Trucking Regulation

House bill targets staged truck crashes

WASHINGTON – Fraudsters who stage truck accidents with the goal of suing trucking companies for millions of dollars will face stiff penalties if Congress approves new legislation.

The Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act, introduced in the U.S. House on Tuesday by Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., and Brandon Gill, R-Texas, would make intentionally staging a crash with a motor vehicle a federal crime.

According to the legislation, a person operating a motor vehicle who intentionally causes a collision...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/house-bill-targets-staged-truck-crashes

FMCSA extends trucking company’s sleeper berth exemption

WASHINGTON — Federal regulators have extended until 2030 a sleeper berth exemption for a large private fleet owner despite opposition from safety groups.

Collegedale, Tennessee-based McKee Foods Transportation (MFT), which has operated under an exemption since 2015, will continue to have added sleeper berth flexibility with the extension approved by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

The exemption allows those who operate in driving teams among the company’s 732 drivers (according...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmcsa-extends-trucking-companys-sleeper-berth-exemption

Freight industry: Which regulations should DOT cut?

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation is giving freight carriers, trade groups, small businesses and others a direct line to the Trump administration to explain what regulations should be revised or taken off the books.

“Consistent with DOT’s commitment to public participation in the rulemaking process, DOT is beginning this process by soliciting views from the public on how best to conduct its analysis of existing DOT regulations, guidance, or reporting requirements,” the...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freight-industry-which-regulations-should-dot-cut

Lawmakers try again to improve truckers’ bathroom access

WASHINGTON – Legislation that would require retailers, distribution centers, marine terminals and other businesses to open their bathrooms to truck drivers picking up or dropping off freight has been reintroduced in Congress.

The Trucker Bathroom Access Act, introduced on Tuesday by U.S. Reps. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, and Chrissy Houlahan, D-Penn., would give truckers the same access to bathrooms that a business provides to customers or employees.

Similar legislation was introduced but failed to gain...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/lawmakers-try-again-to-improve-truckers-bathroom-access

Feds reject investigation into truck side guard recall

WASHINGTON — Trucking regulators have ruled there is not enough evidence to warrant an investigation into whether trailers without side underride guards (SUGs) should be recalled as unsafe.

The Institute for Safer Trucking petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last year for an investigation of all dry van semi-trailers due to collisions with passenger vehicles, as well as with pedestrians, bicyclists or motorcyclists, that result in “significant injuries or death” due to...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/feds-reject-investigation-into-truck-side-guard-recall

VIDEO: Drivers voice frustrations with FMCSA enforcement

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Pressing regulatory concerns, including English proficiency requirements for drivers and the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs to asylum-seekers, took center stage Thursday during the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration leadership meeting at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS).

Attendees voiced frustration over enforcement inconsistencies and the perceived lack of clear policy direction. Those issues, along with broader discussions on regulatory fairness, fraud prevention...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/video-drivers-voice-frustrations-with-fmcsa-enforcement

Lawmakers propose tax relief for truck drivers

WASHINGTON – House lawmakers reintroduced bipartisan legislation this week aimed at lightening the financial load for current truck drivers and incentivizing new drivers to join the industry.

U.S. Reps. Pat Ryan, D-N.Y., and Zachary Nunn, R-Iowa, introduced on Wednesday the Strengthening Supply Chains through Truck Driver Incentives Act that provides a refundable tax credit for current drivers and an enhanced credit for new truck drivers and people in trucking apprenticeship programs.

On...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/lawmakers-propose-tax-relief-for-truck-drivers

House panel debates ELD certification, truck weight limits

WASHINGTON — Stakeholders in the trucking industry are jockeying for position on Capitol Hill as lawmakers begin prioritizing provisions to include in the next version of highway funding legislation.

A slate of issues were raised at a hearing Wednesday of a House Transportation subcommittee, including truck parking, freight fraud, driver pay and “fly-by-night” CDL schools, but increasing truck size and weights and evaluating the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s oversight of...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/house-panel-debates-eld-certification-truck-weight-limits

Trump nominates trucking official to head FMCSA

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has nominated Derek Barrs of Florida to be administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, according to Senate documents published on Tuesday.

Derek Barrs. Credit: Flagler County School Board

Barrs, who was appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in October to the School Board of Flagler County, is a member of the American Trucking Associations’ Law Enforcement Advisory Board, as well as a member of the Florida Trucking Association,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/trump-nominates-trucking-official-to-head-fmcsa

Clash on legal status of California transportation waivers highlighted at TCA

PHOENIX – The attempt by the Trump administration’s Environmental Protection Agency to overturn various clean transportation waivers granted to California by the Biden administration may have suffered a recent setback, but the trucking industry still hopes for victory in Congress.

Jim Mullen, a former acting administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and now executive director of the industry-sponsored Clean Freight Coalition, sought to sum up recent events during his slot...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/clash-on-legal-status-of-california-transportation-waivers-highlighted-at-tca

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