This month, there’s been many new developments and news stories affecting the transportation, logistics and supply chain industries. Here is a quick guide to 6 of the most talked about stories, check them out:
- CVSA’s 28th Annual Roadcheck Completed. From June 2-4, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance held the largest targeted enforcement program on commercial motor vehicles in the world. Nearly 17 trucks or buses were inspected every minute in Canada, the US and Mexico. This year’s emphasis: cargo securement.
- OPEC Will Not Cut Oil Production. OPEC’s decision not to cut oil production at its June 5 meeting indicates that American gas prices are likely to remain low. OPEC aims to keep oil production at 30 million barrels.
- Trucking Adds 8,600 Jobs. The May 2015 job report from the US Department of Labor shows the trucking industry (and overall economy) can anticipate a strong second half of the year. The May jobs total is just 3,500 jobs less than the all-time high for trucking, set in January 2007.
- EPA Rules to Cut Airplane Emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency said that emissions from airplanes endanger human health and wellness because of their contribution to global warming. The EPA’s final rule on regulating aircraft emissions will be released around 2018. The EPA expects greenhouse gasses from aircrafts to increase by nearly 50% from 2010 to 2035. (Learn about the EPAs Transportation Initiative)
- US Rail Intermodal Traffic on the Rise. US rail intermodal traffic rose to the second-highest level in 2015 during the first week of June. Year to date, US intermodal volume increased 2.1% to 5.8 million units. Then, on the week of June 7, intermodal traffic rose to the highest level of record.
- NHTSA’s ESC Requirement Supported. The trucking industry supports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s requirement for electronic stability controls (ESC). Starting in 2017, new class 8 truck configurations must be equipped with ESC. New buses can expect the same requirement in 2018. This technology has proven it saves lives and prevents costly truck accidents. NHTSA estimates that this mandate could prevent more than 1,700 crashes every year.
