News

U.S. Xpress, the Chattanooga-based trucking giant, will boost truck driver pay by 13 percent effective this month in an effort to attract and retain drivers in its growing trucking operation. “The trucking industry has and will always remain the lifeblood of the U.S. economy,” said U.S. Xpress CEO Max Fuller. “Our industry needs to celebrate…

Penske Commercial Vehicles, based in Brisbane, has announced a new joint venture with U.S.-based Penske Trucking Leasing to provide commercial truck rental services in Australia. The joint venture will operate under the brand name Penske Truck Rental. The collaboration in Australia combines Penske Truck Leasing’s fleet operations expertise with the market knowledge of Penske Commercial…

Port Metro Vancouver (British Columbia) has made a dramatic turnaround from a port that suffered such severe congestion that it triggered a trucker strike to a port that is now being held up as an example of how to keep things moving. Last winter, congestion conditions reached a point that truckers went on strike, boycotting…

Testifying before a U.S. Senate committee on transportation, American Trucking Associations (ATA) executive vice-president David Osiecki recently advocated government agencies reconsider how safety in trucking is enforced. Osiecki said most enforcement resources are funneled into roadside enforcement but data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) shows that on-road traffic enforcement is more than…

Virginia Tech’s Transportation Institute (VTTI) has been awarded two federal contracts worth a potential $55 million to study safety for commercial truck drivers and conduct research in the field of autonomous vehicles. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) awarded VTTI a five-year contract with a $30 million ceiling and the National Highway Traffic Safety…

While Congress appears headed for another stopgap funding measure for transportation, the Obama administration is pushing the Build America Investment Initiative (BAII), which would make it easier for private entities to assist state transportation agencies and local governments in the task of rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure. “The Build America Investment Initiative is a federal government-wide…

Earlier this month, on a stretch of the A14 autobahn in eastern Germany, Daimler demonstrated its Mercedes-Benz Future Truck 2025. The truck, using autonomous technology, is capable of moving in traffic at speeds up to 52 miles per hour. “The Future Truck 2025 leads to more efficiency, and better safety and connectivity,” said Dr. Wolfgang…

The U.S. House of Representatives last week passed a $10.9 billion extension of U.S. transportation funding through May 2015. The measure effectively puts off the issue of transportation infrastructure funding until next year. The stopgap measure, if approved by the Senate, will avert federal cutbacks next month for roads, bridges and transit projects. Senate Majority…

With much of the national focus on Hours of Service and Electronic Logging Device (ELD) rules, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is pushing the federal government to establish minimum, behind-the-wheel training standards for new truck drivers – something that does not exist today. “Instead of relying on technology and making misguided, hours-of-service regulations changes,…

A national shortage of truck drivers, coupled with new federal trucking regulations and higher fuel costs could soon hit consumers in the wallet. With the U.S. economy getting healthier, more people are buying consumer goods and that means more goods need to be shipped. Michigan-based Con-way Freight has a fleet of 9,500 trucks with an…