U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said June 7 that the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program has received 585 applications from across the country totaling $9.3 billion in requested funding.
The funding requests represent 18 times more than the $500 million that will be awarded. READ MORE
Thirteen Los Angeles and Long Beach seaport terminal operators that are members of the West Coast Marine Terminal Operators Agreement (WCMTOA) have disclosed how they’ll address verified gross mass (VGM) guidelines scheduled to go into effect on July 1. READ MORE
Are you transporting dangerous hazardous materials in tank cars? In particular, TIH/PIH commodities? If so, this webinar offered by AllTranstek and FTR | Transportation Intelligence is designed to educate you on the importance of “nondestructive testing” (NDT) and its vital role in tank car safety. NDT is required for tank cars after construction, qualification, and maintenance, with the goal of ensuring that hazardous commodities are traveling in safe vessels. But like all tank car related matters, NDT poses its own unique challenges. READ MORE
The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) will hold a public meeting June 14 to gain input from interested parties concerning proposals submitted to the United Nations Subcommittee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. READ MORE
The Canadian Trucking Alliance hailed May 30 the journey of the first Canadian commercial truck in years to complete an in-transit run between Canada and the United States. READ MORE
Beginning June 6, the Port of Oakland’s largest marine terminal, Oakland International Container Terminal (OICT), will make appointments mandatory for most containerized import pick-ups. The requirement means harbor truckers usually won’t be able to drive off loaded boxes without a reservation. READ MORE
American values outweigh economic expediency, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske said June 1 in imposing a detention order on imported stevia extracts produced by a Chinese company, PureCircle Ltd. Stevia is a sweetener and sugar substitute. READ MORE
A coalition of Great Lakes trade and transport stakeholders filed suit this week in Washington D.C. challenging a U.S. Coast Guard decision to increase pilotage rates on the Great Lakes by 58 percent over two years.
Some of the key players in the coalition include the U.S. Great Lakes Shipping Association, the Shipping Federation of Canada, the American Great Lakes Ports Association and Montreal-based Fednav International. READ MORE
Concerned about a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on aviation security, Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Chairman John Thune (R-SD) called on the House this week to act without delay on Senate-passed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization legislation. READ MORE
The U.S. Commerce Department seeks comments by July 11 on American seaport efficiency and competitiveness issues. The input is needed for Commerce’s 21st Century U.S. Port Competitiveness Initiative.
In the port competitiveness initiative, Commerce is working with seaports, stakeholders and port users to identify and share best practices in port-stakeholder coordination, collaboration and information-sharing. The goal is to remove operational and infrastructure issues that negatively affect freight flows and worsen port and supply chain congestion. READ MORE
