Transportation

Washington — Aiming to keep pace with emerging technologies and reduce the time needed to complete investigations, the National Transportation Safety Board has hired a record number of staff this year.

Sacramento, CA — California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has vetoed legislation that would have banned autonomous trucks weighing 10,000-plus pounds from operating on the state’s roadways without a person on board.

Seattle — Public train and bus operators face secondhand exposure from passenger drug use, potentially affecting their physical and mental health, according to a new report.

Washington — A centralized framework that emphasizes safety and lets innovation “thrive” is crucial for the federal regulation of autonomous trucks, American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear says.

Washington — Improving truckers’ access to safe parking is one of the initiatives being funded by more than $80 million in “high priority” grants from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Washington — Federal regulation of autonomous trucks must “prioritize both workers and safety,” the International Brotherhood of Teamsters says.

In Episode 43, the S+H team examines the September issue’s feature story on aerial lifts. Also, Ryan Pietzsch, a program technical consultant for driver safety at the National Safety Council, joins the podcast to discuss fleet safety in the “Five Questions With …” segment.

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is asking for input on a possible new methodology for determining whether motor carriers are fit to operate safely.

Arlington, VA — Wanted: input from trucking industry stakeholders on the most critical issues facing the industry.

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration wants to study the safety impact of the time that truck drivers spend waiting for cargo to be loaded and unloaded.