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WASHINGTON — With traffic fatalities spiking higher, the nation’s top safety investigator says a widely cited government statistic that 94% of serious crashes are solely due to driver error is misleading and that the Transportation Department should stop using it.

WASHINGTON — Executives with the Transportation Research Board are readying a guiding document outlining issues deemed critical across modes of transportation, the group’s leadership recently announced during TRB’s annual meeting.

While technologies have provided real-time data and new insights into how to reduce incidents and help drivers to improve their skills, many fleet executives say building a reputation for safety boils down to trust, culture and accountability.

The Transportation Department is launching a $27 billion program to repair and upgrade roughly 15,000 highway bridges as part of the infrastructure law approved in November.

WASHINGTON — Ensuring the safety of motorists on the country’s roadways is the primary focus of the U.S. Department of Transportation as it implements policies specific to trucking in a new infrastructure law, senior department officials said.

The United States Supreme Court on Jan. 13 blocked enforcement of the Biden administration’s proposed sweeping vaccine rules, which would have required companies with more than 100 employees — including trucking companies — to ensure workers receive a COVID-19 vaccine or undergo weekly testing and wear a mask.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has formally announced establishment of the truck driver apprenticeship program that was included in last year’s sweeping $1 trillion infrastructure bill, an initiative that will train candidates younger than 21 to drive in interstate commerce for the first time ever.

The federal regulatory landscape for transportation operations must prioritize safety, economic growth and climate change, the leadership at the U.S. Department of Transportation recently affirmed in a series of guiding principles.

Federal trucking regulators are seeking emergency White House approval to take a first step toward a driver apprenticeship program included in last year’s sweeping $1 trillion infrastructure bill as a near-term measure to help alleviate the trucking industry’s ongoing driver shortage.