U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee

Lawmaker: Use Postal Service to test vehicle-miles-traveled fee

One of the strongest voices in Congress calling for replacing the gas tax with a vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) user fee is proposing the U.S. Postal Service as the place to test the idea.

“The final step necessary to begin a full conversion to a VMT system is to test it in an interoperable, national setting,” Rep. Sam Graves, R-Missouri and ranking member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, said in a statement Friday.

“The USPS operates a large, nationwide fleet of vehicles...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/lawmaker:-use-postal-service-to-test-vehicle-miles-traveled-fee

House hearing witnesses argue rail more relevant to economy than ever

A photograph of a freight train passing through a field while a construction vehicle is in the field.

Against the backdrop of Congress’ plans to push through a major transportation infrastructure bill, witnesses testifying at a U.S. House hearing on Wednesday spoke about the need for public partners to invest in multimodal initiatives as a way to support the freight rail industry and its workers.

An example of public and private support for a multimodal project would be the rehabilitation of the Salmon Bay Bridge in Washington, according to Tom WIlliams, group vice president of consumer products...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/house-hearing-witnesses-argue-rail-more-relevant-to-economy-than-ever

Maritime sector nervous about chances for COVID-19 relief

U.S. ports and terminal operators hope a last-ditch effort on Capitol Hill will send emergency funding their way as lawmakers put the final touches on the next COVID-19 relief package.

Such relief has so far eluded the maritime sector, which has been frustrated watching other transportation modes such as public transit and the airlines get billions of dollars from the previous two COVID-19 relief bills signed during the Trump administration.

“The port industry has yet to receive any relief in...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/maritime-sector-nervous-about-chances-for-covid-19-relief

Tennessee lawmaker to pursue vaccines at truck stops

A Tennessee lawmaker said he would look into the potential for making vaccines available at a major truck stop operator after hearing about concerns faced by small-business truckers.

Republican U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett made the offer on Thursday in response to testimony from Lewie Pugh, executive vice president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), who explained the difficulties drivers will be facing particularly with vaccines that require a follow-up second shot.

“One...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/tennessee-lawmaker-to-pursue-vaccines-at-truck-stops

U.S. lawmakers approve safety standards for ride-hailing companies

The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation on Wednesday requiring ride-hailing companies to establish a digital method that matches drivers with passengers before the beginning of a trip.

Introduced last year by Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, Sami’s Law, named after college student Samantha Josephson, who was killed by a person impersonating her Uber driver, has bipartisan support improving its chances of eventually being signed into law. The U.S. Senate has not yet...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/us-lawmakers-approve-safety-standards-for-ride-hailing-companies

Breaking News: House approves trucking insurance increase and hours-of-service delay

A major infrastructure package that includes provisions to hike truckers’ insurance coverage to $2 million and delay the September 29 start date for new federal hours of service (HOS) changes was approved today by the U.S. House of Representatives.

The $1.5 trillion Moving Forward Act, which passed the Democrat-controlled House largely along party lines by a vote of 233 to 188, was derided by Republicans in the chamber as a “wish list” partisan bill heavy on climate-change related proposals that...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/breaking-news-house-approves-trucking-insurance-increase-and-hours-of-service-delay

Rail groups gear up for infrastructure bill fight

A photograph of a tank car by a rail crossing.

Rail groups are considering their next steps as a major, multi-billion dollar infrastructure bill becomes part of a wider trillion-dollar package that also addresses education, housing and renewable energy infrastructure. 

Last week, the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America (INVEST in America) Act, keeping in the bill’s contents some items that the freight rail industry considers...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/rail-groups-gear-up-for-infrastructure-bill-fight

NATSO wants to short-circuit electric charging at rest areas

CHarging stations and trucks

The fight over allowing food trucks to keep selling their fare at state-run rest stops is spilling over to another commercialization issue — allowing installation of electric vehicle (EV) chargers. 

NATSO, the trade group for travel plaza and truckstop operators, is asking House Democrats to remove an amendment in the highway reauthorization bill that would allow electric vehicle charging stations at interstate rest areas. 

Congress prohibited states from offering commercial services at rest...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/natso-wants-to-short-circuit-electric-charging-at-rest-areas

Rail groups split on Democrats’ infrastructure bill

A photograph on a train with a city landscape behind it.

A number of the railroad-related items listed in the 846-page, $500 billion infrastructure bill introduced by House Democrats this week could face some hot debate as it goes through Congress, judging by the reactions of rail trade groups and rail labor.

The bill, entitled Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America (INVEST in America), is a five-year, $494 billion surface reauthorization bill unveiled on June 3 by the U.S. House and Transportation &...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/rail-groups-split-on-democrats-infrastructure-bill

Lawmakers prod FMCSA to move on driver detention

U.S. lawmakers have joined with federal watchdogs in pressuring the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to address driver detention times.

The INVEST in America Act, a $494 billion, five-year reauthorization of surface transportation programs introduced on Wednesday by Democrats on the U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, requires that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), through FMCSA, begin collecting data from drivers and carriers on delays during...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/lawmakers-prod-fmcsa-to-move-on-driver-detention

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