The Canadian federal government is proposing to regulate, for the first time,  air pollutant emissions from locomotives.

The proposed regulations are being developed under Canada’s Railway Safety Act and are intended to improve health and the environment, according to Transport Canada. READ MORE

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has filed comments urging the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to withdraw its proposed rule mandating two-person crews on railroads. READ MORE

Federal representatives joined California officials June 17 for a ceremonial ribbon-cutting to mark the opening of the freight movement-enhancing Nogales Street Grade Separation Project in Los Angeles County. READ MORE

With the implementation date for new container weighing requirements just around the corner, Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Chairman Mario Cordero said the time has come “for ocean carriers to embrace the obvious solution to achieving compliance that marine terminal operators can offer.”

Specifically, Cordero said the weight of export containers, as determined by terminal operators, can and should be classified as the Verified Gross Mass (VGM) of the container. READ MORE

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) finalized June 21 the first operational rules for routine commercial use of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), also known as drones.

The FAA said its action opens pathways towards fully integrating drones into the nation’s airspace. READ MORE

Panama Canal Authority (PCA) officials conducted another successful trial transit this week in the expanded waterway. The transiting vessel, a U.S.-built crane ship named the Oceanus, was maneuvered through the Pacific-facing Cocoli Locks. READ MORE

This week the League sent a letter to the Wall Street Journal responding to comments made in an opinion article in that paper by Association of American Railroads (AAR) President Ed Hamberger.  The AAR chief executive said that some shippers “want to force railroads to open up their tracks and facilities to other railroad competitors in order to obtain lower shipping costs.”  He added that “Doing so would upend the logistical efficiencies that today benefit all customers using the U.S. rail system….”  Hamberger’s comments were seemingly directed at the League’s efforts to convince the Surface Transportation Board (STB) that new rules must be adopted on competitive switching.  The STB has this matter under consideration in their Ex Parte 711 proceeding. READ MORE

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) released June 13 a State of the Industry Report featuring Towson University research that shows spending by the seven largest U.S. railroads created nearly $274 billion in economic activity, generated nearly $33 billion in state and federal tax revenues and supported nearly 1.5 million jobs nationally in 2014. READ MORE

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began a pilot program this month allowing commercial trucks to prepay the single-crossing user fee online prior to arrival at a port of entry. READ MORE

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System disclosed that an agreement has been reached to pay for the reconstruction and operation of the 70-mile Desert Line railway in southeastern San Diego County that connects Mexican export factories to rail shipping in the United States. READ MORE