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Safety concerns stemming from several recent truck accidents have prompted Senate transportation leaders to schedule a hearing July 29 to press regulators about their initiatives for improving highway safety.

The Senate on July 24 easily confirmed the nominations of two Transportation Department officials for senior positions.

The federal government proposed to phase out older tank cars and lower speed limits for some oil trains in an effort to mitigate transportation risks posed by the nation’s energy boom.

Senators have reached an agreement on how to debate a highway funding bill, setting up floor votes on the measure early next week, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said.

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute received $55 million in federal contracts to study safety efforts for commercial truck drivers and automated vehicles.

Roadrunner Transportation Systems has acquired regional logistics firm Integrated Services for $13 million.

With only two weeks remaining until Congress adjourns for the summer, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and the 11 secretaries of transportation before him urged Congress to pass a bill to boost the Highway Trust Fund before that account runs out of money next month.

Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said he thinks there will be enough senators next week who will support a 10-month Highway Trust Fund fix, legislation that easily advanced out of the House on July 15.

President Obama on July 17 signed an initiative aimed at helping state agencies connect with private-sector investors to upgrade the country’s aging transportation infrastructure.