Primary Feature

BALTIMORE — Commercial shipping traffic through the Port of Baltimore is expected to return to normal levels next month, officials said Wednesday, after the channel fully reopened this week for the first time since the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March. “I’ve been waiting to say this for every day for the last 11 weeks: Maryland, the Fort McHenry Channel is fully cleared, and the Port of Baltimore is reopened for business,” Gov. Wes Moore said at a waterside news conference to highlight the milestone. As the governor spoke, a passing ship blasted its horn. “You hear that?” Moore said. “That’s a beautiful sound.” Behind him, giant cranes lifted shipping containers from the deck of a docked cargo ship and deposited them on land. Many shipping companies rerouted their cargo to other ports following the deadly collapse in March. The deadly disaster halted most maritime traffic through Baltimore’s busy port as crews worked around the clock to clear an estimated 50,000 tons of fallen steel and concrete from the Patapsco River. The estimated cost for the entire salvage operation is $160 million, with federal, state and local agencies involved. Companies that steered clear of Baltimore during the cleanup will likely come back now that the channel has been returned to its original depth and width, officials said. The port, which processes more cars and farm equipment than any other in the country, is expected to be operating at normal capacity by mid-July. All that rerouted commercial traffic “belongs in Baltimore today,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said during a news briefing earlier this week. “We have every indication that that is what is taking place, but we will be reinforcing that expectation as we speak with players up and down the supply chains.” Crews were able to reopen portions of the deep-draft channel in phases, restoring some commercial traffic in recent weeks. Some cruise ships and large container ships have already passed through, officials said. But thousands of longshoremen, truckers and small business owners have seen their jobs impacted by the collapse and its economic ripple effects, which extend well beyond the Baltimore region. State officials helped establish several relief programs to keep people employed and businesses afloat in the immediate aftermath. “We were a wounded port,” said Scott Cowan, president of the International Longshoreman’s Association Local 333, which represents Baltimore port workers. In a competitive industry, he said, other ports were looking to take Baltimore’s cargo. Reopening the channel means keeping thousands of longshoremen in their jobs, Cowan said. Officials estimated that the salvage operations for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will cost up to $75 million, while the Coast Guard response has cost $24 million to date to open the main channel. Maryland used about $60 million in federal emergency funds to open three other smaller channels outside the main one. Rebuilding the bridge could cost nearly $2 billion, officials have said. They hope it’s completed by 2028. President Joe Biden has pledged that the federal government will cover the full cost of rebuilding, though officials said the funding is still awaiting approval from Congress. In a statement Tuesday, Biden praised the work of everyone involved in the recovery effort. “Baltimore can count on us to stick with them every step of the way, and we will continue to have your back until the bridge is rebuilt,” he said. The cargo ship Dali lost power and crashed into a critical support column of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the early hours of March 26, collapsing the span and sending six members of a roadwork crew plunging to their deaths. A National Transportation Safety Board investigation found that the vessel experienced power outages before starting its voyage, but the exact causes of the electrical issues have yet to be determined. The FBI is also conducting a criminal investigation. The Dali remained stuck amid the wreckage for almost two months, with a massive steel truss draped across its damaged bow, before being refloated and guided back to port May 20. That allowed officials to open a channel that was 50 feet (15 meters) deep and 400 feet wide, big enough for most of the largest commercial vessels. The full federal shipping channel is 700 feet wide. Officials said two-way traffic can now resume, and additional safety requirements have also been lifted because of the increased width. By Lea Skene and Brian Witte, The Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. — On Wednesday, June 5, Gov. Kathy Hochul enraged environmentalists and public transit advocates — but delighted suburban commuters — by putting the brakes on a plan to battle New York City’s traffic by imposing high tolls on Manhattan drivers. On Thursday, she was scrambling to get support for her proposal to hike a business tax as a way of replacing the $1 billion per year the tolls had been expected to raise for New York’s ailing subway system. The governor’s behind-the-scenes effort to get legislative approval for the tax hike came a day after she unexpectedly upended the “congestion pricing” toll, a program that was in the works for years and had been scheduled to launch June 30. The New York Legislature, which is expected to wrap up its annual legislative session Friday, would have to approve the tax increase on city businesses, known as a payroll mobility tax. It did not appear to have much support. “To tell New Yorkers that you care about the cost of living and then to propose a raise on their taxes, to me, is incomprehensible. It does not make sense,” said Sen. Zellnor Myrie, a Democrat. Avi Small, a spokesman for Hochul, declined Thursday to provide details on the governor’s proposed tax increase and instead referred a reporter to comments Hochul made a day earlier