Commerce Clause

Court rules against Rhode Island’s truck-only toll program

Truck near highway toll

A federal judge has ruled that Rhode Island’s truck-only “RhodeWorks” tolling program to pay for upgrading highway bridges across the state discriminates against heavy trucks and ordered the state to stop charging truckers under the system.

“Rhode Island has a legitimate — even compelling — interest in the maintenance of its ailing bridges,” wrote Rhode Island Federal District Court Judge William Smith in an order handed down Wednesday.

“But there is no reason that interest cannot be served by a...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/court-rules-against-truck-only-tolling-in-rhode-island

Lawmaker touts handgun bill’s self-defense value to truckers

Advancing legislation that would allow truck drivers to travel freely between states while carrying a concealed weapon is a priority for the lawmaker who introduced it.

“Truck drivers are the backbone of our country and understand this issue more than most, as they drive alone with valuable merchandise across state lines every week,” U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, R-North Carolina, who introduced the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2019, told FreightWaves. “I will continue to fight to advance this...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/lawmaker-touts-handgun-bills-self-defense-value-to-truckers