The Nation

The key to good cooking is combining the right ingredients in just the right way for them to achieve the right balance. The same could be said for an online recipe contest currently underway. In conjunction with National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, September 9-15, pork rind-maker Southern Recipe is hosting a contest called Pedal to the Kettle, in which the public is invited to vote among three recipes, each featuring innovative ways to incorporate Southern Recipe pork rinds into entrees that can be cooked in a truck cab using typical equipment a driver may travel with. The public can go to the Southern Recipe website, PorkRinds.com, to see the recipes and pick on their favorite. Voting is free. And one vote is allowed per person per day through September 15. Each vote is also an entry to win $2,000 and a year’s supply of Southern Recipe products. As part of Southern Recipe’s recognition to Truck Driver Appreciation Week, when voters go online, alongside the introduction to the contest, viewers will see the Saint Christopher Trucker Relief Fund logo and a link to that organization’s website. In conjunction with the contest, Southern Recipe will donate $2,500 to Saint Christopher, a 501 (c)(3) charity that helps over-the-road/regional semi-truck drivers and their families when an illness or injury causes financial hardship. The group also works to provide programs that benefit professional drivers and the trucking industry. Further down the contest page are links to the three recipes, one of which was created by Tom “Captain” Kyrk, who has established himself in recent years as one of the industry’s most vocal proponents of healthier lifestyles for truckers, particularly when it comes to their eating habits. Kyrk can be found not only on his own website, RoadTested Living.com, but at trucking events around the country, espousing the benefits of drivers doing their own cooking on the road. Kyrk was at the recent Great American Trucking Show in Dallas, giving a demonstration of in-the-cab cooking, preparing a three-course meal using Southern Recipe pork rinds, in a continuation of his participation in the contest. After one of his presentations, he and Mark Singleton, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Southern Recipe and Rudolph Foods, discussed the contest and how it benefits everyone involved: Southern Recipe, the Saint Christopher fund, Kyrk and the trucking community as a whole. Kyrk explained that when Southern Recipe approached him to be part of the contest, to come up with a recipe using their pork rinds, it was a perfect fit for his mission. “I’m a driver who’s gained weight over the years,” Kyrk said. “I’ve lost weight over the years. And I’ve discovered that when I cook in the cab I tend to lose weight more.” That is what motivated him to find methods and recipes that allow drivers to eat healthier, although,  “I don’t always like the term ‘healthy,’ because I think it gets misused,” he said. “I think it’s a case where I try to find better-for-me options. He’s a big proponent of improving the quality of dishes by substituting ingredients. “Southern Recipe reached out to me and said, ‘have you ever tried pork rinds?’ And I’m going, ‘I’ll give it a shot.’ And lo and behold, it works.” Now, pork rinds aren’t generally associated with healthy eating, but as Singleton pointed out, “these are not your grandfather’s pork rinds.” “We took out all the artificial everything,” Singleton said. We took out 40 percent of the salt, no MSG.” The rinds are oven baked, Singleton said, and they’ve followed the lead set by the makers of kettle chips by coming out with a line of exotic flavors: pineapple ancho chili, honey chipotle barbecue, spicy dill, sea salt and cracked pepper, cilantro lime, blackberry habanero and Korean Kimchi barbecue. “We have zero carbs, zero trans fats, gluten free,” Singleton said, mentioning that Men’s Health magazine referred to them as a ‘genius junk food.’ “We have a really great story to tell.” And through the contest they can tell it while showing their appreciation for the trucking industry and for the Saint Christopher fund. This is the seventh year that Southern Recipe and its parent company, Rudolph Foods, has done something to mark Truck Driver Appreciation Week. Singleton said the company’s participation comes from a genuine sense of appreciation. “Timely pickups and timely deliveries are critical to us,” Singleton said. It just makes sense when someone is that important to your operation that you acknowledge that and treat those people accordingly. “We’re just friends making money.” This is the third year the company has focused its attention on the Saint Christopher Trucker Relief Fund. “We’re thrilled to partner with Southern Recipe again this year and support our road warriors,” said Shannon Currier, director of philanthropy and development at the Saint Christopher fund. “We hope the community supports this year’s campaign.  This is a fun way to give back and show what life on the road really looks like.” Winners will be announced, and the charity donation will occur after Truck Driver Appreciation Week ends September 15.

By DAVID KOENIG,  AP Business Writer Ports and ground terminals in nearly every state handle goods that are now or will likely soon be covered by import tariffs. Port executives worry that this could mean a slowdown in shipping that would have ripple effects on truckers and others whose jobs depend on trade. The Associated Press analyzed government data and found that from the West Coast to the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico, at least 10 percent of imports at many ports could face new tariffs if President Donald Trump’s proposals take full effect. Since March, the U.S. has applied new tariffs of up to 25 percent on nearly $85 billion worth of steel and aluminum and various Chinese products, mostly goods used in manufacturing. Trump said in a recent tweet, “Tariffs are working big time.” He has argued that the tariffs will help protect American workers and force U.S. trading partners to change rules that the president insists are unfair to the United States. In New Orleans, port officials say a tariff-related drop in shipments is real, not merely a forecast. Steel imports there have declined more than 25 percent from a year ago, according to the port’s chief commercial officer, Robert Landry. The port is scouting for other commodities it can import. But expectations appear to be low. “In our business, steel is the ideal commodity,” Landry said. “It’s big, it’s heavy, we charge by the ton so it pays well. You never find anything that pays as well as steel does.” The port of Milwaukee imports steel from Europe and ships out agricultural products from the Midwest. Steel imports haven’t dropped yet because they are under long-term contracts, said the port director, Adam Schlicht. But there has been “an almost immediate halt” in outbound shipments of corn because of retaliatory duties imposed by the European Union on American products. Much of the corn, he said, “is just staying in silos. They are filled to the brim.” Most other ports have been humming along and even enjoyed an unexpected bump in imports during June and July as U.S. businesses moved up orders to ship before the new tariffs took effect. That started with manufacturing goods and is now spreading to retail items for back-to-school and Christmas. “Some of my retail customers are forward-shipping the best they can to offset proposed tariffs,” says Peter Schneider, executive vice president of T.G.S. Transportation, a trucking company in Fresno, California. Port officials were encouraged by this week’s announcement that the United States and Mexico had reached a preliminary agreement to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement, hoping it might lead to reduced trade barriers. Canada’s participation in any new deal to replace NAFTA, though, remains a major question mark. The port officials continue to worry, though, that Trump will make good on a plan to expand tariffs to an additional $200 billion in Chinese imports — a list that includes fish and other foods, furniture, carpets, tires, rain jackets and hundreds of additional items. Tariffs would make those items costlier in the United States. And if Americans buy fewer of those goods, it would likely lead to fewer container ships steaming into U.S. ports. The impact will be felt keenly at West Coast ports like Los Angeles and Long Beach. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, relying on information from his port officials, said his port — the biggest in the United States — could suffer a 20 percent drop in volume if the additional $200 billion in tariffs are imposed against Chinese goods. Jock O’Connell, an economist in California who studies trade, said he doubts a downturn would be so severe — that would match the slump that accompanied the global recession of 2008 — “but we will see a definite impact.” Here are some of the key findings from the AP analysis: — U.S. tariffs will cover goods that are imported at more than 250 seaports, airports and ground terminals in 48 states. — At 18 of 43 customs districts — including those representing ports around Los Angeles, San Francisco, New Orleans and Houston — at least 10 percent of their total import value could be covered by new tariffs if all Trump’s proposals take effect. — Retaliatory duties by China and other countries cover $27 billion in U.S. exports. Eugene Seroka, executive director of the Los Angeles port, worries that “if tariffs make it too expensive to import, there will be an impact on jobs.” Seroka and others don’t expect layoffs on the docks. Union longshoremen — whose average pay last year on the West Coast was $163,000, according to the Pacific Maritime Association, which negotiates for the ports — often have contract provisions ensuring that they are paid even if there’s no work. And there are fewer of them than there were a few decades ago because the advent of shipping containers has reduced the need for people on the docks. Dwayne Boudreaux, an International Longshoremen’s Association official in Louisiana, said, though, that his stevedores are handling about 10 percent less steel from Japan because of the new tariffs. “We don’t think it’s going to (get) worse,” he said. But, he added, “who knows — that could change from the next press conference.” The impact might be greater on truck drivers and warehouse workers. Fewer will be needed, according to O’Connell. Many drivers who deliver shipping containers from the dock to warehouses are independents contracted by trucking companies, and they don’t get paid if there is nothing to haul. Some might leave the profession, said Weston LaBar, CEO of the Harbor Trucking Association in Long Beach, California. “It’s hard to retain drivers,” he said. “If we don’t have work for those drivers, we’re worried they will leave for some other segment of the trucking business or go into another business, like construction.” Less shipping means less revenue for the ports — something that could limit their ability to pay for expansion and improvement projects, according to Kurt Nagle, president of the American Association of Port Authorities. He said U.S. ports are in the midst of a planned $155 billion in infrastructure spending from 2016 through 2020. The current trade war was foreshadowed in January by steep U.S. tariffs on imported solar panels and washing machines. It exploded with the U.S. tariffs of 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on aluminum. Then came two rounds of duties targeting about $50 billion in imports from China — punishment against that country for pressuring U.S. companies to transfer technology and intellectual property to Chinese companies. Along the way, China, the European Union, Turkey, Canada and Mexico imposed retaliatory duties on U.S. goods including farm products and Harley-Davidson motorcycles. This week, the U.S. Trade Representative’s office finished six days of hearings on a plan to hit another $200 billion in Chinese imports with 10 percent duties. Trump has said that if China continues to retaliate he could eventually add tariffs on $450 billion in Chinese goods, nearly 90 percent of that country’s 2017 exports to the U.S. Trade wars are usually temporary. President George W. Bush abandoned his steel tariffs after less than two years. Milwaukee’s port director worries, however, that damage from the current trade dispute could linger. Canada is increasing corn exports to Europe, and Brazil is trying to pick up the slack in soybean exports to China. “Others are already picking up that business,” Schlicht said. PHOTO CAPTION In this Wednesday, August 22, 2018, photo trucks travel along a loading dock at the Port of Long Beach in Long Beach, Calif. Between them, the California ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach account for a large amount of the seaborne goods that the United States imports from China, and the prospect of a widening trade war between the global giants has port executives and longshoremen worried. (Associated Press: MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ)