in a pre-recorded video announcing the indefinite pause of congestion pricing. “We have set aside funding to backstop the MTA capital plan, and are currently exploring other funding sources,” Hochul said Wednesday, referring to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the entity that controls the subway, bus and commuter rail systems that serve the city. Congestion pricing was signed into law by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2019 after years of advocacy from public transit advocates. In her pre-recorded statement, the governor said she was blocking the plan because of its financial burden on residents dealing with inflation and high costs of living. She also cited the city’s fragile economic position as it continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Drivers entering Manhattan south of 60th Street would have had to pay tolls of around $15, depending on vehicle type, on top of tolls for entering the same area via certain bridges and tunnels. Sen. Liz Krueger, a Democrat who chairs a legislative finance committee, noted that the proposed business tax would eventually be passed down to workers and said she does not think her chamber would support such a proposal. “Remember, payroll mobility taxes are actually taxes on the workers. It’s not a corporate tax, it’s a tax on the workers,” said Kruger. “I believe the governor did misjudge this.” The New York City Independent Budget Office said the tolls had been expected to yield $400 million this year and then $1 billion annually. Toll revenues were set to finance $15 billion in capital projects for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs a vast transportation network in the city and throughout big chunks of the state. The MTA has already allocated more than $400 million for infrastructure to implement congestion pricing, according to the budget office, and has a contract worth more than $500 million with a private vendor tasked with operating and maintaining the tolling infrastructure. Before the abrupt reversal, Hochul had been an avid supporter of congestion pricing and had touted the program as recently as two weeks ago. Heavy pushback began to mount as the start date neared, with harsh criticism coming from the city’s suburban commuters. By Anthony Izaguirre, The Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. — Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday, June 5, that Virginia will abandon California’s stringent vehicle emissions rules aimed at reducing carbon pollution at the end of the year when that state’s current regulations expire, citing an attorney general opinion. In response to a request from Youngkin and Senate Republican Leader Ryan McDougle, Attorney General Jason Miyares’ opinion issued June 4 states that Virginia isn’t required to comply with new mandates adopted by the California Air Resources Board set to take effect on Jan. 1. Youngkin, a Republican, said in a statement that Virginians deserve to choose which vehicles fit their needs and called the idea that government should tell people what kind of car they can buy “fundamentally wrong.” “Once again, Virginia is declaring independence — this time from a misguided electric vehicle mandate imposed by unelected leaders nearly 3,000 miles away from the Commonwealth,” Youngkin said. The move was quickly condemned by Democrats and environmental groups. “He seems to think he has more power than Vladimir Putin,” state Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell said via text message. “The governor is breaking the law and the AG is giving him cover.” The Southern Environmental Law Center called the decision “illegal, shortsighted, and bad public policy.” “The Clean Cars standards will help spur the transition to cleaner vehicles and bring significant health and environmental benefits to all Virginians. That is why the General Assembly adopted them,” Trip Pollard, a senior attorney with the center, said in a statement. “The governor tried to get the legislature to repeal the law and failed; he cannot just dictate a different outcome,” Pollard said. Miyares said in a statement that the opinion from his office confirms that Virginians are no longer required to follow California’s standards. “EV mandates like California’s are unworkable and out of touch with reality, and thankfully the law does not bind us to their regulations,” Miyares said. “California does not control which cars Virginians buy, and any thoughts that automobile manufacturers should face millions of dollars in civil penalties rather than allowing our citizens to choose their own vehicles is completely absurd.” In a memo to the Department of Environmental Quality, the State Air Pollution Control Board and stakeholders, Natural and Historic Resources Secretary Travis A. Voyles said Wednesday that Virginia will default to federal standards at the end of the year. He said Miyares’ opinion confirms that state law doesn’t require the State Air Pollution Control Board to adopt California’s new standards and the board has not acted under its discretionary authority to do so. Virginia’s “clean cars” law was initially adopted in 2021, when the state government was under full Democratic control. It required that starting in 2024 a certain percentage of new passenger vehicles sold by manufacturers be electric or hybrid electric. Last year, Virginia Senate Democrats defeated several Republican efforts to repeal the law. The mechanism for reaching the mandated vehicle sales threshold involved adopting California’s vehicle emissions standards. California has had the authority to set its own rules for decades under a waiver from the federal Clean Air Act. The program applies to manufacturers, not car dealers. Manufacturers who aren’t in compliance can buy credits from others who have surpassed the target. By Denise Lavoie and Sarah Brumfield. Brumfield contributed to this report from Silver Spring, Maryland.

