Your Jan. 24 Pre-Trip: Trump pulls out of Trans-Pacific Partnership

Jan. 24, 2017
Here are five things worth knowing in trucking today.

Here are five things worth knowing today:

1. Trump deserts Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal

On his first full day in office, President Donald Trump pulled out of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Monday, The New York Times reports. The TPP, which had not been approved by Congress, was President Obama’s signature trade agreement, designed to link a dozen nations in a “complex web of trade rules,” according to the report. The deal was “sold as a way to permanently tie the United States to East Asia and create an economic bulwark against a rising China,” The Times said. Trump is also expected to move quickly to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.

2. States submit transportation projects to Trump

According to The Hill, states have submitted more than 300 transportation projects for President Trump to consider. The National Governors Association reports that 43 states and territories have weighed in so far, and more states are expected to submit their infrastructure requests in the coming weeks. The Hill has more.

3. Senate Democrats unveil infrastructure plan

Senate Democrats are set to offer a trillion-dollar infrastructure plan to President Trump today to help rebuild the nation’s roads, railways, airports and waterways over the next 10 years, The New York Times reports. According to the report, the plan includes $180 billion dedicated to rail and bus systems, $65 billion to ports, airports and waterways, and $100 billion for energy infrastructure.

4. Tablets to boost driver productivity

Swift Transportation has issued new Samsung tablets to its drivers in an effort to help streamline paperwork and data entry and boost productivity. According to a Fortune report, the idea is to give drivers a system that allows for a more comprehensive, easily navigated workflow so they could quickly enter the necessary data and get back on the road. So far, the system has gone through six weeks of early testing.

5. Five trucking simulator games to try

Windowsreport has compiled a list of some truck simulator games for Windows 10 in which players ride through some of the “USA’s most dramatic landscapes” in 3D. American Truck Simulator, Rig ‘n’ Roll, and 18 Wheels of Steel: American Long Haul are some of the games on the list. Check them out.

About the Author

Cristina Commendatore

Cristina Commendatore was previously the Editor-in-chief of FleetOwner magazine. She 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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