Your May 15 Pre-Trip: Port problems abound

May 15, 2015

Here are five things worth knowing today:

Here are five things worth knowing today:1. Problems at the nation’s ports continue, but this time truck drivers are protesting in Norfolk, VA. 10 On Your Side reports that truck drivers showed up in downtown Norfolk to protest a meeting of Port of Virginia executives to draw attention to various problems at the port, including long wait lines. Drivers told the news station that “at one point, wait times were so bad, bottles of urine and bags of human feces lined the road leading to the port, where drivers were forced to relieve themselves.”2. Nebraska Senators unanimously overrode Gov. Pete Ricketts’ veto of legislation that would increase the gas tax in the state, says the Journal Star. The proposed legislation would increase the gas tax by 6 cents a gallon over a four-year period, and the governor maintained that the increase would hurt “hardworking Nebraska families” and deter growth in the state because of the “state’s burdensome tax climate.” According to the Star, this was the “the first veto showdown between the governor and the legislature, with more to come.”3. In the wake of the Amtrak passenger train crash that killed eight people, President Barack Obama has called for greater federal spending on infrastructure, CNN reports. Democrats and Republicans have been arguing over whether the rail service was being funded adequately enough to ensure safety. According to the report, less than 24 hours of the train crash, Republicans in the House Appropriations Committee voted to reduce grants to Amtrak by $252 million.4. Two Georgia senators are urging the Obama administration to adopt a safety measure that would require large trucks to have speed-limit devices, WJCL News reports. The senators say that the proposed mandate has the ability to greatly reduce the number of accidents caused by speeding trucks.5. The Street lists the top six trucking companies to add to your stock portfolio. The stocks on the list are all rated with an A- or better. See who made the cut.

About the Author

Cristina Commendatore

Cristina Commendatore was previously the Editor-in-chief of FleetOwner magazine. She reported on the transportation industry since 2015, covering topics such as business operational challenges, driver and technician shortages, truck safety, and new vehicle technologies. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut.