. The President’s letter, ( Article Continued... )

On Wednesday, August 31, FMCSA released the long-awaited evaluation of its CSA Operational Model Test. The analysis, conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute on the Agency’s behalf, demonstrates that CSA represents an impr ( Article Continued... )

On September 2, FMCSA will publish a notice in the Federal Register denying the New Jersey Motor Truck Association’s (NJMTA) petition requesting that FMCSA determine the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s (Port Authority) Drayage Truck Registry ( ( Article Continued... )

ATA Files Comments with CFTC on Excessive Speculation ( Article Continued... )

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a final rule today requiring employers to post a notice of employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) where they post similar federal workplace notices. The rule applies to all employers ( Article Continued... )

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) April 2010 final EOBR rule, scheduled to become effective in June 2012, has been vacated by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and sent back to the Agency for reconsideration ( Article Continued... )

NLRB Finalizes Notice Requirement ( Article Continued... )

On August 23, the Department of Transportation issued its final plan under Executive Order 13563, which requires the federal executive agencies to identify burdensome or outdated regulations that should be revised. ATA and numerous other organizations sub ( Article Continued... )

Earlier this month, FMCSA made an underlying change to how its new CSA system defines and identifies “Hazmat Carriers” for the purposes of applying lower intervention thresholds. Previously, any carrier that had identified itself on its biennial MCS-150 M ( Article Continued... )

ATA Opposes NLRB Proposal to Shorten Representation Process ( Article Continued... )

ATA Re-Files Amicus Brief in North Dakota ( Article Continued... )

On August 11, ATA filed comments with the Environmental Protection Agency on the proposed biomass-based diesel blending requirements for 2012 and 2013 under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard. EPA sought comments on its proposal to require 1 billion gall ( Article Continued... )

ATA/NJMTA File Amicus Brief in New Jersey Classification Case ( Article Continued... )

Louisiana Court Tentatively Dismisses Anti-Indemnification Challenge ( Article Continued... )

On Thursday, August 4, President Obama met privately with ATA President Bill Graves and other trucking industry privately officials at the White House to unveil first-ever fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas standards for work trucks, buses, and other heav ( Article Continued... )

On July 29, 2011, ATA filed comments with FMCSA on its Draft Strategic Plan for 2011-2016. In the draft plan, FMCSA proposes to ( Article Continued... )

In testimony submitted for the record for a July 21 Senate committee hearing on “Legislative Issues for Transportation Authorization,” ATA urged Congress to fund the federal-aid highway program at the highest possible levels ( Article Continued... )

In testimony before a Senate subcommittee today (July 21, 2011), Dan England, Chairman and President of C.R. England Inc., and Vice Chairman of the American Trucking Associations, urged Congress to adopt several ATA-suggested initiatives ( Article Continued... )

On July 20, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a final rule making miscellaneous amendments to the hazardous materials regulations. ( Article Continued... )

The American Trucking Associations asked Congress, in July 12 testimony, to direct the Transportation Security Administration ( Article Continued... )

On July 7, ATA filed comments with the Environmental Protection Agency opposing proposed changes to the Agency’s requirements for SCR-equipped engines. ( Article Continued... )

By legislation (S.B. 1131) signed into law by Pennsylvania Governor Corbett on June 28, Pennsylvania has eliminated the doctrine of joint and several liability, the legal doctrine that makes each defendant in a tort suit potentially liable for all the dam ( Article Continued... )

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has issued an advisory extending the registration deadline for fleets wishing to phase-in trailer aerodynamics. ( Article Continued... )

Last October, in response to a petition by ATA , the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ruled that New York City’s requirement that commercial ( Article Continued... )

On Wednesday, June 29, FMCSA released its draft strategic plan, FMCSA 2011-2016 Strategic Plan: Raising the Safety Bar . The draft plan sets forth the agency’s focus areas and future goals for the next five years. ATA provided ( Article Continued... )

EPA has proposed raising the biomass-based diesel blending requirement to 1 billion gallons in 2012 under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2). The current blend requirement for 2011 is 800 million gallons. The 2012 target is in line ( Article Continued... )

ATA Joins LMTA in Amicus in Anti-Indemnification Case ( Article Continued... )

On June 22, The Wall Street Journal published an article, “Plan to Ease Way for Unions: Labor Board Proposes Speeding Up Organizing Votes; Employers, GOP Cry Foul.” In the article, WSJ reported, “The National Labor Relations Board Tuesday proposed the mos ( Article Continued... )

(American Electric Power Company v. Connecticut) ( Article Continued... )

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) will hold a third workshop to discuss potential changes to their existing Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) regulation. The workshop will take place on Wednesday, June 29 from 10 a.m. to noon (PDT) ( Article Continued... )

In testimony on behalf of ATA before the House Small Business Committee Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations, James Burg, president of James Burg Trucking Co., said proposed changes to the federal hours-of-service were unwarranted and ( Article Continued... )

On June 14, 2011, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published a notice of proposed rulemaking that would extend the requirement that CDL-holders retain paper copies of their medical certification on their person through January 30, ( Article Continued... )

On June 9, ATA filed comments with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, criticizing its proposal to require “each person” that loads and unloads hazardous materials in cargo tanks to conduct risk assessments ( Article Continued... )

On May 9, FMCSA placed four new research reports in the HOS docket and re-opened the docket for 30 days to accept comments on these new studies. On Wednesday, June 8, 2011, ATA filed ( Article Continued... )

On June 8, ATA and OOIDA jointly signed and sent a letter the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requesting the Agency begin a comprehensive research effort to determine whether heavy truck cab crashworthiness standards ( Article Continued... )

On Tuesday, June 7, ATA participated in the kickoff of CVSA’s annual Roadcheck event. Each year, CVSA member jurisdictions conduct a 72-hour roadside inspection blitz, checking vehicles and their drivers at inspection sites along major highways across Nor ( Article Continued... )

On June 7, 2011, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued a safety advisory for certain compressed gas (aluminum) cylinders ( Article Continued... )

On June 8, 2011, ATA and OOIDA jointly signed and sent a letter the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requesting the Agency begin a comprehensive research effort ( Article Continued... )

In a June 7 letter to Connecticut Gov. Daniel Malloy, ATA President and CEO Bill Graves urged the state to abandon a proposal to close seven critical rest areas. ( Article Continued... )

On May 8, 2011, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued a Final Rule concerning a number of CDL-related issues, including the issuance of Commercial Learner's Permits. ( Article Continued... )

On May 8, 2011, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued a Final Rule concerning a number of CDL-related issues, including the issuance of Commercial Learner's Permits. ( Article Continued... )

June 1, 2011 - Speaking at a media event in Lincoln, Nebraska, ATA Vice President Rich Moskowitz outlined the importance of building the Keystone XL pipeline to help carry petroleum from Montana, North Dakota and Calgary to U.S. refineries in Houston. ( Article Continued... )

Executive Order 13563 requires the federal executive agencies to identify burdensome or outdated regulations that should be revised. ATA and numerous other organizations submitted formal comments to DOT on this initiative ( Article Continued... )

On May 27, Governor Kitzhaber of Oregon signed into law S.B. 259, which makes provisions in contracts for motor carrier transportation that require the carrier to assume liability for the shipper’s negligence void and unenforceable in Oregon. ( Article Continued... )

On May 26, Iowa enacted new biodiesel blending and production tax credits. Beginning in 2012, fuel retailers can claim a 2 cent per gallon tax credit for biodiesel blended at a 2% rate (B2) and a 4.5 cents per gallon credit for a 5% biodiesel blend (B5). ( Article Continued... )

Speakers at Committee Meeting Outline Federal & State Tax Issues ( Article Continued... )

On Wed., May 25, ATA filed written testimony to the House Small Business Committee’s Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce regarding the repeal of Section 511 of the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 (PL 109-222 ( Article Continued... )

On Wed., May 25, ATA filed written testimony to the House Small Business Committee’s Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce regarding the repeal of Section 511 of the Tax Increase ( Article Continued... )

San Francisco Superior Court judge has enjoined the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) from engaging in any cap-and-trade program activity until the agency has come into compliance with requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act. ( Article Continued... )

The California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) has posted two modified regulations for review and comment. CARB’s Truck and Bus Regulation affects certain trucks with pre-2000 engines as early as next year while trucks with pre-2007 engines ( Article Continued... )

On May 17, Governor LePage of Maine signed into law L.D. 727, which makes provisions in contracts for motor carrier transportation that require the carrier to assume liability for the shipper’s negligence void and unenforceable in Maine. The state becomes ( Article Continued... )

On May 24, 2011, ATA filed comments in response to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) proposal to require drivers to log their hours electronically, ( Article Continued... )

On May 20, ATA filed comments with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration opposing a petition to incorporate certain cargo tank construction, inspection and maintenance standards into the hazardous materials regulations. ( Article Continued... )

On May 12, 2011, ATA filed comments in response to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) notice and request for public comment on a pilot program ( Article Continued... )

Earlier this afternoon, ATA Vice President Martin Rojas testified, before the House Homeland Security on ATA’s concerns on the MODERN Security Credentials Act. ( Article Continued... )

In a statement released today, ATA President Bill Graves responded to a number of inaccuracies about the trucking industry being promoted by opponents of the industry. ( Article Continued... )

Officials from ATA praised industry and law enforcement groups, as well as the federal government, for their efforts to improve safety belt usage among commercial truck drivers. ( Article Continued... )

Surface trade between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 11.8% higher in February 2011 than in February 2010 ( Article Continued... )

On May 2, ATA joined the Commodity Markets Oversight Coalition on a letter to oppose a bill (H.R. 1573) that would delay the implementation of commodity trading reforms required under Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform law passed last year. ( Article Continued... )

On April 26, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued a notice in the Federal Register renewing its Corporate Security Review (CSR) Program. ATA argued that ( Article Continued... )

On Friday, April 29, PHMSA will publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) restricting the use of cellular phones for intrastate hazmat drivers. The proposal would extend FMCSA’s proposed cell phone restrictions to motor carriers that transport ( Article Continued... )

On April 27, ATA filed comments with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) in response to a proposed rule to prohibit cargo tank operators from transporting flammable liquids in unprotected external product piping (wetlines). ( Article Continued... )

