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Make-A-Wish Convoy set for Saturday
06/01/2005 - 12:48:37 am - If your route is taking you to south central Pennsylvania this weekend, stop by Franklin County for the third annual Make-A-Wish Convoy. There is a $50 per-truck ...

Georgia governor signs ‘flex lane’ effort
06/01/2005 - 12:50:26 am - Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue has signed a bill into law that recommends a study to determine whether to let commuters use emergency lanes and paved shoulders at certain times ...

Cell phone ban for Illinois’ teen drivers heads to governor
06/01/2005 - 12:51:26 am - The Illinois Legislature has approved a bill that is designed to cut cell phone use by teen drivers. Senators voted 41-16 May 25 to advance the bill to Gov. Rod ...

Eight-time DUI offender gets five years in prison
06/01/2005 - 12:52:47 am - An Oregon man has been sentenced to prison time after being convicted of his eighth drunken driving charge. Michael Roy Archer was sentenced to five years in prison ...

Trucker uses rig to stop drunken driver on I-95
06/01/2005 - 12:53:55 am - When trucker Chris Conroy called the police about a car whose driver appeared to be operating under the influence, he probably figured the police would handle it ...

Texas speed bill advances; increases split-speed differential in some areas
06/01/2005 - 12:55:46 am - The Texas Senate has advanced a measure that would raise the daytime speed limit for personal vehicles on certain stretches of highways in the state to 80 mph. ...

Missouri trooper in critical condition
06/01/2005 - 12:57:44 am - A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper and former OOIDA employee remains in critical but stable condition after being shot nine times during a routine traffic stop during the ...

Diesel prices rise slightly, oil on the decline
06/01/2005 - 12:59:11 am - After several weeks of drops, the national average price of diesel rose for the week ending May 30, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. For that week, the ...

Oregon inspection blitz takes 32 trucks off the road
06/01/2005 - 1:00:42 am - A three-day crackdown on truck inspections in Oregon has taken 32 trucks and 52 drivers off the road. The inspection program, known as Operation Trucker Check, ...

EPA pushes back deadline to have ULSD available
06/01/2005 - 1:01:53 am - In an effort to “facilitate the transition” to the ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, EPA officials intend to push back the deadline to have the fuel available in 2006, and won’t ...

Tougher tarp bill heads to Texas governor
06/02/2005 - 1:12:32 pm - The Texas Legislature has signed off on a bill that would close a loophole in state law that prevents law enforcement from cracking down on tarping laws. House ...

Surface trade increases with Canada, Mexico
06/02/2005 - 1:13:21 pm - Surface trade with Canada and Mexico continues to increase with the U.S. DOT reporting a 5.6 percent increase for March this year compared with March 2004, based on the value ...

Driver killed in trucking accident in Florida
06/02/2005 - 1:14:25 pm - A truck driver in Florida was killed Monday, May 30, when his tanker truck ran off an exit ramp and caught fire. Authorities believe Ronald Sinkfield, 50, of ...

Consent search bill awaits governor’s signature in Texas
06/02/2005 - 1:15:49 pm - A bill that would change the requirements of legal consent for police searches of vehicles in Texas is one step closer to becoming law. On Wednesday, May 25, the ...

AAA opposes large trucks on state roads in NC
06/02/2005 - 1:17:13 pm - If only all the trees grew right next to the interstate. AAA Carolinas, an organization that represents more than 1 million four-wheelers in North Carolina, plans ...

Teamsters planning to move into South Carolina port
06/02/2005 - 1:18:24 pm - If the International Brotherhood of Teamsters succeeds in establishing a presence at the Port of Charleston, SC, it could mean better wages, paid waiting time and benefits for ...

Framingham police stepping up idling enforcement
06/02/2005 - 1:19:30 pm - As part of its plan to increase enforcement of state idling restrictions, the Framingham, MA, Police Department has started an education campaign to get the word out to local ...

Shots fired at trucker in Ohio
06/02/2005 - 1:20:43 pm - A quick-thinking trucker helped police capture two men who are accused of firing several shots at the trucker as he rolled along Interstate 64 in Ohio. According to ...

Driver stabbed at I-96 rest area in Michigan
06/02/2005 - 1:22:00 pm - A 29-year-old trucker stopped along Interstate 96 in Michigan was attacked and mugged on Tuesday, May 24. The driver, who has not been named at this time, was ...

Bill for public votes on Texas’ toll roads sent to governor
06/02/2005 - 1:23:25 pm - Texas lawmakers approved a massive transportation bill this past weekend that includes requiring public votes on the conversion of existing freeways in the state into toll ...

Oklahoma lawmakers OK state’s transportation bill
06/06/2005 - 12:18:01 am - The Oklahoma Legislature overwhelmingly approved a transportation funding plan May 27 intended to pump $170 million more each year for road and bridgework without raising ...

Pee-bombs away: States target roadside human waste
06/06/2005 - 12:19:20 am - Even if you don’t give a hoot, several states are increasing fines to make sure you don’t pollute. In response to a growing number of “pee bombs” – bottles filled ...

Third security phase begins for hazmat truckers
06/06/2005 - 12:20:21 am - The third phase of the Transportation Security Administration’s Hazmat Threat Assessment Program is now under way. As of June 1, drivers who want to renew or ...

