Topics: Highway & Transportation

Tips for Making the Switch to Biodiesel

NATSO ANALYSIS: A Deep Dive Into The 2018 Midterm Election Results

The 2018 Midterm elections played out largely as expected: Democrats recaptured the House of Representatives for the first time since 2010, while Republicans retained their Senate majority by picking up at least two Democrat-held seats. Democrats also managed to pick up at least four governorships and several state legislatures. The Midterms will usher in a new chapter of the Trump Administration and will have wide-ranging consequences for NATSO’s policy priorities. More

U.S. Election Midterm Results: Maps and Charts

On election night, President Donald Trump's Republican Party retained control of the Senate while the Democrats took control of the House of Representatives. The Democrats gained more than the 23 seats they needed to take control of the House, marking the first time the party has held the majority in the lower house of Congress for eight years. Meanwhile, Republicans kept control of the Senate and will increase their majority. The following maps illustrate the election results in the House, Senate and state Governor races. NATSO will run a separate, post-election analysis in the coming days outlining what the election results mean for NATSO’s policy priorities. More

Congressman DeFazio Plans to Deliver Major Infrastructure Package

Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), who is set to become Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the 116th Congress, said Nov. 6 that a major infrastructure package funded by real dollars would be his first order of business in January. Current surface transportation law is set to expire in 2020 and infrastructure is largely viewed as one issue where bipartisan agreement will be possible next year. Of importance to truckstops and travel plazas, Rep. DeFazio spoke about the shortcomings of the $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan put forth by the Administration in early 2018, saying it was full of “pretend stuff” such as privatization and asset recycling, which could very easily lead to tolling and rest area commercialization. More

President Signs Into Law Bill That Contains Hair Testing Reporting Requirements

President Trump on Oct. 24 signed into law comprehensive legislation aimed at combating the nation’s opioid crisis. Of importance to truckstops that operate commercial vehicles, the bill, which cleared the Congress with near-unanimous approval, contains provisions on hair testing for drivers. More

Anti-Tolling Coalition Opposes Truck Only Tolls on I-81 at Public Hearing

The Alliance for Toll-Free Interstates (ATFI) urged Virginia Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine to refrain from charging tolls on commercial trucks to pay for $2 billion of improvements along Interstate-81. More

Lawmaker Pushes for New Infrastructure Panel

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) is pushing to create an infrastructure subcommittee within the House Ways and Means Committee if Democrats take back the House in an effort to create a new forum for discussing ways to bolster infrastructure investment, Politico reports. More

NATSO Urges FMCSA to Consider Effects of Regulatory Changes on Truck Parking Utilization

NATSO on Oct. 10 urged the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to evaluate and consider any effect that proposed changes to the Hours of Service (HOS) regulations would have on professional truck drivers’ ability to find safe and legal parking when they need it. NATSO filed the comments in response to FMCSA’s August notice regarding revisions to four specific areas of the federal rule that governs truck drivers' sleep and rest. More

FHWA Calls for Next Round of Alternative Fuel Corridor Nominations

The Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is seeking nominations for the next phase of its multi-year plan to establish alternative fuel corridors for alternative fueling stations as mandated under the December 2015 highway bill. Any state or local agency is allowed to nominate a corridor for an alternative fuel corridor designation, and NATSO members can work with state and local agencies to ensure that their alternative fuel locations are incorporated into the nomination process. More

Anti-Tolling Coalition Criticizes Promotion of Failed Tolling Program

The Alliance for Toll-Free Interstates (ATFI) criticized the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) over the issuance of its recent notice soliciting participation in the Interstate System Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Pilot Program (ISRRPP). The ISRRPP is one of the few ways the federal government allows for tolls to be placed on existing interstates. The notice invites state Departments of Transportation to submit applications for three potential slots on a rolling basis until further notice, based on a directive from Congress. More

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