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) will be holding its 2011 Roadcheck, their annual safety inspection blitz, from June 7 to 9, 2011. In the course of 72 consecutive hours, vehicle inspectors and other law enforcement officers will be ( Article Continued... )

Changes to two statewide idling regulations are scheduled to take effect May 1, 2011. In New Jersey, an exemption from the state’s ( Article Continued... )

This week the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) released a study revealing that truck drivers with certain driving ( Article Continued... )

FMCSA granted an exemption to allow motor carriers transporting metal coils to secure them grouped in rows with eyes crosswise and the coils in contact with each other in the longitudinal direction ( Article Continued... )

On April 12, ATA Chairman Barbara Windsor (Hahn Transportation) testified before the U.S. House of Representatives, Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials ( Article Continued... )

After more than 4 years, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has denied the petition filed by the National Association of State Fire Marshalls to classify polyurethane foam as a Class 9 hazardous material. ( Article Continued... )

On April 1, ATA filed comments with the Department of Transportation identifying several regulations that are either burdensome or outdated. ( Article Continued... )

On April 4, ATA appealed the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s final rule governing federal hazmat enforcement procedures. ( Article Continued... )

Earlier today, ATA President and CEO Bill Graves testified, before the House Natural Resources Committee about the impact of the recent spike in diesel prices on the trucking industry and pushed Congress to do more to alleviate higher prices. ( Article Continued... )

Litigation Center Board Approves Filing in Louisiana Anti-Indemnification Case ( Article Continued... )

On March 28, ATA filed comments with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) supporting the establishment of position limits for energy commodities. ( Article Continued... )

Utah Enacts Motor Carrier Anti-Indemnification ( Article Continued... )

Trucking Industry Faces Patent Infringement Challenge ( Article Continued... )

ATA Asks Court to Hear Minimum Wage Case ( Article Continued... )

On March 23, ATA filed comments with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency on its procedures governing the entry and manifesting of containers with residue returning to the United States. ( Article Continued... )

On March 11, ATA sent a letter to Secretary Clinton asking her to issue a Presidential Permit to allow the Keystone XL pipeline to be built. ( Article Continued... )

Qualcomm GPS System Found to be Exempt from Sales Tax ( Article Continued... )

Colorado Court Affirms Employee Status ( Article Continued... )

On March 7, ATA filed a Petition for Rulemaking asking the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to amend 49 CFR section 177.802 ( Article Continued... )

On March 2, PHMSA published a final rule bolstering its inspection, investigation, and enforcement authority in today’s Federal Register. ( Article Continued... )

On February 25, ATA sent a letter to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) requesting that the agency hold states accountable for the grant money they receive under the Hazardous Materials Emergency Planning grant program ( Article Continued... )

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics released the 2007 Commodity Flow Survey (CFS), ( Article Continued... )

On February 22, ATA asked the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration for a 120-day extension to the wetlines comment period. ( Article Continued... )

ATA Files Brief in California Wage & Hour Class Action Case ( Article Continued... )

On Thursday, February 24, ATA testified at a Department of Interior hearing concerning the Agency’s upcoming 5-year plan for offshore oil and gas exploration. ( Article Continued... )

On Feb. 17, the U.S. Senate passed a bill (S. 223) that includes repeal of the expanded Form 1099 reporting requirements contained in last year’s federal health-care legislation. ( Article Continued... )

ATA, joined by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and DRI, an international organization of civil litigation defense counsel, filed an amicus brief last week in support of a motor carrier’s appeal of a class action certification in a California wage and hour ca ( Article Continued... )

Briefing Concludes in ATA Port Litigation ( Article Continued... )

ATA Meets with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Leadership ( Article Continued... )

On Feb. 9, the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Advocacy hosted an Hours of Service Roundtable discussion in Washington, DC. The purpose of the Roundtable was to provide ( Article Continued... )

On Feb. 4, President Obama and Canada’s Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, met to discuss improving trade and economic cooperation, while increasing joint efforts to establish “perimeter” security around both countries. ( Article Continued... )

On Jan. 31, ATA, through its membership in the Coalition on the Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles (COSTHA), appealed the Pipeline and Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) ( Article Continued... )

On Feb. 7, ATA filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in AEP v. Connecticut. ATA, along with the Consumer Energy Alliance, NATSO, Petroleum Marketers Association of America, Peabody Energy Corporation, and the International Liquid ( Article Continued... )

The American Tort Reform Association, which counts ATA among its long-time members, has published the first edition of its Legislative Watch for 2011. The Watch provides current information on state and federal legislative proposals related to tort reform ( Article Continued... )

CALIFORNIA COURT ISSUES TENTATIVE RULING TO HALT STATE CLIMATE CHANGE RULES A California court has issued a “tentative ruling” for state regulators to halt implementation of their landmark greenhouse gas (GHG) rules in order to conduct further analysis ( Article Continued... )

ATA submitted comments to EPA and NHTSA on Jan. 31 on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehic ( Article Continued... )

n Monday, Jan. 31, 2011, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a proposed rule to mandate the installation and use of electronic logging devices for hours of ( Article Continued... )

DOT INCORPORATES CARGO TANK SPECIAL PERMITS INTO THE HAZMAT REGULATIONS Today, Feb. 1, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration published a final rule incorporating six cargo tank special permits into the hazardous materials regulations ( Article Continued... )

FMCSA has agreed to honor a joint request made by ATA and CVSA and will hold a public listening session on the proposed changes to the hours of service rules. ( Article Continued... )

On Jan. 27, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration published a proposed rule to prohibit cargo tank operators from transporting flammable liquids in unprotected external product piping (wetlines). ( Article Continued... )

On January 25, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that it had “temporarily withdrawn” its proposal to add a column for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) to the employer injury and illness logs (OSHA 300 Logs) ( Article Continued... )

On Monday, Jan. 24, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) released a study articulating strategies for improving the trucking industry’s safety record through “alternative compliance.” ( Article Continued... )

The American Tort Reform Association, which counts ATA among its long-time members, has published the 2011 edition of its Civil Justice Reform Outlook. Released this week, the ( Article Continued... )

Last week, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration published a final rule (HM-215K) to harmonize the US Hazardous Materials Regulations with international standards on the transportation of hazardous materials. ( Article Continued... )

Litigation Center Board Approves Filing in Meal-Break Case ( Article Continued... )

After two years of decline due to a poor economy and high fuel prices, a new study reports that congestion is once again on the rise. The Texas Transportation Institute released the latest version of its annual Urban Mobility Report today. ( Article Continued... )

Earlier today, Jan. 18, President Obama issued an Executive Order entitled Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review. ( Article Continued... )

This week, ATA sent a letter to the Maryland Comptroller of the Treasury, challenging a Maryland credential requirement imposed on motor carriers who haul beer, wine, and liquor. This challenge ( Article Continued... )

Surface trade between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico was 14.9 percent higher in October 2010 than in October 2009, ( Article Continued... )

On Jan. 6, 2011, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood released a two page “Concept Document” that outlines basic program elements the Obama Administration may implemen ( Article Continued... )

An appeals court in Washington, D.C., rejected the American Petroleum Institute and the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association lawsuit challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s implementation of the biodiesel blending provisions ( Article Continued... )

Four Groups Support ATA in Port Challenge ( Article Continued... )

Yesterday, ATA launched its aggressive campaign to fight the Obama Administration’s attempt to replace proven and safe Hours ( Article Continued... )

On January 5, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a final rule revising the regulations governing special permit applications. ( Article Continued... )

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has issued an advisory explaining what owners of model year (MY) 2003 transport refrigeration units (TRUs) need to do to comply with the recently amended state requirements. ( Article Continued... )

Model year (MY) 2011 and newer dry van and refrigerated trailers which are 53-feet or longer and operating in California are subject to aerodynamic requirements. ( Article Continued... )

n response to ATA advocacy efforts, on Jan. 4, 2011, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published a broad interpretatio ( Article Continued... )

On Monday, Jan. 3, 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will publish ( Article Continued... )

ATA Files Opening Brief in Port Appeal ( Article Continued... )

n a self-described effort to get the hours of service rules “right” for professional truck drivers, the Obama Administration missed the mark in many ways with their Dec. 23, 2010 proposal. ( Article Continued... )

On Friday, Dec. 17, FMCSA released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) banning the use of hand-held mobile telephones by truck drivers. The proposal prohibits drivers from holding, reaching, or dialing a mo ( Article Continued... )

On December 14, ATA along with 29 other trade associations filed a petition for rulemaking with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) asking PHMSA to initiate a rulemaking on the standard operating procedures governing the Spe ( Article Continued... )

At the request of ATA and other industry stakeholders, 26 members of Congress sent a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson on December 7 requesting EPA not create hurdles to legally and legitimately use and/or recycle used oil. ( Article Continued... )

On December 6, ATA joined the Commodity Markets Oversight Coalition (CMOC) on a letter calling for adequate funding for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ant the Securities & Exchange Commission. ( Article Continued... )

The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday said it would hear a challenge to a Court of Appeals decision allowing several states to maintain a public nuisance lawsuit ( Article Continued... )

The trucking industry reaffirmed its support of national fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission standards for heavy- and medium-duty trucks ( Article Continued... )

On December 2, Governor Graves wrote a letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means Committee outlining the importance of extending the renewable diesel and propane tax credits. ( Article Continued... )

Surface transportation trade between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico was 19.3 percent higher in ( Article Continued... )

In a reversal of its position, the Administration announced that it will scale back the federal offshore leasing program to limit domestic petroleum exploration. ( Article Continued... )

As part of its ongoing effort to improve CSA 2010, ATA submitted a comprehensive letter to FMCSA, Nov. 29, suggesting additional changes to the ( Article Continued... )

Citing concerns with the potential impact on the supply and price of on-road, ultra low sulfur diesel fuel, ATA and the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association (PMTA) filed comments with the Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board (EQB) ( Article Continued... )

On November 29, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an 800 million gallon biomass-based diesel requirement for 2011 as part of the federal renewable fuel standard (RFS2). ( Article Continued... )

On November 24, ATA joined the Commodity Markets Oversight Coalition (CMOC) on a letter asking Senators to remove Section 201 from the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010. ( Article Continued... )

As FMCSA prepares to implement the first phase on CSA 2010 on Monday of next week, ATA reiterates its support for the program and its objectives. ( Article Continued... )