Bid to increase Texas’ fuel tax dies
06/06/2005 - 12:21:37 am - An effort in the Texas Legislature that would have had drivers digging a little deeper into their pockets to fill up their tanks has died. The bill, HB5, would have ...

Truck repossessions up for first quarter of 2005
06/06/2005 - 12:23:49 am - Repossessions of trucks rose 45 percent in the first quarter of this year compared with 2004, according to the NasTrac Quarterly Index. Edward Castagna, senior ...

‘America’s Most Wanted’ focuses on trucker wanted in slaying
06/06/2005 - 12:25:24 am - The hunt for a suspect officials believe could be a trucker will gain national exposure on “America’s Most Wanted” this weekend. On Saturday, June 4, the nationally ...

Log truck event includes fuel surcharge rally
06/06/2005 - 12:26:25 am - More than 300 log trucks are expected to participate in the Northwest Log Truckers Co-op rally this weekend in Montesano, WA. The event will include a fuel surcharge rally to ...

Measure to authorize hazmat checks heads to Illinois governor
06/06/2005 - 12:27:33 am - The Illinois House unanimously approved a bill last week that would bring the state into compliance with the USA Patriot Act’s provisions on background checks for hazmat ...

Governor considers bills targeting Colorado’s ‘Super Slab’
06/06/2005 - 12:32:44 am - The Colorado General Assembly has approved two efforts that would either halt or hinder a proposed 210-mile private toll road on the plains of the Front Range. The measures ...

SC governor expected to veto mandatory seat-belt bill
06/06/2005 - 12:34:34 am - The South Carolina Legislature has OK’d a bill to permit police to pull over drivers who are not wearing their seat belts. A House and Senate conference committee ...

Arkansas driver and truck missing
06/06/2005 - 12:35:45 am - The Highway Information Sharing and Analysis Center issued a bulletin on June 1 stating that Randy McDaniel, a driver with J&M Transport, Cabot, AR, has been missing since ...

Crude oil prices going up again
06/06/2005 - 12:36:53 am - Prices for crude oil topped $54 a barrel on Friday following a disruption of exports from Iraq. Light, sweet crude oil rose to $54.12 per barrel in trading on the ...

Owner-operators needed for upcoming television series
06/06/2005 - 12:38:27 am - Is your ride in bad need of a new look? Is a friend or family member running an old rig that begs to be spiffed up? A Los Angeles-based production company wants ...

Anarchy in the UK: satellite tolling a hit among Brits
06/07/2005 - 10:31:05 am - If you think tolling has gone too far in the states, just be glad you’re not driving in the UK. The British government has proposed a new tolling system in which ...

Colorado governor signs open container ban
06/07/2005 - 10:32:26 am - Gov. Bill Owens has signed a bill into law banning consumption and possession of open containers of alcohol in vehicles traveling Colorado’s public roadways. The ...

Anti-fuel markup advances in Louisiana
06/07/2005 - 10:33:52 am - A Louisiana Senate panel has approved a bill that would abolish a mandatory 6 percent markup on motor fuels in the state. Sponsored by Rep. Taylor Townsend, ...

Legislature sends toll road incentive bill to Texas governor
06/07/2005 - 10:42:35 am - The Texas Senate has approved a bill that would allow local communities in the state to assist in the financing of turnpike projects. In return for footing some of ...

Study shows 20 million drivers wouldn’t pass state driving tests
06/07/2005 - 10:43:36 am - A new study by the insurance industry found that millions of licensed Americans lack a basic understanding of road safety. The inaugural GMAC Insurance National ...

Ports to get radiation detectors by year’s end
06/07/2005 - 10:44:49 am - Containers entering the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles from outside the U.S. will have to go through an additional security step by the end of the year ...

Truck found; driver and load of fertilizer still missing
06/07/2005 - 10:45:59 am - The truck reported missing in Arkansas last week has been found. But the load of fertilizer it was carrying and its driver are still missing, according to Arkansas law ...

SuperRigs kicks off Thursday
06/07/2005 - 10:48:23 am - The 23rd annual Rotella SuperRigs Beauty Contest is scheduled for June 9-11 at the 75 Chrome Shop in Wildwood, FL. Last year, more than 90 contestants from the U.S. and Canada ...

CVSA’s annual 72-hour Roadcheck begins June 7
06/07/2005 - 10:48:38 am - If you were planning a fishing trip for June, this week might be a good time to go. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s 18th annual International 72-hour ...

North Carolina’s ‘move over’ bill advances
06/09/2005 - 9:55:23 am - A bill that would more than double penalties for motorists in North Carolina who don’t slow down or move over for emergency vehicles unanimously passed the state’s House last ...

Intermodal chassis inspection bill fails in Texas
06/09/2005 - 9:56:38 am - A bill in the Texas House that would have shifted the responsibility for container chassis from truck drivers to the ports in the state that supply the chassis has died ...

Tickets increase for too-tall trucks in Virginia tunnels
06/09/2005 - 9:57:37 am - Truckers passing through the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel in Virginia better break out the tape measures and yard sticks. Instead of investigating the reason big trucks are ...

