Panama Canal Authority (PCA) officials said they’ve been informed by construction contractor GUPC that the Third Set of locks have officially passed all performance tests and are now functionally complete to allow safe operation.  READ MORE

The Port of Oakland reported this week that Oakland International Container Terminal will offer full operations at night even after a port subsidy expires this month.

The decision means thousands of harbor truckers can continue moving Oakland cargo outside busier daytime hours.   With full operations, they’ll be able to drive off loaded import containers at night for the first time. Import pick-ups, the most time-consuming and labor-intensive terminal activity, had been restricted to dayside operations. READ MORE

Under a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rule that becomes effective August 8, passengers riding in commercial trucks will be required to use seat belts whenever the vehicles are operated on public roads in interstate commerce. READ MORE

To reduce delays at U.S. border crossings in New York, Michigan and Washington state, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has awarded $256,470 for the use of innovative technology that will provide truck drivers advance information on border wait times. READ MORE

Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL) fanned longstanding Jones Act flames this week by offering an amendment to Puerto Rico economic stabilization legislation that would exempt Puerto Rico from the U.S.-flag shipping requirements of the cabotage law. READ MORE

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