Federal, News
Truck Leasing Task Force plans meetings in June, July
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Truck Leasing Task Force will resume with meetings scheduled in June and July.
Listen Now
Podcast: In our feelings – freight market sentiment
Lower freight volumes and lower spot rates have been the norm for several months now – but are better times right around the corner? Owner-operators seem to think so.
The Latest
Fuel prices, News
Fuel tax rate changes in six states in effect for 2018
As the calendar flips to the new year, fuel tax rates are changing in several states. During the past year, about a dozen states have instituted changes. Adjustments range from increases of at least 20 cents per gallon in California and New Jersey to fractional changes in other states. The most notable change for the […]
News
Time running out to comment on repeal of glider kit emissions requirements
There are only a few days remaining for truck drivers to submit comments regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule to repeal emissions requirements for glider kits. The public comment period on the EPA’s proposal will be open through Jan. 5. OOIDA delivered a Call to Action in December asking its more than 160,000 members […]
News
FHWA fines New York $14 million for I Love NY signs
In a state versus federal government showdown that goes back to 2011, the Federal Highway Administration has had enough of the New York State Department of Transportation’s refusal to take down tourism signs that violate federal regulations. FHWA has fined the state $14 million, which can be recovered if the state takes down the signs […]
News
UCR fees set for 2018, collection to begin ASAP
Sliding in under the proverbial end-of-the-year wire, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration finalized the Unified Carrier Registration fees for 2018 and 2019 late Friday, Dec. 29. Members of the UCR board were notified late Friday, Dec. 29, that the agency had submitted a direct final rule to the Office of the Federal Register to […]
Fuel prices, News
Diesel kicks off 2018 with highest prices in nearly three years
The average price of a gallon of on-highway diesel went up 7 cents to $2.973 per gallon for the week ending Monday, Jan. 1. This marks the second consecutive increase after three weeks of decreases and the highest prices since Jan. 12, 2015, when diesel was $3.053. Diesel prices went up in all 10 regions […]
News
Transportation revenue on agenda from coast to coast
Talks about how to pay for needed road and bridge work is certain to once again dominate discussion at statehouses across the country. Below is a sampling of efforts in some notable states. Arkansas DOT suggests shifting sales tax money The Arkansas Department of Transportation is trying to come up with a plan to address […]
News, Safety & Security
New opioids get added to DOT’s drug-testing panel on Jan. 1
A final rule that adds four semi-synthetic opioids to the existing Department of Transportation drug-testing panel goes into effect Jan. 1. The new opioids are hydrocodone, oxycodone, hydromorphone and oxymorphone. Some of the commonly prescribed painkillers with these opioids include OxyContin, Percodan, Percocet, Vicodin, Lortab, Norco, Dilaudid and Exalgo. A final rule was published in the Federal […]
News
FMCSA silent on whether CME website was hacked
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration won’t say whether or not its National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners website had been hacked. The website, which allows commercial drivers to confirm which doctors are on the national registry to perform Department of Transportation physicals, originally went down on Nov. 30 and didn’t resume its functionality until Dec. 14. […]
News
Caltrans considers ‘road charge’ tax as alternative to fuel tax
In 2017, California addressed its short-term transportation funding woes by increasing its gasoline excise taxes by 12 cents and diesel excise taxes by 20 cents. Seeking a more long-term solution, Caltrans recently released a study that looks into the possibility of replacing the fuel tax with a more user-based tax. According to the report, the […]
Opinion
ELD mandate off to rocky start
Did anyone (outside of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) doubt how rough the past couple of weeks have been since the ELD mandate kicked in? The boom you may have heard emanating from Grain Valley, Mo., starting on Dec. 18 were the phones blowing up here at OOIDA HQ. The Compliance Department continues to […]