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A blown tire on a semitrailer may be to blame for a deadly head-on crash with a commercial passenger bus along Interstate 40 in New Mexico near the Arizona border, according to authorities. Seven people were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, another died after being transported to a hospital for treatment. Many other of the total of 49 passengers aboard the Greyhound bus were injured, although authorities couldn’t immediately provide an exact count of how many were hurt or their conditions. New Mexico State Police said the semi was headed east on the freeway Thursday afternoon when one of its tires blew, sending the rig carrying produce across the median and into oncoming traffic, where it slammed into the Greyhound heading to Phoenix from Albuquerque. The tractor-trailer involved belonged to JAG Transportation of Fresno, California. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration records show the company operates 17 power units and has 10 drivers. The National Transportation Safety Board and New Mexico state police are investigating. At least nine bus passengers were being treated at University of New Mexico Hospital. UNM officials didn’t release any details about the patients’ conditions. Passing motorists described a chaotic scene with passengers on the ground and people screaming. Eric Huff was heading to the Grand Canyon with his girlfriend when they came across the crash. The semi’s trailer was upside down and “shredded to pieces,” and the front of the Greyhound bus was smashed, he said, with many of the seats pressed together. Part of the side of the bus was torn off, he said. “It was an awe-inspiring, terrible scene,” he said Truck driver Santos Soto III shot video showing the front of the Greyhound sheared off and the semi split open, with its contents strewn across the highway. He saw people sobbing on the side of the road as bystanders tried to comfort them. “I was really traumatized myself, because I’ve been driving about two years and I had never seen anything like that before,” Soto said. “I’m a pretty strong person and I broke down and cried for at least 30 minutes,” he added. Chris Jones was headed west on Interstate 40 when he caught his first glimpse of the semi turned over. He saw the rest of the wreckage and stopped to help before coming across the driver of the semi sitting on the shoulder of the highway. “It was intense,” Jones said. He said the driver told him that one of his front tires had popped, forcing the truck to veer into oncoming traffic, where it struck the bus. “We are fully cooperating with local authorities and will also complete an investigation of our own,” Greyhound spokeswoman Crystal Booker said in a statement. The crash occurred near the town of Thoreau. It forced the closure of westbound lanes of the interstate and traffic was backing up as travelers were diverted. PHOTO CAPTION This photo provided by Chris Jones shows first responders working the scene of a collision between a Greyhound passenger bus and a semi-truck on Interstate 40 near the town of Thoreau, N.M., near the Arizona border, Thursday. Multiple people were killed and others were seriously injured. Officers and rescue workers were on scene but did not provide details about how many people were killed or injured, or what caused the crash. (CHRIS JONES via AP)  

JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi lawmakers created a lottery to fund highways, increased state transportation aid for cities and counties, and divided $700 million in oil spill damages during a five-day special session that wrapped up Wednesday. The Legislature concluded the session with a 99-10 House vote in favor of Senate Bill 2002 , which sends 70 percent of economic damages being paid by BP PLC to Mississippi’s six southernmost counties. The measure also includes more than $100 million in earmarked projects for local areas. Lawmakers earlier agreed to send 35 percent of the tax on internet sales to cities and counties for infrastructure, with Republican Gov. Phil Bryant signing that bill moments after lawmakers adjourned. They also agreed to create a lottery that will direct up to $80 million a year to the state Department of Transportation. “Any one of those pieces of legislation would have been historic. Any one of those would have been monumental in helping move this great state forward,” Bryant said Wednesday as Democratic and Republican lawmakers joined him in the Capitol rotunda. House Speaker Philip Gunn, a Republican from Clinton, declared: “The winners today are the citizens of the state of Mississippi.” Bryant called the session last week as he declared the problems plaguing the state’s transportation infrastructure a crisis. He has been forced to close hundreds of county bridges. Legislative leaders predict the bills passed during the session will inject more than $200 million a year into transportation on an ongoing basis. They also agreed to borrow $300 million, with $250 million going to an emergency bridge fund, which could help reopen some of the 435 local bridges closed as of Wednesday. However, the state Department of Transportation has said it needs another $400 million a year to keep the highway system from deteriorating, and the session’s action will only provide a fraction of that money. “We passed three critically important bills,” Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican, told senators as they adjourned. On one of those, the tax diversion, Reeves largely agreed with a position that Gunn staked out during the regular session months ago. The lottery bill was pushed most heavily by Bryant, although lawmakers amended the original proposal after complaints that the proposed Mississippi Lottery Corp. would be overly secretive and powerful. The House debate on the oil spill money was the final act of the session. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jeff Smith, a Republican from Columbus, announced leaders would turn back all amendments, a position they maintained despite efforts to divide the money among all counties based on population, or provide some money for the 19 counties that didn’t get any of the 128 special projects that made up most the bill. Lawmakers have already spent $52.4 million of the $750 million BP is paying to make up for lost tax revenue from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Most of that money has been spent on coastal projects. With about $100 million in the bank, legislators agreed to take another $60 million for earmarked projects in Senate Bill 2002, combining it with a $50 million pot from the borrowing they approved earlier. The six southernmost counties are in line to get 70 percent of the overall settlement, including about $27 million of what’s in the bank, plus $30 million from 15 yearly payments of $40 million, beginning in 2019. The Mississippi Development Authority, advised by people appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor and House speaker, will recommend grants from the coast money for lawmakers to approve each year. Lawmakers themselves will decide how to spend the remaining $10 million a year.