On November 29, ATA filed comments with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) supporting its original petition to exempt consolidation bins from the hazardous materials labeling requirements. ( Article Continued... )

Earlier today, FMCSA announced that when carriers’ CSA 2010 scores are made publicly available in early December, scores in the Cargo-Related BASIC ( Article Continued... )

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) will consider proposed amendments to its Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) Regulation on Thursday, Nov. 18 in Sacramento. The amendments include lowering the Dec. 31, 2010 retrofit ( Article Continued... )

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is soliciting proposals for projects that achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions. ( Article Continued... )

The trucking industry reaffirmed its support of national fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission standards for heavy- and medium-duty trucks yesterday in testimony presented in Chicago at the first of two public hearings conducted by EPA and NHT ( Article Continued... )

On November 2, ATA joined the Commodity Markets Oversight Coalition (CMOC) in the filing of comments with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on CFTC’s regulations to implement the Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Act. ( Article Continued... )

District Court Stays Port Ruling; Owner-Operator Ban Remains Unenforceable ( Article Continued... )

On October 25, ATA filed comments with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), responding to the agency’s latest proposal to align the U.S. hazardous materials regulations with international standards. ( Article Continued... )

ATA Joins Amicus Brief in NLRB Case ( Article Continued... )

Court of Appeals Grants ATA Petition in Supporting-Documents Case ( Article Continued... )

ATA Amicus Brief, CSX Transportation v. Alabama Department of Revenue ( Article Continued... )

Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced today that the final rule ( Article Continued... )

On September 14, 2010, ATA filed a petition for Rulemaking with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ( Article Continued... )

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued an interim final rule in early September establishing whistleblower procedures. ( Article Continued... )

In response to a Petition for Reconsideration of the Final Rule mandating electronic logging devices for non compliant carriers ( Article Continued... )

On September 13, ATA filed comments with the DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) in response to proposed regulations applicable to the transportation of lithium batteries. ( Article Continued... )

Earlier today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released highway safety figures showing that truck-involved fatalities dropped 20 percent in 2009 from the prior year. ( Article Continued... )

On Sept. 6, President Obama announced that his Administration would seek new funding for highway ( Article Continued... )

TSA and PHMSA are hosting HazMat security trainings around the country. ( Article Continued... )

District Court Rules in Port’s Favor ( Article Continued... )

Court Reverses Judgment Against Carrier ( Article Continued... )

ATA Files Amicus in Independent Contractor Case ( Article Continued... )

Kansas Court Rejects Drivers’ Overtime Claim ( Article Continued... )

On August 26, ATA filed comments with DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, questioning the Agency’s proposed revisions to its special permit application process. ( Article Continued... )

On Aug. 23, ATA filed comments to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration’s (OSHA) notice of proposed rulemaking (proposal) regarding its Walking Working Surfaces Standard and personal protective equipment (PPE) for Fall Protection. ( Article Continued... )

ATA joined the Washington Trucking Associations last week in an amicus brief filed with the Supreme Court of the State of Washington. ( Article Continued... )

On Aug. 19, ATA Vice President Rich Moskowitz testified at a Department of Transportation (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) public meeting on establishing fitness criteria for entities applying for or renewing hazardous ( Article Continued... )

On August 19, ATA filed comments with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission opposing its proposal to use the Producer Price Index plus 1.3 percent as the index for annual changes to the oil pipeline rate ceiling over the next five years. ( Article Continued... )

On August 19, ATA filed comments with DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA) responding to a proposal to incorporate six widely-held Special Permits into the hazardous materials regulations. ( Article Continued... )

On Monday, Aug. 16, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) changes to its CSA 2010 methodology were made available to the industry and the public. ( Article Continued... )

Yesterday, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released its revised CSA 2010 methodology reflecting many changes that address concerns ATA had raised on behalf of its members. ( Article Continued... )

Yesterday, FMCSA formally announced changes it is making to the CSA 2010 methodology. Many of these changes are ones that ATA has been calling for and are due, at least in part, to ATA’s advocacy efforts. ( Article Continued... )

A bill (S. 3705), which would allow states to increase truck weight limits on Interstate Highways to 97,000 pounds, was introduced by Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) on August 4. ( Article Continued... )

On July 24, Governor Graves wrote a letter to each Senator outlining the trucking industry’s concerns with a low carbon fuel standard. ( Article Continued... )

ATA submitted comments on July 14 addressing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for New Medium- and Heavy-Duty Fuel Efficiency Improvement Program ( Article Continued... )

In response to a petition for rulemaking filed by the Canadian government, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a final rule on July 2 regarding minimum levels of financial responsibility for motor carriers. ( Article Continued... )

On July 13, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published its solicitation for applications for FY11 safety grants. FMCSA disseminates funds and oversees grants awarded in support of 11 safety programs, including the CMV Operator Safe ( Article Continued... )

On July 14, 2010, ATA filed comments supporting the Flatbed Carrier Safety Group’s exemption request concerning the federal load securement regulations applicable to the transportation of metal coils. ( Article Continued... )

On July 12, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed new volumetric numbers for its 2011 Renewable Fuel Standard. ( Article Continued... )

Results from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) 2010 Roadcheck show the industry is holding its own in the number of commercial drivers and vehicles that passed roadside inspections in Canada, the U.S. ( Article Continued... )

Results from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) 2010 Roadcheck show the industry is holding its own in the number of commercial drivers and vehicles that passed roadside inspections in Canada, the U.S. ( Article Continued... )

ATA filed comments with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to allow the camera/sensor from a lane departure warning system to be placed on the truck windshield. ( Article Continued... )

Last week Governor Graves wrote Representatives Baucus, Levin, Grassley and Camp to reiterate ATA’s support of the renewable diesel tax credit that expired at the end of 2009. ( Article Continued... )

On July 1 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched a new, on-line tool designed to connect consumers to new information and resources that will ( Article Continued... )

ATA filed comments on a DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) initiative to harmonize the U.S. hazardous materials ( Article Continued... )

On July 2, ATA petitioned DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA) to revise the hazardous materials incident reporting requirements in an effort to reduce the trucking industry’s reporting burden, ( Article Continued... )

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will talk with commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers concerning the medical certification ( Article Continued... )

During its annual meeting last week, the Western Governors Association passed a resolution which calls on Congress to authorize the U.S. Department ( Article Continued... )

Yesterday, June 30, the United States House of Representatives passed the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act by a vote of 237-192. The legislation, which emerged from a House-Senate conference late last week, ( Article Continued... )

On June 29, 2010, ATA testified at a Department of State hearing concerning the construction of a new crude oil pipeline that would link Alberta, Canada and Houston, Texas. ( Article Continued... )

On June 30, 2010, the United States House of Representatives passed the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act by a vote of 237-192. ( Article Continued... )

Motor carriers that transport placarded quantities of hazardous materials must register with the DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) on or before June 30, 2010. ( Article Continued... )

ATA filed comments with the Department of Interior in connection with the Department’s 2007-2012 Outer Continental Oil and Gas Leasing Program. ( Article Continued... )

A federal district court judge in Kansas granted class-action status for two lawsuits claiming that fuel retailers are short-changing consumers by selling “hot fuel.” ( Article Continued... )

The United States Senate passed its version of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009 by a vote of 59-39. ( Article Continued... )

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) on June 4, 2010, released a tentative guidance document related to motor carriers’ responsibility to keep supporting-documents that can be used to verify driver hours-of-service records. ( Article Continued... )

March 2010 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) surface transportation trade was 37 percent higher in March 2010 than in March 2009 ( Article Continued... )

On Friday, the House of Representatives passed the American Workers, State and Business Relief Act, (H.R. 4213), which includes a variety of tax extenders ( Article Continued... )

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) will be holding its annual Roadcheck event next week on June 8 to 10. ( Article Continued... )

On May 24, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a 300-page notice of proposed rulemaking to revise its walking working surfaces and fall protection standards. ( Article Continued... )

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) released the results of its analysis of motor carrier safety performance under the current Hours-of-Service (HOS) rules. ( Article Continued... )

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) granted Boston a 45-day extension to its hazardous materials routing restrictions. ( Article Continued... )

Citing several unanswered implementation questions, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency announced that it had postponed its scheduled July 1 ( Article Continued... )

On May 12, ATA submitted comments to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) about its Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) Program. The CFATS regulations govern chemical facilities that hold significant levels of HazMat that DHS has deter ( Article Continued... )

As a result of one of ATA’s long standing advocacy initiatives, today, May 11, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) finally launched the Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP). ( Article Continued... )

On May 3, Navistar International Corp. announced that it had negotiated a settlement agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and would drop its lawsuit challenging EPA’s certification policies for 2010 engines equipped with selective cata ( Article Continued... )

Yesterday, May 10, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell announced that the state’s Department of Transportation (VDOT) submitted an application to the Federal Highway Administration to toll Interstate 95 on the Virginia/North Carolina border. The proposed toll ( Article Continued... )

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has announced two public workshops to discuss proposed amendments to the state’s Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) regulation. ( Article Continued... )

On May 10, FMCSA denied the City of Boston’s request to continue enforcing its illegally designated hazmat route. ( Article Continued... )

On May 5, OSHA announced two stakeholder meetings to solicit feedback on its efforts to modernize its injury and illness data collection efforts. ( Article Continued... )

The new 2,400-page federal health care act has a tax provision that will affect nearly every business and greatly add to the tax compliance burden of many of them. ( Article Continued... )

President and CEO Bill Graves sent a letter April 30 to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to express concern about recent statements from the U.S. ( Article Continued... )

Fleets choosing to participate in an optional large fleet phase-in schedule have until July 1, 2010, to submit compliance plans to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) under its Heavy-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Regulation. ( Article Continued... )

A California ballot initiative which would suspend the state’s Global Warming Solutions Act until the unemployment rate reaches 5.5 percent over a one-year ( Article Continued... )

On May 3, 2010, ATA filed comments with the Department of Interior in connection with the Department’s 2007-2012 Outer Continental Oil and Gas Leasing Program. ( Article Continued... )

On April 26, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published in the Federal Register the fees that participating states may charge for calendar 2010 under the Unified Carrier Registration Agreement. ( Article Continued... )

Earlier this year, ATA became aware of reported instances of accelerated corrosion in equipment used to store and dispense ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD). ( Article Continued... )

