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Mexican motor carriers have been found operating illegally in 28 U.S. states — far beyond the narrow border zones to which they are restricted, according to the Department of Transportation’s inspector general, Kenneth Mead. His finding was made public at a June 24 Capitol Hill press conference by Reps. Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.), Rep. Jack Quinn (R-N.Y.) and Teamsters President James P. Hoffa, who jointly called for an investigation of the extent of the problem.

The U.S. Supreme Court handed down two victories for trucking company management last week, placing strict limits on who can sue their employers under the Americans With Disabilities Act. In the case most crucial to the industry, the court ruled unanimously that a truck driver who is nearly blind in one eye cannot sue his employer for discrimination, after the grocery store chain fired him because of his disability.

Nine northeastern states have banded together to get tough on trucks that pollute the air. Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont agreed to begin roadside smoke testing and ticketing trucks and buses that are in violation by July 1, 2001.

Investors may be shunning trucking stocks, but a small but growing number of firms think there is money to be made in owning truck terminals. Long viewed as a financial backwater, freight terminals are being touted as good long-term investments and a way for trucking companies to free up money to invest in other parts of their business.

In a continuation of the yo-yo-like gyrations that many analysts said were over, the national average price of diesel fuel has risen 2.3 cents a gallon over the past two weeks, after dropping 2.4 cents over the previous four weeks. On June 21, the price stood at $1.082 a gallon, 1.4 cents above the previous week’s level of $1.068 and 0.1 cent below the level on May 10, according to the Department of Energy.

Spokesmen for two of the nation’s major railroads — Norfolk Southern and CSX — conceded that their service has "just not been good enough" in the wake of their split-up of Conrail. However, both companies insist things were improving. But some intermodal trucking companies suffered along with the two railroads, as shippers turned to over-the-road truckers.

Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater declared his commitment to working with American Trucking Associations to reduce truck-related fatalities, despite criticism from safety groups. "While some have criticized the department for working in partnership with ATA, I do not apologize for that," Slater said in a June 18 speech to the group’s board of directors.

Jurisdiction over truck and bus safety should remain within the Federal Highway Administration, Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater said. In a June 18 speech to American Trucking Associations board of directors, Slater said the department’s goal of cutting in half the number of truck-related fatalities over the next decade would best be achieved by beefing up existing programs.

Citing the increased use of information technology within the industry, American Trucking Associations has created a new policy committee devoted to the issue. ATA’s board of directors voted June 18 to create a new Technology & Engineering Committee that incorporates the current Technology Advisory Committee and the engineering component of the Safety & Engineering Committee.

Consolidated Freightways says it has a better idea for people who plan to move but don’t feel like paying to hire a moving company. CF will send a 28-foot trailer to your house, let you load it yourself and then come and get it. The service, which went “live” June 21, is being offered through the Menlo Park, Calif., company’s new e-commerce division.