Transportation

Washington – In a 97-0 vote on March 12, the Senate confirmed Christopher A. Hart to a two-year term as chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board.

Washington – The Federal Railroad Administration has launched a new campaign intended to improve safety at railroad grade crossings.

Washington – More than 5,000 state and local government bus drivers missed work in 2013 because of occupational injuries and illnesses, according to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Washington – A Senate committee has unanimously passed a bill aimed at improving training for first responders to oil train crashes and other railroad hazardous materials incidents.

Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration intends to publish a final rule regarding electronic logging devices by Sept. 30, according to the agency’s acting chief.

Atlanta – About 14 percent of long-haul truck drivers in 2010 reported sometimes or never wearing a safety belt, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Washington – The Federal Highway Administration should launch a study of state laws to determine the best methods for regulating oversize and overweight vehicles, according to a report released Feb. 26 by the Government Accountability Office.

Washington – The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee has approved nominations for several key transportation posts.

Washington – The Federal Railroad Administration is considering a rule that would require Class I freight railroads and railroads with poor safety performance to develop and implement formal risk reduction programs.

Washington – A group of safety advocates is calling for forward collision avoidance and mitigation braking systems, or F-CAM, to be required in all trucks and buses to help prevent deadly rear-end crashes.