The South Dakota House approved a bill that would revise the licensing process for truckers and ensure the state complies with federal transportation safety guidelines, officials said.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration must still reach agreement with Mexico for U.S. personnel to conduct safety inspections of Mexican fleets in that country before the agency can allow Mexican trucks to begin operating throughout the United States, said an audit report by the Department of Transportation’s Office of the Inspector General.

Rep. John Dingell said he planned to reintroduce clean diesel legislation he originally had proposed in 2003 when it died in committee.

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear two cases appealing Michigan court decisions that upheld the state’s $100 flat fee on trucks that haul both within the state and from Michigan to out-of-state destinations.

The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration launched a program that would allow fleets to receive daily, weekly or monthly updates on their drivers’ records. Several trucking companies have shown an interest in participating, a state official said.

Security screening devices that use radiation to scan the contents of trucks and trailers at ports and border crossings may pose health risks, Teamsters union representatives said.

A diesel fuel standard requiring a minimum amount of lubricating qualities, which was adopted Jan. 1 by several states, recently has spotlighted the need for lubricity. But industry officials said this standard was necessary several years ago.

A California Air Resources Board regulation limiting trucks to five minutes of idling time when they are not active was scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, but the agency did not anticipate strict enforcement of the regulation, its spokesman said.

House of Representatives Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) indicated that when Congress convenes in January he would seek funding for highway projects left out of the 2005 transportation spending bill, a congressional staff member said.

The California Air Resources Board voted Dec. 9 to require five engine manufacturers to upgrade emission reduction software in certain trucks that operate in the state by the end of April. The mandate replaces the voluntary plan instituted earlier this year.