President Calls for 5 Percent Budget Cut from Cabinet Departments as Deficit Increases
editor@aashto.org October 19, 2018 0 COMMENTSPresident Trump asked for a 5 percent across-the-board budget cut from each federal department during a cabinet meeting on Oct. 17; a budget cut intended to stem the rise of the federal deficit. [Official White House photo above by Shealah Craighead.] “I’m going to ask each of you to come back with a 5 percent […]
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Report: Driving on Deteriorated Urban Roads Costing Motorists $1,049 annually
editor@aashto.org October 19, 2018 0 COMMENTSA new study issued by TRIP Inc. claims that driving on deteriorated urban roads costs U.S. motorists an average of $1,049 annually in additional vehicle repair needs, extra maintenance, higher fuel consumption and tire wear, plus accelerated vehicle deterioration and depreciation. [Above photo by VDOT.] “Drivers are paying a hefty price for our nation’s crumbling […]
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Twin Studies Say Marijuana Legalization Can Increase Vehicle Crashes
editor@aashto.org October 19, 2018 0 COMMENTSTwo recent studies, one by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the other by the Highway Loss Data Institute, showed that motor vehicle crashes are up by as much as 6 percent in Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, which have all legalized marijuana for recreational use, compared to neighboring states that have not. [Above […]
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To help combat human trafficking in the United States, the USDOT recently established a new 15-member advisory committee comprised of a variety of a transportation industry “stakeholders” that includes anti-trafficking advocacy organizations, law enforcement groups, trucking companies, and state departments of transportation. [Above photo by Arizona DOT.] David Lorenzen, chief of the Iowa Motor Vehicle […]
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Tom Everett (seen above) will step into the role of executive director of the Federal Highway Administration on Oct. 22; a longtime agency veteran who is considered a “national authority” on developing and implementing highway infrastructure policies and performance standards. He replaces Cheryl Walker, FHWA’s acting executive director since June 1, who took that role […]
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Survey: Majority of Americans say Traffic Congestion Worse; Willing to Pay for Solutions
editor@aashto.org October 19, 2018 0 COMMENTSAccording to a new survey by infrastructure firm HNTB, a majority of Americans believe traffic congestion on their roads and highways has worsened since 2017 and that they are willing to pay higher taxes and tolls to fund infrastructure maintenance or new construction to help reduce that congestion. [Above photo by VDOT.] The results of […]
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Study: Impact of Traffic Congestion Affecting Truckers Concentrated in Urban Corridors
editor@aashto.org October 19, 2018 0 COMMENTSA study released by the American Transportation Research Institute on Oct. 18 said that traffic congestion on the U.S. national highway system or NHS added nearly $74.5 billion in operational costs to the trucking industry in 2016, which is a 0.5 percent increase over the costs of traffic congestion calculated for truckers in 2015. [Above […]
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Report Says Diesel Primary Power for Trucks into 2040; Snow Plow Operations Illustrate Why
editor@aashto.org October 19, 2018 0 COMMENTSA new study compiled by research firm IHS Markit projects that diesel will remain the “primary fuel” of commercial vehicles for the foreseeable future, with 66 percent of new medium- and heavy-duty trucks sold nationally predicted to be equipped by diesel-only or diesel-hybrid powertrains in 2040, compared to nearly 80 percent today. [Above photo by […]
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USDOT Tallies its FY 2018 Transportation Disbursements
editor@aashto.org October 19, 2018 0 COMMENTSBy the end of this year, USDOT said in a statement on Oct. 10 that it will have made more than $63.9 billion in fiscal year 2018 available in multi-modal discretionary and formula transportation investments, along with $1.6 billion in fiscal year 2017 discretionary funds – dollars the agency views as “seed money” to encourage […]
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Dave Bauer has been selected as the next president and chief executive officer American Road & Transportation Builders Association, succeeding Pete Ruane, who retires on Oct. 31. Bauer will officially begin his tenure as ARTBA’s chief executive Jan. 1 next year. William Toohey, Jr., ARTBA’s executive vice president & chief operating officer, is currently serving […]
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