Reefer Madness in California; OOIDA, ATA battle tough TRU rules

GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. -- The Golden State has truckers seeing red these days. American owner-operators have joined the country's carriers in trying to put a stop to a controversial rule which subjects trucks hauling reefers in California to extremely stringent emission standards.

SPECIAL REPORT: Quebec allows full parity between dual and single tires

QUEBEC CITY -- Quebec is the first Canadian province to eliminate the weight penalty for using single wide-based tires.

SPECIAL REPORT: Ambassador OKs banned hazmat cargo on bridge

WINDSOR, Ont. -- The Ambassador Bridge is telling its bridge workers to wave through trucks carrying hazardous cargo in violation of a U.S. ban, according to a document obtained by The Windsor Star.

ACEs High: Next enforcement phase of e-manifest program starts in May

OTTAWA -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection is has is moving ahead with Phase Four enforcement of the e-manifest reporting system under the Trade Act.

US Customs unveils C-TPAT security link portal

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection says the new Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program's Internet Application and Communications Portal is the next significant system advancement, which will enhance and improve the processing and communication for all C-TPAT participants and certified C-TPAT members.

SPECIAL REPORT: Federal bill attempts to gain control of private bridges

OTTAWA -- Canadian Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon has tabled a bill that would allow his ministry to control the purchase and sale of all international bridges and tunnels in Canada and regulate security, maintenance, and other operational practices.

CTA wants shippers to pick up their share of C-TPAT load

OTTAWA -- Canadian Trucking Alliance boss David Bradley says all links in the trade chain need be clear on their obligations for the more stringent C-TPAT rules, so that trucking carriers are not called upon to do the work of others.

FMCSA not cracking down on repeat rule breakers: Inspector General

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. DOT's watchdog has found that the department's motor carrier regulatory arm has significantly improved oversight of carrier safety since its last audit in 1999, but needs to do better in identifying a pattern of violations by truckers and closing loopholes so that repeat violators don't escape maximum fines.

Diabetic truckers may see relaxed medical rules in U.S.

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is considering whether to amend its medical qualifications standards to allow drivers with insulin- treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) to operate commercial trucks in interstate commerce.

ACE fees show system participation growing rapidly

WASHINGTON -- The number of entries in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) has skyrocketed seven-times over in the last eight months, reports U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Fuel Conservation? Sure. Just give truckers a break on weight, says CTA

OTTAWA - A speed limiter mandate is the pet hobby-horse the Canadian Trucking Alliance has been riding for the last year, but the group and its provincial associations wants politicians to wake up to a whole other bag of possible fuel conservation ideas.

Manitoba closes medical reporting gap for drivers

WINNIPEG -- Manitoba Public Insurance now requires Truckers in the province to file more frequent medical reports.

Advance e-manifest enforcement postponed again

WASHINGTON -- Phase Four enforcement of the Truck Trade Act slated to take effect today for non-ACE carriers has been delayed one month until June 15, 2006.

Carriers support single transport worker screening

WASHINGTON -- The largest trucking carriers in the U.S. say they'll go along with one, and only one, security screening for transportation workers, including truck drivers.

FMCSA proposes four-module SafeStat changes

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is proposing four major changes to the SafeStat methodology to improve the current algorithm.