Lawsuit Filed in the Death of a Texan Trucker in North Carolina

Fort Worth, TX -- Family members of the man killed in a semi-truck crash while driving on a North Carolina highway this year have filed a lawsuit against another driver and a Texas based tractor trailer trucking company.

Christopher Friday Oko, aged 40, was killed when traveling as a passenger in a semi on Interstate 85 in Creedmoor, North Carolina. The semi crashed into another semi resting on the side of the highway. The fiery crash also caused the death of a pedestrian at the scene.

The driver of the vehicle in which Oko was a passenger is currently charged with two counts of vehicular death. This woman, Xiujie Zhang Warner, was noted for traveling at high speeds prior to losing control of her semi and striking the parked other big rigs.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Mineta Announces $2.85 Billion Federal Down Payment To Restore Mass Tr

New York—U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta today announced $2.85 billion in transit funding for Lower Manhattan, the first down payment on the Bush administration’s commitment to restoring mass transit in Lower Manhattan in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

“The important thing for all taxpayers and the Lower Manhattan recovery is that these funds are available as needed for the grantee to expedite the development and completion of these critical public transportation projects,” said Secretary Mineta. The federal funding for these grants will be available this week.

Secretary Mineta was joined by New York Governor George E. Pataki and New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg for the announcement, which took place at the temporary PATH (Port Authority Trans Hudson) Station at Ground Zero in New York.

“President Bush and I remain committed to rebuilding Lower Manhattan and strengthening the transportation infrastructure that was destroyed by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks,” Secretary Mineta said. “These grants will help commuters get to their homes and work more quickly, and restore the efficiency of New York City’s mass transit system.”

“There is nothing more important than rebuilding and revitalizing Lower Manhattan as we never forget the heroes we lost on that awful day,” Governor Pataki said. “I want to thank President Bush and Secretary Mineta for this first step toward ensuring people who live, work and raise a family downtown will have the best transportation system possible.”

“Expanding our transportation system is crucial to the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “President Bush continues to deliver on his promise of providing the assistance necessary to rebuild and improve Downtown. These transportation projects will go a long way to turning Lower Manhattan into a first class 24-hour live/work community.”

“As the immediate success of the temporary World Trade Center PATH station clearly demonstrates, an efficient, convenient transportation system is essential for the continued recovery of Lower Manhattan,” said Empire State Development Corporation Chairman and Port Authority Vice Chairman Charles A. Gargano. “Today's federal commitment provides vital financial support for the creation of a world-class Transportation Hub at the World Trade Center site. We thank President Bush, Secretary Mineta, and the many members of Congress who have steadfastly supported the rebirth of Lower Manhattan.”

Peter S. Kalikow, Chairman of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, said, “We are pleased that Governor Pataki designated these important MTA projects as priorities for 100 percent federal funding. We are also grateful for the federal government's unprecedented support for transit projects that remove long standing obstacles to Downtown access.”

Secretary Mineta announced the following grants today:

• A $1.7 billion grant for the World Trade Center Permanent PATH Terminal – a terminal under the World Trade Center (WTC) site to serve the PATH subway system and provide pedestrian connections on the east to the Fulton Street Transit Center and on the west across West Street (Route 9A) to the World Financial Center and World Financial Center Ferry Terminal. Prior to September 11, 2001, the WTC Terminal served over 130,000 commuter trips daily.
• A $750 million grant for the Fulton Street Transit Center – a rehabilitated, enhanced, multi-level underground complex of stations to serve 12 different subway lines and over 275,000 commuter trips daily.
• A $400 million grant for the South Ferry Subway Terminal—replacement of the functionally obsolete station adjacent to and under Battery Park. The project will transform the single track, five-car station that serves the 1 and 9 subway lines with a three-track, 10-car, stub end two-platform terminal, and will be located immediately adjacent to renovated Staten Island ferry.

Since the fall of 2002, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been working with New York Gov. George E. Pataki, New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, and a transportation working group assembled by the Governor. The working group includes the State of New York, the City of New York, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. The group is continuing to work to identify and prioritize major transportation capital investment projects to be implemented with the available funding.

US Department of Transportation, Jan 11, 2008

FMCSA Announces Retention of Limits on Truck Driver Hours of Service

Washington - Truck drivers will continue to be limited to driving only 11 hours within a 14-hour duty period, after which they must go off duty for at least 10 hours under an Interim Final Rule (IFR) made public today by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The IFR was developed after new data showed that safety levels have been maintained since the 11-hour driving limit was first implemented in 2003.

"This proposal keeps in place hours-of-service limits that improve highway safety by ensuring that drivers are rested and ready to work," FMCSA Administrator John H. Hill said. "The data makes clear that these rules continue to protect drivers, make our roads safer and keep our economy moving."

The agency noted that, in 2006, the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled was 1.94 - the lowest rate ever recorded. Similarly, since 2003, the percentage of large trucks involved in fatigue-related fatal crashes in the 11th hour of driving has remained below the average of the years 1991-2002. In 2005 alone, the agency noted, there was only one large truck involved in a fatigue-related fatal crash in the 11th hour of driving while in 2004 there were none.

In addition, between 2003, when the 11-hour driving limit and the 34-hour restart were adopted, and 2006, the percent of fatigue-related large truck crashes relative to all fatal large truck crashes has remained consistent. And the agency's estimates show that only seven percent of large truck crashes are fatigue related.

Hill noted that the agency also is working to finalize a proposed rule that would require drivers and trucking companies with serious or repeat hours-of-service violations to track their hours of service using electronic on-board recorders.

The agency issued the new hours of service rule in response to the recent decision by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals vacating key provisions of the existing hours of service rules effective on December 27. In order to ensure no gap in coverage of these important safety rules, today's rule temporarily reinstates those two provisions while the agency gathers public comment on its actions and the underlying safety analysis before issuing a final rule.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association, Dec 21, 2007

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