LOS ANGELES — Lax oversight by California’s transportation agency contributed to a destructive blaze last year that consumed a vital section of a Los Angeles freeway used by hundreds of thousands of commuters, according to a state audit. While authorities determined the fire, which broke out beneath Interstate 10 on Nov. 11, 2023, was arson, the Office of the Inspector General for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) said the agency conducted its required annual inspections of lots under Interstate 10 only five times in 15 years — and failed to fully document those inspections. When Caltrans discovered problems, it failed to act. “Caltrans could have — and should have — done more to make this property safer for the motoring public who traveled above it,” according to the report released May 30. Caltrans said in a statement that since the fire, it has implemented new safety measures and has also paused new leases for lots to better protect the state’s highway system. “Safety is Caltrans’ top priority, and the department takes the results of this audit report seriously,” the agency said in its statement. Flammable materials were being illegally stored on the land under the freeway, which Caltrans was leasing to the private company Apex Development Inc, the report said. The blaze burned through about 100 columns, spreading over what authorities described as the equivalent of six football fields and forcing the closure of a mile-long stretch of I-10 near downtown LA. Officials had estimated the initial repairs, which were expected to be covered by federal funds, would cost $3 million. During the few inspections Caltrans conducted of the property, it discovered several hazards, including multiple piles of wooden pallets stacked high, as well as flammable materials like solvents, oils, fuels and more. Apex was also illegally subleasing to six other companies, the agency alleges in a lawsuit filed before the fire. There were also “previous warning signs” that Caltrans did not react to, including a 2017 massive freeway fire in Atlanta under Interstate 85, according to the audit. In this incident, construction materials stored under the overpass were set on fire and collapsed a 92-foot section of the freeway. In 2022, another fire broke out in a space under the Los Angeles freeway right next to the area that caught on fire last fall, which “did not seem to trigger a notable response from Caltrans, nor did it elicit any sign of urgency to prevent another fire from happening,” the report said. It took the agency four months to complete an inspection after that incident. According to the report on the 2023 blaze, Caltrans said it is “somewhat limited to act on its own when necessary due to various landlord-tenant laws and its own limited expertise.” The audit recommended Caltrans ensure regular inspections, train staff on identifying lease violations and streamline the approval process for determining when to take legal action. Caltrans has 60 days to create a corrective action plan and is asked to provide an update every six months until all issues have been addressed. By Jaimie Ding, The Associated Press

NEW YORK — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday, June 5, indefinitely delayed implementation of a plan to charge motorists big tolls to enter the core of Manhattan, just weeks before the nation’s first “congestion pricing” system was set to launch. The Trucking Association of New York (TANY) in May filed a lawsuit against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) over the issue. The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York on May 30, argues that the congestion pricing policy unfairly targets trucking and logistics companies, which are charged far higher rates than passenger vehicles. Under the finalized plan, trucks would be subject to a charge of $24 or $36 per trip into the congestion zone below 60th Street in Manhattan, depending on their size, compared to just $15 per day for passenger vehicles. While the goal of the plan is ostensibly to reduce vehicle traffic during business hours, the MTA is also required to raise at least $1 billion per year with congestion pricing, per a legislative directive from Albany — meaning the agency is incentivized to maximize revenue by targeting those with inelastic schedules, like trucks. “The MTA’s reckless congestion pricing policy ignores the warnings and counsel of industry experts on both sides of the Hudson, who warn that the discriminatory way trucks and logistics companies are targeted by the plan will increase costs for residents everywhere,” said TANY President Kendra Hems. “This lawsuit was a step we took only out of necessity after the MTA repeatedly refused to make any concessions to our industry and ultimately used our essential, hard-working members as a tool to meet their arbitrary funding requirements. We hope that we can, through this litigation process, create a more equitable and fair policy that works for New York City.” Hochul’s move on Wednesday marks a stunning reversal for public transit advocates who had championed the tolls as a way of raising billions of dollars for New York’s beleaguered subway and commuter rail systems while