House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John L. Mica (R-FL) announced the locations for a series of national field hearings and public forums on pending major surface transportation legislation.
The nationwide meetings with state and local officials and transportation stakeholders will help inform the Committee’s drafting of a long-term reauthorization of the nation’s highway, transit, and highway safety programs.
The Committee will seek input on how to consolidate and improve the performance of programs, cut government red tape and streamline the project delivery process, increase private sector investment in our infrastructure, identify creative financing alternatives, and other ideas for writing the legislation. The previous multi-year law (SAFETEA- LU) expired in September 2009.
“The best ideas to improve and streamline government programs often come from outside of Washington, and before we draft any legislation these meetings will provide the Committee with valuable insight and information,” Mica said.
Chairman Mica, Members of the Committee and other lawmakers will participate in the hearings and meetings, which will begin on February 14, 2011 in West Virginia, home state of the Committee’s Ranking Democrat Member Nick J. Rahall.
At least a dozen other sessions across numerous states are currently planned for February 17-25, including a joint House-Senate hearing in Los Angeles in cooperation with Senator Barbara Boxer, Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. (Further details regarding meetings will be announced at a later date.)
The Committee will travel to the following communities to gather information for the transportation reauthorization bill:
Beckley, West Virginia; Charleston, West Virginia; the Philadelphia Metropolitan area; Scranton, Pennsylvania; Rochester, New York; Columbus, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; the Chicago Metropolitan area; Vancouver, Washington; Fresno, California; Los Angeles; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Jonesboro, Arkansas; the Memphis Metropolitan area.
Printer Friendly Version
Email This Story
RSS
Government/Regulations: Related News
2/4/2011 – Mica Announces Transportation Bill Field Hearings, Public Forums
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John L. Mica (R-FL) announced the locations for a series of national field hearings and public forums on pending major surface transportation legislation….
More
2/2/2011 – Questions Arise About Study Used to Justify 34-Hour Restart Change
Some of the scientific evidence used to justify changes in the 34-hour restart provision is being questioned by the trucking industry.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is relying in part on a two-part study conducted at Washington State University to say that the 34-hour restart should include two nights of rest….
More
2/1/2011 – New Proposal Would Greatly Expand EOBR Use
The new proposal on electronic onboard reporters vastly expands the rule the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration put out less than a year ago….
More
1/31/2011 – Judge Puts Minnesota Fatigue Program to Sleep
A U.S. District Court judge has ruled that the Minnesota State Patrol’s use of CVSA Level III inspections to determine fatigue violates truckers’ Fourth Amendment rights….
More
1/31/2011 – FMCSA Proposes EOBR Mandate for All Interstate Drivers
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is proposing that all interstate trucks and buses be equipped with electronic onboard recorders to track driver hours….
More
1/28/2011 – PHMSA Proposes Flammables Ban in Wetlines
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has proposed a rule that would prohibit transport of flammable liquids in the pipes beneath cargo tanks….
More
1/28/2011 – Fatigue Study Provides Basis for 34-Hour Restart Proposal
The 34-hour restart gives daytime drivers a chance to catch up on their rest, but it does not work as well for night drivers. In fact, it may even be detrimental to driver performance.
That’s the conclusion of a study the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is using to justify its proposal that the restart include two periods of rest between midnight and 6 a.m….
More
1/28/2011 – Canada Rolls Out New Road Safety Strategy
Canada’s Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety have approved a new five-year Road Safety Strategy under which Canada will continue to strive to have the safest roads in the world….
More
1/28/2011 – FMCSA to Hold Public Listening Session on Hours-of-Service Proposed Rule
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced today that it will hold a public listening session on its hours-of-service proposal Feb. 17 in Arlington, Va….
More
1/25/2011 – ATRI Suggests Alternative Approach to Safety Compliance
A trucking industry research group has put together a concept for how carriers might improve their safety performance without following traditional compliance requirements….
