Congress

The recently introduced FAIR Trucking Act (H.R. 5268) is Congress’ latest attempt to address the crisis in trucking litigation, but is it enough to actually address the systemic issues in the industry? The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), would give federal courts jurisdiction over highway accident cases involving commercial motor vehicles where damages […]

The U.S. House of Representatives voted Wednesday to revoke two trucking-related Environmental Protection Agency waivers granted to California.

A bipartisan bill in Congress would tackle the burgeoning problem of rail cargo theft.

Based on its results this Congress, the American Trucking Associations’ lobbying efforts make it look less like a Machiavellian operator and more like another Washington grifter.

A congressional waiver on sunsetting Boeing’s production of 767 freighters to comply with international emissions rules will benefit FedEx and UPS.

Bipartisan lawmakers introduced a bill that requires employers to give America’s 2 million truck drivers overtime pay — for the first time ever.

On Thursday FreightWaves presented the FreightTech 25 awards, which were chosen independently by a panel of CEOs, industry leaders, academics and investors who scored the companies. Chattanooga, Tennessee-based accounting and auditing firm HHM administered the vote. The awards recognize the most innovative and disruptive companies in the freight technology sector.

A Republican-backed bill introduced by U.S. Rep Brian Mast, R-Fla., seeks to exempt underage truck drivers from rules that prohibit them from hauling containers to and from marine terminals.

A tax code throat punch promises to make gig work and online selling as fun as a trip to the morgue and as profitable as the average Mega Millions ticket.

Congress introduced a bill to protect the health of port communities and address climate and environmental justice issues.

History is a good indicator of what will happen at the polls this November, with Republicans expected to regain at least one chamber of Congress.

Infrastructure spending is tied up in the appropriation process, but the roads can’t wait. Fortunately, stop-gap measures are providing needed time to reach a long-term solution.

Representatives from both sides of the aisle and company executives convened in a webinar hosted by the Consumer Technology Association.

The airline industry took a massive punch from the pandemic last year, but most carriers have stayed on their feet. Airlines and their employees say Congress should inject one more dose of aid for jobs so they can start flying more quickly once vaccinations increase and people are ready to travel.

A Biden administration teamed with a Democratic Congress should lead to even more stimulus, a recipe for even more container imports.

Transportation PACs offer a way for trade associations — and the smaller companies they represent — to have a political voice, proponents say.

Atlas Air says it faced hardships during the coronavirus pandemic, making it eligible for emergency airline aid from Congress despite a massive growth in business.

Gene Seroka says the “disruption and breakdown of the global medical supply chain” during the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for change in the maritime sector.

The Freight RAILCAR Act would provide a tax credit incentive for railcar owners to upgrade or replace railcars to more fuel-efficient models.

The bipartisan bill seeks to streamline the application process and lower the application costs for a loan program for short line and passenger railroads.

As Congress and the White House consider short- and longer-term funding infrastructure needs, the railroads want to ensure that the rail sector is part of the discussion.

The current $61 billion set-aside for the domestic airline industry left out the forwarders.

Amazon is placing new grocery delivery customers onto wait lists as it seeks to shore up orders and deliveries for existing customers. Plus, traffic declines could jeopardize road projects, just-in-time delivery impacts resupply efforts and retail sales face a long slog back to growth.

Airlines were among the big industry winners when the smoke lifted and Congress finalized a $2 trillion economic stimulus package to deal with economic fallout from the coronavirus.

Airlines and airports have a symbiotic relationship, but there is tension over airlines’ interest in waiving airport charges and taxes during the pandemic recession.

Tariff Reform Coalition members want the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means Committee to “exercise greater oversight and control” over President Trump’s tariff authority.

After 35 years representing the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America on Capitol Hill, Jon Kent has decided it is time to retire.

The State, Treasury and Commerce departments are ramping up to implement an Aug. 1 executive order from President Donald Trump that imposes a second round of sanctions against Russia.

A bipartisan deal on the table. Amazon and GM consider investing in electric pickup maker, Rivian. The volatility of spring markets. All this and more in today’s pickup.

Financial transactions within the U.S. maritime sector – including vessel loans and project eligibility – are on hold waiting for an end to the government shutdown.

FMCSA Administrator Raymond Martinez wanted to “fast track” the HOS rules changes – but the government shutdown is in the way.

The government shutdown is forcing the U.S. Coast Guard to work without pay which could begin affecting freight operations.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce president Tom Donohue threw down $25,000 for ideas on how to pay for infrastructure. And told Washington to open back up.

The Teamsters Union is relying on the new Congress to help stave off insolvency of its Central States Pension Fund.

Freight lobbyists are banking on leadership changes in the 116th Congress to pave the way for infrastructure financing that stalled during the first half of Trump’s administration.

Political analysts say that the presidential campaign of Washington State Governor Jay Inslee will focus on climate policy in the transportation, manufacturing, and energy sectors, which could affect the way goods move across the country.

Livestock haulers are relying on the fate of the federal budget to determine how long their ELD exemptions will last.

Most bills introduced now have little chance of passage, but this one may suggest something when reading between the lines.

An analyst summarizes a talk on digital brokerage, a truckers’ strike in Iran, and the prospects for ELD legislation.

The hard reality is that very little is getting passed in this Congress, and ELD-related legislation would need to break that pattern late in the game.

Congress will decide on an amendment to a federal aviation bill that would curtail a state’s ability to set its own rules on HOS, which could end up creating problems for truck drivers.

California is applying meal and rest break provisions to truck drivers that are in conflict with federal hours-of-service regulations, according to many in the industry. That is why so many are pushing to include the Denham Amendment in the FAA authorization bill.

Yesterday, the Small Business House Committee heard how forthcoming ELD regulations will stifle competition, and how it won’t actually provide safety benefits.

FourKites has launched its own ELD certification program that operates on an open architecture platform to help shippers and 3PLs to assist carriers in choosing ELD solutions that offer visibility into location data.

Two bills introduced in the U.S. House last week could potentially change the classification of port truckers, requiring them to become employee drivers.

While legislative wheels are starting to turn, there is little reason to expect major movement on any infrastructure bill in 2017. The most optimistic timelines being floated on Capitol Hill call for the law to be signed in 2018, with funds released in 2020.

As the Congress works on developing legislation aimed at regulating self-driving vehicles, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao is looking to guide that legislation with less of a regulatory hand, according to Bloomberg.

The U.S. House passed driverless car legislation on Wednesday, but the bill does not address commercial trucks and the likelihood of trucks being included is uncertain at this point.

As the U.S. Congress returned to work following its August recess, two bills that are awaiting action are focused on the electronic logging device rule set for a Dec. 18 implementation date.

The United States Senate’s Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee has turned its attention to  the trucking industry in a concerted effort to stop human trafficking, The Hill reports. A pair of bipartisan bills have been approved targeting the role trucking plays in trafficking.

The on-again, off-again saga over the electronic logging device rule is back on again after language was inserted into a House appropriations bill this week directing FMCSA to review the rule and make a determination if the rule should be delayed or changed.