Professional truck drivers know all too well how being forced to park in unsafe areas because they’re out of hours can end in robbery, death or both. And, says a new parking study, parking availability has improved some, but not nearly enough. In some respects, it may have worsened. In fact, nearly 90 percent of drivers in one survey said finding safe parking is their No. 1 work-related stress. Trucker Path, the provider of mobile apps that help truckers report parking availability in real time, said its most recent study on the parking problem shows that on average, parking has improved in nearly every state from 2016 to 2017, but the largely urban Eastern U.S. still has a “severe lack of capacity.” The study says truckers being able to secure spots in advance would help, but admits the idea of parking reservations is still controversial among drivers. A recent trip to a Central Arkansas TA/Petro showed dozens and dozens of reserved spaces empty, and more than one driver has called The Trucker editorial offices to complain that they shouldn’t have to pay for parking spaces that were free several years ago. The Trucker Path study says currently, 30 percent of drivers report using the reservation method. It goes on to say that the largest impact could be achieved by spreading out the need for capacity throughout the day since most drivers need parking spaces at the same time each day. The study lauded the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for revising the personal conveyance rules to give truckers extra time beyond Hours of Service limits to search for safe parking. Additionally, the report recommends using weigh stations and shippers’ facilities as additional parking locations. It noted that parking has been listed as the No. 4 concern in the industry as a whole, but the No. 2 concern by drivers, with 48 percent of truckers reporting that it takes them an hour or more to locate a safe parking spot. This is according to a study by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), a research arm of the American Trucking Associations. Trucker Path, Park My Truck and others have provided apps to help commercial drivers find safe parking spots, and truck stop chains have added the above-mentioned parking reservation systems. However, the report said, “despite these efforts, the problem may have worsened.” “When Trucker Path carried out our Trucking Parking Survey in 2017, 40 percent of truck drivers reported that they needed an hour or more to find a spot. This year, the share is up to 48 percent,” the report noted. Also, it said 80 percent of 5,400 respondents to the Trucker Path study reported the ELD mandate has made it more difficult to find parking. Anecdotally, truck drivers have told The Trucker they have to get to truck stops earlier and earlier to find a good spot since the mandate went into effect. A 2018 survey conducted by Trucker Path found that 85 percent of responding truck drivers said finding truck parking was their No. 1 job stressor, followed by the ELD mandate/HOS; shippers; other truck drivers; brokers; and dispatchers. Seventy-two percent of drivers surveyed by Trucker Path said they sometimes park in abandoned commercial property, 75 percent sometimes use store parking lots to park, 56 percent sometimes use off-ramps to get their mandated rest, and 26 percent sometimes use residential streets or highway shoulders to comply with HOS. The Trucker Path said the safety implications are dire, ending in drivers, themselves, getting killed and/or trucks parked on off-ramps and shoulders causing  wrecks. It quoted an ATRI study showing that a driver wastes about $500 a month searching for available parking and a fleet of 1,000 can spend an extra $6 million in unproductive driver time looking for parking.

At events like the Great American Trucking Show (GATS), the line between work and play is intentionally blurred. It’s an industry trade show dressed up like a carnival. There are seminars and country music, entertainment and opportunity. You can look for new equipment or a new job, or you can look at all the tricked-out trucks and pretty girls. On Friday, August 25, the second day of this year’s GATS, while the action on the convention floor was in full swing, a conference room one flight below was packed with GATS attendees who took time from the frivolity for some serious business. A contingent from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration  was conducting a listening session. Three days earlier, the FMCSA had announced it was issuing an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) as the first step toward possibly making changes to the Hours of Service regulations, and it was opening a 30-day comment period for all interested parties to voice their thoughts and opinions and to share with the agency any relevant data on how revisions to the current regulations could alleviate unnecessary constraints on drivers while maintaining or even possibly improving safety. The session at GATS was the first of a series of planned in-person forums on the matter. FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez came out to lead the session. A few hours prior to the session, he spoke with reporters about the ANPRM and his intention to keep this on the fast track. “One of the things this agency has been accused of, and other federal agencies have been accused of, is moving at a snail’s pace, at a glacier’s pace,” Martinez said. “We want to move this along on a fast track. I think we’re at a critical moment here. It’s been 15 years since Hours of Service has been seriously addressed. This is a critical, possibly pivotal moment.” The conditions under which drivers operate have changed since HOS was introduced, Martinez explained. Highway congestion has increased, but at the same time the push is on for ever-faster delivery. “It’s also a very healthy time for the industry,” he said, and there’s a need to make sure drivers’ time can be utilized both safely and efficiently. In his first six months on the job, he said, if he had to boil down what he’s heard so far into a single message, it’s that HOS is an extremely important issue to everyone in the industry, and the most important aspect of HOS that needs to be addressed is “flexibility, flexibility, flexibility.” The ANPRM lays out possible changes to four areas of HOS: Expanding the current 100 air-mile “short-haul” exemption from 12 hours on-duty to 14 hours on-duty, in order to be consistent with the rules for long-haul truck drivers; Extending the current 14-hour, on-duty limitation by up to two hours when a truck driver encounters adverse driving conditions; Revising the current mandatory 30-minute break for truck drivers after 8 hours of continuous driving; and Reinstating the option for splitting up the required 10-hour off-duty rest break for drivers operating trucks that are equipped with a sleeper-berth compartment. “These are the things we’re hearing when talking with drivers and carriers,” Martinez said. The ANPRM also seeks feedback on two recently submitted petitions requesting regulatory relief from HOS rules pertaining to the 14-hour on-duty limitation and pertaining to the 10-hour off-duty requirement. What’s important at this stage, Martinez said, is that the agency gets the feedback it needs to move forward. “Give us the information you think would be relevant to making a decision – and this is critical – whether we move forward with this ANPRM. And if we do, what we would include in it and why.” Martinez emphasized the word “whether,” he explained, because he wants to make sure people don’t assume that now that the process has begun that these changes are a done deal. “It only happens if there’s participation and good information is provided,” he said. As much as everyone would like to see changes as quickly as possible, he said, there is no “magic wand” for government regulations. There’s a step-by-step process. “It starts by listening informally and then taking it through the regulatory process,” he said. In particular, he said, last year’s runup to the ELD mandate put HOS under a more intense microscope, and the hope is that carriers, associations or universities that have compiled data that can shed some light on these particular issues will share it. From the FMCSA’s perspective, he said, the key to considering making these changes to HOS must be done “through the lens of safety.” “This is a great opportunity to leverage what you’re getting,” he said. “Anything that can educate us about this would be helpful. “I say ‘educate.’ Obviously, we’re familiar with the issues, but this is the opportunity for the broader public to comment.” Martinez said he came to this session in part because he likes to hear directly from the people he serves. But he also wanted to emphasize the agency is committed to moving on this as quickly as the process will allow, and that FMCSA is genuinely interested in hearing from as wide a swath of the trucking community as possible. The conference room at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center could barely contain the sampling of the trucking community who wanted to sit in on this initial listening session, which lasted about 90 minutes with nearly two dozen getting up to say their piece before the FMCSA panel. FMCSA expects to have three more listening sessions. The first will be held September 14 at Department of Transportation headquarters in Washington, D.C. Others are tentatively planned to take place on the West Coast and southern East Coast. The ANPRM can also be viewed and comments left at https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service-advanced-notice-proposed-rulemaking As of Wednesday morning, the site had received more than 900 comments.