More
1/24/2011 – New York DOT Official Charged with Accepting Bribes
A DOT official in New York State has been charged with taking bribes from the trucking companies he was supposed to be inspecting….
More
1/24/2011 – ATA Mounts Assault on HOS Proposal
American Trucking Associations is gearing up a multi-front campaign to stop the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s proposal to change the hours of service rules….
More
1/19/2011 – President Signs Executive Order Addressing Regulation Concerns
While speakers at a heavy-duty aftermarket event in Las Vegas were discussing how concern about government regulations has given business pause, President Obama yesterday signed an executive order aimed at tackling criticism that regulations are stifling business and the economy….
More
1/17/2011 – Legal Fight Against EOBRs Proceeds
With a proposal to expand the requirement for electronic onboard recorders pending in the regulatory pipeline, owner-operators are fighting a legal action against the limited recorder requirement that is scheduled to take effect next year….
More
1/13/2011 – Cell-phone and Texting Laws Compiled
The American Trucking Associations State Laws Newsletter is reporting that rhe Governors Highway Safety Association has issued a compilation of state laws that limit or prohibit drivers’ use of cell phones or texting….
More
1/11/2011 – CSA Materials Available at Truckstops
Beginning January 12, brochures and pocket cards about the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s new CSA enforcement program will be available for commercial motor vehicle drivers at hundreds of travel centers across the country….
More
1/11/2011 – Florida Extends Ease on Trucking Regs Through Jan 14
To give growers more time to haul their crops to packing facilities, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam is extending an executive order relaxing trucking restrictions through Jan. 14….
More
1/11/2011 – NC/VA Reciprocity Agreement Cancelled
The American Trucking Associations State Laws Newsletter is reporting that effective January 21, 2011, a permitting reciprocity agreement between North Carolina and Virginia will be cancelled….
More
1/7/2011 – OOIDA Says Mexican Border Deal Cost American Jobs, Provides No Reciprocal Benefits
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association responded to the Obama Administration’s overture to the Mexican truckers saying if the proposed deal goes through, American drivers will lose work to Mexican carriers who do not bear similar compliance costs….
More
1/4/2011 – NHTSA Clears Path for Speed-Limiter Proposal
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is moving ahead on a rulemaking on speed limiters for heavy trucks, which had its start four years ago with petitions by two trucking interest groups….
More
12/31/2010 – OOIDA Wonders Why Speed Limiters Get the Green Light While Driver Training Standards Languish
An announcement to consider speed limiting heavy trucks to 68 mph has small business truckers wondering why this unproven science is moving forward while minimum training standards for drivers are still not on the books….
More
12/30/2010 – NHTSA to Begin Speed Limiter Rulemaking
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is going to begin a rulemaking that could lead to mandatory speed limiters on heavy trucks, as requested by American Trucking Associations and Road Safe America….
More
12/30/2010 – HOS Proposal Seems Likely to Lead to More Litigation
Early reaction to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s proposed changes in the hours of service rule indicates that the rule is likely to remain in litigation.
It is not clear what the proposed changes will do for safety. The agency says they will make trucking safer. The safety advocacy community says they do not go nearly far enough. The trucking industry says they go too far….
More
12/29/2010 – Safety Group says New HOS Proposal Doesn’t Go Far Enough, Canadians say it Could Have Been Worse
Reaction to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration latest HOS proposal isn’t exactly inspiring….
More
12/29/2010 – FMCSA Proposes Seven Changes in Hours Rule
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is proposing seven changes in the current hours of service rules in order to, it says, give drivers the flexibility to take a break during the day and reduce the health and safety risks of long hours of work….
More
12/27/2010 – NY Judge Blocks Diesel-retrofit Mandate
A New York Supreme Court judge recently blocked a Department of Environmental Conservation mandate requiring the owners of heavy-duty diesel vehicles to retrofit their fleets with costly new equipment….
More
12/23/2010 – FMCSA Posts Proposed HOS Revisions
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has posted long-awaited proposed revisions to the hours of service rule….
More