reducing traffic in the city’s streets. Hochul said that while she remains committed to the program’s environmental goals, implementing it now as New York City is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic “risked too many unintended consequences for New Yorkers at this time.” The tolling program had been scheduled to start June 30. New York would have become the first U.S. city to join a handful globally with similar congestion pricing schemes, including London, Stockholm, Milan and Singapore, which is credited with pioneering the first such program in 1975. Most people driving passenger vehicles into Manhattan below 60th Street — roughly the area south of Central Park — would have to pay at least $15 under the system, with larger vehicles paying more. Those tolls would come on top of the already hefty tolls for using bridges and tunnels to enter Manhattan, like the $13.38 to $17.63 it costs to take a car through the Lincoln or Holland tunnels. The MTA has already invested tens of millions of dollars installing cameras, sensors, license plate readers and other equipment on city roadways in anticipation of the plan’s launch. The fee was expected to provide an annual cash infusion of around $1 billion for subway and bus systems that carry some 4 million riders daily. But as the scheduled start date drew closer, the fee had touched off growing backlash — and several lawsuits — from suburban drivers and some local officials who expressed concerns about the impact on commuters. Members of the MTA board, which oversees the transit agency, said they had not been briefed on the delay. “I’m in shock,” said Andrew Albert, a member of the board. “We won’t get new buses, new subway cars, new signals. It’s a betrayal of the millions and millions of people who would have been helped by this.” Hochul had been a vocal supporter of the plan, which was signed into law by her predecessor, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in 2019. New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Wednesday that he would support the governor’s decision to reassess. “If she’s looking at what others we can do it and how we can do it correctly, I’m all for it,” he said. “This is a major shift for our city and it has to be done correctly.” The Trucker Staff contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Nearly $500 million in grant funds will soon be issued around the country in an effort to prevent commercial motor vehicle crashes. On Monday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) said the money will be doled out to all 50 states through the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program. “Across the entire country, we are making our roadways safer and strengthening our national supply chains with resources made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “The funding we’re announcing today will help our local safety partners invest in initiatives that will continue this important work and make our roadways safer.” Funding through the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program supports safety inspections of large trucks and buses, investigations of motor carriers in response to safety concerns and audits of new truck carriers and bus companies to reinforce responsible operation and ensure the safe movement of goods and passengers, according to a news release. The funding also promotes outreach and education efforts that help combat human trafficking, distracted driving, along with other roadway safety concerns, FMCSA officials say. The program’s funding amounts are determined by a formula and awarded annually to the lead agency of each state or territory upon completion of an FMCSA-approved Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan. “Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program grant funding is an important tool for reducing crashes and fatalities involving commercial motor vehicles,” said FMCSA Acting Deputy Administrator Sue Lawless. “The number of fatalities on our nation’s roadways involving commercial motor vehicles decreased by an estimated eight percent from 2022 to 2023. We know the needle is moving in the right direction, but until we reach zero roadway deaths, there will always be more work to do. These grants help fund that work.” Work has been ongoing for years to prevent crashes involving commercial trucks. After reviewing the latest National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) traffic fatality report issued on Monday, April 1, Truck Safety Coalition (TSC) Board President Tami Friedrich urged the government to act. She called the more than 5,900 lives lost in large truck crashes in 2022 unacceptable, adding that on U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg must do something. “I call on Secretary Buttigieg to take action and urgently proceed with rulemaking to require the use of speed limiters and automatic emergency braking in large trucks as soon as possible,” Friedrich said. “No one else needs to die because of bureaucratic inaction.” NHTSA reports that 5,936 people, including truck drivers, died in truck crashes in 2022 and over 160,000 were injured. This represents a 75% increase in truck crash fatalities since 2009.  