Earlier this week, Maine enacted a law to require the use of ultra low sulfur heating oil. ( Article Continued... )

Full implementation of CSA 2010 will be delayed to 2011, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced. ( Article Continued... )

Today, April 1, FMCSA issued a proposed rule to prohibit commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers from texting while driving. ( Article Continued... )

On March 30, 2010, ATA filed comments with the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) requesting that the agency withdraw its proposed rule that would require employers to record “work-related” musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in a new ( Article Continued... )

On March 8th, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a Safety Advisory to motor carriers that transport anhydrous ammonia (NH3) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). ( Article Continued... )

On March 30, 2010, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued a final rule establishing new hazmat registration fees for motor carriers that transport placarded quantities of hazardous materials. ( Article Continued... )

Working with the New Mexico Trucking Association, ATA issued a statement opposing New Mexico’s proposed Greenhouse Gas Emissions Allowances and Trading system. ( Article Continued... )

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the U.S. Department of Transportation announced March 19 that trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners decreased by 23.3 percent in ( Article Continued... )

The California Air Resources Board will hold a public workshop to discuss proposed amendments to the state’s Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) ( Article Continued... )

Last fall, ATA, with the Maryland Motor Truck Association and the Virginia Trucking Association, wrote to the District of Columbia Department of Transportation asking DDOT to allow vehicle combinations with an overall length ( Article Continued... )

Last week, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued what the agency termed “regulatory guidance” to the effect that states that participate in the Unified Carrier Registration Agreement could collect fees for 2010 at the rates in effect for ( Article Continued... )

A generous federal tax credit offered to those using propane in forklifts and other motor vehicles expired at the end of 2009 ( Article Continued... )

Cook County, Illinois, in which Chicago is located, has long required commercial vehicles with extensive operations in the county to bear a decal showing that the county’s wheel tax has been paid. ( Article Continued... )

A hearing was February 4 before the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law of the Committee on the Judiciary of the U.S. House of Representatives ( Article Continued... )

President Obama today, March 18, approved legislation extending the federal highway program through Dec. 31. The program has been operating under several short-term extensions since the current highway bill, SAFETEA-LU, expired in October 2009. ( Article Continued... )

Today, March 18, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a limited 90-day waiver from the federal Hours of Service regulations for ( Article Continued... )

Today at a press conference on Capitol Hill, ATA Senior Vice President Dave Osiecki encouraged Congress to pass “Jason’s Law” to address shortages in safe parking for ( Article Continued... )

Today ATA Senior Vice President Tim Lynch told the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies that the federal government must ( Article Continued... )

On March 9, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) narrowed the list of hazardous materials that trigger the requirements to draft a security plan and provide in-depth training to hazardous materials employees. ( Article Continued... )

ATA has become aware of several instances of accelerated corrosion in equipment used to store and dispense ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD). ( Article Continued... )

On March 3rd, ATA submitted comments opposing the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s proposed increase of its hazardous materials registration fees (HM-208H). ( Article Continued... )

PHMSA has published a safety advisory concerning the manufacture and use of composite cargo tank motor vehicles operating under a special permit (SP). The notice references a December 30, 2009 incident. ( Article Continued... )

On March 2, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced a fifth public listening session to receive public comment on its revisions to the Hours of Service (HOS) rules. ( Article Continued... )

A stalemate between the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate has halted outlays of Highway Trust Fund (HTF) money. ( Article Continued... )

The Senate passed a $15 billion jobs bill (H.R. 2847) on Feb. 24 that would also extend the federal highway program until the end of 2010. ( Article Continued... )

On Feb. 24, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit issued its opinion concerning ATA’s continuing challenge to the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) use of a Concession Contract-based clean truck program. ( Article Continued... )

A legislative initiative to mandate the sale of 5 percent biodiesel blends in Iowa (HSB 717) recently died in the Iowa House Ways and Means Committee. ( Article Continued... )

On Feb. 23, by a unanimous decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a corporation’s principal place of business is in the state where its headquarters is located rather than where the corporation does the most business. ( Article Continued... )

Governor Jan Brewer has issued an executive order stating Arizona will not implement the greenhouse gas (GHG) cap-and-trade proposal advanced by the Western Climate Initiative (WCI), ( Article Continued... )

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has posted the reporting form for fleets to enter their vehicle information for the Tractor-Trailer Greenhouse Gas ( Article Continued... )

On Jan. 27, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) voted 3-2 to approve the release of an interpretive guidance to publicly traded companies ( Article Continued... )

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and Administrator Anne Ferro held a National Dialogue on Intermodal Roadability on Feb. 3 to ( Article Continued... )

On Feb. 3, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule implementing the National Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) program, ( Article Continued... )

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has launched a $20 million funding assistance program designed to spur the purchase of new hybrid trucks and ( Article Continued... )

On Jan. 25, Transport Canada announced restrictions on the transportation of hazardous materials/dangerous goods in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games ( Article Continued... )

On February 3, 2010, OSHA announced the termination of its rulemaking to amend its Explosive and Blasting Agents Standard (29 CFR 1910.109). ( Article Continued... )

ATA has joined petroleum refiners and other end-users in a legal challenge to California's recently enacted low-carbon fuel standard. ( Article Continued... )

PHMSA is proposing to increase the hazmat registration fees for the 2010-2011 registration year. ( Article Continued... )

On Jan. 28, the Department of Transportation reported its November trade figures, which showed a drop in U.S. surface transportation trade in goods with North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico ( Article Continued... )

Last week, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) held workshops to present proposed changes to their adopted Truck and Bus Regulation. ( Article Continued... )

On Jan. 29, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register that would ( Article Continued... )

ATA has joined petroleum refiners and other end-users in a legal challenge to California's recently enacted low-carbon fuel standard. ( Article Continued... )

A recently released report from the Congressional Budget Office projects that the Highway Account of the federal Highway Trust Fund will go into deficit by the end the current fiscal year ( Article Continued... )

Iowa Motor Truck Association President Brenda Neville told the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today that ( Article Continued... )

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) issued a notice indicating they have begun to enforce their Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) Regulation. Compliance with the regulation’s in-use ( Article Continued... )

On January 26, 2010, The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Administrator Anne Ferro held a quickly assembled press conference today at ( Article Continued... )

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) told the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today that the trucking industry has seen a large decline in the truck-involved fatality rate since the current Hours of Service (HOS) rules took effect. ( Article Continued... )

Representatives from affiliates and member companies of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and other trucking industry speakers told the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today that the current Hours of Service ( Article Continued... )

Following a vote by the Commonwealth Transportation Board, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell announced on Jan. 20 that he will reopen by April 15 the 19 safety rest areas closed last year as part of a budget-cutting effort. ( Article Continued... )

ATA representatives and other trucking industry speakers gave the FMCSA a clear message yesterday: "The current Hours of Service rules are working. Retain them but add flexibility to the sleeper berth provision." ( Article Continued... )

On Jan. 12, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced to the Board of Directors of the Unified Carrier Registration Agreement (UCRA) that publication of the 2010 fees to be imposed under the UCRA program will be delayed until much ( Article Continued... )

Beginning in New Jersey on May 1, no diesel-powered vehicles will be allowed to idle unless they have a model year 2007 or newer engine, or have been retrofitted with a diesel particulate filter that is connected and properly functioning, ( Article Continued... )

On January 15, 2010, ATA filed comments with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) plan to reduce the sulfur content of fuel oils. ( Article Continued... )

On January 11, 2010, a bill to suspend California’s Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB32) was rejected by the California Assembly Natural Resources Committee by a vote of 6-3. ( Article Continued... )

On December 30, 2009, the Governors of 11 Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states signed a memorandum of understanding agreeing to evaluate a regional low carbon fuel program to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels. ( Article Continued... )

A coalition of environmental, industry and public health groups sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Jan. 11 calling on the Senate to include funding to cut diesel emissions in upcoming jobs legislation. ( Article Continued... )

ATA has available a document that summarizes the when, where and how for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's upcoming hours-of-service (HOS) listening sessions. There will be four listening sessions: Jan.19 (Arlington, Va.), Jan. 22 (Dallas, ( Article Continued... )

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) voted 4-1 today, Jan. 14, to release a proposed rule limiting the number of derivative contracts that entities may hold for several energy commodities, including crude oil and heating oil. ( Article Continued... )

The Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched a distracted driving website, Distraction.gov, to serve as a resource center for distracted driving information. ( Article Continued... )

In comments submitted to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) on Jan. 11, ATA explained why a cap-and-trade program will increase the price and volatility of diesel fuel while failing to significantly reduce carbon emissions. ( Article Continued... )

Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu on Jan. 11 announced the selection of nine projects totaling more than $187 million to improve fuel efficiency for heavy-duty trucks and passenger vehicles. ( Article Continued... )

On Jan. 6, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics released the North American Free Trade Agreement Surface Trade statistics for October 2009. Surface trade declined 15.5 percent from its October 2008 levels to $61.4 billion, with surface trade for the fi ( Article Continued... )

In response to abnormally cold temperatures in the first week of 2010, several Southern governors have issued disaster declarations. ( Article Continued... )

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today, Jan. 7, proposed new air quality standards for ozone. The agency agreed to reissue the standards set by the Bush administration in 2008 after environmental advocates and states filed lawsuits challenging th ( Article Continued... )

On December 23, 2009, ATA filed comments with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in response to the agency’s proposed implementation of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). ( Article Continued... )

On December 29, 2009, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration issued a direct final rule adjusting the maximum and minimum civil penalties for knowing violations of the federal hazardous materials regulations. ( Article Continued... )

On December 23, 2009, ATA filed comments with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in response to the agency's proposed revision to its hazard communication standard (hazcom). ( Article Continued... )

By Federal Register notice yesterday, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has made technical amendments to and partially extended the deadline for compliance with certain provisions of its 2008 Final ( Article Continued... )

Congress plans to take several steps over the next few weeks to keep highway funding flowing to states and to prop up the economy through infrastructure investment. ( Article Continued... )

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) introduced legislation on Dec. 15 that, if enacted, would substantially limit the safe harbor protection of Section 530 against Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reclassification of independent contractors. ( Article Continued... )

On Dec. 17, The Senate Commerce Committee marked up S. 554, the Motorcoach Enhanced Safety Act of 2009, sponsored by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas). ( Article Continued... )

