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In March of this year, the EPA announced new regulations that would force truck manufacturers to reduce their new vehicles' emissions. The EPA is still deciding between two proposed options, known as "Option 1" and "Option 2." This week, a group of 17 Republican Senators signed a letter to the EPA, trying to convince it to adopt the lighter version of the rule, Option 2. The proposed rule would affect…

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) is the cornerstone achievement of the Biden-Harris Administration so far. This week, the administration announced further investment in U.S. roads and bridges. In Fiscal Year 2023, 12 infrastructure programs will receive a combined $59.9 billion for infrastructure projects. These projects will range from road and bridge repairs to clean energy grants. The BIL sends funds directly to the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and…

Amidst extreme weather all over the country, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced more emergency relief funds. The second round of emergency funding this year eclipsed $513 million in total funds. 30 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico received federal funds this time around. States must use the relief funds for specific projects to repair damaged roadways and transportation infrastructure. Most of this damage was caused by natural…

The supply chain issues plaguing the trucking industry are well known by now. This week, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced a round of FMCSA funding that could help alleviate the problem. $3.1 million in federal funds will go to community colleges across the country. The funding is for programs that train veterans to drive trucks. The FMCSA will issue funds through the Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training (CMVOST) Grant…

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration finalized its new rear underride rule this week. The new rule will require that rear underride guards have enough strength to prevent the worst of this type of accident. Intended to reduce fatalities on the road, critics say the new rule doesn't go far enough. Rear underride crashes occur when a smaller vehicle like a four-door sedan crashes into the back of a semi-trailer.…

Last month, the FMCSA announced an extension of its pandemic-era restrictions exemption for motor carriers. The latest extension only affects the amount of time a driver can drive in one shift. Under the extension, drivers can skip breaks and drive for more than eight hours in one go. The original emergency declaration was announced in March 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The FMCSA recognized a need to…

The US transportation sector continues to show encouraging signs of recovery. Last month, transportation sector unemployment dropped to 3.6%. This rate represents a return to pre-pandemic levels. In April 2019, the unemployment rate in this sector was 3.7%. Transportation unemployment peaked when it reached a shocking 15.7% during May and June of 2020. Since then, the unemployment rate has seen a steady decrease. Last year at this time, the unemployment…

A controversial policy enacted by Texas Governor Greg Abbott has created massive gridlock at various Texas-Mexico border crossings. The policy calls for inspections of commercial trucks from Mexico to check for migrants. Experts have raised concerns that the policy will slow the import of produce to the point that American consumers will start to feel the effects soon. On Wednesday, Abbott announced that a deal had been made with the…

Locomation’s autonomous vehicle technology is about to expand. Christenson Transportation just finalized their agreement with the tech company. Christenson plans to implement the technology in their trucks as soon as possible. The roll out will begin on their Nashville routes that line 500 miles along the 40, 24, and 65 highways. Christenson can expect a slew of benefits, but truckers everywhere are taking note, afraid their jobs may become obsolete.…

AT&T, the mega telecommunications company, began the sunset of its 3G network on February 22. It was at this point modules and the devices that request 3G voice. Also data-only services from the AT&T network no longer worked. It was a wind-down that affected more than 350,000 Class 8 vehicles. AT&T and Verizon - Rollout of 5G Wireless Services On January 19th, AT&T and Verizon have begun the rollout of…