The U.S. Department of Transportation will hold a series of public meetings to discuss inspection, repair and maintenance practices in the intermodal transportation industry.

Early this year, the American Trucking Assns. and its Intermodal Conference filed a petition with the Federal Highway Administration asking that safety rules be changed to shift more responsibility for compliance to owners or those who tender intermodal equipment. ATA argued that poor maintenance is a serious safety problem but motor carriers, which often bear the consequences of unsafe equipment, have limited opportunity to make needed repairs or even perform thorough inspections. FHWA responded with a published request for comments on the issue.
Numerous written comments have been received, but DOT says it hopes to gather additional input from what it calls "listening sessions" to emphasize interactive discussion.
Representatives of FHWA, the Federal Railroad Administration, and the Maritime Administration will be present. Motor carriers, businesses that offer intermodal container chassis and trailer for transportation, and all other interested parties are urged to attend. The meetings will be held Nov. 2 in Seattle, Nov. 9 in Des Plaines (Chicago), IL, and Nov. 15 in Jamaica (New York City), NY. For more information see the Oct. 20 Federal Register at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html.