The Senate currently is considering the Comprehensive Transportation and Consumer Protection Act of 2015, which is perhaps the most disingenuously named bill in our nation’s history. In addition to not being comprehensive, the bill actually may put policies in place that will endanger citizens rather than actually protecting them. As a result of intense lobbying from the trucking industry…

We’ve previously discussed the looming shortage of drivers in the trucking industry and the unwise proposal to allow younger drivers to operate heavy trucks on the nation’s highways. Unfortunately, that ugly bird has come to roost in the form of a recently introduced bill that currently is being considered by Congress. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., introduced new language in…

If you’re like me, the name “Samsung” makes you think of televisions, smart phones and other personal electronic devices. However, a new product currently in the development stage at the South Korean company potentially could save lives by preventing serious tractor-trailer accidents in the U.S. and elsewhere. Samsung’s new “Safety Truck” is designed to address the growing number of…

I recently traveled to Europe with my family for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate the 800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta at the same place where “The Great Charter” was signed in 1215. The Texas Lawbook recently published an account of our trip, including photos from the celebration that was attended by such noteworthy dignitaries as U.S. Attorney General…

The U.S. House of Representatives recently approved a bill to provide funding for the U.S.Department of Transportation (DOT) through 2016. Sadly, the approved bill includes several provisions that will only make our highways more dangerous in the coming year. The House version was approved June 9, and the U.S. Senate is expected to pass its own version in the…

A U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania once again has introduced troubling legislation that would exempt trucking and bus companies from the current federal system that calculates “safety scores” based on driving records. Rep. Lou Barletta (R-Pa.) filed the bill, HR 1371, after an identical measure failed to gain traction with other legislators last year. The curiously named bill, the “Safer Trucks…

The prospect of a federal requirement for speed-limiting devices on 18-wheelers and other heavy trucks recently got a big boost when the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced his support for quick passage of a related rule that has been mired in bureaucracy for nearly two years. The NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind announced his push…

While a lot of people don’t know about it, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) once again is set to conduct its International Roadcheck, the world’s largest targeted enforcement program for commercial vehicles such as tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers and other big rigs. The annual International Roadcheck results in numerous citations for equipment violations, improper licensing and unsafe driving, but it…

A current fight in Congress will determine how or whether the federal government will continue to provide funding to the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), which relies on gasoline and diesel fuel taxes and other related taxes to finance our country’s interstate highway system and other roads. As it stands, the HTF will become insolvent on May 31 after having…

A recent investigative report by The Associated Press has revealed another point of danger for interstate drivers: a growing number of serious wrecks caused by tire failures on tractor-trailers and other big rigs. According to the report, many semi drivers regularly drive faster – both legally and illegally – than the 75 mph that their tires are equipped to sustain….