Your Dec. 7 Pre-Trip: Trump and NAFTA

Dec. 7, 2016
Here are five things worth knowing in trucking today.

Here are five things worth knowing today:

1. NAFTA is here to stay

During his campaign, one of president-elect Donald Trump’s top criticisms was the low regard he had for trade deals negotiated under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Trump promised to renegotiate NAFTA and often referred to it as the “worst trade deal ever agreed to.” According to a Forbes report, which cited the deal to keep Carrier jobs in Indiana, “Trump’s transition team is backpedaling on the claim that the days of NAFTA as the country has known are numbered.” The report continues on to say that Trump’s team is instead talking about adjustments and modifications to the deal. Forbes has more.

2. Groups sue NHTSA over automatic braking

Three advocacy groups are suing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for failing to respond to a petition calling for the agency to require automakers to adopt automatic emergency braking, The Detroit News reports. According to the report, back in March, NHTSA made a voluntary agreement with 20 automakers that called for most car manufacturers to make automatic emergency brakes standard by 2022. The Consumer Watchdog and Center for Auto Safety groups and a former NHTSA administrator petitioned the NHTSA in January to make automatic braking mandatory. Last month, the groups filed a lawsuit against the agency that alleges NHTSA violated a law requiring a response to petitions within 120 days of receiving them. The Detroit News has more.

3. Women In Trucking seeks nominations

The Women in Trucking Association announced it is seeking nominations for its 2017 Distinguished Woman in Logistics Award, DC Velocity reports. The program is open to high-performing women in any field related to logistics, including warehousing, traffic and shipping, supply chain management, third party logistics, trucking, rail, and maritime cargo.

4. Container shipping to begin at Port of Oswego

CNY Central reports that more jobs are coming to the Port of Oswego as the port now has the equipment to remove large shipping containers. According to the report, this means good things for the port itself, which currently employs between 50 and 60 people, and for Central New York. With container shipping on the rise, the port said as more ships are booked, more well-paying jobs will follow.

5. Jacksonville considers autonomous vehicle future

Jacksonville, FL, transportation officials are in discussions with autonomous vehicle manufacturers and hope to set up a pilot program for the city in the next two years. According to The Florida Times-Union, some companies are exploring pilot programs to use autonomous shuttles for public transportation. The Jacksonville Transportation Authority would determine what is feasible for Jacksonville and a pilot would determine how autonomous vehicles would work there, according to the report.

About the Author

Cristina Commendatore

Cristina Commendatore is the Editor in Chief of FleetOwner magazine. She has reported on the transportation industry since 2015, covering topics such as business operational challenges, driver and technician shortages, truck safety, and new vehicle technologies. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut.

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