CINCINNATI — The Brent Spence Bridge is one of the most important in the country. The double decker, cantilevered truss bridge carries Interstates 71 and 75 across the Ohio River between Covington, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio, and is vital to the area economy. But it’s no longer able to handle the volume of traffic — around 160,000 vehicles daily — effectively; that’s why leaders are working urgently to design plans to renovate the bridge, which was built in 1960, as well as construct a new one. The Brent Spence Bridge is structurally sound and will remain in service for local traffic, according to a news release. To maintain a smooth passage of freight along the vital I-71/75 national corridor, a new companion bridge will be built for through traffic, enhancing traffic flow for both regional and national travelers. As the new companion bridge is built, multiple projects along the eight-mile I-71/75 corridor on either end of the Brent Spence Bridge will be completed to improve travel and safety in the Bluegrass and Buckeye states. Ohio’s Department of Transportation and Kentucky’s Transportation Cabinet will manage these improvements. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Kentucky Gov., Andy Beshear met recently to announce that a new “street grid” reconnecting downtown Cincinnati to Queensgate and reduced impacts to Goebel Park in Covington are among seven major innovations to enhance the transformative $3.6 billion Brent Spence Bridge Corridor (BSBC) Project based on engineering evaluations and public feedback. “These innovations are a key part of continuing the transformational changes we’re making to boost Kentucky’s economy and ensure a higher quality of life here and beyond our borders,” Beshear said. “They are a testament to the collaboration, teamwork, and goals each state shares to build a better corridor while fulfilling our good neighbor pledge.” According to the news release, the recommended design refinements meet or exceed the contract objectives of improving quality, reducing costs, shortening schedule, improving safety and/or supporting local communities. More than 100 suggestions submitted to the project team from the public, key local stakeholders and the design-build team were evaluated based on objectives. “These thoughts and ideas will make the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor even better,” DeWine said. “These enhancements aren’t just about reducing congestion on an interstate, it’s about improving safety, reconnecting communities, and enhancing the lives of those who live, work, and visit the area. Ohio Refinements The project team improved the project in Ohio with four innovative refinements. First, the project team will free up an additional acre for development or green space by moving southbound I-75 to the western edge of the corridor. In addition, this move allows the roadway to be constructed while minimizing disruptions to traffic on existing southbound I-75. The extra acre for development or green space is in addition to the 9.5 acres that were freed up in November 2022, bringing the total to nearly 11 acres. Second, to reconnect the downtown Cincinnati street grid with Queensgate, a new intersection will be added at West Ninth and Gest streets, and improvements will be made at the intersection of West Seventh and Gest streets. The project also includes extending West Fifth and West Sixth streets across I-75 to Queensgate. Finally, the West Fifth extension will enable the roadway to connect with Gest in the future. This design will improve safety for pedestrians and those using the shared use path by shortening the distance across I-75 and reducing the speed limit. “As I walked the neighborhood west of downtown with Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval and his team last year, we discussed ways to improve the city and the need to connect neighborhoods previously divided by the interstate,” said Jack Marchbanks, Ohio’s transportation director. “Our team really rose to the occasion and is making that happen.” Third, the project team plans to combine the I-75 southbound ramps to 2nd and 3rd streets, which will reduce both costs and the project footprint. Finally, the project team will reconfigure the U.S. 50 lanes, which will improve safety and traffic flow for this important east-west connection. “As a native Cincinnatian, I am committed to ensuring this project makes our community better. With these innovations, I firmly believe we are doing something we can be proud of for generations to come,” said BSBC Ohio Project Manager Tommy Arnold. Kentucky Refinements Three significant design improvements are planned in Northern Kentucky. “From our earlier commitments to separate stormwater systems and pilot Kentucky’s first transparent noise screens, these latest innovations are further proof we’re listening to input and refining the project to make it even better,” said Jim Gray secretary of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. The first innovation lowers the profile of the interstate by as much as 30 feet between Ninth Street and the new companion bridge, addressing a visibility concern raised by Covington residents during the environmental phase of the project. The height reduction is achieved by shifting the southbound ramp to the local roadway network a few hundred feet to the south, aligning the exit ramp on the east side of the interstate and closing the local Fifth Street roadway between Crescent Avenue and Philadelphia Street. In doing so, Fifth Street traffic will be redistributed to Third Street allowing for a gateway intersection to be constructed at Crescent and Third. “In working closely with the City of Covington, we made design refinements that reflect the requests of their residents that also integrate seamlessly into their plans for the Covington Central Riverfront development,” said BSBC Kentucky Project Manager Stacee Hans. Second, entrance locations to the interstate system are being adjusted to line up more like they are today near Pike Street. This change addresses concerns raised during the environmental phase about increased traffic changing the residential character of Ninth Street. “With this improvement, Ninth Street will not see an influx in traffic. In addition, keeping interstate access at Pike Street will minimize the impacts on Goebel Park, both physically and visually,” Hans said. Finally, the interstate alignment through the “cut in the hill” just south of Covington will be shifted to the east to eliminate the need for significant excavation of the rock embankment and construction of a retaining wall. This will significantly reduce costs and improve the construction schedule. For more information, visit BrentSpenceBridgeCorridor.com.

