Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), chairman of the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee, called the move a “tremendous vote” and asked that senators not offer non-germane amendments, particularly any on what she termed “hot button” issues, according to the NSSGA report.

Voting against the motion to proceed were the following:

• Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.)
• Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)
• Mike Johanns (R-Neb.)
• Ron Johnson (R-Wis.)
• Mike Lee (R-Utah)
• Rand Paul (R-Ky.)
• Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)
• Jim DeMint (R-S.C.)
• Mark Begich (D-Alaska)
• Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)
• Jim Risch (R-Idaho)

The Senate currently is deciding whether to continue with 30 hours of debate or proceed directly to amendments to the bill, according to NSSGA.

The meeting is planned for 4-7 p.m. in the BB&T Room of the Workforce Development Center Building No. 1 at Robeson Community College.

The state is seeking to get approval for tolling under a pilot program administered by the Federal Highway Administration. A limited number of interstates could become toll roads under the program. Neighboring Virginia has obtained preliminary approval to toll its section of I-95 to pay for road reconstruction.

Other North Carolina meetings are scheduled for Feb. 13 at Halifax Community College in Weldon, Feb. 16 in Rocky Mount, Feb. 20 at Johnston Community College in Smithfield, Feb. 21 in Wilson, Feb. 23 in Dunn and Feb. 27 in Fayetteville. Each meeting is from 4-7 p.m. Visit here for more information.

With the addition of our ProPickup Truck Expo, we will be providing attendees with the unique opportunity to see vehicles, accessories and services that cover the entire trucking world from full-size pickups to Class 8 trucks,” says Alan K. Sims, vice president and executive director of the Randall-Reilly Events Group.

The ProPickup Truck Expo, which runs concurrent with GATS in an adjoining exhibition hall, will be produced by Randall-Reilly’s ProPickup magazine, in conjunction with the Randall-Reilly Events Group.

“The ProPickup Truck Expo will give attendees the opportunity to talk with manufacturers whose products make pickups more efficient and better performers on and off the road,” says Dan Tidwell, senior vice president and group publisher of the Randall Reilly Construction Media Group. (Aggregates Manager, Better Roads and Equipment World are part of the Randall-Reilly Construction Media Group.) “Pickups play an integral role in virtually every business at the heart of our economy, from construction to trucking and beyond.”

In addition to hundreds of aftermarket automotive products and vehicles on display, the ProPickup Truck Expo will provide educational seminars called SmartSessions headlined by industry leaders and experts in the automotive aftermarket.

“Our SmartSessions will cover a wide range of topics of interest to pickup owners, from how to increase fuel mileage to setting up the mobile office to spec’ing out their next new pickup,” says Bruce Smith, editor of ProPickup.

The 2012 ProPickup Truck Expo and the Great American Trucking Show will be held August 22-24 at the Dallas Convention Center. For more information, contact Rhianna Richey, regional sales manager at rrichey@randallreilly.com or at 205-248-1524.

Workers are stabilizing the slope, TDOT said. A 1,500-ton boulder was removed that could have fallen on the roadway. A second phase to shore up the mountainside is expected to begin in late March, the department said.

Traffic has resumed after a second rockslide east on I-40 in North Carolina was cleared away over the weekend, the North Carolina Department of Transportation said.

The trucks were built between Jan. 31, 2011, and Jan. 19, 2012, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The agency said the trucks are equipped with Bendix ATR-6 antilock traction relay valves that may leak fluid in temperatures below zero degrees and result in continuous brake application.

The recall includes Kenworth models T660, T700, T800 and W900 and Peterbilt models 384, 386, 387, 389 and 587. Paccar will provide a free temporary repair until Bendix delivers a permanent remedy. Customers are advised to contact their dealer or call 425-828-5440 for Kenworth, 940-591-4196 for Peterbilt or the NHTSA hotline at 888-327-4236.

Bendix notified NHTSA of the defect in January after receiving customer complaints about brake issues. The company said a permanent fix is forthcoming.

In addition to Kenworth and Peterbilt models, the valve recall affects trucks made by Navistar International and Volvo Group. Navistar said it has delayed International truck production until a permanent fix is available, and the company predicts the valve problem will contribute to a loss for the quarter that ended Jan. 31.

After postponing deliveries of vehicles affected by the Bendix part defect in January, Volvo began using another valve to continue building trucks at its Virginia plant. Volvo is working with customers to repair trucks already on the road.

Bendix estimated the part problem affected up to 60,000 vehicles.