Launch date set for extended California port hours
06/09/2005 - 9:58:41 am - New hours are set to begin at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on July 23. Starting on that date, the ports will begin operating off-peak shifts from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. ...

Union reaches agreement with port trucking company
06/09/2005 - 9:59:46 am - The International Brotherhood of Teamsters and Long Beach, CA-based Meritech Leasing have signed the first new union contract between the Teamsters and a port trucking company ...

Montana truckers shut down to protest fuel costs
06/09/2005 - 10:01:01 am - Here’s one for the logbooks, so to speak. Truckers in Montana’s logging industry shut down their rigs on June 6 to protest low rates and high fuel costs ...

Diesel prices jump 7.4 cents as summer driving kicks off
06/09/2005 - 10:02:24 am - The national average price for diesel fuel leaped 7.4 cents to $2.234 per gallon for the week ending June 6, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The Gulf ...

Highway bill conference committee set to meet on June 9
06/09/2005 - 10:03:44 am - It’s go time. The House-Senate Conference Committee is slated to begin discussing the final version of the Highway Bill on Thursday, June 9, at 3 p.m. Eastern Time ...

OOIDA says FMCSA ‘missed the boat’ with driver training issue
06/09/2005 - 10:05:47 am - Contending that its driver-training rule does not need to include any actual training in how to drive a commercial motor vehicle, the FMCSA “missed the boat” with one of its ...

DaimlerChrysler unveils diesel concept car
06/09/2005 - 10:06:59 am - Diesel engines, the bionic man, and Australian boxfish don’t have much in common at first glance, but engineers for DaimlerChrysler found a way to bring the three together in ...

FMCSA sets public meeting on registry of medical examiners
06/09/2005 - 10:07:43 am - Although Congress has not yet enacted legislation to establish a registry of certified medical examiners, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says it is seeking to ...

Medical examiners vow to raise the proficiency bar
06/09/2005 - 10:08:58 am - In its eagerness to sort the fit truckers from the unfit for the purpose of physical qualifications, the DOT wants medical examiners to adhere to national standards and ...

Study finds safest drivers in America’s largest cities
06/09/2005 - 10:10:09 am - Have you ever wondered if drivers in the Midwest really are more courteous and cautious behind the wheel, or if motorists on the coasts are as short-tempered as their infamous ...

Cell phone restriction in Connecticut advances to governor
06/09/2005 - 10:12:27 am - The Connecticut Senate has approved legislation that would add the state to the short list of states that require drivers to keep their hands off the phone ...

Bill to prohibit red-light cameras advances in Ohio
06/09/2005 - 10:14:20 am - The Ohio House has passed a bill that would no longer allow cities to use automated cameras to ticket drivers who run red lights. “There is a mad rush across the ...

Brakes put on California toll road bills
06/09/2005 - 10:15:58 am - A handful of bills in the California Legislature that would have taken a big bite out of truckers’ and other drivers’ pocketbooks have died. Two bills offered by ...

One lawmaker doubts effectiveness of CVSA Roadcheck
06/09/2005 - 10:17:10 am - The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s 18th annual International 72-hour Roadcheck is half over, but not all public officials see it as an effective safety program ...

Man armed with sword, knife, chainsaw crosses U.S. border
06/09/2005 - 10:19:41 am - Although a man had a collection of weapons, some apparently stained with blood, U.S. Customs officials said they had to allow him to come into America. He was arrested two ...

CDL fraud sting in Florida doubles number of arrests
06/09/2005 - 10:20:36 am - A crackdown by federal investigators in Florida has led to the arrest of 36 additional people on charges of illegally obtaining CDLs, hazmat certifications and access to South ...

Officials authorize $37 million to repair leaks in Big Dig
06/11/2005 - 9:27:51 am - The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority is hoping another $37 million will plug the leaks in its faulty Big Dig project. A new audit says officials have authorized the ...

Florida governor signs bill on improper use of lasers
06/11/2005 - 9:29:45 am - As if there aren’t enough things to worry about while driving down the road, pointing laser lights at vehicles reportedly is becoming more and more common across the country ...

Homeland Security announces acting leader for TSA
06/11/2005 - 9:30:51 am - With former chief David Stone resigned and Bush’s replacement nomination as yet unapproved, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has named an interim leader for the ...

House panel kills additional money for Louisiana roads
06/11/2005 - 9:33:45 am - The Louisiana House transportation panel narrowly rejected a bid to alter the state’s constitution to set aside 6 cents of the state fuel tax for 26 road and bridge projects. ...

Texas county targets trucks with possible bond
06/11/2005 - 9:34:55 am - Everything’s bigger in Texas. Even fees for trucks, if one county has its way. The commissioners of Washington County – which is located near the center of the ...

Study finds U.S. trucks use half of nation’s fuel
06/11/2005 - 9:35:55 am - With the number of big working trucks more than doubling in the last decade, trucks account for more than half of all U.S. fuel consumption, according to a new study ...

Diesel prices expected to remain high
06/11/2005 - 9:36:48 am - Spurred by demand, the average price for diesel fuel is expected to remain higher than that of gasoline through 2006. That’s according to the monthly Short-Term ...

