91��Ƶ

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal (R) collected the last toll on State Route 400 on Nov. 22, keeping the state’s promise to end tolling on the road once its debt had been retired.

WASHINGTON — Congress no longer can put off finding a long-term solution to U.S. infrastructure needs without risking that the nation will slip behind global competitors, several industry leaders said Nov. 21 during a transportation conference here.

House Republicans and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator Anne Ferro sparred over the 34-hour restart provision of the new hours-of-service rule for truck drivers at a hearing last week, with some members accusing her agency of “arrogance” and slowness in producing a congressionally required study on the rule.

Fleets that use the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Pre-Employment Screening Program to check driver safety records had 8% fewer crashes than carriers that don’t use the system, according to a recent FMCSA study.

A bill requiring companies to track the distribution of prescription drugs and pharmaceuticals was approved by Congress last week.

Just four months into the federal hours-of-service rules on rest breaks, carriers said they have had to hire more drivers, pay higher wages, buy more rigs, juggle work schedules and lower customer expectations of service.

Discounts for truckers on a well-known Texas toll road, State Highway 130, are ending Dec. 1, earlier than planned.

Pennsylvania state lawmakers gave final approval Nov. 21 to a transportation spending bill that will raise $2.4 billion more annually for the state’s roads, bridges and transit systems.

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators led by Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) introduced legislation to create a $10 billion infrastructure bank that would use loans and loan guarantees to encourage private investment in transportation projects.