WASHINGTON — Memphis, Tennessee, is known for being the home of Elvis, blues music and great barbecue. But in the trucking world, this city on the Mississippi River has long been a hot spot for predatory towing. On May 30, The American Trucking Associations (ATA) commended Tennessee on enacting comprehensive reforms to crack down on predatory towers that target heavy-duty trucks. The bill, SB1692/HB1731, was signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee after passing the Tennessee Senate unanimously and the House overwhelmingly without a single dissenting vote. According to the ATA, predatory towing entails “any incident in which a towing operator severely overcharges; illegally seizes assets; damages assets by use of improper equipment; or illegitimately withholds release of a truck, trailer and/or cargo.” The ATA shared the story of one trucker who, last fall, was prevented from paying a $275 booting fee while in Memphis. Her company was forced to pay thousands of dollars for the return of the vehicle. In a separate incident, a trucker was booted and blocked in while he was in the process of paying for parking in Memphis, according to the ATA. He waited in his truck for more 33 hours to prevent it from being towed. “Tennessee’s new law, which was drafted by Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) and Representative Jake McCalmon (R-Franklin) with recommendations from the Tennessee Trucking Association, will protect truckers by prohibiting unlicensed individuals from booting vehicles anywhere in Tennessee,” the ATA said. The law limits booting to commercial lots only. In order to boot a vehicle in a commercial parking lot, a licensed parking attendant must be present, easily identifiable as an employee of the commercial lot and available to remove the boot within 45 minutes from point of contact.  The law caps the fee to remove a boot at $75. Notice provisions will ensure drivers are aware that parking in a lot without pay could result in the vehicle being booted or towed. “Most noteworthy for the trucking and transportation industry, this legislation will make it illegal to boot or use a device to immobilize any truck and trailer in Tennessee that is clearly identified as a commercial vehicle with a USDOT number or with a commercial license plate issued for all classes of trucks and trailers described and registered pursuant to T.C.A. 55-4-113(a)(2) and T.C.A. 55-4-113(a)(5),” the ATA noted. The legislation also ensures that vehicle owners are properly notified if their vehicle is towed, sold or demolished by a towing company and directs the Department of Revenue to create a motor vehicle portal. The portal may be accessible by law enforcement, towing companies, vehicle owners and lien holders. The portal, to be active by July 2025, will be used for all public notifications of the sale of unclaimed vehicles. “Predatory towing companies that hold equipment and cargo hostage with inflated, excessive and fraudulent invoices tarnish the reputation of the entire towing sector. They have taken advantage of the trucking industry for far too long, and we refuse to continue making these ransom payments any longer,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “ATA’s federation of state associations is prepared to fight back against unscrupulous companies that target our industry by injecting more accountability and fairness in state and local laws pertaining to towing.” The ATA noted that there “is an essential partnership between trucking companies and towing companies, and truckers depend on towers when there is a mechanical breakdown.” “Unfortunately, when a truck is towed without the owner’s consent, rogue towing companies can exploit the situation,” the ATA said. “Truck drivers and trucking companies have little choice other than to pay the exorbitant bill since the truck is their livelihood and deliveries may be time sensitive.” According to a recent study by the American Transportation Research Institute, the most common types of predatory towing are excessive rates, experienced by 82.7% of motor carriers, and unwarranted extra service charges, experienced by 81.8% of carriers. A majority of carriers encountered additional issues such as truck release or access delays, cargo release delays, truck seizure without cause and tows misreported as consensual. The trucking industry employs nearly 250,000 Tennesseans across the state. More than 90% of Tennessee communities rely exclusively on trucks to receive their goods, according to the ATA. At the end of the day, Tennessee’s trucking industry leaders say they are just glad they now have a more level playing field when it comes to dealing with tow companies. “Several high-profile predatory towing incidents in Tennessee have exposed how this egregious practice not only disrupts our state’s supply chain, but also costs truck owners thousands of dollars for each unwanted tow,” said Tennessee Trucking Association President and CEO Donna England. “We are grateful to Majority Leader Johnson, Representative McCalmon and Tennessee legislators for listening to our concerns about this unfair tactic, and we thank Governor Lee for swiftly signing this bill into law. We look forward to our continued partnership with our state’s leaders on commonsense reforms that promote justice, fairness and safety. Trucking is the linchpin of our economy, and we should be prioritizing policies that are welcoming to truckers who deliver the goods we count on every day.”