Suspicious man eyes tankers in Florida and Georgia
06/11/2005 - 9:38:10 am - Tanker drivers in the southeast should be on the lookout for a suspicious individual seen snooping around trucks. According to the Transportation Security ...

International launches summer-long truck tour
06/11/2005 - 9:39:26 am - Taking a page from master showman P.T. Barnum, International Truck and Engine Corp. is setting up what it calls “the world’s biggest truck tour” for this summer ...

Western Maryland Truck Show set for Aug. 26-28
06/11/2005 - 9:40:27 am - Start planning your route now so you will be in the right place at the right time when the seventh annual Western Maryland Truck Show hits the Allegany County Fairgrounds in ...

Washington stiffens fine for ignoring emergency vehicles
06/11/2005 - 9:42:47 am - A practice that has been followed by professional drivers for decades is largely ignored by many other drivers in Washington state. As a result, Gov. Christine ...

Seat-belt use now a primary offense in South Carolina
06/11/2005 - 9:44:06 am - A bill in South Carolina to permit police to pull over drivers who are not wearing their seat belts became law after Gov. Mark Sanford did not veto it by midnight June 8 ...

Port-operation bills advance in California
06/11/2005 - 9:48:32 am - Several efforts are moving forward in the California Legislature that would alter operations at the state’s seaports. And while the legislation focuses on seaports, ...

Fire destroys offices of Jerue Trucking in Florida
06/11/2005 - 9:49:45 am - Fire in two historic buildings in Bartow, FL, has destroyed the Florida offices of the John J. Jerue Trucking Co. On Monday, June 6, flames engulfed the ...

Trucking company owner pleads guilty in Hired Truck scandal
06/11/2005 - 9:50:57 am - The former owner of a Chicago-area trucking company pleaded guilty to fraud Thursday, June 9, raising the total number of guilty pleas in the city’s corrupt Hired Truck ...

NHTSA: Hands-free devices don’t solve cell problem
06/11/2005 - 9:52:20 am - Using a hands-free device to talk on a cell phone while driving may not increase safety, according to a new research study. The National Highway Traffic Safety ...

Indiana town bans truck parking on residential streets
06/11/2005 - 9:53:33 am - Rushville, IN, has found one way to solve its truck parking dilemma – by just outright banning them. At its May meeting, the Rushville City Council passed an ...

Trucker alleged to be Iraqi agent claims to have evil twin
06/11/2005 - 9:56:42 am - A Greenfield, IN, truck driver who has been accused of being an Iraqi agent offered a rather interesting explanation to a federal judge in Indianapolis this week ...

Governor blocks efforts to restrict Colorado’s ‘Super Slab’
06/11/2005 - 9:58:03 am - Gov. Bill Owens has vetoed two efforts to either halt or hinder a proposed 210-mile private toll road on the plains of Colorado’s Front Range. Instead, Owens ...

Google begins 3-D modeling of major U.S. cities
06/11/2005 - 9:58:35 am - In its continued effort for total domination of the Internet, Google is working on yet another service for its vast suite of online applications – and this one could change ...

Highway Hero wants to check up on survivors
06/11/2005 - 9:58:51 am - The man who won last year’s Goodyear Highway Hero award is now searching for the family he saved. Hero Rick Dent of Diana, TX, is looking for Bob Strickland and his ...

Duh – Surveys wouldn’t even surprise Homer Simpson
06/15/2005 - 4:10:10 pm - Two studies released this week proved that no results are too obvious to receive grants and tax money. A survey by the Governors’ Highway Safety Association found ...

Anti-congestion measure advances in California
06/15/2005 - 4:11:15 pm - The California Assembly has advanced a resolution designed to help get trucks through metropolitan areas in the state as quickly as possible. Lawmakers voted ...

Volvo enters joint venture to study fuel cell technology
06/15/2005 - 4:12:07 pm - Swedish truck manufacturer Volvo sees a future where trucks would not have to idle at all to have a supply of electricity when they are parked. The way to that ...

Australian shippers to face jail time for unreasonable schedules
06/15/2005 - 4:13:11 pm - A new law in New South Wales, Australia, could mean jail time for freight receivers who put truckers’ lives at risk by setting unreasonable deadlines for deliveries ...

Professor tests experimental truck tracking network
06/15/2005 - 4:14:43 pm - A Georgia professor is proposing a nationwide tracking system to monitor trucks. It’s not a black box, doesn’t record and save info. Instead, it would use radio frequency ...

Arizona governor signs tougher insurance, license bill
06/15/2005 - 9:49:46 pm - Gov. Janet Napolitano has signed a bill to crack down on Arizona drivers who have neither licenses nor insurance and are involved in wrecks. The measure requires ...

Bill to fund Louisiana’s I-49 gets another OK
06/15/2005 - 9:51:49 pm - A Louisiana Senate panel has endorsed a House-approved plan to set aside money to complete the state’s portion of Interstate 49. The Senate Finance Committee voted ...

Wisconsin bill would scrap mandatory fuel markup
06/15/2005 - 9:53:37 pm - If a Wisconsin state senator gets his way, the state’s minimum markup requirement for motor vehicle fuel would be eliminated. Sen. David Zien, R-Eau Claire, has ...