MERCED, Calif. — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or better known as PETA, said the organization would be putting up a billboard at the site of a crash that killed dozens of turkeys in Merced. The billboard will show a turkey’s face next to the words “I’m ME, Not MEAT. See the Individual. Go Vegan.” Fresno, California, television station KFSN reported that on August 21 a Foster Farms truck overturned near the Mission Avenue exit on Highway 99. The driver of the truck suffered minor injuries and dozens of birds died in the crash. The Highway Patrol said witnesses at the scene reported seeing a blue Honda hit the side of the truck, causing the driver of the turkey truck to veer off the roadway. “Yet another Foster Farms truck crash has left countless birds dead or mangled, and any survivors were presumably shipped off to the slaughterhouse,” said PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA’s billboard would remind everyone that the single best way to prevent these horrific accidents is to keep turkeys off the road in the first place by going vegan.” According to PETA, this is the second Foster Farms truck accident this summer and PETA also says more than 50 crashes involving animal transport trucks in the U.S.

WASHINGTON  — President Donald Trump’s drive to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement has taken an unexpected turn — one that complicates his effort to replace that deal with one more favorable to American workers. Canada, America’s longtime ally and No. 2 trading partner, was left out of a proposed deal Trump just reached with Mexico and is scrambling to keep its place in the regional free-trade bloc — and fend off the threat of U.S. taxes on its vehicles. By contrast, Mexico, long the target of Trump’s ire, has cut a preliminary deal with the United States to replace NAFTA with a pact that’s meant, among other things, to shift more manufacturing into the United States. In announcing the deal Monday, Trump said he wanted to call it the “United States-Mexico Trade Agreement,” pointedly omitting Canada. Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland hurried to Washington to try to repair the damage, meeting Tuesday with U.S. Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer. Freeland said the two had “a very good, constructive conversation” about how to revamp NAFTA. The two sides will begin delving into specific issues Wednesday morning. Lighthizer intends to formally notify Congress of the deal with Mexico on Friday. This would begin a 90-day countdown that would allow Mexico’s outgoing president, Enrique Pena Nieto, to sign the new pact before leaving office Dec. 1. Otherwise, President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador might want to reopen the negotiations and further complicate the prospects for a new agreement. To intensify the pressure on Canada, Trump threatened Monday to slap taxes on Canadian auto imports. As a result, said Philip Levy, a senior fellow at the Chicago Council on Global affairs and a White House trade adviser in the administration of President George W. Bush, Freeland is negotiating “under threat of auto tariffs or the demolition of NAFTA.” The Trump administration says the deadline isn’t as tight as it seems. After notifying Congress of the new trade pact, it has 30 days to make public a copy of the full text. “That means they have wriggle room” to fine-tune the details and squeeze Canada into a reimagined North American trade bloc, Levy said. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin sounded an optimistic note Tuesday. “Our objective is to get Canada on board quickly,” Mnuchin told CNBC. “I don’t anticipate there is going to be a lot of sticking points.” Business groups and members of Congress are already demanding that Canada remain in the regional trade agreement. When the Trump administration notified Congress last year that it intended to renegotiate NAFTA, critics note that administration said it would begin talks with both Canada and Mexico. It’s unclear whether the Trump team even has authority to reach a pact with just one of those countries. And Congress, which has to approve any NAFTA rewrite, might refuse to endorse a deal that excludes Canada. “I don’t think we’ve seen something like this before,” said Stephen Orava, a trade lawyer who is a partner at the King & Spalding firm. “The path, both legally and politically, is a lot more complicated and has a lot more land mines.” After taking effect in 1994, NAFTA tore down most trade barriers among the United States, Canada and Mexico. Trade within the bloc soared. But many manufacturers moved plants south of the border to capitalize on low-wage Mexican labor and then shipped goods back to the United States. During the presidential campaign, Trump railed about the manufacturing jobs lost to Mexico and about the U.S. trade deficit with its southern neighbor: $69 billion last year. This week’s trade pact is meant to change the ground rules and return some manufacturing to the United States. Among other things, the U.S.-Mexico deal requires that 40 to 45 percent of car be made in a country with auto wages of at least $16 an hour in order to qualify for duty-free status. Mexican auto workers now earn an average of just over $5 an hour, Americans nearly $22 an hour. So if Mexico was the problem in Trump’s view, how did Canada find itself in the crosshairs? Canada, after all, is one of the few major economies that buy more goods and services from the United States than they sell. (The U.S. last year recorded a narrow trade surplus with Canada of nearly $3 billion.) And having fought as allies in conflicts from World War I to Afghanistan, the two neighbors are so close that the creators of television’s “South Park” built an entire movie comedy around the laughable premise that they’d go to war with each other. But flashpoints remained. The two countries have battled over U.S. charges that Canada dumps subsidized lumber in the American market and uses big tariffs to protect its dairy farmers — topics likely to arise during Freeland’s visit. In Trump’s bombastic approach to policymaking, “you need a villain or some drama, and that villain is Canada,” said Laura Dawson, director of the Canada Institute at the Wilson Center think tank. On Monday, Trump once again charged that Canada imposes dairy tariffs of nearly 300 percent. “We’re not going to stand for that,” he said, neglecting to note that the United States imposes huge tariffs of its own: 350 percent on tobacco imports, for instance, and 164 percent on peanuts. In fact, tariffs aren’t really a big issue between the United States and Canada: NAFTA eliminated most of them. In some ways, the rift between the United States and Canada seems personal. Trump was enraged when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a news conference after a contentious Group of Seven summit in June that he wouldn’t let Canada be pushed around by Washington. Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro upped the ante by saying there was a “special place in hell” for Trudeau — a comment Navarro later said he regretted. Canada also seemed far less willing than Mexico to accept the kind of NAFTA rewrite that Trump was demanding. “Canada was happy with the status quo,” said Christopher Sands, director of Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Canadian Studies. Mexico, by contrast, “is keenly aware that NAFTA is their ticket out of developing country status … They wanted to do what it took to keep a deal. They were all about making a deal happen.” The U.S. and Canada announced no breakthroughs Tuesday. But trade attorney Orava said: “There’s room for flexibility on all sides.” But he conceded, “It’s going to be a very intense few days.” PHOTO CAPTION Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland speaks to members of the media as she arrives at the Office of The United States Trade Representative Tuesday in Washington. Canada, America’s longtime ally and No. 2 trading partner, was left out of a proposed deal Trump just reached with Mexico and is scrambling to keep its place in the regional free-trade bloc — and fend off the threat of U.S. taxes on its vehicles. (Associated Press: ANDREW HARNIK)  

JACKSON, Miss. — The Mississippi House reversed itself Tuesday and passed a bill to create a state lottery in the Bible Belt state where churches have long opposed it. The vote came during a special session, less than 24 hours after the House originally voted to kill the bill that the state’s Republican governor promises to sign into law. There was no debate Tuesday as a few representatives changed their votes from no to yes. Mississippi is one of six states without a lottery, and Gov. Phil Bryant had been pushing lawmakers for more than a year to create one. Supporters estimate a lottery could generate tens of millions of dollars annually, and Bryant says he wants the money to help pay for repairs to crumbling highways and bridges. “This is a historic day in Mississippi,” Bryant said on Twitter. “Mississippi lawmakers rose to the occasion.” Supporters said it would take at least a year to get a lottery up and running. The bill was opposed by politically powerful Baptist and Pentecostal groups and some people who called it a regressive tax on poor people in one of the poorest states in the U.S. The state’s influential casino lobby did not oppose a lottery but fought some lawmakers’ ultimately unsuccessful efforts to allow video lottery terminals in places like truck stops. Bryant pointed out that three of the four states bordering Mississippi have a lottery, and Mississippi residents drive to Louisiana, Arkansas and Tennessee to buy millions of dollars of tickets each year. The lottery bill passed the Senate Monday night but it failed initially in the House with 60 opposed and 54 in favor. The House subsequently passed the bill Tuesday with 58 in favor and 54 opposed. Tuesday was the fourth day of a special session that Bryant called, asking lawmakers to put millions more dollars into highways and bridges. More than 400 of Mississippi’s city and county bridges are closed because they are in bad repair. The state Department of Transportation says it needs at least $400 million more per year just to keep state highways from deteriorating. Supporters of a lottery estimate it could generate about $40 million for the state in the first year and $80 million in subsequent years. The Senate and House last week passed different versions of a lottery bill, and top lawmakers spent much of Monday working out the differences. The two chambers must agree on a single version before it can go to the governor. Republican Rep. Bill Denny said Tuesday that he has opposed attempts to establish a lottery for more than two decades, but he voted in favor this time because his constituents in Jackson want it. “Every time I go to the grocery store, ‘Bill, we need the lottery,’” Denny said. Democratic Rep. Greg Holloway of Hazlehurst voted against the bill initially and then for it Tuesday. “My people have contacted me,” Holloway said. “They want the lottery and I want them to have what they want.” Democratic Rep. Jeramey Anderson of Escatawpa voted for the bill Monday and against it Tuesday. He said he wanted a guarantee that a significant share of lottery money would go to education. “Killing the bill would have given us a better opportunity to negotiate,” said Anderson, who is running for a U.S. House seat. “Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. I do support the lottery, but I support public education, as well.” PHOTO CAPTION Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves drops the gavel, calling for a recess subject to his call as the Senate waits for Gov. Phil Bryant to expand the call of the Special Session of the Legislature, Tuesday afternoon at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss. Since both chambers passes a state lottery bill, they are waiting for the expanded call so they can deal with the BP economic damages settlement. (Associated Press: ROGELIO V. SOLIS)