On Dec. 14, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published a notice in the Federal Register soliciting nominations for its Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC). ( Article Continued... )

On Dec. 15, The American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) published the 2009-10 version of its annual Judicial Hellholes, the report that details the worst places in the country to be sued. ( Article Continued... )

On Dec. 14, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published a Notice in the Federal Register soliciting nominations for its Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC). ( Article Continued... )

The House of Representatives voted 241 to 181 to approve a "tax extenders" bill (H.R. 4213) that would provide a one-year extension to the $1 per gallon tax credit for biodiesel and renewable diesel fuel. ( Article Continued... )

On Wednesday, Dec. 9, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) agreed to consider amendments to their adopted Truck and Bus Rule. ( Article Continued... )

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) met Dec. 7 through 9 to "provide advice and recommendations on the hours-of-service requirements." ( Article Continued... )

The FY2010 Transportation Appropriations bill, which passed the House today by a vote of 221 to 200, includes language which would authorize higher weights on interstate highways in Maine and Vermont for one year. ( Article Continued... )

On Dec. 7, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson announced the agency’s long-awaited endangerment finding that greenhouse ( Article Continued... )

On Thursday, December 3, the Senate confirmed David Michaels to serve as the Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health ( Article Continued... )

The Center for Biological Diversity and the international climate organization 350.org filed a petition with Environmental Protection ( Article Continued... )

Four Republican members of Congress sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson requesting the agency delay regulating greenhouse ( Article Continued... )

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s 2008 early edition of Traffic Safety Facts shows that truck occupant deaths deceased from 805 to 677 (-16 percent). All fatalities in truck-involved crashes declined from 4,822 and 4,229 (-12 percent) ( Article Continued... )

FMCSA Motor Carrier to meet on Hours of Service ( Article Continued... )

On Nov. 17, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that starting Jan. 5, 2010, the older versions of the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) cards can no longer be used as valid identification to cross the border. CBP officers will permit a one-time ( Article Continued... )

On Nov. 24, ATA, joined by the Maryland Motor Truck Association and the Virginia Trucking Association, wrote the District of Columbia Department of Transportation to advise the District that provisions of a plan to require special permits and fees from ( Article Continued... )

The House Transportation and Infrastructure passed the Hazardous Material Transportation Safety Act of 2009 (H.R. 4016), which includes a restriction on the transportation of class 3 flammable liquids in the external product piping of a cargo tank motor ( Article Continued... )

Responding to rising unemployment figures, both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) have signaled their intention to take up a new economic ( Article Continued... )

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) granted ATA’s pre-emption petition challenging Boston’s hazardous materials transportation ( Article Continued... )

During a Nov. 16 Baltimore field hearing on the Hazardous Material Transportation Safety Act of 2009, ATA First Vice Chair Barbara Windsor told the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Material that requiring tank trucks to purge ( Article Continued... )

On Nov. 16, ATA filed comments with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) suggesting modifications to their Certified Cargo Screening Program (CCSP). In the 9/11 Commission Act, TSA was required to screen all air cargo flying on passenger plane ( Article Continued... )

On November 10, 2009, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) granted ATA’s preemption petition challenging Boston’s hazardous materials transportation restrictions on the grounds that Boston failed to comply with the federal requirements ( Article Continued... )

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has sent its final greenhouse gas (GHG) endangerment finding to the White House Office of Management and Budget for a 90-day review and approval. ( Article Continued... )

On November 10, ATA submitted a statement to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on the use of natural gas as a substitute for diesel fuel in the trucking industry. ( Article Continued... )

On November 10, ATA filed comments with the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) on the potential impacts of a regional low carbon fuel standard (LCFS). ( Article Continued... )

On Nov. 10, ATA filed comments with the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) on the potential impacts of a regional low carbon fuel standard (LCFS). ( Article Continued... )

On Nov. 10, ATA submitted a statement to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on the use of natural gas as a substitute for diesel fuel in the trucking industry. ( Article Continued... )

On Nov. 6, Congress passed and the President signed into law the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 (H.R. 3548). ( Article Continued... )

Late Nov. 5, the U.S. Senate voted unanimously to confirm Anne Ferro as the new head of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Ms. Ferro was nominated by President Obama in June of this year and her confirmation hearing was held in early October ( Article Continued... )

On Nov. 5, the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.) announced that the scheduled markup of the Hazardous Material Transportation Safety Act of 2009 would be delayed. This bill, which includ ( Article Continued... )

On Nov. 4, ATA sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood outlining various concerns with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s decision to review and reconsider the current hours-of-service (HOS) rules. The present rules have been in ( Article Continued... )

On Nov. 5, ATA filed comments with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which has asked for public comment on three earlier ATA petitions requesting FMCSA to hold certain state and local motor carrier credentials to be pre-empted by ( Article Continued... )

The U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee will mark up the Hazardous Material Transportation Safety Act of 2009 (HMTSA) on Nov. 5 at 11 a.m. ATA is assisting the National Tank Truck Carriers in their efforts to ( Article Continued... )

ATA First Vice Chair Barbara Windsor, President of Hahn Transportation in New Market, Md., testified today before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works during a hearing titled “Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act.” Speaking on behalf ( Article Continued... )

America needs strong laws and a systematic approach to make the use of hand-held electronic devices while driving socially unacceptable, said Con-way Inc. Vice President of Government Affairs Randy Mullett today in a statement before the Subcommittee on H ( Article Continued... )

On Oct. 26, ATA joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and its Institute for Legal Reform, the American Tort Reform Association, and 35 other tort reform and business groups in a letter opposing the so-called “Notice Pleading Restoration Act of 2009.” The le ( Article Continued... )

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has published two final regulations which will place new requirements on certain trucks and trailers. CARB’s Truck and Bus Regulation phases in diesel particulate filter requirements for trucks operating in Califo ( Article Continued... )

On Oct. 20, ATA joined the U.S. Chamber and 21 other business groups in a letter sent to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) in strong opposition to Craig Becker, one of the President Obama’s nominees to the five-member ( Article Continued... )

Federal law requires postings in workplaces informing individuals of their rights under federal employment discrimination laws. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has published a notice revising its “Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law ( Article Continued... )

On Oct. 26, 2009 Rules 14-26 and 14-61 of the Florida Administrative Code were amended to allow for the use of wide-base single tires on over dimensional and longer combination vehicles (LCVs) in that state. Axles previously equipped with four tires may ( Article Continued... )

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has published two final regulations which will place new requirements on certain trucks and trailers. CARB’s Truck and Bus Regulation phases in diesel particulate filter requirements for trucks operating in ( Article Continued... )

The Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration is awarding $20.9 million to states, territories and Native American tribes to improve the nation's response to transportation incidents involving hazardous materials. The grants are funded by the ( Article Continued... )

On Oct. 26, Public Citizen and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) filed a joint motion to hold the challenge to the current Hours of Service (HOS) rule in abeyance pending the issuance of a new Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) by ( Article Continued... )

On Oct. 26, ATA filed comments on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s advanced notice of proposed rulemaking on a proficiency examination for new entrant motor carriers. ATA promoted requirements that new entrants satisfactorily complete ( Article Continued... )

On October 21st, ATA First Vice-Chairman Barbara Windsor spoke at a Senate press conference on the proposed cap-and-trade legislation. Windsor, who is President of Hahn Transportation in New Market, Md., said that an economy-wide cap and trade system will ( Article Continued... )

U.S. District Court Judge Christina Snyder today approved the settlement negotiated between the Port of Long Beach and ATA, ending litigation over the Port’s Concession Plan. The April 28 preliminary injunction against the Port’s Concession Agreements wil ( Article Continued... )

Speaking on behalf of the ATA, Celadon Group Inc. Chairman and CEO Stephen Russell told the House Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism, House Homeland Security Committee on October 22, that improving the security and efficiency of ( Article Continued... )

On Oct. 20, ATA responded to a recent Federal Register notice in which FMCSA asked OMB to extend its information collection request (ICR) relating to training certification for entry-level drivers. The Agency stated it would take 10 minutes for a driver ( Article Continued... )

By a notice published in the Federal Register on Oct. 19, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has asked for public comment on petitions filed with FMCSA by ATA on whether federal law pre-empts sticker requirements imposed by New York ( Article Continued... )

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) intends to propose a regulation that would ban the transportation of flammable materials in the external piping of cargo tanks (wetlines). The regulation is currently being drafted and we ( Article Continued... )

On Oct. 13 and 14, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) conducted a meeting, attended by ATA staff, to solicit input on a demonstration project investigating the use of electronic hazardous materials shipping papers. ( Article Continued... )

As part of the Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was required to select and accredit a certifying body to administer a set of voluntary private sector business preparedness standards. ( Article Continued... )

ATA and other industry-based trade association members of the Coalition for Workplace Safety (CWS) recently signed a letter to the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee leaders asking for a confirmation hearing for OSHA Administrator nomine ( Article Continued... )

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) intends to propose a regulation that would ban the transportation of flammable materials in the external piping of cargo tanks (Wetlines). The regulation is currently being drafted and we ( Article Continued... )

On October 19, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued a final rule (HM-206F), requiring an offeror’s name or contract number to be included on hazardous materials shipping papers when an emergency response information (E ( Article Continued... )

The Subcommittee on Highways and Transit of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing Oct. 21 titled "Addressing the Problem of Distracted Driving." Randy Mullett, Vice President of Government Relations for Con-way Freight, ( Article Continued... )

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has raised the amount per day that the employer of a truck driver may reimburse the driver for meals and incidental expenses when the driver is away from home on travel. This per diem amount, which has been $52 a day for ( Article Continued... )

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) will close 13 of its 18 safety rest areas beginning Oct. 19. ADOT estimates that the closings will save about $2.5 million annually as they look to solve a $100 million shortfall. No timeframe has been given ( Article Continued... )

ATA received an Environmental Excellence Award on Oct. 6 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SmartWaySM Transport Partnership for its leadership in conserving energy and lowering greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and freight act ( Article Continued... )

Vice President Joe Biden today announced the Administration's new targets for spend-out of Recovery Act stimulus money through year-end. In a White House statement, Biden set a goal of spending at least 60 percent of the $499 billion in Recovery Act funds ( Article Continued... )