Trucking company boss admits to forcing log falsifications
06/15/2005 - 9:54:55 pm - The president of a trucking company based in Sioux Falls, SD, has pleaded guilty to forcing a driver to falsify logs and harassing a safety inspector. According to ...

Music, wireless industries converge to provide cell-phone music downloads
06/17/2005 - 7:06:03 am - Not that four-wheelers need another reason to stop paying attention to the road, but two partnerships in the technology world will soon bring more entertainment and ...

OOIDA members sweep top spots at SuperRigs
06/17/2005 - 7:08:34 am - Tropical Storm Arlene may have darkened the skies, but OOIDA members showed bright at the 23rd Annual Rotella SuperRigs Beauty Contest for big rigs in Wildwood, FL ...

Illinois biodiesel bill sent to governor
06/17/2005 - 7:09:39 am - A bill that would promote the use of biodiesel in Illinois is on its way to Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s desk. House and Senate lawmakers have given their approval to a ...

California lawmakers fail to toughen drunken driving laws
06/17/2005 - 7:11:08 am - A bill has died that would have permanently revoked a California driver’s license after a third DUI conviction within 10 years. The measure remained in the state’s ...

Kentucky police to step up bridge width enforcement
06/17/2005 - 7:12:14 am - State police in Kentucky are keeping an eye out for oversized trucks crossing the Shawneetown Bridge. The bridge, which spans the Ohio River between Illinois and ...

Bid to bring tolls to Florida’s I-75 gets OK
06/17/2005 - 7:13:33 am - Florida Gov. Jeb Bush signed a law June 8 to create an expressway authority with the power to add toll lanes to Interstate 75 in the southwestern part of the state ...

Unionized Maine drivers to get jobs back
06/17/2005 - 7:16:28 am - Union officials expect that 11 Maine drivers who were fired after voting to join a labor union will get their jobs back this week, according to the Portland Press Herald ...

Bush urges senators to stick to limits on highway spending
06/17/2005 - 7:18:09 am - While no major progress has been made by the Congressional Highway Bill Conference Committee, President Bush has made personal phone calls to several Republican senators, ...

World’s Largest Truck Convoy ramping up for 2005 event
06/19/2005 - 11:21:20 pm - Special Olympics has quickly become a cause that is near and dear to the hearts of thousands of truckers. So much so that they have been turning out in force in recent years ...

Wildlife alert system will warn approaching drivers
06/19/2005 - 11:22:11 pm - If you’ve ever looked at a sign saying “Deer crossing: next two miles” and wondered who taught the animals how to read, Montana’s new wildlife monitoring system will make much ...

Wife of trucking company owner pleads guilty in Hired Truck scandal
06/19/2005 - 11:23:34 pm - The wife of a former trucking company owner pleaded guilty in the ongoing investigation of Chicago’s corrupt Hired Truck Program. Debra Coveliers pleaded guilty to ...

Left-lane restrictions rejected in Minnesota
06/19/2005 - 11:24:44 pm - Despite several efforts in the Minnesota Legislature to keep drivers from lingering in the left lane on the state’s highways, none managed to win approval before lawmakers ...

Montana log truck strike comes to an end
06/19/2005 - 11:25:36 pm - After more than a week, a group of log truckers has given up its protest against Plum Creek Timber Co. and gone back to work. The Missoulian in Montana reported ...

Texas governor signs bill for public votes on toll roads
06/19/2005 - 11:27:13 pm - Gov. Rick Perry signed a massive transportation bill into law Tuesday, June 14, that includes requiring public votes on the conversion of tax-funded highways in Texas into ...

Air dumps in Virginia tunnels: A bad idea
06/19/2005 - 11:30:41 pm - As the saying goes, “don’t believe everything you read.” Unless, that is, you’re planning to try to sneak through the westbound Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel near Norfolk, VA ...

Sides face off in West Virginia push to ban trucks from U.S. 522
06/19/2005 - 11:32:09 pm - A town meeting this week in Berkeley Springs, WV, about the fate of U.S. Highway 522 drew an angry crowd as residents called for banning trucks from the highway ...

Route from NYC to Montreal closed after mudslide
06/19/2005 - 11:33:07 pm - Drivers hauling between New York City and Montreal may want to re-check their route plan. Officials from the New York Department of Transportation said it could be ...

Panel backs plan to cut Amtrak funding
06/19/2005 - 11:34:34 pm - A key House panel endorsed a bill Wednesday, June 15, that would effectively shut down more than a dozen long-distance passenger trains that lose millions of dollars each year ...

Transportation bill debate continues in Connecticut
06/19/2005 - 11:36:02 pm - The Connecticut Legislature will return to the state Capitol next week for a special session to hammer out a deal on a transportation improvement plan. Lawmakers ...

Trucking company owner pleads guilty in Hired Truck debacle
06/19/2005 - 11:36:53 pm - Another trucking company owner has pleaded guilty in Chicago’s corrupt Hired Truck Program, raising the number of guilty pleas in the investigation to 15. Larry S. ...

Illinois trucking company switches entire fleet to biodiesel
06/19/2005 - 11:37:48 pm - A trucking company in Illinois is moving its entire road operation to biodiesel. Norrenberns Truck Service of Nashville, IL, announced that it would run B11 – 11 ...