OKLAHOMA CITY — National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (NTDAW) is being celebrated September 9-15 and Love’s Travel Stops is turning that week of appreciation into an entire month of recognition and gratitude. Throughout September, thousands of professional drivers will win 10,000 My Love Reward points equal to $100, and one driver will win 1 million points equal to $10,000. “We are so thankful for professional drivers who are committed to one of the most demanding and vital jobs to our community,” said Frank Love, co-CEO of Love’s. “It’s important we recognize these drivers for their hard work and sacrifices they make every day. The My Love Rewards program aims to appreciate drivers year-round, and we want to take advantage of this opportunity to do even more for our loyal customers.” One lucky driver will win the grand prize of 1 million My Love Rewards points, a $10,000 retail value. Drivers have two ways to enter the sweepstakes. First, swipe the My Love Rewards card with every fuel, tire care and in-store product purchase at Love’s in September. Second, visit any Love’s location with a touchscreen and follow the steps on the 1 Million My Love Rewards points giveaway section. At the end of the month, all card swipes and touchscreen completions from September 1-30 will count as individual entries for the grand prize drawing of 1 million My Love Rewards points. Every time drivers swipe their My Love Rewards card in September, they have a chance to win 10,000 My Love Rewards points, a $100 value. Winners will instantly receive the points. As always, My Love Rewards members earn free shower and drink refill credits with every fuel purchase of 50 gallons or more of commercial fuel. Professional drivers can take advantage of many food, drink and Love’s merchandise deals throughout September. Throughout the month, drivers receive a free Love’s hat with the purchase of three pairs of gloves for $9.99 at all Love’s Travel Stops. Drivers can also take advantage of Love’s amenities such as truck tire care, showers, laundry, freight factoring services with Love’s Financial and free truck parking spaces.  

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — When it comes to life on the road, professional van operators (PVOs) are staying more connected than ever through technology and social media. Not only are they more technologically advanced, they are increasingly health-conscious and aware of the environment according to Atlas Van Lines’ King of the Road survey. The survey provides insights from Atlas van operators on their preferences, healthy habits, technology use and more while working on the road. This year, 457 Atlas Van Lines PVOs completed the survey. “Our drivers are very informed about life on the road because they log millions of miles each year for Atlas and its customers,” said Jack Griffin, chairman and CEO of Atlas World Group. “Our King of the Road survey provides these valued individuals the chance to share their expertise and opinions, so our company and industry have an accurate assessment of what life on the road is like today.” Highlights of this year’s King of the Road survey include: PVOs are health-conscious and eco-friendly. Seventy-eight percent of PVOs surveyed said they exercise while on the road by moving furniture, and 31 percent walk, run or do other forms of exercise while at truck stops. In addition, PVOs are making healthy eating choices while on the road. Eighty-two percent of PVOs choose to drink water throughout the day over sugary drinks such as teas, sports drinks, juices and sodas. Fresh fruit was the top choice for favorite snack while on the road (55 percent), followed by peanuts/mixed nuts (44 percent). For the first time in King of the Road Survey history, Chick-Fil-A was the frontrunner for the favorite fast food restaurant, where PVOs can make healthy choices such as grilled chicken sandwiches, wraps and market salads. With the environment being at the forefront of everyone’s mind, PVOs and Atlas agents are doing their part to be environmentally friendly while on the road or in the office, Griffin said. Fifty-three percent of PVOs are limiting unnecessary idling at a standstill, while another 40 percent are using Prepass/EZ Pass/Best Pass to reduce emissions. See how Atlas agents are taking action for a sustainable future at https://www.atlasvanlines.com/move-green. PVOs are connected through technology. Ninety-one percent of PVOs surveyed use smartphones to keep in contact with family, check email and utilize social media. The iPhone outpaced the Android by 1 percent (54 percent and 53 percent respectively) as the smartphone of choice for van operators this year, while Verizon Wireless remains the preferred wireless network for the fourth consecutive year. PVOs continue to take advantage of the latest technology, with 71 percent using GPS for navigation and 57 percent using tablets, such as Apple’s iPad and Samsung’s Galaxy tablet. In addition to using the latest and greatest tools, PVOs are also employing technology to stay more connected to work, family and friends while on the road, with 96 percent of PVOs accessing email daily (up from 94 percent in 2016) and 92 percent of respondents saying they have access to internet daily. Nearly 71 percent of PVOs are checking social media outlets, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram daily. With many PVOs spending 40 weeks or more on the road, today’s technological advances are helping them stay connected—no matter their geographic location. Favorite brands and other highway essentials include: Best coffee: Dunkin’ Donuts Favorite fast food restaurant: Chick-Fil-A Favorite hotel chain: Super 8 Best truck stop chain: Flying J Favorite on-the-road snack: Fresh fruit Favorite on-the-road music genre: Talk/news/sports radio Best tires: Michelin Most-used motor oil: Shell Rotella Best tractor: Kenworth Favorite grocery store/supermarket: Walmart Most common-used smartphone: Apple Most common-used cell service/network provider: Verizon This year’s King of the Road Survey results were released just ahead of Atlas Van Lines’ annual driver appreciation event, known as BRAVO (Boosting Recognition of Atlas Van Operators), which is scheduled for September 26-28. This event takes place at participating Atlas agencies around the United States and Canada and recognizes PVOs who travel across the country and interact with Atlas Van Lines’ customers on a daily basis. For complete survey results, visit atlasvanlines.com/media-room/king-of-the-road-survey. To view the infographic, visit https://www.atlasvanlines.com/infographics/keep-on-trucking.

