Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/782964
14 commercial carrier journal | february 2017 JOURNAL NEWS Report anticipates next three decades of transportation, infrastructure A report released last month by outgoing U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx looks at the next three decades of the nation's transportation system and outlines the challenges lawmakers will face based on population growth, freight volume, climate change and new technologies, such as driverless cars. The Beyond Traffic 2045 report, which is based on current trends and predictions for the next 30 years, presents discussions about the U.S. transporta- tion system's needs over that time and what will need to be prioritized. Foxx said the report was not meant to be a specific plan of action for lawmakers, but rather a starting point for discussions on how to improve U.S. infrastructure going forward. The analysis outlines six major trends that will influence transportation going for- ward – freight volume and movement, population growth, climate change, emerg- ing technologies, growing opportunity for citizens and how to invest money into infrastructure – and identifies some policy changes that will need to be made. Some of the challenges are already here, Foxx says in the report, as trucking will lose $28 billion in 2017 alone in wasted time and fuel sitting in traffic. Foxx says that with freight volume projected to increase by more than 40 percent by 2045, driven in large part by eCommerce, some key policy options for lawmak- ers to discuss in the future include improving freight planning and coordination at national, regional and local levels; targeting policies and investments aimed at reducing freight congestion; and encouraging new strategies for first- and last-mile freight issues. On population growth, Foxx says it's predicted that America's population will grow by 70 million by 2045, and by 2050, 75 percent of Americans will live in "megaregions," with rural populations continuing to drop. Foxx recommends increasing infrastructure capacity with new roads and bridges, and maintaining and using existing infrastructure more effectively. Congestion also could be reduced, he says, through land use, telework and more flexible work schedules. Designing and building better, more resilient infrastructure to withstand changes that are predicted to come along with climate change – such as rising sea levels and more frequent and intense storms – is another point Foxx lays out in the report. He says making it easier and more cost-effective to develop vehicles that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions can help mitigate the effects of climate change. Foxx says that with more automation and robotics on the horizon, it will be important to address regulatory barriers slowing down new technologies while also improving infrastructure to support them and maintaining a focus on safety. To grow opportunity for more citizens, the report states the country needs to pri- oritize transportation investments in communities with the greatest needs and make sure local communities benefit from transportation investments. Finally, Foxx says lawmakers need to ensure there are adequate revenues to address critical infrastructure needs through existing taxes, new excise taxes, user fees, tolls and more, and to reduce spending to match the revenues. – Matt Cole Med examiner accused of bogus certifications pleads not guilty A Georgia-based medical examiner accused of issuing thousands of fraudulent medical certifications to truck drivers has been indicted and has pleaded not guilty. Dr. Anthony Lefteris, who operated out of an Atlanta-area Petro truckstop, entered a plea of not guilty on Dec. 28. He was indicted Dec. 20 by a grand jury on eight counts of fraud and false entry charges. Prosecutors claim Lefteris intentionally and regu- larly issued medical certificates to drivers without performing required tests, such as blood and urine sample testing, vision tests and more. The U.S. Department of Transportation sent three inves- tigators acting undercover as truck operators to see Lefteris in September following a tip from a driver. All three officers said Lefteris failed to perform required tests, yet issued them medical certifications anyway. Lefteris allegedly uploaded made- up results to DOT for the three tests he did not perform. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said 6,000 truck operators who received cer- tification from Lefteris will need to see a new doctor and receive fresh certifications. FMCSA gave affected truckers 30 days from the time of receipt of a notifica- tion in the mail to obtain their new certification. Those letters were sent in late December, FMCSA said. – James Jaillet Trucking will lose $28 billion in 2017 in wasted time and fuel sitting in traffic, according to the Beyond Traffic 2045 report.