Transportation

By Max Fisher, Vice President of Economics and Government Relations The House on July 1 approved the  so-called “Moving Forward Act,” which includes $1.5 trillion worth of infrastructure investments across a number of U.S. economic sectors, such as transportation, energy, education, housing and healthcare. The bill passed on a 233–188 party line vote. Embedded in the legislation is the highway reauthorization bill that NGFA reported on in last week’s Newsletter. At a high level, the Moving Forward Act contains the following provisions: $494 billion in surface transportation ... Read More

The Rock Island District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is scheduled to begin closures of the following locks and dams for substantial repairs starting next month. Below is the current schedule from the Rock Island District’s website: LaGrange Lock and Dam – Major Rehabilitation & Lock Machinery Replacement: Full closure scheduled July 1-Sept. 30 Peoria Lock and Dam – Dewatering for Maintenance and Inspection: Full closure scheduled July 6 - Sept. 30  Starved Rock Lock and Dam – Upper & Lower Miter Gate Installation: Full closure ... Read More

By Randy Gordon, President and CEO A new study issued June 24 recommends that the Surface Transportation Board (STB) take steps to better define the so-called “common-carrier obligation” of rail carriers to provide shippers with service upon reasonable request under reasonable conditions and at reasonable rates. “It is clear that the (common-carrier obligation) must be preserved for economic and environmental reasons…, but there needs to be a better definition of the concept and clarification of its meaning and applicability in today’s transportation environment,” the report ... Read More

By Max Fisher, Vice President of Economics and Government Relations; and Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media House Democrats this week merged their nearly $500 billion highway bill into a larger infrastructure package (H.R. 2, The Moving Forward Act) that includes $1.5 trillion in funding for the nation’s roads, bridges, transit, rail, schools, housing, broadband, drinking and wastewater systems, postal service, clean energy sector, and health care infrastructure. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee already had approved the $494 billion highway ... Read More

By Randy Gordon, President and CEO In its most recent communication to the federal Surface Transportation Board (STB) on the topic of demurrage and accessorial charges, NGFA urged the agency to require the nation’s largest railroads to provide additional information to rail customers so they can better verify the accuracy of carriers’ invoices for such charges. NGFA stressed in a 10-page statement submitted on June 5 that Class I railroads’ invoices for demurrage and accessorial charges frequently are inaccurate, and impose “burdensome, tedious, time-consuming and costly efforts” on ... Read More

By Max Fisher, Vice President of Economics and Government Relations The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) on June 8 announced modifications and an extension to its emergency declaration that grants regulatory relief to motor carriers providing support to COVID-19 relief efforts. The modifications, which limit the scope of the regulatory relief in the declaration, go into effect on June 15 and extend until July 14. FMCSA first enacted the emergency declaration in March to grant relief to motor carriers and drivers from Parts 390 through 399 of the federal motor ... Read More

By Max Fisher, Vice President of Economics and Government Relations House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., released a fiver-year surface transportation bill on June 3 that he said would “catapult our country into a new era of how we plan, build, and improve U.S. infrastructure.” But his Republican counterpart on the committee, Ranking Member Sam Graves, R-Mo. — along with Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Ranking Member Rodney Davis, R-Ill., and Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Ranking Member Rick Crawford, R-Ark. — ... Read More

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) on June 1 notified the NGFA that it has released an upgraded version of its free Agricultural Transportation Open Data Platform, which enables users to access and customize rail, truck, barge and ocean vessel transportation data and information to meet their operational needs and interests. The web-based tool – known as Ag Transport 2.0 – first was unveiled in June 2019. It is designed to allow users to make data-driven decisions about transporting agricultural products in both domestic and international ... Read More