DALLAS — Kenworth has teamed with the FASTPORT Trucking Track Mentoring Program and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring our Heroes Program to find America’s top rookie military veteran, who has made the successful transition from active duty to driving for a commercial fleet and has named the top four finalists in the “Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence” recognition program. The four finalists were named during the Great American Trucking Show here last week. Kenworth has again donated The Driver’s Truck – a fully-loaded Kenworth T680 Advantage with a 76-inch sleeper and PACCAR MX-13 engine, to serve as the program’s recognition award. The top four, with their branches of service and employers, include: Mordaunt “Platt” Brabner, U.S. Marines and U.S. Navy, TMC Transportation Summar Hanks, Air Force, U.S. Xpress Quinton Ward, U.S. Army, Werner Enterprises Christopher Young, U.S. Army, Stevens Transport “Kenworth is donating a T680 Advantage for the third consecutive year to acknowledge and thank our military veterans for their service. It is important for the trucking industry to continue its on-going efforts to provide support and career opportunities to our veterans,” said Kurt Swihart, Kenworth marketing director. “This year’s four finalists in the recognition program have achieved significant accomplishments in their military careers, and now, as professional truck drivers. We urge trucking companies to reach out and give a helping hand to our many veterans, who are striving to make a smooth transition back into civilian life,” said Brad Bentley FASTPORT president. Other truck drivers, who achieved the Top 10 finalists list and were recognized at GATS, include: Toby Hunt, U.S. Army and U.S. Navy, Prime, Inc. Jeremiah King, U.S. Navy, PAM Transport Tilford Sereal, U.S. Navy, TMC Transportation Ricardo Sumrall, U.S. Navy, Melton Truck Lines Phillip “Tom” Vargo, U.S. Navy, Roehl Transport Brian “Kelley” Ward / U.S. Navy / Veriha Trucking Drivers were nominated by trucking companies that made a hiring commitment and pledge to hire veterans on www.truckingtrack.org or, by members of the National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools, or Commercial Vehicle Training Association-member school. All the drivers were recognized at the President George W. Bush Library during a tour and reception. The winner will be announced December 14 in Washington, D.C., during a ceremony at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. For further information on the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence award program, please visit www.transitiontrucking.org. CAPTION FOR PHOTO Kurt Swihart, left, Kenworth marketing director, congratulates the four finalists in the “Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence” recognition program, from left Quinton Ward, Mordaunt “Platt” Brabner, Summar Hanks, and Christopher Young. (Courtesy: KENWORTH TRUCK CO.)   

ARLINGTON, Va. — The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) today released the results of a new analysis on the potential benefits of allowing commercial drivers additional flexibility when they take their required Hours of Service (HOS) breaks. In a news release, ATRI said it used “empirical truck GPS data to model the application of split rest beyond the current 8- and 2-hour increments allowed under the existing HOS rules.  Through this analysis it was found that drivers could spend less time and money, driving the same distances behind the wheel. ATRI’s study utilized a congested 40-mile stretch of urban highway in Atlanta to quantify the operational impacts of congestion.  The initial assessment using the truck GPS data showed that the time it took to traverse the corridor ranged from a low of 40 minutes to more than 90 minutes during rush hour, a more than doubling of driving time and related operational costs. ATRI then modeled scenarios where a representative driver operated under the current HOS rules and a flexible 6/4 split rest time.  Under the flexible hours, the driver was able to avoid congestion, and completed a 585-mile trip with 45 fewer minutes of drive time.  Similar results were also found for 7/3 and 5/5 split scenarios. When replicated across the industry, a conservative estimated savings in annual drive time of more than 2.3 million hours could be realized with flexible HOS options, along with over $150 million in annual operational cost savings, the release stated. “One of our biggest challenges with the HOS rules is the lack of flexibility. Under the current rules, when traveling through congested cities like Atlanta, I really have no choice but to sit stuck in traffic and watch my available hours tick away. As ATRI’s study shows, with flexibility in the HOS, I could choose to rest during the worst congested times and make my delivery schedules with less time behind the wheel,” said Gary Helms, an over-the-road driver for Covenant Transport and an America’s Road Team Captain. A copy of this report is available from ATRI at TruckingResearch.org.

DALLAS — Drivewyze PreClear weigh station bypass has expanded its service along Interstate 44 and Interstate 70 through Missouri with the re-activation of six bypass sites. Those join two existing bypass sites the company already has operational near Joplin on I-44 east and westbound. Activation of the weigh station bypass sites began following the installation and calibration of new weigh-in-motion sensors embedded in the roadway. “Missouri is a key state in the Drivewyze network, and with our sites now re-activated we’ve unlocked further coast-to-coast bypass opportunities for drivers,” said Brian Heath, president and CEO of Drivewyze. “This is great news for our customers, and for other carriers that have been anticipating the reactivation of the Drivewyze service in the state. The Drivewyze network offers bypass opportunities at more than twice as many sites as any other provider. For years, the bypass market was under-served; Drivewyze is on a mission to change that. There has never been a better time for carriers to adopt this high-value service or to switch from old transponder- based systems. If you do the math, it’s an easy choice. More bypasses not only improves a carrier’s bottom line, it makes a positive impact on driver’s lives.” The six newly activated Drivewyze sites are located in Foristell, Mayview and St. Clair (both east and westbound). Foristell is on I-70 west of St. Louis (between St. Louis and Kansas City); Mayview is on I-70 east of Kansas City (between St. Louis and KC); St. Clair is on I-44 SW of St. Louis (between Spring Field and St. Louis). The sites are located on the main arteries of Missouri, accounting for the majority of all truck traffic. “We are pleased to have restored services in Missouri and will continue to fulfill the terms of our long-term partnership with the show-me state,” Heath said. “Missouri is a key state in the national transportation network and we know that restoring these sites back to full operation is welcome news for drivers and fleets.” With the Drivewyze PreClear weigh station bypass service on their Drivewyze-enabled smartphones, tablets, and electronic logging devices customers can now receive bypass opportunities at more than 700 locations, in 43 states and provinces. “A significant amount of regional intermodal freight moves to and from the four intermodal facilities in Kansas City,” Heath said. Plus, more than 180 trucking companies call Joplin home with I-44 being one of two major routes connecting the Joplin region. Missouri is a major state for trucking and we are here to help them.” The Drivewyze PreClear weigh station bypass application is available on a number of Drivewyze partner platforms, including Omnitracs, PeopleNet, Pegasus Transflo, Rand McNally, Zonar, and Platform Science. Fleets can request a free weigh station activity report to help them determine how much Drivewyze can potentially save them before activating the subscription-based weigh station bypass service. The application is also available for Android and iOS-based tablets or smartphones. Drivewyze comes with a free Weigh Station Heads-Up service for real-time notifications at more than 1,200 weigh stations and inspection sites nationwide. To learn more about Drivewyze, please visit www.drivewyze.com.  8

