Commercial Carriers Journal- Starting today, July 26, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will allow carriers to register to participate in the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program, a combined effort with the Department of Labor that acts on the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's mandate to explore allowing younger drivers to operate interstate.
Transport Topics- More than 70 trade associations, including MTA, have cosigned a letter sent to California Gov. Gavin Newsom asking him to issue an executive order to temporarily pause enforcement of the state’s AB 5 contractor law.
Transport Topics- Legislation designed to increase parking access for truck drivers nationwide was easily approved by the House Transportation and Infrastructure panel on July 20.
The bill, the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, would incrementally provide agencies nearly $800 million through fiscal 2026 to “provide parking for commercial motor vehicles and improve the safety of commercial motor vehicle operators.”
Land Line- The public comment period regarding the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s proposal to require speed limiters on most heavy-duty trucks ended July 18. As of the morning of July 19, FMCSA’s online docket was showing nearly 16,000 submitted comments.
A significant majority of the comments came from truck drivers who are opposed to a mandate.
Transport Topics- With an August 1 deadline looming, states are finalizing their electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure deployment plans to build electric vehicle charging stations and other infrastructure.
The goal is to accelerate adopting EVs to enable up to 50% of new vehicle sales to be electric by 2030.
FleetOwner- Some truck safety and insurance groups are questioning the merits of the federal under-21 commercial driver apprenticeship program. Trucking industry groups, however, are backing the pilot program in comments submitted to the Federal Register this summer.
Commercial Carriers Journal- As the next generation of truck drivers – those who have grown up with computers, internet and/or smartphones for their entire existence – enter the workforce, it is pertinent for the industry to create a digital experience that meets their technology standards.