Willie Nelson expands biodiesel business to South Carolina
06/19/2005 - 11:38:44 pm - Country music legend Willie Nelson has expanded the sale of his BioWillie brand biodiesel beyond the Texas border. BioWillie, a 20 percent blend of biodiesel, is ...

Trucking exec pleads guilty in HOS violations cover-up
06/19/2005 - 11:39:46 pm - A South Dakota trucking company and its president pleaded guilty June 7 in U.S. District Court to felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from an attempted cover-up of HOS ...

Wisconsin budget plan moves forward; would cut fuel tax
06/19/2005 - 11:40:53 pm - A Wisconsin finance panel has approved a budget proposal that would cut the state’s fuel tax by a penny per gallon to 31.9 cents. The Legislature’s Joint Finance ...

Anti-fuel markup bill heads to Louisiana’s governor
06/19/2005 - 11:42:00 pm - The Louisiana Senate has approved a bill that would abolish a mandatory 6 percent markup on motor fuels in the state. Sponsored by Rep. Taylor Townsend, ...

Georgia DOT puts halt to tolling of existing roadways
06/19/2005 - 11:43:11 pm - The state of Georgia is making a toll-free call. On Thursday, June 16, the Georgia Department of Transportation announced that it would not allow tolls to be ...

Oakland port truckers find temporary parking solution
06/19/2005 - 11:44:21 pm - Truck drivers at the Port of Oakland are in the army now. Well, the army base anyway. As a temporary solution to parking problems at the port, the city and the port ...

FMCSA looking at parking availability notice system
06/19/2005 - 11:45:05 pm - The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is moving forward with its SmartPark program, which plans to use commercial technology to alert drivers on the road to parking ...

NAST season kicks off with The Great Darke County Truck Show
06/22/2005 - 9:43:26 am - The first show of the National Association of Show Trucks season – The Great Darke County Truck Show held June 10-12 in Greenville, OH – wrapped up with some new names leading ...

Old brewery will house first biodiesel plant in New York
06/22/2005 - 9:44:17 am - Plans are already brewing for the construction of New York’s first biodiesel plant. NextGen Fuel Inc. announced Wednesday, June 15, that it will use a former Miller ...

North Carolina panel advances hit-and-run bill
06/22/2005 - 9:45:16 am - A Senate judiciary panel approved a bill June 14 that would change North Carolina’s hit-and-run law. The House-approved bill now moves to the full Senate for further ...

Bill would eliminate New Orleans vehicle tax
06/22/2005 - 9:46:23 am - Truckers and other residents in Orleans Parish may soon be spared their vehicle tax bills. The Louisiana Senate unanimously approved a bill June 17 that would ...

Ohio turnpike traffic up 25 percent following toll, speed changes
06/22/2005 - 9:47:38 am - The New York State Thruway Authority should pay close attention to this one. Ohio Department of Transportation officials reported in early June that truck traffic ...

Brit steals fire truck in Canada; drives into U.S. illegally
06/22/2005 - 9:49:16 am - Maybe there’s a reason border officials are having trouble catching criminals sneaking into the United States: the criminals have stopped sneaking. An unnamed ...

Left-lane restrictions come up short in South Carolina
06/22/2005 - 9:50:45 am - Motorists in South Carolina can continue to poke along in the far left lane of multilane highways in the state, thanks to a veto from the governor. With a 50-59 ...

Chicago arteries blocked with construction this summer
06/22/2005 - 9:52:21 am - Anyone making overnight pick-ups or deliveries in Chicago this summer may want to consider finding alternate routes. According to the Illinois Department of ...

Mix-up confuses trucking activists
06/22/2005 - 9:54:23 am - Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond (R-MO) has a major say in what provisions get into the final version of the Highway Bill – the version that gets sent to the president to be signed ...

Crude oil jumps to record high
06/22/2005 - 9:55:12 am - Crude oil prices nudged to $60 a barrel in trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange on June 20. The prices hit $60 per barrel before dropping slightly to $59.45. ...

Trucker gives up truck after SWAT team called in
06/22/2005 - 10:00:27 am - A ruckus in Orem, UT, has C.R. England Inc. officials wondering what provoked independent contractor Bruce Wilson, 53, of Beaumont, CA, to barricade himself in his truck last ...

Texas governor says consent not necessary, vetoes search bill
06/22/2005 - 10:02:20 am - A bill that would have changed the requirements of legal consent for police searches of vehicles in Texas has been vetoed by the governor. On June 17, Gov. Rick ...

North Carolina cracks down on overweight trucks
06/22/2005 - 10:03:35 am - In North Carolina, Highway Patrol officers have a unique definition of the term “educate” – they’re giving tickets in the hundreds of dollars to truckers running loads that ...

Two counties petition Florida DOT for truck lane restrictions
06/22/2005 - 10:05:05 am - Despite the failure of a statewide bill that would’ve put lane restrictions on all vehicles in Florida, two counties are pushing for left-lane regulations that would only ...

Diesel prices on the rise yet again
06/22/2005 - 10:10:45 am - The national average price for diesel fuel climbed another 3.7 cents to $2.313 per gallon in the week ending June 20, according to the Energy Information Administration ...