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s declaration of victory Monday in reaching a preliminary deal with Mexico to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement raised at least as many questions as it answered. Can Canada, the third member country in NAFTA and America’s No. 2 trading partner, be coaxed or coerced into a new pact? If not, is it even legal — or politically feasible — for Trump to reach a replacement trade deal with Mexico alone? And will the changes being negotiated to the 24-year-old NAFTA threaten the operations of American and foreign companies that have built sophisticated supply chains that span the three countries? “There are still a lot of questions left to be answered,” said Peter MacKay, a former Canadian minister of justice, defense and foreign affairs who is now a partner at the law firm Baker McKenzie. Trump was quick to proclaim the agreement a triumph, pointing to Monday’s surge in the stock market, which was fueled in part by the apparent breakthrough with Mexico. “We just signed a trade agreement with Mexico, and it’s a terrific agreement for everybody,” the president declared. “It’s an agreement that a lot of people said couldn’t be done.” Trump suggested that he might leave Canada out of a new agreement. He said he wanted to call the revamped trade pact “the United States-Mexico Trade Agreement” because, in his view, NAFTA has earned a reputation for being harmful to American workers. But first, he said, he would give Canada a chance to get back in — “if they’d like to negotiate fairly.” To intensify the pressure on Ottawa to agree to his terms, the president threatened to impose new taxes on Canadian auto imports. Talking to reporters, the top White House economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, urged Canada to “come to the table.” “Let’s make a great deal like we just made with Mexico,” Kudlow said. “If not, the USA may have to take action.” Canada’s NAFTA negotiator, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, is cutting short a trip to Europe to fly to Washington on Tuesday to try to restart talks. “We will only sign a new NAFTA that is good for Canada and good for the middle class,” said Adam Austen, a spokesman for Freeland, saying that “Canada’s signature is required.” MacKay added, “There is still a great deal of uncertainty — trepidation, nervousness, a feeling that we are on the outside looking in.” Critics denounced the prospect of cutting Canada out a North American trade pact, in part because of the risks it could pose for companies involved in international trade. Many manufacturers have built vital supply systems that depend on freely crossing all three NAFTA borders. Noting the “massive amount of movement of goods between the three countries and the integration of operations,” Jay Timmons, president of that National Association of Manufacturers, said “it is imperative that a trilateral agreement be inked.” Trump has frequently condemned the 24-year-old NAFTA trade pact as a job-killing “disaster” for American workers. NAFTA reduced most trade barriers between the three countries. The president and other critics say the pact encouraged U.S. manufacturers to move south of the border to exploit low-wage Mexican labor. The preliminary deal with Mexico might bring more manufacturing to the United States. Yet it is far from final. Even after being formally signed, it would have be ratified by lawmakers in each country. The U.S. Congress wouldn’t vote on it until next year — after November midterm elections that could end Republican control of the House of Representatives. But initially, it looks like at least a tentative public-relations victory for Trump, the week after his former campaign manager was convicted on financial crimes and his former personal attorney implicated him in hush money payments to two women who say they had affairs with Trump. Before the administration began negotiating a new NAFTA a year ago, it had notified Congress that it was beginning talks with Canada and Mexico. So Monday’s announcement raises the question: Is the administration authorized to reach a deal with only one of those countries? A senior administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said yes: The administration can tell Congress it had reached a deal with Mexico — and that Canada is welcome to join. But other analysts said the answer wasn’t clear: “It’s a question that has never been tested,” said Lori Wallach, director of the left-leaning Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch. Even a key Trump ally, Rep. Kevin Brady, the Texas Republican who is chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, expressed caution about Monday’s apparent breakthrough. Brady said he looked forward “to carefully analyzing the details and consulting in the weeks ahead to determine whether the new proposal meets the trade priorities set out by Congress.” And the No. 2 Senate Republican, John Cornyn of Texas, while hailing Monday’s news as a “positive step,” said Canada needs to be party to a final deal. “A trilateral agreement is the best path forward,” Cornyn said, adding that millions of jobs were at stake. There are political reasons to keep Canada inside the regional bloc: “Mexico will have a difficult time selling ‘Trump’s deal’ back home if Canada does not think it is a good deal,” said Daniel Ujczo, a trade attorney with Dickinson Wright PLLC. “It will appear that Mexico caved.” Indeed, Mexico has said it wants Canada included in any new deal to replace NAFTA. “”We are very interested in this being an agreement of three countries,” said President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Observador. At the same time, Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray told reporters that “Mexico will have a free trade agreement regardless of the outcome” of U.S.-Canada negotiations. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said Mexico had agreed to ensure that 75 percent of automotive content be produced within the trade bloc (up from a current 62.5 percent) to receive duty-free benefits and that 40 percent to 45 percent be made by workers earning at least $16 an hour. Those changes are meant to encourage more auto production in the United States. For months, the talks were held up by the Trump administration’s insistence on a “sunset clause”: A renegotiated NAFTA would end after five years unless all three countries agreed to continue it. Mexico and Canada considered that proposal a deal-killer. On Monday, the Trump administration and Mexico announced a compromise on that divisive issue: An overhauled NAFTA would remain in force for 16 years. After six years, the countries would review the agreement and decide whether it needed to be updated or changed. They then would either agree to a new 16-year deal or the pact would expire. CAPTION FOR PHOTO ABOVE President Donald Trump hangs up after talking with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on the phone in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday in Washington. (Associated Press: EVAN VUCCI)                                  

WESTLAKE, Ohio — TravelCenters of America, operator of the TA and Petro Stopping Centers travel center brands, is currently in midst of its annual campaign in support of the St. Christopher Truckers Development and Relief Fund (SCF), a non-profit organization that helps truck drivers suffering financial hardship due to being out of work for an illness or injury. The will run at participating TA and Petro locations through September 30. During the event, guests and employees at TA and Petro Stopping Centers will be invited to make contributions. New this year, commemorative 3-inch by 3-inch window clings will be made available for $1 along with the annual wristbands and SCF keychains for $1 and $5, respectively. Contributions may be made at participating TA and Petro restaurants, travel stores, fuel buildings and truck service facilities. One hundred percent of proceeds go directly to SCF. “With driver health and wellness becoming a higher priority within the truck driving industry, we understand how important it is for drivers to have access to appropriate medical and financial support that will help get them safely back on the road,” said Barry Richards, president and COO of TravelCenters. “We are honored to continue our support with SCF this year and look forward to another successful Band Together campaign.” TravelCenters has been supporting drivers through the SCF since 2010. The TA and Petro annual campaign marks the largest single contribution the Fund receives each year. As of July 2018, the SCF has helped more than 2,300 truck drivers and their families with monthly bills, including utilities and mortgages totaling up to $2.3 million. “It’s hard to believe that Band Together is in its ninth year,” said Dr. Donna Kennedy, executive director of the St. Christopher Fund. “We have truly been blessed with the support of TA and Petro. This campaign not only supplies us with needed funding, but it also raises awareness of the organization. There have been a countless number of drivers helped directly as a result of Band Together. Once again, we thank all of TravelCenters employees and customers for their part in ‘Saving Lives and Families, One Driver at a Time.’” Professional drivers who are suffering from financial hardships due to medical problems can apply to the SCF for assistance at www.truckersfund.org.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — In honor of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week September 9-15, Pilot Flying J has partnered with the American Trucking Association on an educational outreach program. In light of the immense driver shortage facing the trucking industry, which may reach 174,000 by 2026 according to the ATA, the initiative is designed to raise greater awareness of the trucking profession and professional drivers’ tremendous contributions to our nation’s economy, according to Ken Parent, president of Pilot Flying J. Pilot Flying J will celebrate professional drivers throughout the month of September starting last week with the announcement of a $60,000 philanthropic gift to the ATA’s Trucking Cares Foundation to help support professional drivers and the future of the industry. Pilot Flying J will also reward drivers all month long through its annual 100 Million myRewards Points Giveaway and 30 days of free offers in the myPilot app. “Hardworking professional drivers make countless sacrifices to keep our economy moving and our ways of life possible,” Parent said. “As we face a growing driver shortage, our hope is that this contribution will help support the Trucking Cares Foundation’s mission to improve the safety, security and sustainability of the trucking industry and contribute to the future growth of the industry through education and training.” Behind the stocked retail shelves, fuel at the pump and expedited delivery of goods to consumers across the country, is an industry of more than 3.5 million American truck drivers that keep the U.S. economy moving, Parent noted, adding that Pilot Flying J is honored to partner with ATA’s driver community to share their insights on the trucking industry and their passion for professional driving, with the hope of shedding light on the benefits of the truck driving profession to reach the future of the industry. “Professional drivers have a great impact on our economy,” said Steve Brand, a professional driver of 27 years for FedEx Freight. “It’s a great feeling knowing I have a small part in that, plus the independence, flexibility, pay and benefits are a perk of the job. I go to bed happy and wake up knowing that I am making a difference.” In addition to driving awareness and appreciation of professional drivers, Parent said Pilot Flying J is thanking them in-store throughout the month of September with money-saving offers and giveaways. All month Pilot Flying J is giving away one free item each day in the myPilot app, including a free slice of PJ Fresh pizza and popular drinks and snacks. Pilot Flying J Truck Care is also providing free mid-trip inspections, a value of $50, to help professional drivers and trucking companies prepare for Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Brake Safety Week. The pre-trip inspections offer is valid during September 1-30 with a limit of one complimentary mid-trip inspection per truck during promotional period. Other restrictions apply. Pilot Flying J will award prizes to more than 60,000 professional drivers, including 2,000 daily winners, during the 100 Million myRewards Points Giveaway. To enter, professional drivers can simply swipe their myRewards Loyalty card when purchasing diesel fuel at a participating Pilot or Flying J Travel Center in the United States. To learn more about Pilot Flying J’s September is driver appreciation celebration, sign up for myRewards, or to find Pilot Flying J travel center amenities and locations, visit www.pilotflyingj.com.

