Transportation

Washington – The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration must make improvements to its oversight of state pipeline safety programs, concludes an audit released May 7 by the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General.

Washington – Electronic logging devices used to track truck drivers’ compliance with federal hours-of-service regulations help prevent HOS violations and crashes, according to a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration-sponsored report issued in April.

Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is proposing a rule that would prohibit carriers, shippers, receivers and other entities from forcing truck and bus drivers to violate federal regulations so shipments or passengers can be delivered faster.

Arlington, VA – A group of organizations representing the truck and bus industries and law enforcement is petitioning the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to expand the scope of the agency’s proposal for establishing a national database of truck and bus drivers’ drug and alcohol test results.

Washington – Agricultural aircraft pilots need to take more precautions to avoid collisions with obstacles during crop dusting and fertilizing operations, the National Transportation Safety Board advises in a safety alert and video released May 14.

Washington – In response to recent fatigue-related crashes involving the Metro-North Commuter Railroad, members of the House introduced a bill on May 6 intended to help reduce fatigue among workers in the rail industry.

Washington – Shippers transporting large quantities of crude oil from the Bakken Formation must inform state authorities about their expected routes under a May 7 Emergency Order from the Department of Transportation.

Washington – A new advisory bulletin from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration recounts one of the largest pipeline spills in the past five years and encourages pipeline owners and operators to take new preventive measures against leaks.

Washington – The Federal Aviation Administration is extending to July 17 the comment period for its proposal to require certain foreign aircraft maintenance workers to undergo routine drug and alcohol testing.

Is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Compliance, Safety, Accountability program as effective as the agency believes it is? Recent reports have come to conflicting conclusions.