January 3, 2012: U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced a final rule specifically prohibiting interstate truck and bus drivers from using hand-held cell phones while operating their vehicles. The joint rule from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is the latest action by the U.S. Department of Transportation to end distracted driving. "When drivers of large trucks, buses and hazardous materials take their eyes...

December 30, 2011: The owners of a New York City construction and demolition debris trucking contractor have been indicted on charges that they engaged in a scheme to skirt a collective bargaining agreement and embezzle more than $1 million in union benefit fund payments, prosecutors announced Dec. 22. (United States v. Fusella, E.D.N.Y., No. 11-CR-844, indictment issued 12/22/11). In an indictment unsealed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, defendants...

December 30, 2011: Members of the International Brotherhood or Teamsters have ratified a first contract with United Airlines, a subsidiary of United Continental Holdings Inc., that provides some 5,500 aircraft mechanics and related employees with “significant” wage increases, maintenance of health care benefits, and enhanced job security protections, the union announced Dec. 29. “Passage of this agreement was a real breakthrough and a major step toward achieving the ultimate goal of a single combined contract...

December 23, 2011: Throughout 2011, the NLRB's General Counsel increasingly has used its power to issue and prosecute unfair labor practice complaints against employers that have disciplined employees for Facebook, Twitter or other social media posts that the employers considered detrimental to their business. The General Counsel also has issued complaints against employers for promulgating social media policies that it believed was overbroad because they tended to prohibit employees from engaging in protected activity. Click...

December 22, 2011: The long-awaited final rule on revised hours of service has been released, keeping the current 11-hour daily driving limit but cutting by 12 hours the maximum number of hours a truck driver can work within a week. In addition, truck drivers cannot drive after working eight hours without first taking a break of at least 30 minutes. Drivers can take the 30-minute break whenever they need rest during the eight-hour window. FMCSA...

December 16, 2011: YRC Worldwide said late Thursday it has sold “a significant portion” of the assets of its truckload unit YRC Glen Moore to truckload carrier Celadon Group. YRC Glen Moore unit lost $10.3 million through the first three quarters of 2011, with a 113.4 operating ratio. Sales totaled $76.7 million. Click here to read more at Transport Topics.

December 14, 2011: The Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration have set Thursday, Dec. 22 as the date the FMCSA will release the final rule on Hours of Service, a source has told The Trucker. The agency had promised to release the rule no later than Dec. 28 as part of the court settlement between the FMCSA and safety advocacy groups who have successfully challenged HOS rules on three different occasions....

December 14, 2011: After decades of uncertainty over millions of dollars of potential pension withdrawal liability, Teamsters union-covered trucking companies in multi-employer pension plans finally have some tangible financial rays of hope. And that is good news for shippers, who stand to benefit from potential changes that will make it easier for surviving carriers in multi-employer plans to remain in business and prosper. Click here to read more at Logistics Management.

December 13, 2011: Underwriters, trucking companies and industry groups have mixed opinions on the merits and potential impact of a new federal rule prohibiting commercial truckers and bus drivers from using hand-held cellphones while driving. The new rule, announced jointly on Nov. 23 by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, will impose civil fines of up to $2,750 for interstate truck drivers and bus drivers caught using...

December 1, 2011: Shareholders of the Overland Park, Kan., company on Wednesday authorized what is called a reverse split of its shares. The split is intended in part to raise the per-share price above $1 and bring YRC into compliance with NASDAQ market listing rules. The stock split is effective Friday, according to preliminary results released by the company. YRC’s ticker symbol will temporarily change from YRCW to YRCWD. The ticker symbol will revert to...