Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 2.1 percent lower in October 2008 than in October 2007, reaching $72.7 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico rose 1.2 percent in October from September. Month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations and other factors.

Surface transportation consists largely of freight movements by truck, rail and pipeline. About 88 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moves on land.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in October was up 38.8 percent compared to October 2003, and up 74.9 percent compared to October 1998, a period of 10 years. Imports in October were up 75 percent compared to October 1998, while exports were up 74.8 percent.

U.S. Surface Transportation Trade with Canada
U.S.–Canada surface transportation trade totaled $44.8 billion in October, down 6.1 percent compared to October 2007. The value of imports carried by truck was 17.5 percent lower in October 2008 compared to October 2007, while the value of exports carried by truck was 9.5 percent lower.

Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada in October with $5.3 billion.

U.S. Surface Transportation Trade with Mexico
U.S.– Mexico surface transportation trade totaled $27.9 billion in October, up 5.1 percent compared to October 2007. The value of imports carried by truck was 5.9 percent lower in October 2008 than October 2007 while the value of exports carried by truck was 18.4 percent higher.

Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico in October with $9.0 billion.

Most people are aware that vehicle exhaust causes air pollution, commonly referred to as smog. Pollutants such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and particulates (black soot) are released from the exhaust and affect the quality of the air we breathe. Driving a car also contributes to another environmental problem: the greenhouse effect.

About the label
The Fuel Consumption Label is an Australian Government initiative to promote consumer demand for vehicles with good fuel efficiency and lower greenhouse impact. All new vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass sold in Australia, regardless of fuel or body type, are required to have a Fuel Consumption Label on the front windscreen. This includes passenger cars, four wheel drives and light commercial vehicles.

The label indicates how many litres of fuel a vehicle will use to travel 100 kilometres and how many grams of carbon dioxide the vehicle would emit for each kilometre. The rating is based on a standard test procedure so you can reliably compare the performance of different models under identical conditions.

The lower the numbers, the better the vehicle.

Encouraging consumer preferences toward vehicles of greater fuel efficiency will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport. In addition, introducing mandatory CO2 labelling will raise consumer awareness of the role fuel efficient vehicles play in helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the relative impacts of different fuel types.

It should be noted that, while the fuel label provides standard fuel consumption and CO2 figures for comparing different vehicles, it should only be regarded as a guide. You may experience different results when actually driving the vehicle because the fuel consumption of a particular vehicle will depend on what traffic conditions it is driven in, how you drive the vehicle and how well the vehicle is maintained.

With motor vehicle crashes being a leading cause of deaths among combat veterans during the first years after their return home, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Defense (DOD) are working together to reduce these accidents.

The government announced the creation of a new program designed to identify needed research involving recently returned veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan and to increase awareness of the importance of safe driving among newly-demobilized veterans.

Experts in transportation safety, veterans' health and medical care, and public health are identifying gaps in current knowledge and developing a strategic plan for addressing key research questions, in fields ranging from epidemiology to psychology and bio mechanics.

Participants in the strategic planning process include scientists and policy officials from VA, DOT, DOD and Department of Health and Human Services, as well as non-governmental experts. The resulting strategic plan will lay out research needs and identify priorities for the initiative.

The safe-driving initiative strives to increase awareness of motor vehicle crashes among veterans and the importance of safe driving, seatbelt and helmet usage, and other measures. To reach out to veterans and their families, VA will create a national educational program using the Department's network of medical centers, community clinics, drop-in counseling centers (Vet Centers), and veterans benefits offices.

The initiative will also include outreach to mobilize national veterans service organizations; the nation's governors and state police, safety officers, and state highway safety officials; and the private sector - including employers; automobile, motorcycle and sports vehicle dealers and manufacturers; the motor vehicle insurance industry; and driving and motorcycle racing enthusiasts' organizations.

According to the Department of Transportation, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for all Americans between the ages of eight through 34. Men constitute about 70 percent of all traffic deaths. In the past decade, both deaths and injuries from motor vehicle crashes have gone down in the United States, due to increases in seat-belt use and decreases in alcohol involvement, among other factors.

Nonetheless, motor vehicle accidents remain a major concern in the military and among veterans as the greatest cause of accidental fatalities. Several studies have reported an increase in post-deployment deaths among military personnel who served in a combat zone compared to their non-deployed counterparts, who are in the military but not deployed to a war, after both the Vietnam War and the 1991 Gulf War. Preliminary evidence also indicates this is the case with veterans from the Global War on Terror.

The Associated Press reported on Monday that Oregon Governor Kulongoski is proposing that the state legislature adopt a state mileage tax to compensate for the state transportation funding shortfalls. The proposal is part of the Governor's transportation bill for the upcoming 2009 legislative session.

"As Oregonians drive less and demand more fuel-efficient vehicles, it is increasingly important that the state find a new way, other than the gas tax, to finance our transportation system," Governor Kulongoski said.

This is one example of the type of innovative solutions I have been encouraging local and state officials to consider over the last few months. There are fundamental problems to our current system of financing transportation infrastructure across the country, and these problems will only be solved if our community leaders tap into creative alternatives.

Governor Kulongoski's proposal is based on a yearlong Road User Fee Pilot Program that the Oregon Department of Transportation launched in April 2006.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is alerting consumers of a recall involving certain Britax child restraints that could fail to properly secure young passengers in the event of a vehicle crash.

