The Infrastructure Spending and Jobs Act includes considerable funding for the transportation sector, including funds for improving freight corridors, addressing supply chain issues, promoting women in the workforce, and mandating truck emissions and carbon reduction programs. As federal agencies implement the Act, businesses in the transportation sector should pay close attention to new programs and regulations that may impose additional regulatory and safety burdens and costs on doing business.
For example, Section 23013 - Amendments to Regulations Relating to Transportation of Household Goods in Interstate Commerce - requires the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to issue a proposed rule to amend regulations relating to the interstate transportation of household goods, including consideration of the following recommendations, among others, to amend Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations as follows:
- Amend Section 375.207(b) to require covered carriers to include on their websites specified information on “Ready to Move-Tips for a Successful Interstate Move”;
- Amend Section 375.213 (a) and (b)(1) to require each covered carrier to provide each individual shipper specified information on “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move”;
- Amend Section 375.401(a) to require covered carriers to conduct a visual survey of the household goods to be transported; to offer a visual survey for all household goods shipments; and to provide each shipper a copy of the publication entitled “Ready to Move-Tips for a Successful Interstate Move”; and
- Amend other key sections related to shipper requests for additional service prior to loading.
Other required rulemakings to be undertaken by the Department of Transportation include revisions to restrictions on certain commercial driver's licenses (Section 23019) and changes to exemptions related to the transportation of agricultural commodities and farm supplies (Section 23018).
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.