While some rental operations expect this growth to come from increased demand as the construction industry recovers, ARA says the benefits of renting have been magnified in today’s marketplace, resulting in more rental customers. Many construction equipment companies, including United Rentals, say they are seeing a “secular shift” in North America as customers recognize the benefits of rental.  More than 96 percent of those surveyed said they expected annual rental revenues this year to at least equal 2011, with 85 percent expecting an increase and more than 37 percent expecting double-digit revenue growth this year.

If approved by Congress, the bill will restore the monthly amount that can be set aside for public transportation expenses to $240 a month, rather than $125, saving commuters annual costs of up to an additional $550 this year, according to Save Flexible Spending Plans, a national grassroots advocacy campaign whose mission is to protect the accessibility and use of flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and other pre-tax benefits.

The new provision in the Highway Investment, Job Creation and Economic Growth Act of 2012 comes after a modification to the bill by Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Max Baucus (D-Mont,), following an amendment offered by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.).

“We applaud the leadership of the Senate Committee on Finance for moving to reverse what amounted to a tax increase on hard-working Americans who utilize commuter accounts and public transit to get to work,” Joe Jackson, chairman of Save Flexible Spending Plans and CEO of benefits administration service provider WageWorks Inc., in a written statement. “The sooner Congress acts to restore this important cost-saving vehicle, the better for commuters who are already paying more out of their pockets for costly commutes to work.”

While the amount that can be set aside to cover parking costs as part of a commute to work increased from $230 to $240 per month due to a cost of living adjustment, benefits for public transportation commuters in 2012 were reduced.

“For the millions of Americans who rely on public transportation and vanpools to make it to work, these benefits are an invaluable money saving tool,” said Jackson. “There’s no reason individuals driving to work should get preferential treatment over commuters using public transportation.”

The coalition was encouraged by his insistence that the solution must be a lasting one.  The organizations says Corbett’s comments were in keeping with the recommendations of his Transportation Funding Advisory Commission, “which would put transportation funding on track for a comprehensive, lasting solution.”

The coalition’s response follows:

“Transportation funding has bi-partisan, bicameral support. We saw further evidence of that in the reaction of legislators to his comments on the issue today [Feb. 7]. Moreover, public opinion research shows that a majority of Pennsylvanians regard transportation funding as the most important issue facing the commonwealth.

Finally, we were very encouraged by the governor’s continuing emphasis on creating jobs and improving Pennsylvania’s economy. An adequately funded transportation system will support tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs – in Pennsylvania.

We look forward to working with the administration and the General Assembly to move this vital public policy issue forward, both for its near-term economic benefits as well as to create a key component for future prosperity and an improved quality of life for all residents of the commonwealth.

The Keystone Transportation Funding Coalition is a confederation of organizations with an interest in multimodal transportation funding, who support a comprehensive solution to Pennsylvania’s transportation funding needs. Members include the highway construction industry, public transit agencies, labor unions, farm organizations, AARP, bicycle and pedestrian transportation advocates, land-use advocates, AAA, air and seaport organizations, organizations representing local governments, chambers of commerce, travel and tourism organizations, environmental advocates, freight and passenger rail organizations and truck freight haulers.”

“After years of inaction, we are glad to see that both houses of Congress are now making progress on surface transportation reauthorization. It is critical that lawmakers build on the momentum and work together in a bipartisan manner to complete a new multi-year highway bill that restores certainty to federal infrastructure programs and lays a solid foundation for America’s future economic growth.”

“President Obama made clear in his speech that our mission is to build an economy where we reward hard work and responsibility,” said LaHood in a written statement. “Investments in transportation projects like the I-4 Corridor mean job creation and economic growth. We have critical transportation work that needs to be done and Americans who are ready to get to work.”

LaHood’s visit follows President Obama’s State of the Union address, in which he called for using funds saved from winding down the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to pay down the debt and on a transportation bill that would clear the way for nation building here in the United States.

The I-4/Lee Roy Selmon Expressway Connector, or “Crosstown Connector,” is a new, elevated roadway that will connect Interstate 4 with the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway and link two major east-west corridors. This new roadway will significantly improve the movement of people and goods through the Tampa area by reducing congestion.

The project, which is using $105 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, will provide a truck-only direct access route to the Port of Tampa. The port generates $7.8 billion annually in economic benefits and 96,000 jobs in West and Central Florida, according to the state. The truck-only route also removes truck traffic from downtown Ybor City. In addition, the Crosstown Connector provides an evacuation route for area residents as well as an alternative route for commuters traveling into downtown Tam