Supreme Court upholds Michigan truck fees
06/22/2005 - 10:13:55 am - If you haul in Michigan, there is no relief in sight from the state’s $100 annual fee – on June 20 the Supreme Court rejected arguments against the state’s truck fee structure ...

Senate offers compromise on Highway Bill
06/22/2005 - 10:15:06 am - After nearly two weeks of silence, Senate negotiators on Monday offered a compromise on the spending limits of the stalled highway bill. The Senate’s compromise ...

FMCSA proposes changes to cargo securement regs
06/22/2005 - 10:16:18 am - The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking and is seeking comments on changes to the regs about shifting and falling cargo ...

TSA breaks pledge on collecting airline passenger data
06/22/2005 - 10:16:35 am - In a move that will likely only heighten the fears in the trucking industry, Transportation Security Administration officials went back on their word – the agency collected ...

Yellow announces USF closure
06/22/2005 - 10:16:47 am - Just weeks after its $1.37 billion acquisition of USF Corp., Yellow Roadway Corp. announced it will close USF Dugan, a regional carrier, effective July 8. According ...

Satellite radio service expands to Canada
06/24/2005 - 2:06:11 pm - The voice of Mark Reddig and “Land Line Now” will soon have an international audience. In fact, listeners in Canada will soon have access to all of XM Satellite ...

Energy Bill amendment would allow U.S. to sue OPEC
06/24/2005 - 2:07:30 pm - With oil prices already hitting $60 a barrel, the U.S. Senate is finally doing something about the problem. Or, at least giving the appearance of doing something ...

This is your brain on a cell phone – it’s distracted
06/24/2005 - 2:09:29 pm - Yet another study has found that using cell phones while driving can distract drivers, regardless of whether they’re using a hands-free device. The human brain ...

Bill would require special tags for NY’s repeat DWI offenders
06/24/2005 - 2:10:53 pm - If a pair of New York state lawmakers get their way, convicted drunk drivers would be required to display special license plates that would identify them to police for random ...

NM public safety official says patrol should drive less to save money
06/24/2005 - 2:12:06 pm - The New Mexico Department of Public Safety is under attack after announcing a new program encouraging its state police officers to cut back on the miles they drive ...

Three admit to helping unqualified CDL applicants
06/24/2005 - 2:13:18 pm - Three former employees of a Chicago-based firm have admitted to helping unqualified drivers obtain commercial drivers licenses in Wisconsin. Rafal Maliszewski, ...

Sheriff needs truckers’ help finding rape suspects
06/24/2005 - 2:15:50 pm - Authorities are searching for two truckers wanted in connection with the rape of a teenage girl at a truck stop near Cheyenne, WY. The Laramie County Sheriff’s ...

Effort calls for more toll road projects in North Carolina
06/24/2005 - 2:17:09 pm - The North Carolina Senate approved a bill Tuesday, June 21, that would expand from three to nine the number of toll-road projects that could be studied and built in the state ...

Texas governor stalls idling regs by signing bill into law
06/24/2005 - 2:19:24 pm - Gov. Rick Perry signed a bill June 17 to override some idling rules in Texas. The new law takes effect Sept. 1. It allows truckers to idle their rigs during ...

Bill to fund Louisiana’s I-49 moves to governor
06/24/2005 - 2:21:32 pm - The Louisiana Senate has approved a plan to set aside money to complete the state’s portion of Interstate 49. Senators voted 37-1 on June 16 to advance the bill to ...

Authorities from three areas target aggressive drivers
06/24/2005 - 2:22:21 pm - Law enforcement agencies in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC, are on the lookout for aggressive drivers of all vehicles this month. Through June 25, the ...

Illinois gets serious about work zone speed enforcement
06/24/2005 - 2:23:27 pm - Smile – you’re on construction zone camera! Beginning July 1, officials in Illinois will enforce new, tougher rules for drivers in construction work zones. The ...

Road funding OK’d in Oklahoma without tax increase
06/24/2005 - 2:24:48 pm - Gov. Brad Henry has signed a transportation funding plan intended to pump $170 million more each year into Oklahoma’s road and bridgework without raising taxes. The ...

Texas governor signs tougher tarp law
06/24/2005 - 2:25:57 pm - Gov. Rick Perry signed a bill June 18 closing the loophole in Texas state law that prevents police from cracking down on tarping laws. The new rule takes effect Sept. 1 ...

Ringleader of trucking company scam pleads guilty
06/24/2005 - 2:27:29 pm - A former employee of a Leominster, MA, trucking company has pleaded guilty to stealing more than half a million dollars from her former employer. Court officials ...

Trucker dies in truck stop accident
06/24/2005 - 2:28:21 pm - For the second time in six months, a truck driver has been run over and killed at a Pilot Travel Center. A Minnesota man was killed early Friday morning when he ...

Chinese company makes bid for American oil company
06/24/2005 - 2:29:34 pm - You won’t find these numbers in any fortune cookie. CNOOC Ltd., an oil company controlled by the Chinese government, made an offer of $18 billion to buy Unocal Corp ...