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration and Mexico have reached a preliminary accord to end the North American Free Trade Agreement and replace it with a deal that the administration wants to be more favorable to the United States. President Donald Trump, in announcing the tentative agreement Monday at the White House, said a new deal would be called “the United States-Mexico Trade Agreement.” Trump has frequently condemned the 24-year-old NAFTA trade pact as a job-killing “disaster” for the United States. Still, any new agreement is far from final. The administration still needs to negotiate with the third partner in NAFTA, Canada, to become part of any new trade accord. Without Canada, America’s No. 2 trading partner, it’s unclear whether any new U.S. trade agreement with Mexico would be possible. The president said that he will be calling Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “If they’d like to negotiate fairly, we’ll do that,” Trump said. Trump put pressure on Canada by threatening to tax Canadian auto imports and to leave Canada out of a new regional trade bloc. NAFTA reduced most trade barriers between the three countries. But Trump and other critics say it encouraged U.S. manufacturers to move south of the border to exploit low-wage Mexican labor. Talks to overhaul the agreement began a year ago and have proved contentious. U.S. and Mexican negotiators worked over the weekend to narrow their differences. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said Monday that Mexico had agreed to ensure that 75 percent of automotive content be produced within the trade bloc (up from a current 62.5 percent) to receive duty-free benefits and that 40 percent to 45 percent be made by workers earning at least $16 an hour. It remains unclear where Monday’s announcement leaves Canada. Adam Austen, a spokesman for Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, said: “Canada is encouraged by the continued optimism shown by our negotiating partners. Progress between Mexico and the United States is a necessary requirement for any renewed NAFTA agreement.” Austen said the Canadians had been regular contact with the NAFTA negotiators. “We will only sign a new NAFTA that is good for Canada and good for the middle class,” he said, adding that “Canada’s signature is required.” The No. 2 Senate Republican, John Cornyn of Texas, hailed the “positive step” but said Canada needs to be party to a final deal. “A trilateral agreement is the best path forward,” he said, adding that millions of jobs are at stake. The National Retail Federation today issued the following statement from president and CEO Matthew Shay: “Coming to terms with Mexico is an encouraging sign,” Shay said, “but threatening to pull out of the existing agreement is not. NAFTA supports millions of U.S. jobs and provides hardworking American families access to more products at lower prices. To preserve these benefits and protect complex, sophisticated and efficient supply chains, the administration must bring Canada, an essential trading partner, back to the bargaining table and deliver a trilateral deal. “We hope all parties will resolve their remaining differences, and we will assess any final agreement based on whether it promotes U.S. economic growth and continues to improve the lives of American workers and consumers.” PHOTO CAPTION United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, left, and Mexican Secretary of Economy Idelfonso Guajardo, right, walk into the White House on Monday. President Donald Trump says the prospects are “looking good” for an agreement with Mexico that could set the stage for an overhaul of the North American Free Trade Agreement. (Associated Press: LUIS ALONSO LUGO)

JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi could be inching closer to creating a lottery and leaving the list of six states that don’t offer the game of chance. The Mississippi House voted 71-43 Friday to pass a lottery bill . That happened a day after the state Senate voted 30-20 for its own version of the same bill. However, work remains. The House made several changes to the bill, including requiring that a lottery corporation abide by longstanding Open Meetings and Public Records laws. When the bill passed the Senate Thursday, it said a lottery corporation would be exempt from the government sunshine laws. Republican Gov. Phil Bryant said he wanted the openness. “Of course it needs to be open records and open meetings,” Bryant told reporters Friday outside the Senate chamber. The House and Senate must agree on the identical bill before it could go to the governor, who is pushing lawmakers to create a lottery to generate money for highways and bridges. The Senate could either accept the House changes, or the two chambers could negotiate a final version. The National Conference of State Legislatures says the states currently without a lottery are Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada and Utah. Several House Democrats complained Friday that there was too little debate on the substance of the lottery bill in the Republican-controlled chamber. Among them was Rep. Steve Holland of Plantersville, who said he wanted a deeper debate but he believes a majority of people in Mississippi favor a lottery. “It’s tainted and nasty. I’m still going to vote yes,” Holland said of the bill. Democratic Rep. Alyce Clarke of Jackson has pushed for more than a decade to create a lottery. “I know we’re doing the right thing,” Clarke said. In the special session that started Thursday, Bryant is asking legislators to put hundreds of millions more dollars into state and local roads and bridges. One bill being considered would send cities and counties a portion of money that the state collects from sales tax on catalog and online sales. Proceeds from a lottery would also initially go into transportation. The Senate on Friday voted 48-3 to pass a bill to share taxes on internet sales with cities and counties. The vote came after a Senate committee made some minor changes to House Bill 1 , meant to help improve road and bridge conditions after Gov. Phil Bryant was forced to close a number of county bridges. The measure returns to the House for representatives to agree to changes or seek negotiations with the Senate. Legislative leaders say the bill will provide $110 million annually to cities and counties in 2022 when fully phased in. Counties could spend the money only on roads and bridges, while cities could also spend money on water and sewer work. The measure also would authorize the state to borrow up to $300 million mostly to be spent through an emergency bridge repair fund, earmarks proceeds from sports betting to state highways for 10 years, and imposes additional yearly taxes of $75 on hybrid vehicles and $150 on electric vehicles. House changes, or the two chambers could negotiate a final version.

WASHNGTON — The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials has sent a letter to Senate and House of Representative leaders to support the passage of the fiscal year 2019 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development or THUD appropriations bill, emphasizing highway formula funding provided in the House’s version of the THUD bill should be the level used in the final reconciliation between the Senate and House versions of that legislation. “The $4 billion of additional highway formula funding included doubling the amount provided from the general fund in fiscal year 2018 will ensure a predictable, equitable and nationwide distribution of critical federal dollars,” said Bud Wright, AASHTO executive director, in the letter, according to a report in the AASHTO Journal. “In addition to recommending that as much of the $10 billion in additional infrastructure funding commitment that Congress agreed to as part of the two-year budget deal be dedicated for transportation purposes, we continue to urge caution in providing increases in discretionary grant program funding or creating entirely new discretionary grant programs. “This is because of the challenges the U.S. Department of Transportation is experiencing in awarding existing discretionary grants in a timely manner.” As an example of such delays, the advocacy group Transportation for America noted in a report issued last month that $1.4 billion in discretionary grant funding has yet to be distributed by the Federal Transit Administration, which is idling 17 transit projects. Joung Lee, AASHTO’s policy director, explained to the Journal that the association believes formula funding is a more efficient and faster process for disbursing transportation funds to the states versus discretionary grants, as the grant application process alone can be costly and time-consuming, with no guarantee that a state applying for such grants will obtain them. “States already have planned out how they are going to spend those [transportation] dollars; they already know the projects that need funding,” he said. “By contrast, grants put the federal government in the position of picking winners and losers.” AASHTO’s letter addressed the potential for a rescission of more than $7.5 billion in unobligated highway program funding provided via the 2015 Fixing America’s Surface Transportation or FAST Act. “We again ask that you repeal a provision in the FAST Act that requires this rescission … on July 1, 2020,” Wright noted in the group’s letter. “It is important that Congress repeals this impending rescission now in order to provide stability to the federal highway program,” he said. “Rescinding unobligated highway contract authority is a budgetary artifice that at best impedes the flexibility of state departments of transportation to meet their individual infrastructure needs, and disrupts transportation planning and timely delivery of projects. At its worst, this FAST Act rescission, along with the cumulative effect of past rescissions, will result in direct funding cuts to states at a time that Congress is looking to support new transportation investments.”