January 22, 2015: Heavier trucks as environmental salve; Teamsters lose another FedEx Freight vote; Rise of fake engine noise.

Here is a look at what is happening in the world of transportation this morning:

• Steve Pociask, president of the American Consumer Institute, pens an opinion column for the Daily Caller in support of higher truck weight limits as a way to help the environment.
• Shorter global supply chains and more “last-mile” delivery demands may create new challenges and opportunities for trucking, reports The City Wire.
• An intermodal executive is set to become the new head of the California Trucking Association, notes the Sacramento Bee newspaper.
• The Teamsters lose another vote in its campaign to organize drivers at LTL carrier FedEx Freight, according to Reuters.
• Maryland state police believe fatigue may be a factor in a propane tanker crash, reports WMDT 47.
• An NYC transportation committee member calls for truck side guards for commercial vehicles in the Big Apple following a bicyclist’s death, notes Streetsblog NYC.
• More and more automakers are creating “fake engine noise” to compensate for smaller, quieter, yet more fuel efficient car and truck engines, according to the Washington Post.
• The collapse of a highway overpass in Cincinnati this week convinced New Jersey’s Department of Transportation to conduct an emergency bridge review, notes North Jersey.com.
• A surprise rate cut by the Bank of Canada is being taken as another sign that more global economic volatility may lie ahead than expected, according to CNBC.
• One Saudi Arabian price believes oil will never again attain a $100 per barrel price point, notes Fox Business.
• U.S. housing starts are up to their highest rate in seven years, according to MarketWatch; good news for trucking as motor carriers haul a good deal of housing-related freight.
• Even if one exercises regularly, excessive sitting still increases the risks of premature death, notes The Province.