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As the nation began easing its way out of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, activity on closely watched initiatives related to the trucking workforce heated up, while efforts to advance new laws for trucking fleets kept stakeholders engaged.

Virginia has $97.6 million in two new low-interest federal loans to improve safety and traffic flows along its rolling Interstate 81 that cuts through rural mountain areas in a main trucking route linking southern economic areas and northeast markets.

Gov. John Bel Edwards, the Port of New Orleans and two global maritime companies on Dec. 13 announced the formation of a public-private partnership to build a new $1.8 billion container facility on the lower Mississippi River.

The Federal Reserve reinforced its inflation fight Dec. 14 by raising its key interest rate for the seventh time this year and signaling more hikes to come.

The North American Council for Freight Efficiency said fuel efficiency in Class 8 trucks participating in its annual fleet study from 2018 to 2020 remained flat at 7.24 mpg after seven previous years of 2% annual increases.

California’s move toward its 2035 goal of requiring all drayage trucks to be zero-emission is ramping up. Port and trucking experts say to achieve that, the hard work needs to be done now and for at least the next 10 years.

With extra holiday congestion at the El Paso border, Texas Department of Public Safety officers are conducting random enhanced inspections on commercial vehicles as they cross international ports of entry from Mexico into Texas to combat illegal activity.

Railroad workers are continuing their demand for paid sick days. The Sheet Metal, Air, Rail Transportation Union, or SMART, held an informational picket near the rail yard on Rice’s Point on the afternoon of Dec. 13.

Replacing pavement at Otay Mesa land port of entry in California is the latest of 50 modernization projects the General Services Administration has embarked on using $3.4 billion in federal infrastructure funds.

Earlier emergency orders have been extended in Georgia for supply chain and oversize permits and in Nebraska for driving hours hauling fuel.