On Sept. 30, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a 279-page notice of proposed rulemaking to modify its existing Hazard Communication Standard to conform with the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System of Classification ( Article Continued... )

On Sept. 29, ATA promoted the trucking industry’s "green" efforts and its environmental sustainability initiatives at the Clean Diesel Technology Forum in Washington, D.C. The sustainability initiatives aim to reduce the trucking industry’s fuel ( Article Continued... )

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced today his Department will begin three rulemakings banning or restricting texting and cell phone use by transportation workers. The rulemaking that will affect trucking will propose to ban ( Article Continued... )

Despite a flurry of eleventh-hour activity, Congress failed to pass a 3-month extension of the SAFETEA-LU highway bill before its expiration on Sept. 30, putting in jeopardy billions of dollars in funding for highway projects. Last week the House of ( Article Continued... )

ATA filed comments Sept. 22 in opposition to the proposal by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to raise fees under the Unified Carrier Registration Agreement (UCRA) by some 122 percent on a per-vehicle basis, effective next year ( Article Continued... )

The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday passed a 3-month extension of the SAFETEA-LU highway bill, despite attempts by Republican leaders to delay a vote on the measure. The bill, which runs through Dec. 30, would prevent funding for various highway ( Article Continued... )

On Sept. 22, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued first-time rules for a national greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting registry. The program, which begins Jan. 1, 2010, establishes monitoring, reporting and record keeping requirements for fossil ( Article Continued... )

On Sept. 16, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued an interim final rule for air cargo tendered to travel on a passenger plane. Congress directed TSA to ensure that 100 percent of passenger air cargo is screened by Aug. 3, 2010. ( Article Continued... )

Effective immediately, Transport Canada will no longer accept the U.S. hazardous materials endorsement (HME) as evidence that a driver has received hazardous materials transportation training. Motor carriers that transport hazardous materials ( Article Continued... )

On September 22, ATA President and CEO Bill Graves called on Congress to quickly pass a highway reauthorization bill that deals with urgent funding problems and safety and other issues. During a press conference with representatives of other major highway ( Article Continued... )

According to a notice to be published in the Federal Register on Sept. 18, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has allowed ten additional days, through Sept. 28, for interested parties to comment on the agency’s proposal to raise fees ( Article Continued... )

On Sept. 16, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it would reconsider the 2008 standards set for ground-level ozone, the primary component of smog. The ozone standards set in 2008 under the Bush Administration were not as protective as ( Article Continued... )

On Sept. 16, the House approved H.R. 3246, the Advanced Vehicle Technology Act of 2009, authorizing nearly $3 billion in Department of Energy research and development spending over a 5-year period to advance vehicle technologies such as hybridization ( Article Continued... )

On Sept. 9, the House approved H.R. 445, the Heavy Duty Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 2009, authored by Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.). The legislation directs the Secretary of Energy to establish a competitive ( Article Continued... )

To supplement recommendations submitted on Jan. 9, 2009, ATA on Sept. 15 filed additional comments detailing steps FMCSA should to take improve its Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA) 2010 initiative. CSA 2010 is a new agency program currently being pilot ( Article Continued... )

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on Sept. 10 released its monthly Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) Dashboard with detailed enrollment statistics. The Dashboard, with data through Sept. 3, showed that 1.3 million ( Article Continued... )

The Department of Homeland Security, in conjunction with the Small Business Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Centers for Disease Control, on Sept. 14 issued Planning for 2009 H1N1 Influenza: A Preparedness Guide for Sma ( Article Continued... )

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published in the Federal Register on Sept. 3 a notice of proposed rulemaking that would, if finalized in its current form, raise fees under the Unified Carrier Registration Agreement (UCRA) more ( Article Continued... )

The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics released on Aug. 31 the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) trade data for June 2009. In June, the total value of NAFTA surface trade goods moved by truck, rail or pipeline ( Article Continued... )

On Sept. 3, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking to set the fees under the Unified Carrier Registration Agreement (UCRA) for calendar year 2010. Since Congress enacted ( Article Continued... )

On Sept. 2, ATA submitted comments to the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that set forth specific "rights" of collective bargaining to which employees are entitled under the National Labor Relations Act, and proposed to ( Article Continued... )

Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) announced Aug. 31 that they will delay introducing a Senate climate change bill until the end of September citing the recent focus on health care reform and the need for extra time to further educate ( Article Continued... )

New York State Governor David Paterson has signed A8568 into law. The legislation forbids the use of handheld devices for reading, typing and sending text messages while driving. The law goes into effect on Nov. 1. Text messaging while driving is already ( Article Continued... )

http://www.dot.gov/recovery/ost/osdbu/index.htm ( Article Continued... )

ATA filed formal comments on Aug. 28 regarding the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s planned Rulemaking and Research Priority activities for 2009 to 2011. Most of the planned tasks involved light vehicles, since these vehicles are most ofte ( Article Continued... )

On Sept. 8, most new contracts under the Federal Acquisition Rules or the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations will contain an additional clause requiring the use of E-Verify for new federal contracts and for existing federal contracts thereafter. ( Article Continued... )

On August 26, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYDOT) issued proposed rules governing highway access by large trucks. The notice requests public comments within 45 days. The rules would apply to trucks with trailers 45' or longer, double ( Article Continued... )

On August 25th, PHMSA issued a “notice of approval,” authorizing the use of international regulations for describing lithium-metal and lithium-ion batteries in domestic transportation. ( Article Continued... )

ATA signed on to an Aug. 20 letter drafted by the Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) to Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Gary Gensler. The letter highlights the importance of ensuring that energy commodity prices reflect the conditions o ( Article Continued... )

In the Aug. 25 Federal Register, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a final rule amending FMVSS 121 to make the requirement of an external trailer warning light permanent. The light was originally scheduled to be e ( Article Continued... )

On August 25, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration authorized the use of international regulations for describing lithium-metal and lithium-ion batteries in domestic transportation. The U.S. hazmat regulations (HMR) currently do not ( Article Continued... )

On Aug. 18, ATA and the California Trucking Association (CTA) jointly filed an amicus brief with the California Supreme Court asking it to affirm a lower court decision in the Brinker case that interpreted the requirements associated with the State’s meal ( Article Continued... )

On Aug. 14, ATA and the American Bus Association (ABA) jointly filed comments with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) about the agency’s Corporate Security Review (CSR) inspection. ATA and the ABA noted that much of the information that TSA ( Article Continued... )

On Aug. 11, ATA filed comments with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in response to IRS Notice 2009-46, which asked for advice from the public on how the agency can simplify the rules associated with substantiating business versus personal use of a ( Article Continued... )

Senate Confirms Four Transporation Nominees ( Article Continued... )

On August 10, ATA State Vice President Larry Anderson, President of A&A Express, testified on ATA's behalf at a field hearing on rural transportation needs. ( Article Continued... )

Transport Canada issued an interim order, requiring carriers that transport hazardous materials to immediately report incidents involving theft, loss or interference. The order applies to all hazardous materials other than Class 9 materials. ( Article Continued... )

On August 10, ATA submitted comments to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) regarding its Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) background check proposal. ( Article Continued... )

A report by the Center on Budget & Policy Priorities says that 30 states have raised taxes during this year's legislative sessions, and that other states, whose sessions are not yet over, are considering increases. ( Article Continued... )

In March, ATA wrote the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs of the District of Columbia, asking D.C. to stop requiring motor carriers to obtain a general basic business license even if all they engage in within the District is interstate ( Article Continued... )

ATA has submitted adverse comments on a couple of proposals made by the Audit Committee of the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) to amend IFTA in ways that would be extremely prejudicial to the trucking industry. The intent of IFTA Full Track ( Article Continued... )

On June 19th, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency rescinded an important exemption applicable to the cross border movement of cargo tanks (and other containers) containg residual chemicals. ( Article Continued... )

On August 6, 2009, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced its intent to hold two separate stakeholder forums in August to gather input on a new 2010-2015 Strategic Plan. ( Article Continued... )

On July 24, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued the final version of FMVSS 121, the Air Brake rule. Beginning on Aug. 1, 2011, the rule reduces the stopping distance from the current standard of 355 feet to 250 feet for 6x4 ( Article Continued... )

On April 16, 2009, Marc Boyle, President and CEO of Boyle Transportation, testified before the Internal Revenue Service on behalf of ATA on the requirement for federal, state, and local government agencies to withhold 3% of payments ( Article Continued... )

ATA teamed up with an unlikely ally, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, to brief key Congressional committee staff on the pitfalls of highway public private partnerships (PPPs). ATA Senior Vice President Tim Lynch participated in a panel discussion ( Article Continued... )

The National Conference of Weight and Measures (NCWM) will not adopt recommendations either requiring or permitting the installation of automatic temperature compensation (ATC) fuel dispensers. The withdrawal of both the mandatory and permissive ATC ( Article Continued... )

On the front page of today’s The New York Times, an article titled "Democrats Drop Key Part of Bill to Assist Unions" declares that Senate Democrats have abandoned the card check provision in the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). Due to the intense ( Article Continued... )

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun to identify the projects which will receive the $156 million allocated to the National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program, which was part of the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA). ( Article Continued... )

On July 15, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee passed legislation to extend the current federal highway bill, SAFETEA-LU, by an additional 18 months. The extension would provide $41 billion for FY 2010 and $20.5 billion for the first ( Article Continued... )

ATA formalized its working relationship with the Coalition to Preserve Independent Contractor Status (IC Coalition) by officially joining this week. The Coalition identifies its mission as educating public and elected representatives about the importance ( Article Continued... )

ATA today told the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works that climate change legislation would impose significant costs on the trucking industry and American consumers. In his statement on behalf of ATA, Ray Kuntz, Chairman of ATA’s ( Article Continued... )

On July 13, ATA joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and 27 other businesses and business trade associations in a petition to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to initiate a formal rulemaking, with notice and comment, to establish departmental ( Article Continued... )

On July 13, 2009, ATA, along with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other employer groups, sent a letter to House members urging caution in on-going efforts to reform the nation’s health care system. While the letter acknowledges that the business ( Article Continued... )

On July 8, ATA staff met with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) management team to push for a clear, concise hours-of-service (HOS) supporting documents regulation. ATA expressed its concern over the agency’s lack of action to ( Article Continued... )

On July 8, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will propose a new regulation that will rescind the controversial No-Match Rule originally issued in 2007. That rule established requirements for employers who received notices from ( Article Continued... )

