Trucking

Oct. 5, 2007 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter late today extended an August executive order that temporarily suspended certain motor carrier registration requirements to help farmers move harvested wheat off the ground and into storage facilities.

Gov. Ritter issued the original executive order on Aug. 22,temporarily suspending the transport requirements for 45 days. The order was scheduled to expire on Saturday, Oct. 6. Today he extended the order through Dec. 31.    » read more »

Statement of Joan Claybrook, Public Citizen President

Oct. 1, 2007 -- A court’s decision to let the current hours-of-service rules stand for just 90 more days supports the recommendations of safety groups determined to protect drivers and passengers alike on the nation’s highways.    » read more »

September 26, 2007 -- "I am concerned first and foremost about the well-being of anyone who was injured in this very unfortunate crash, as well as by damage caused to transportation facilities. The departure of an empty truck from the site could reflect illegal dumping if there is evidence that trash was left there. The court order obtained by my office forbids any dumping of any trash at the site.    » read more »

(09/17/07) LOS ANGELES – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently settled for $24,910 with a San Diego, Calif. company for allegedly failing to report releases of toxic chemicals, a violation of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.

Rhino Linings USA, Inc., located at 9151 Rehco Road, manufactures a polyurethane spray for truck bed liners.    » read more »

September 17, 2007 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the first day of the state’s special statewide commercial vehicle enforcement effort pulled dozens of trucks and their drivers off the road and resulted in hundreds of violations and citations.

The results are as follows:

· 110 inspections were conducted

· 38 vehicles were placed out of service

· 375 mechanical violations cited

· 139 driver violations resulting in13 drivers being placed out of service

· $23,730 in total fines    » read more »

September 14, 2007 -- (Des Moines) – Today, in an effort to help farmers move this year’s record corn harvest, Iowa Governor Chet Culver signed a proclamation granting a temporary weight limit exemption. This proclamation increases the weigh allowable for shipment of soybeans, corn, hay, straw and stover to 88,000 pounds gross weight without the need for an oversize/overweight permit.    » read more »

Governor continues permits for oversize trucks removing burnt timbers

September 12, 2007 -- ATLANTA — Today Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue extended an Executive Order that allows permitting through September 30 for oversized trucks removing burnt timber from any of 21 southeast Georgia counties affected by wildfires this spring. These were the largest wildfires in Georgia’s recorded history.    » read more »

Fourteen Inspection Teams To Blanket State

September 15, 2007 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that a special statewide commercial vehicle enforcement effort will be initiated next week, with Department of Motor Vehicles inspectors being assigned simultaneously to all corners of the state. State and interstate highways that pose potential hazards for heavy trucks – such as hilly or winding terrain – will be included in the special operation.

Fourteen inspection teams including 30 inspectors will be deployed during    » read more »

September 12, 2007 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell announced that the State Traffic Commission (STC), in response to the Governor’s request, today approved a ban on trucks weighing over 26,000 pounds on Route 44 over Avon Mountain in West Hartford and Avon.

Approved by a 3-0 vote of the Commission, the ban will be effective as soon as the Department of Transportation can fabricate and erect signage (estimated to be between 7 and 10 days) and the ban will be in effect until January 1, 2008.    » read more »

September 11, 2007, Washington, DC – Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) issued the following statement today after he voted to block the Bush Administration’s pilot program allowing up to 100 Mexican trucking companies to operate throughout the U.S.:    » read more »

Washington, D.C., Monday, September 10, 2007 -- Mr. SPECTER: Mr. President, I am cosponsoring the amendment offered by the distinguished Senator from North Dakota because I believe there are very serious safety issues involved here which have not been answered sufficiently by the Department of Transportation.    » read more »

Statement of Bonnie Robin-Vergeer, Attorney, Public Citizen

Sept. 2, 2007 -- A ruling late Friday by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in the NAFTA trucks case is a disappointment. The court denied an emergency motion filed by Public Citizen, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and other groups, asking the federal court to block the start of a U.S. Department of Transportation’s pilot program.    » read more »

Sep 3, 2007 -- Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Senator John Edwards today criticized the Bush administration's open-highways initiative that would allow Mexican trucks to travel freely within the United States. The initiative is expected to go into effect this week, unless it is blocked on Wednesday by the Department of Transportation's Inspector General.

Edwards released the following statement:    » read more »

Bush Administration Ignoring Congress; Mexico-Domiciled Trucks May Have Full Access to the Nation’s Highways as Early as Saturday

Aug. 29, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - Five groups sued today in federal court to block a Bush administration plan to allow Mexico-domiciled trucks to roam the country’s highways as soon as Saturday.    » read more »

August 22, 2007, Bellevue, Washington – PACCAR and Eaton Corporation announced today that they have entered into an agreement to jointly develop proprietary hybrid technology for heavy-duty commercial vehicles in North America. The innovative new products will be introduced exclusively in Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks in the North American market, targeted for initial production by the end of 2009.    » read more »