Here are five things worth knowing today: 1. The Transportation Construction Coalition is running an advertising campaign targeting 16 members of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee over the highway bill. According to an Equipment World report, the ads personally call out lawmakers, telling them to fix the Highway Trust Fund and pass a long-term highway and public transit bill. Lawmakers have yet to return to work from their August recess. Equipment World has more. 2. A new hybrid engine system that promises to cut emissions from road haulage by up to a quarter was just released by Skeleton Technologies and Adgero, according to Business Green. According to the report, the system features high-power ultracapacitors that store power harnessed during braking and then release it through an electrically-driven axle for an acceleration boost. The companies project the technology will cut fuel consumption and carbon emissions by between 15 and 25%, depending on terrain and traffic. 3. Compressed natural gas use is up in the Metro East area, according to The Telegraph. According to the report, CNG stations have popped up recently and brewing giant Anheuser-Busch recently converted its fleet to CNG. In addition, W.W. Transport is another major company employing both CNG and diesel fuel. According to the report, there are three CNG filling stations in the Metro East, one in Saint Ann, Mo., and two in St. Louis. The Telegraph has more. 4. A food truck parked outside of a residential area in Southwest Miami-Dade exploded this morning, WSVN 7News reports. Officials said the food truck had a propane tank parked outside and it somehow exploded, according to the report. No injuries were reported, and two homes near the truck sustained minor damage, WSVN said. 5. FleetCor Technologies sold 2,700 of shares of stock on Monday, according to WKRB. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.59 for a total value of $401,193, the report said. WKRB has more.
