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WASHINGTON— Transportation employees who work alongside roads and behind the wheels of maintenance vehicles can offer valuable perspectives on worthwhile projects, according to panelists gathered to discuss innovation at the Transportation Research Board’s annual meeting Jan. 15.

WASHINGTON — More freight is moving and e-commerce is booming, but there is a finite amount of urban space for road use and parking for delivery vehicles. It’s a problem known as the final mile, and it’s especially profound in cities.

Organizers for this year's gathering of the Transportation Research Board in Washington have come up with a list of a dozen topic areas that policymakers need to address to ensure a sustainable transportation network.

WASHINGTON — Transportation Research Board executives unveiled their list of critical issues at the group’s annual meeting Jan. 14.

The Senate Republican caucus chose Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker to lead the Commerce Committee in the 116th Congress. Wicker succeeds Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), who was promoted to the role of assistant Republican leader.

The largest autonomous vehicle test site in the United States has been acquired by AAA of Northern California, Nevada and Utah, one of the most familiar car-club brands in the country.

Michigan Department of Transportation is seeking public comment on the state’s plan to develop transportation goals for the next 25 years. The long-range plan, dubbed Michigan Mobility 2045, will establish transportation priorities.

Drone-delivery technology company Flytrex announced it has raised $7.5 million in Series B funding, according to a Jan. 8 press release. This round brings the company’s total to $11 million.

A group of eight Midwestern states has launched a system to inform truckers about parking availability along interstate highways. Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin launched the Trucks Park Here program.

Infrastructure and trade loom large for trucking in the year ahead as freight carriers adjust to a slower, but still positive, rate of economic growth in 2019, according to industry experts interviewed by Transport Topics.