The FMCSA has launched a strategic plan for 2012-2016 designed to strengthen partnerships at the Federal, State and Local-level to reduce or eliminate crashes, injuries, and fatalities through education, regulations, enforcement, research, and innovative technology. This 5 year plan aims to “save lives by striving towards a crash-free and fully accountable CMV transportation life-cycle.” There…Read More >>

Today, Congress voted to extend current highway funding which was being threatened by a 90-day legislative stopgap. This means, that work can continue on any highway, bridge, and transit projects currently underway. By a vote of 266 to 158, the House passed this vote with nearly 40 Democrats joining mostly Republicans on the issue. Read…Read More >>

Exports from metro St. Louis are projected to grow 71 percent over the course of this decade, according to a new report issued today by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. While expanding global trade is expected to drive a quick clip of export growth nearly every place, St. Louis’ pace is one of the fastest among…Read More >>

February 20, 2012- Gas prices are up 25 cents from January 1, and are likely headed to $4.25 a gallon by late April. Today, oil prices rose after Iran  cut exports to France and Britain. At the same time, global oil demand is expected to increase by 1.5% per day in 2012. Obama has rejected…Read More >>

Thursday, the House Panel stopped a measure intended to transform federal transportation programs. See Business Week’s article regarding the vote that delayed the use of heavier and longer trucks on U.S. interstate highways. 29 states currently allow a limited number of trucks weighing over 80,000 pounds to use interstate highways, but generally only by special…Read More >>

Transport Topics reports that diesel prices dropped .06 cents a gallon. Even with this decline, national average diesel prices are still 41.8 cents higher than this time last year. Read more at ttnews.com.

Friday the Bureau of Transportation Services released that 5,100 new payroll employees were added to the trucking industry in December. Comparing this to December 2010, employment in the trucking industry is up 3.2% or over 40,000 jobs. Read the complete article on etrucking.com.

Gasoline taxes are under much discussion throughout the U.S. as many states decide to increase this tax to bring in additional transportation revenue.  77% of Americans oppose raising the gas tax, Reason-Rupe Transportation Poll finds.  Raising the gasoline tax will affect many in the transportation industry through a variety of outlets. The federal gas tax…Read More >>

Sunset, along with others in the transportation industry will be closed on Thursday, November 24th for Thanksgiving.  Any less than truckload shipments that were made on Wednesday, November 23rd will not have tracking information available until Monday, November 28th when operations resume as usual.  Sunset will be running a skeleton crew on Friday, November 25th.  From our family…Read More >>

The Freight Talk blog reports that expected increases in retail sales for the holiday season this year are already positively impacting the transportation industry. According to a recent AP report, retail sales increased 1.1% in September, the biggest gain in seven months. This latest positive news is what makes many believe that another U.S. recession…Read More >>