The state of Ohio is nearing completion on a project that by next spring will allow truckers and passenger vehicles to travel the length of its 241-mile turnpike without stopping at a toll plaza. The turnpike commission has been rolling out a new toll collection system that removes tolling gates and enables greater use of E-ZPass tolling. The $232 million project involves modernizing 20 interchanges that will eliminate the need for seven toll plazas with efficiency improvements. From January to September, more than 9.8 million commercial trucks drove along the turnpike, which is up 2% compared with the same time last year.

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Truck tonnage in October increased compared with year-ago levels but declined on a month-to-month basis, a sign that the freight market is reacting to economic and consumer trends, American Trucking Associations reported Nov. 22. The ATA For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index rose 2.8% year-over-year in October but slid 2.3% from September, according to the federation. Though tonnage saw the largest single monthly decrease in October since the pandemic, ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said, tonnage was up 3.9% through the first 10 months of the year compared with 2021.

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The chances of a rail strike beginning as early as Dec. 9 were advanced when one of the largest unions involved in the negotiations turned down the tentative agreement reached in September. The Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers union’s decision follows the rejection earlier this month by three other unions. Other unions have agreed to the contract, including most recently the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. With the potential of a strike looming, Congress is being urged to act, if needed.

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This holiday shipping season is expected to be marked by fewer delays and disruptions compared with the past two years, thanks to early freight movements, a flattening of volume and increased capacity, experts said.

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Federal regulators have proposed a new climate-reporting rule that would require large federal contractors to publicly disclose their greenhouse gas emissions, climate-related financial risks and science-based emissions reduction targets. The new proposal, known as the Federal Supplier Climate Risks and Resilience Proposed Rule, would amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation. It was jointly announced Nov. 14 by the Department of Defense, General Services Administration and NASA. The agencies are proposing adding the climate reporting as a revision to the FAR, which governs federal contractors.

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Senior Democrats are focusing on reducing highway fatalities, backed by provisions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Sens. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut were joined by colleagues in calling on the Department of Transportation to adopt or pursue programs meant to boost safety along the country’s corridors. The lawmakers’ call to action stemmed from recent federal data estimating nearly 43,000 traffic fatalities in 2021, marking a 10.5% increase from the prior year.

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Commercial motor vehicle inspectors in North America conducted 38,117 inspections Aug. 21-27 during Brake Safety Week, placing 13.3% of vehicles out of service for brake-related violations. Inspectors in the United States, Canada and Mexico also identified and documented 6,305 brake hose/tube chafing violations, a common brake-related violation that was the focus of this year’s special brake safety enforcement effort, according to an announcement Nov. 15 by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

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Classes 4-7 U.S. retail sales in October were off 5% from a year earlier, thanks only to strength in Class 6 as the other classes fell, Wards Intelligence reported. Sales reached 20,261 compared with 21,333 a year earlier.

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U.S. Class 8 retail sales in October improved 34.5% compared with a year earlier, Wards Intelligence reported as all but one truck maker showed improvement. Sales were 22,863 compared with 17,002 a year earlier. Peterbilt Motors Co. saw sales rise the most, 49.1% to 3,384 and good for a 14.8% market share. Consistent market leader Freightliner improved sales by 38.9% to 9,056 and pulled down a 39.6% share. Freightliner is a brand of Daimler Truck North America.

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The retail holiday season is expected to be solid as economists and other experts say sales should increase between 6% and 8% over 2021’s record 14% increase from 2020. But consumers are likely to be more strategic in the items they buy, with inflation eating up some of their purchasing power

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