On July 6, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that it was allocating $201 million to fix or replace highways and bridges damaged by natural disasters in 15 states, two U.S. territories and several federal land agencies. Kentucky and ( Article Continued... )

Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) Deputy Commissioner Gregory G. Nadeau will become the Federal Highway Administration Deputy Administrator on July 8. Nadeau has served as MDOT’s Deputy Commissioner for policy, planning and communications since ( Article Continued... )

On July 7, European Union (EU) finance ministers agreed to a five-year extension of duties imposed upon biodiesel imported from the United States. The EU’s decision was based upon the U.S. tax credits that are given to biodiesel producers/blenders, which ( Article Continued... )

The due date for the annual filing of the federal heavy vehicle use tax is August 31. ( Article Continued... )

Four top Obama Administration officials appearing today before the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee urged swift passage of climate and energy legislation mirroring what was recently done in the House. Testifying today were Agriculture ( Article Continued... )

As a part of its budget bill, signed into law June 29, Wisconsin has enacted a provision that allows a law enforcement officer to stop a vehicle and issue a ticket if the vehicle’s occupants aren’t wearing their seat belts. This is called primary ( Article Continued... )

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released today its 2008 report on highway fatalities. Overall the number of people killed in motor vehicle crashes in the United States decreased 9.7 percent, down from 41,259 in 2007 to 37,261 in 2008 ( Article Continued... )

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee wasted no time in announcing it has scheduled a hearing on July 7 to continue momentum in trying to approve climate change legislation this year. Three top Obama Administration officials, U.S. Environmenta ( Article Continued... )

On June 30, the Environmental Protection Agency granted California's request to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from cars and light-duty trucks, reversing the agency's prior denial of the same request under the Bush Administration. ( Article Continued... )

Through the efforts of the California Trucking Association, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has announced a delay in the enforcement of the in-use emissions requirements for 2001 and older transport refrigeration units (TRU). Initial enforcement ( Article Continued... )

In a letter to Acting Deputy Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Rose McMurray, ATA expressed concerns with a recent agency policy statement regarding its personnel’s adherence to the requirements of the Field ( Article Continued... )

Results from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) 2009 Roadcheck show a significant increase in the number of commercial drivers and vehicles that passed roadside inspections. During June 2 through 4, a record total of 72,782 truck and bus ( Article Continued... )

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) recently closed the north- and southbound rest areas between Denver and Colorado Springs off Interstate 25 near Larkspur, citing the rest areas’ need for extensive renovations and state budget constraints ( Article Continued... )

During testimony before the U.S. Senate's Committee on Environment and Public Works on Thursday, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said that the federal Highway Trust Fund (HTF) will face a cash shortfall by August, and will need an infusion of ( Article Continued... )

The House Ways and Means Committee today held a hearing on highway and transit investment needs. Department of Transportation Under Secretary for Policy, Roy Kienitz, advised the Committee members of the pending shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund and ( Article Continued... )

On June 22, ATA called on Congress to increase the transparency of futures markets and impose reasonable aggregate position limits on energy commodities in an effort to mitigate dramatic spikes in fuel prices similar to those in 2008. While the price of ( Article Continued... )

On June 18, the Coordinating Research Council, in cooperation with the Health Effects Institute, released a new study on emissions from 2007 on-road diesel engines finding such engines are far exceeding federal emission standards established for carbon ( Article Continued... )

On June 22, the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) withdrew its proposed increase in the hazmat registration fees for 2009. The proposed increase would have taken the registration and administrative fees from $1,000 to $2,500 ( Article Continued... )

On June 19, ATA submitted a letter responding to a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) survey regarding worker classification. Although not among the survey’s targeted audience, ATA felt it important to make the GAO aware of the trucking industry’ ( Article Continued... )

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has updated the listing of state and local idling regulations found on its website. The updated listing is provided in two forms, a cab card that can be carried in the glove box of a truck and the ( Article Continued... )

The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 2454) will cost average households about $175 annually by 2020 if implemented according to a recent analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The analysis was prepared in advance of the ( Article Continued... )

On June 18, Virginia's Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) announced its final budget-cutting measures for the Department of Transportation. The CTB will close 19 safety rest areas. However, additional truck parking spaces will be added to some of the ( Article Continued... )

Verified Identity Pass, Inc., the company that operates most of the TSA's Clear program for airport screening security, announced on June 22, 2009 that it was unable to secure an ongoing agreement with its senior creditors. ( Article Continued... )

The 16-month downward trend in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) appears to be changing course. Compared with April 2008, VMT in April 2009 jumped by 0.6 percent to 249.5 billion VMT. This figure represented the highest level of travel since August 2008 ( Article Continued... )

On June 18, leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee released the blueprint for a surface transportation bill that the Committee plans to consider next week. The bill, called the "Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009" ( Article Continued... )

On June 23, 2009, DHS’s Office of Infrastructure Protection will host a webinar entitled 2009 Hurricane Season: A Readiness Guide for Critical Infrastructure Partners. ( Article Continued... )

Safety belt usage by drivers of medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles rose to 72 percent in 2008 according to a recently released study commissioned by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. There has been dramatic improvement since 2003 whe ( Article Continued... )

On July 17, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is scheduled to begin enforcing its in-use emission standards for transport refrigeration units (TRUs) engines that are model year 2001 and older. Enforcement will be directed at owners/operators of ( Article Continued... )

The U.S. House of Representatives, Rail, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee is considering legislation to ban the transportation of flammable liquids in cargo tank wetlines. ( Article Continued... )

On Thursday, June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the H1N1 influenza outbreak to be a pandemic. ( Article Continued... )

A recently released report by the National Transportation Policy Project (NTPP) (http://www.bpcntpp.org/) recommends a near total restructuring of the federal surface transportation program. The NTPP is part of the Bipartisan Policy Center, an influential ( Article Continued... )

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter has signed into law House Bill 1298, The Green Truck and Motor Carrier Economic Development Program. The bill, which was championed by the Colorado Motor Carriers Association (CMCA), provides incentives for reducing emissions and ( Article Continued... )

On June 11, ATA submitted a petition to the Department of Defense (DOD) Surface Deployment and Distribution Command urging it to use the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Safety Evaluation Area scores for both drivers and equipment to select ( Article Continued... )

On June 9, ATA submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Proposed Rule. In those comments, ATA requested trucking fleets not be mandated to report their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to ( Article Continued... )

On June 9, 2009, ATA announced its bold new 18-point highway safety agenda at a press conference on Capitol Hill. Speakers included ATA President and CEO Bill Graves and Vice Chair Barbara Windsor, as well as Doug Duncan (FedEx Freight), Bob Davidson ( Article Continued... )

ATA today told a Congressional Committee that a Cap-and-Trade program would impose significant costs on the trucking industry and American consumers. In his statement on behalf of ATA, First Vice Chairman Tommy Hodges said that the American Clean Energy ( Article Continued... )

ATA filed an amicus brief on June 8, 2009 in the United States Supreme Court supporting a motor carrier’s request that the Court hear its appeal of a Sixth Circuit ruling that held the carrier to be subject to a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt ( Article Continued... )

On June 3, 2009, ATA staff met with the new Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator, Craig Fugate to discuss the agency’s relationship with the private sector. ( Article Continued... )

Today the House of Representatives approved the Transportation Security Administration Reauthorization (H.R. 2200). Working with Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) and Dan Lungren (R-Calif.), ATA was successful in including the SAFE Trucker Act into the ( Article Continued... )

As part of its comprehensive energy strategy, ATA joined a broad coalition of 79 other trade associations in sending a letter urging Congress to bring full transparency in the commodities markets and prevent excessive speculation. ATA is concerned that ( Article Continued... )

On July 1, new and updated rules will be implemented in the Province of Alberta, Canada, for commercial vehicles. The new Commercial Vehicle Safety Regulation (CVSR) and the amended Vehicle Equipment Regulation go into effect that day. The changes are nec ( Article Continued... )

The Obama administration is warning Congress that the Federal Highway Trust Fund will run out of funds in August unless it receives a significant infusion of cash. Sen. Barbara Boxer said this morning that the fund needs $5 billion to $7 billion this year ( Article Continued... )

The annual Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) Roadcheck will occur June 2 to 4 for 72 continuous hours throughout Canada, Mexico and the United States. About 10,000 CVSA inspectors will be posted on major highways and will patrol other roadways ( Article Continued... )

On May 28, 2009, the Coast Guard extended its Policy Advisory Council Decision 04-09. ( Article Continued... )

In the May 26 Federal Register, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a policy statement on the use of the agency’s Field Operations Training Manual (FOTM) in enforcement actions for regulatory violations. FMCSA stated that the ( Article Continued... )

So far this year, three states -- Arkansas, Florida and Minnesota -- have enacted laws that allow law enforcement to stop a motor vehicle if one or more of its passengers are not wearing seat belts. This is called primary enforcement, as opposed to second ( Article Continued... )

Legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate May 21 would ban the imposition of tolls on the National Highway System (NHS). The "Freedom from Tolls Act of 2009" (S. 1115) was introduced by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas). The prohibition would apply to ( Article Continued... )

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) today announced a modification to its original plan to close 25 of the Commonwealth's 42 safety rest areas as part of a cost-cutting plan to address a budget shortfall. VDOT said that in response to concern ( Article Continued... )

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requirements will go into effect June 1. Presently, U.S. and Canadian citizens only need to show a driver’s license and make an oral declaration of citizenship to enter the U.S. at land borders. WHTI ( Article Continued... )

On May 20, Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), along with co-sponsors Sens. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), introduced Senate Bill 1113, which would authorize and fund a centralized clearinghouse for positive drug ( Article Continued... )

President and CEO Bill Graves, Vice Chair Barbara Windsor and a number of ATA representatives hosted a meeting last week with 11 representatives of other highway-related groups in order to brief the groups on details of ATA’s new progressive safety agenda ( Article Continued... )

The Supreme Court of North Dakota, on purely procedural grounds, reversed a District Court ruling that found that an owner-operator was an independent contractor not eligible for workers compensation benefits. In 2006, the State Workforce Safety ( Article Continued... )

On May 14, Bob Petrancosta (Con-way Freight) testified before the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials on the reauthorization of the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) ( Article Continued... )

