The U.S. Senate voted unanimously March 6 to confirm Gil Kerlikowske to lead Customs and Border Protection, the agency within the °®¶ą´«Ă˝land Security Department that is responsible for border security.
March 7, 2014Editorial, Government
Editorial: Things Are Looking Up
Signs are increasing that the nation’s economic health is steadily improving. It’s not a barnburner, and there is still some uncertainty, as the Commerce Department trimmed its estimate of fourth-quarter 2013 growth to an annual rate of 2.4% from 3.2% in an earlier estimate.
March 10, 2014Government, Business
Obama Devotes $73.61 Billion to Surface Transport in Budget
President Obama’s fiscal 2015 budget proposal includes $73.61 billion for surface transportation, a 1.8% increase over this year’s level, as part of an overall $302.3 billion transportation plan in the next four years.
March 10, 2014Government, Business
DOT Says US Needs Up to $86 Bln. For Annual Highway Maintenance
The United States needs to spend $65 billion to $86 billion annually over the next 20 years to maintain its current highway infrastructure, the Department of Transportation said.
March 10, 2014Government, Business
STB to Review Whether Calif. Rail Idling Plan Violates Federal Interstate Commerce Law
The Surface Transportation Board is stepping into a California rail dispute by announcing its intention to decide whether a federal interstate commerce law prevents a local agency from advancing its plan to reduce locomotive idling.
March 10, 2014Government
House Hearing Will Review MAP-21, Obama’s Budget
A House panel will hold a hearing March 12 to examine the Department of Transportation’s implementation of MAP-21 and President Obama’s budget request for surface transportation agencies.
March 7, 2014Business, Fuel, Government
Trade Deficit Little Changed in January
The U.S. trade deficit was little changed in January as imports and exports grew, the Commerce Department reported March 7.
March 7, 2014Government, Business
FTR Trucking Conditions Index Increases in January
FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index rose to 8.82 in January, reflecting a “very positive environment” in the trucking business, the transportation forecasting firm said.
March 6, 2014Government, Business
Colorado Senate Passes Anti-Indemnification Bill
Colorado’s Senate passed a bill March 5 that would block shipping contracts that make truckers assume full liability for crashes no matter who is at fault.
March 6, 2014Business, Safety, Government
Economy Continues to Expand, Fed Says
The U.S. economy continued to expand from early January to late February, with reports on transportation services mixed as severe weather disrupted supply chains, the Federal Reserve said.
March 5, 2014