BALTIMORE — Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore are assessing the country’s bridges to determine the likelihood of another disaster like the one that collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The team includes students and faculty members and will focus on large bridges near major ports of entry, officials said in a news release Wednesday. “We need to know now, not five or 10 years from now, whether there is an outsize risk to bridges across the country,” said team leader Michael Shields, an engineer specializing in risk assessment. “The Key Bridge collapse was a wake-up call.” The steel span crumbled in an instant after the container ship Dali lost power and crashed into one of its supporting columns shortly after leaving Baltimore’s port on March 26. Six members of a roadwork crew plunged to their deaths. Experts and officials have noted a number of factors that made the bridge vulnerable, including minimal pier protection that hadn’t been improved in recent decades even as cargo ships grew larger and more imposing. “Clearly the risk to the Key Bridge was very different in 2024 than it was in 1977 when the bridge opened,” Shields said. “But we don’t currently understand that risk.” The researchers will examine whether other bridges are similarly vulnerable by building models to determine the probability of a ship deviating from course and causing catastrophe in or around major ports. Johns Hopkins officials said they hope policymakers will use the findings of their assessment to inform future investment decisions and prioritize infrastructure safety upgrades. They plan to release preliminary findings by the end of the summer, with the complete assessment expected to take about a year to complete. “Between the exponential growth of mega freight ships and the surge in global shipping traffic, many of our bridges simply weren’t built to withstand the pressures of today’s maritime landscape,” said team member Rachel Sangree, a structural engineer and former bridge inspector. The National Transportation Safety Board, a federal oversight agency that is investigating the collapse, said in its preliminary report that the Dali sailed right past a protective concrete piling — also known as a dolphin — before bringing down the bridge. Officials said they are assessing whether pier protection needs to be improved on other Maryland bridges, particularly the Chesapeake Bay Bridge near Annapolis, which links Baltimore and Washington to Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Such upgrades are often very costly. Speaking before a congressional committee this month, board Chair Jennifer Homendy urged lawmakers to conduct risk assessments on the major bridges in their jurisdictions. “This could happen in any of your districts,” she said. The FBI also opened a criminal investigation into the circumstances leading up to the Key Bridge collapse. Two tugboats guided the Dali out of Baltimore’s port, but they peeled off once it entered the main shipping channel in accordance with normal practice, according to the preliminary report. Experts have questioned whether a longer tugboat escort could have kept the wayward ship on course and averted disaster. But not everyone agrees the Key Bridge could have been saved. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who visited Baltimore soon after the collapse, said there’s a lot of debate among engineers about “whether any of those features could have had any role in a situation like this.” The Key Bridge was constructed in the 1970s to connect industrial maritime communities north and south of downtown Baltimore. It became a symbol of the city’s proud working-class history and its burgeoning port. The collapse halted most maritime traffic through the port for several weeks and disrupted East Coast trucking routes. Last week, cleanup crews were able to refloat the Dali and guide it back to port. Officials say they’re on track to fully reopen the port’s main channel by June 10. Plans to replace the bridge are in the works, with a projected 2028 completion date and a nearly $2 billion price tag, officials have said. Federal funding, insurance proceeds and other reimbursements will bring a variety of resources toward the rebuild and recovery effort. A report released Wednesday by the Maryland Chamber of Commerce highlighted the widespread economic impacts of the bridge collapse and called for increased investment in transportation infrastructure.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — For seven straight weeks, the average price of diesel fuel in the U.S. has been trending down. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average price sits at $3.758 per gallon as of May 27. That’s down from $3.789 on May 20 and $3.848 on May 13. The only spot in the nation that saw an uptick in average price was along the Central Atlantic. There, the average price rose to $4.123 on May 27 from $4.114 on May 20. In California, prices have finally dipped below the $5 mark to $4.985 per gallon on average. That’s down from $5.049 on May 20 and $5.123 on May 13. Along the rest of the West Coast, drivers can expect to pay an average of $4.449 per gallon, down from $4.495 on May 20 and $4.551 on May 13. In the Rocky Mountain region, the average price is $3.706 per gallon. That’s down from $3.746 on May 20 and $3.791 on May 13. In the Midwest, the average price is $3.633 per gallon, down from $3.685 on May 20 and $3.768 on May 13. The average price in the New England states is $4.148 per gallon, down from 4.174 on May 20 and $4.233 on May 13. Along the East Coast, the price is $3.885, down from $3.789 on May 20 and $3.848 on May 13.