MTAC testifies before Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee

Connecticut Capital

Last Friday, MTAC President Joe Sculley testified before the legislature’s joint Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee on an important issue regarding the proposed raising of the motor fuels tax. In his testimony, Mr. Sculley discussed MTAC’s opposition to raising the motor fuels tax in Connecticut, based on the state’s history of spending the revenue for…

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Diesel drops 1.5 cents to $2.992 a gallon

Diesel Fuel Pump

From Transport Topics. The U.S. retail diesel average declined 1.5 cents to $2.992 a gallon, the Department of Energy reported March 5. Truckling’s main fuel has fallen in price four consecutive weeks totaling 9.4 cents. Diesel costs 41.3 cents more than a year ago, DOE reported after its survey of fueling stations. Crude oil rose…

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Federal energy tax breaks extended for 2017

From Bob Pitcher, State Laws Newsletter. As a part of the federal budget deal signed into law on February 9, 2018, Congress extended a number of federal tax provisions that expired at the end of calendar 2016. These provisions, most of them involving tax credits, have been extended by Congress from year to year, and…

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Morgan Truck Body to open $19 Million Connecticut factory

From Transport Topics. A Pennsylvania-based truck building company is the latest firm to invest its expansion efforts in Plainfield, Conn. The state Bond Commission on Feb. 16 approved a $4 million loan to Morgan Truck Body, which builds dry freight and refrigerated truck bodies for companies throughout the country. The company plans to construct a…

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Connecticut DOT pitches ‘astounding,’ cheaper plan to break I-95 gridlock

From CT Mirror. Connecticut could implement a “strategic and incremental” widening of Interstate 95 to relieve congestion along the state’s shoreline without having to take huge swaths of private property by eminent domain, a game-changer for breaking gridlock in Fairfield County, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said Thursday. But the governor, who cited the results of a…

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Conn. DOT increases weekend overweight permit allowance

From the Connecticut Department of Transportation. Effective immediately, we are increasing permitted weekend travel weight from 120,000 pounds to 160,000 pounds. The weekend size and weight limits overall are 13’6” High, 12’ Wide, 80’ Long, 160,000 pounds. Travel time for weekend moves is allowed from a half hour before sunrise, until noon. The permit application…

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New brake training classes

Brake training classes that will be held at the MTAC building have been scheduled for spring of 2018. Federal regulations require that any employee responsible for brake inspections, maintenance, service, or repairs on any commercial motor vehicle must understand the brake service or inspection task to be accomplished. The best way to do that is…

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Ray Martinez confirmed as FMCSA administrator

FMCSA logo

From Transport Topics. The Senate on Feb. 13 easily confirmed Ray Martinez to lead the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration as the Trump administration promotes a comprehensive infrastructure funding proposal. As the country’s top trucking regulator, Martinez will oversee a revamp of a safety performance scoring program agency-wide, as well as advancements in autonomous vehicle…

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Connecticut Dems pan Trump infrastructure plan

From CT Mirror. Washington – President Donald Trump rolled out his long-awaited infrastructure plan on Monday, which was quickly panned by Connecticut’s Democratic lawmakers, who are backing a rival proposal. Both plans face major challenges on the road to becoming reality. The basics of Trump’s plan to shore up the nation’s roads, bridges, airports, rail and broadband include…

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