The full House Committee on Homeland Security today unanimously approved an amendment to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Authorization Act, H.R. 2200, that includes the SAFE Truckers Act. The SAFE Truckers Act eliminates duplicative and ( Article Continued... )

On May 12, 2009 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) updated FMVSS 216 with a final rule: Roof Crush Resistance; Phased-in Reporting Requirements (Docket No.NHTSA-2009-0093) to further reduce injuries from vehicle rollovers ( Article Continued... )

On May 11, ATA filed its brief with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in its challenge of the California Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) regulation. The case involves a challenge to a January 2009 Environmental Protection Agency decision that granted ( Article Continued... )

On May 11, ATA sent a letter to the Alabama Department of Public Safety (DPS) asking the DPS to incorporate, in its metal coil training regulation, a process allowing interstate motor carriers to self-certify their company-based training programs for ( Article Continued... )

The White House said this morning that Chuck Hurley, President Obama’s planned nominee for administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, has withdrawn himself from consideration. He was not officially nominated, although the ( Article Continued... )

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requirements will go into effect June 1, 2009. ( Article Continued... )

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced yesterday that it will host a one day conference on Wednesday, August 19, in Buffalo, N.Y. ( Article Continued... )

On May 4, ATA filed comments with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on their advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) to amend Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 111, Rearview Mirrors, to improve a driver's ( Article Continued... )

Surface trade was 31% lower than in February 2008, dropping to $47.9 billion, the largest ever year-over-year percentage drop on record. ( Article Continued... )

On May 1, ATA staff attended a select briefing for the business community on the government's efforts to handle the H1N1 flu virus outbreak. ( Article Continued... )

On April 15, a United States District Court overturned a City of Alexandria (Virginia) ordinance that restricted bulk tank truck transportation in an attempt to regulate Norfolk Southern Railroad’s ethanol transloading facility in the case Norfolk ( Article Continued... )

On April 24, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in the Federal Register its proposed rule finding that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions endanger public health and welfare, opening a 60-day public comment period on a proposal that could ( Article Continued... )

In remarks on April 22, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano stated that the Obama administration supports repealing the REAL ID law or finding another way of implementing tighter drivers license issuance requirements. The 2005 REAL ID Act ( Article Continued... )

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued interim guidance for trucking companies operating during an outbreak of pandemic influenza. ( Article Continued... )

On April 23, 2009 House Democrats introduced their version of OSHA reform: the "Protecting America's Workers Act." (PAW). The current version of the PAW Act amends the 1970 OSH Act and is slightly modified from last year's bill. However, its provisions ( Article Continued... )

On April 21, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that package delivery drivers for FedEx Home are independent contractors and not employees. The ruling overturns a National Labor Relations Board decision that ( Article Continued... )

On April 22, ATA filed comments with the California Air Resources Board (CARB), asking the agency to delay implementation of its proposed low carbon fuel standard and to embrace a national solution to reducing the carbon intensity of transportation fuels ( Article Continued... )

In the most historic climate change decision to date, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its proposed finding that greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare, a move that is expected ultimately to trigger broad regulation of green ( Article Continued... )

On April 17, ATA concluded the briefing process with the filing of its Reply Brief in association with the District Court’s reconsideration of whether the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach’s Concession Plans should be enjoined. ( Article Continued... )

ATA recently updated its “Trucking Safety Facts” sheet with some of the latest available safety data issued by the U. S. Department of Transportation. ( Article Continued... )

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is notifying carriers transporting internal combustion engines, self propelled vehicles, mechanical equipment containing internal combustion engines and battery powered vehicles that they must ( Article Continued... )

On March 30, 2009, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced in the Federal Register its revised policy regarding the assessment of maximum fines ( Article Continued... )

Effective April 14, 2009, anyone entering the secure area of a maritime port is required to possess a valid Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) or be escorted by someone who does. ( Article Continued... )

Sen. Blanche Lambert-Lincoln (D-Ark.) announced this week that she will not support the cloture vote or final passage of the Employee Free Choice Act ( Article Continued... )

On April 8, 2009, U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis named House Education and Labor Committee democratic senior policy advisor Jordan Barab as Deputy ( Article Continued... )

According to a preliminary report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), fatal motor vehicle crashes dropped from ( Article Continued... )

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requirements will go into effect June 1, 2009. WHTI requires everyone, including U.S. citizens, entering the U.S. at the land borders to present documents proving both identity and citizenship. ( Article Continued... )

On March 31, the Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) released the statistics for NAFTA trade for January of 2009. For the first time since NAFTA took effect on January 1, 1994, all types of trade fell. ( Article Continued... )

A bill that would allow states to authorize an increase in their weight limits on Interstate highways was introduced in the U.S. House of ( Article Continued... )

On March 27, ATA and the Florida Trucking Association filed comments with the Florida Department of Transportation (FL DOT) in support of the Department's proposed rule changes to allow the use of wide-base tires on all trucks within the state. ( Article Continued... )

In comments filed March 25, 2009, ATA recommended fair and equitable business terms to the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command ( Article Continued... )

Recently, the Acting Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, Mark Rosenker, sent a letter to ATA summarizing the Board’s investigative ( Article Continued... )

Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) announced that he will oppose the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), also known as Card Check, legislation and will also ( Article Continued... )

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published in the March 24 Federal Register application deadlines for its FY2010 safety grants ( Article Continued... )

ATA has published the first and only comprehensive textbook on large truck safety and safety management. The book, Safety for the Long Haul; Large ( Article Continued... )

Mexico announces 90 products worth $2.4 billion that will no longer be exempt from tariffs until the U.S. complies with NAFTA's trucking provisions. ( Article Continued... )

Organized labor’s No. 1 legislative priority, the so-called Employee Free Choice Act of 2009 (EFCA), was introduced in Congress on March 10 with 40 ( Article Continued... )

On March 13, ATA President and CEO Bill Graves sent a letter to Virginia Governor Tim Kaine to express ATA's opposition to a proposal to shut down 25 ( Article Continued... )

A new tax created by passage of the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 requires virtually all federal, state and local governments ( Article Continued... )

A recently released report by the General Accountability Office recommended several steps to avoid a projected FY 2009 deficit in the federal Highway ( Article Continued... )

ATA filed a motion to intervene today in Public Citizen and the Teamster’s third legal challenge to the hours-of-service (HOS) rules first put in ( Article Continued... )

ATA filed comments March 12 in response to the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) request for recommendations to improve the federal regulatory ( Article Continued... )

The Obama Administration’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has included a proposal in the fiscal 2010 budget that would eliminate the Highway ( Article Continued... )

After nearly two years of study and deliberation, the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission released their report ( Article Continued... )

The Teamsters and three highway gadfly groups filed another challenge to the Hours of Service (HOS) rules on March 9 in the U.S. Court of Appeals ( Article Continued... )

ATA filed comments Jan. 30 on FMCSA’s Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA) 2010 Initiative. ( Article Continued... )

The Teamsters and three highway gadfly groups filed another challenge to the Hours of Service (HOS) rules on March 9 in the U.S. Court of Appeals ( Article Continued... )

As expected, the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) or “card check” bill was introduced in both the House and the Senate today. The bill number for the ( Article Continued... )

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced that it would require additional time to rule on ATA’s pre-emption petition ( Article Continued... )

In a recorded statement to union officials, President Obama reaffirmed his support for the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) and endorsed its passage at ( Article Continued... )

Meeting during ATA’s Winter Leadership conference, ATA’s Executive Committee voted to affirm a policy favoring implementation of Environmental ( Article Continued... )

After nearly two years of study and deliberation, the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission released their report ( Article Continued... )

The large stimulus bill signed into law by President Obama on Feb. 17 includes a COBRA subsidy to benefit involuntarily terminated employees and will ( Article Continued... )

Prior to introduction of the Employee Free Choice Act this Congress , the House leadership set a goal of at least 218 cosponsors. Last year, the ( Article Continued... )

By a vote of 61-37 the U.S. Senate today passed an economic recovery plan supported by President Obama. The bill would spend $838 billion, including a ( Article Continued... )

On January 29, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) released the NAFTA Surface Trade statistics for November 2008. ( Article Continued... )

The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday passed an $819 billion economic stimulus package. The "American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act" in ( Article Continued... )

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) officially withdrew from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) its draft final rule on ele ( Article Continued... )

The Plaintiffs’ opening brief (135 pages long) was filed Jan. 20 with the Supreme Court of California in the case that will provide the final word on ( Article Continued... )

On January 28, CBP announced the extension of its DTOPS annual fee requirement. ( Article Continued... )

A new national survey of voters released by the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, of which ATA is an active member of the steering committee, show ( Article Continued... )

On Jan. 23, 2009, the Pipeline and Hazardous Safety Administration (PHMSA) granted in part the National Tank Truck Carriers’ preemption petition. ( Article Continued... )

FMCSA on Jan. 16 reaffirmed its position in support of the 11-hour driving and 34-hour restart rules by denying the petitions by groups that have on several occasions challenged the retention of these provisions. ( Article Continued... )

TSA has extended the deadline for the deadline for the 2009 Truck Security Grants Program. ( Article Continued... )

On January 8, 2009, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) released the NAFTA trade data for October 2008. ( Article Continued... )

With the Card Check debate looming on the Congressional horizon, ATA is providing members with educational resources and media tools on this proposed ( Article Continued... )

The U.S. Coast Guard will begin requiring to have Transportation Worker Identification Credentials to enter another 18 ports. ( Article Continued... )

Three nonprofit groups and the Teamsters filed a petition today with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) asking it to reconsider ( Article Continued... )

ATA is working with CBP to implement a contingency plan that will allow carriers to avoid paying excess fees as CBP transfers to new technology. ( Article Continued... )

Beginning Tuesday, December 30, 2008, another 28 ports will require TWIC cards. ( Article Continued... )

Following antitrust approval from the Department of Justice, ATA released its long awaited model agreement for structuring the contractual ( Article Continued... )

The Department of Labor issued a final rule Nov. 17 that expands the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to military family members, and clarifies ( Article Continued... )

In a letter to the California Trucking Association (CTA), the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has indicated it will delay enforcement of their ( Article Continued... )

ATA developed a Model Agreement, released in June 2004, for use by truckload motor carriers in structuring their contractual relationships with ( Article Continued... )