Chicago’s Hired Truck scandal linked to city hall
06/28/2005 - 1:56:40 pm - Chicago alderman Arenda Troutman is denying any wrongdoing, following an investigation by the Chicago Sun-Times that linked her family’s trucking company to the city’s corrupt ...

‘Shy’ driver fired over drug test; files lawsuit
06/28/2005 - 1:58:23 pm - A former driver for a Wisconsin-based carrier has filed suit against the company in state court, claiming that he was illegally fired for allegedly refusing to take a drug ...

Massachusetts lawmakers revisit mandatory seat-belt use
06/28/2005 - 1:59:44 pm - A bid to permit police to pull over drivers who are not wearing their seat belts is again under review in the Massachusetts Legislature. In two votes in the past ...

Fatalities up, injuries down in latest FMCSA safety study
06/28/2005 - 2:01:09 pm - The number of large-truck fatalities is on the rise, according to new research released by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. According to FMCSA’s ...

New Texas law could increase split speed differential
06/28/2005 - 2:02:26 pm - Gov. Rick Perry has signed a bill into law that could increase daytime speed limits for personal vehicles on certain stretches of Texas highways to 80 mph. Commercial vehicles ...

Oregon may force chassis owners to be responsible for equipment
06/28/2005 - 2:03:24 pm - The Oregon Senate Budget Committee is reviewing a bill that would force the owners or leasers of intermodal chassis to be responsible for the proper maintenance of the ...

Truck-climbing lane opens Thursday on California Interstate
06/28/2005 - 2:04:32 pm - A truck-climbing lane is opening this week along a hilly stretch of Interstate 10 in California. The lane runs between the cities of Redlands and Live Oak, near San ...

Illegal aliens with hazmat license put on ICE
06/28/2005 - 2:06:43 pm - The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has arrested 27 illegal aliens in Maryland, Illinois and Missouri who had valid licenses to transport hazardous materials, ...

U.S. Senate expected to vote on energy bill
06/28/2005 - 2:08:08 pm - The U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote on the final passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 on Tuesday, June 28. The bill carries with it a number of acts and ...

Have oil companies deliberately driven up prices?
06/28/2005 - 2:09:14 pm - Some American oil companies have deliberately driven up fuel prices by cutting back on the amount they refine. That information comes from a previously undisclosed ...

Crude oil prices hit $61 a barrel
06/28/2005 - 2:09:57 pm - Crude oil prices hit record highs again today – climbing to $61 a barrel in mid-day trading before dropping slightly by the end of the business day. Analysts say ...

Contractor admits stealing asphalt in Hired Truck scandal
06/30/2005 - 3:29:20 pm - Another city contractor has pleaded guilty in the federal investigation of Chicago’s scandalous Hired Truck Program. On Tuesday, June 28, paving contractor Eddie ...

Feds roll out Web site targeting ‘rogue’ movers
06/30/2005 - 3:30:16 pm - People hiring a mover now have a new way to check the background of the company they are paying to move their possessions. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety ...

Hyatt Hotels to offer free XM Radio service in rooms nationwide
06/30/2005 - 3:31:12 pm - Hyatt Hotels Corporation and XM Satellite Radio have signed a multi-year agreement to provide XM Satellite Radio service free-of-charge in guest rooms at Hyatt hotels ...

Stricter rules on uninsured drivers take effect in Delaware
06/30/2005 - 3:32:30 pm - Gov. Ruth Ann Minner signed a bill into law June 23 to put uninsured drivers in Delaware on the road to losing their licenses. The new law, which took effect ...

Be prepared for driving on Fourth of July weekend
06/30/2005 - 3:34:43 pm - The Fourth of July is known for a few traditions – grilling, flag flying, parades, fireworks and … traffic accidents? According to a 2004 study by the Insurance ...

Bill to curb Oregon’s rural freight routes dies
06/30/2005 - 3:36:10 pm - A measure that would have prohibited scenic highways in Oregon from being state-designated freight routes has died. The bill remained in the House Transportation ...

California community follows through on truck parking ban
06/30/2005 - 3:37:26 pm - It is an idea that has been under consideration for several months in the county of Riverside, CA, and on Aug. 1, it will become a reality. The North County Times ...

Trucker pleads guilty to obtaining fraudulent CDL
06/30/2005 - 3:38:22 pm - A Chicago trucker who was involved in a fatal accident that killed a family of four has pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining his commercial driver’s license ...

Texas governor signs toll road incentive effort
06/30/2005 - 3:39:28 pm - Gov. Rick Perry signed a bill into law that allows local communities in Texas to assist in the financing of turnpike projects through tolls. In return for footing ...

Highway bill nears deadline; issues remain unresolved
06/30/2005 - 3:40:15 pm - The latest extension of the federal Highway Bill expires Thursday, June 30, but members of the House and Senate conference committee are still negotiating several key issues ...

Energy bill moves to conference committee after Senate passage
06/30/2005 - 3:41:44 pm - Congressional negotiators will now begin working on a compromise version of the energy bill following the Senate’s approval Tuesday of its version of the Energy Policy Act of ...

Rule sets criteria to put some Mexican trucks out of service
06/30/2005 - 3:42:51 pm - There is finally an out-of-service rule that gives states direction on how to deal with errant Mexican trucks. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Administration has made ...