"It is extremely important that parents and caregivers are aware of the recall and take action to get their child restraints repaired," said NHTSA Acting Administrator David Kelly.

Britax is recalling these child seats because the harness straps may detach from the metal yoke on the back of the child restraint if repeatedly loosened one strap at a time. The affected models include Britax models E9L54E7, E9L54H6, E9L54H7, E9L54M6 manufactured on or before September 14, 2008, and model E9L5490 manufactured on or before September 17, 2008.

To the fix the problem, Britax will mail rubber caps that prevent the straps from detaching to all registered owners.

In addition, Kelly is urging all parents and caregivers to sign-up with NHTSA to automatically receive updates about child seat recalls via email. NHTSA research shows that less than half of affected consumers respond to child seat recalls.

"One of the reasons we see such a low return rate is because owners are difficult to reach if they have not registered the seat with us or the manufacturer," said Kelly.

New National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) research shows that between 2002 and 2006, nearly four fatalities out of 10 involved alcohol-impaired crashes in the last two weeks of December. The new study also found that 21-24 year-old drivers are involved in more alcohol-impaired fatal crashes than any other age group, announced NHTSA Acting Administrator David Kelly

"Drunk driving is one of the most serious, and preventable, dangers we face on our roadways," Kelly said. "Sadly, the death toll from drunk-driving crashes is higher between Christmas and New Year’s than any other time."

The new report was released on the eve of a national crackdown against impaired driving that involves thousands of law enforcement agencies throughout the country and runs through the New Year's holiday. The "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest" law enforcement and public awareness campaign is supported by a $7 million national television and radio advertising campaign.

Acting Administrator Kelly warned motorists to obey the law and drive sober to avoid being stopped by police.

"Our law enforcement officers are giving up their holiday time with their families to protect us all from drunk drivers," Kelly said. "Make no mistake about it, violators will get a free ride to jail. So before you go out to celebrate, be responsible and designate a sober driver."

Buying a new vehicle is stressful enough without having to make a decision about how to pay for it. Zero - percent financing, rebate offers of thousands of dollars, small down payments, bank financing, dealer financing – so many choices are enough to make your head spin even before you've taken your dream purchase out for a spin. The - Automover offers these tips to help you save time and money when it comes to shopping for an auto loan.

1. Review your credit report long before you intend to apply for a loan. A credit report is a summary of your financial reliability – for the most part, your history of paying debts and other bills – as compiled by a company called a credit bureau. Why should you see your credit report before applying for a car loan? To correct any error before it slows down your credit approval or prevents you from getting the best possible loan terms. "Erroneous information can cost you hundreds of dollars because you could be disqualified from the best financing terms available," says Joni Creamean, a Senior Consumer Affairs Specialist with the FDIC. "You will be considered a riskier borrower and charged higher rates or be required to provide a larger down payment." Creamean adds that it could take months to correct errors in your credit history.

2. Shop for a loan before you visit a dealership or bid for a car over the Internet. Contact your bank and several other local lenders. Ask about the loans they offer – the number of months for which you can borrow, the interest rates being offered, whether there are penalties if you pay the loan off early, and so on. Ask about other options for financing the car.

3. Be careful figuring out how much to borrow and for how long. Of course, the dollar amount of your loan largely will be determined by the sale price of the vehicle minus your down payment, any rebates and the value of any trade-in. But there are other costs that you should consider when deciding how much of a car you can afford and how much of a loan you need. Those costs include auto insurance, sales taxes, annual property taxes on the car (if any), and options you may be inclined to buy, such as an extended warranty. Also remember that every item you add to your loan instead of paying up-front will add to the total cost of the loan because you will be paying interest on the amount financed.

4. Know what you are signing and speak up if you think there's a problem. A variety of laws provide consumer protections in the context of auto loans. Among them: the federal Truth in Lending Act, which requires lenders to disclose to borrowers the terms of a loan (including the Annual Percentage Rate and the total cost of the loan), and federal and state laws that prohibit unfair or deceptive business practices. However, you have a responsibility for protecting yourself, too.

"Drunk driving is one of the most serious, and preventable, dangers we face on our roadways," Kelly said. "Sadly, the death toll from drunk-driving crashes is higher between Christmas and New Year's than any other time."

Acting Administrator Kelly warned motorists to obey the law and drive sober to avoid being stopped by police.

"Our law enforcement officers are giving up their holiday time with their families to protect us all from drunk drivers," Kelly said. "Make no mistake about it, violators will get a free ride to jail. So before you go out to celebrate, be responsible and designate a sober driver."

In a move to improve customer service, the Department of Government Services has introduced a new pilot telephone service centre for motor registration. Located at the Millbrook Mall in Corner Brook, the centre is staffed by four dedicated phone agents, in addition to four other positions already located at motor registration offices in Mount Pearl, Grand Falls-Windsor and Corner Brook.

"At a time when many businesses are moving towards automated call distribution systems, we are bucking that trend and improving customer service by providing a live person when customers call our offices," said the Honourable Kevin O'Brien, Minister of Government Services. "Our number one complaint has been the difficulty people had when they called our offices and had to navigate the automated system. I want our customers to know that we listened to them. I am very pleased that we are able to test this service so that when someone calls us, they will talk directly to a live person on the other end."

The pilot project started on July 8. As a pilot project, the department will examine the new phone system to determine if it is a viable, long-term measure to improve customer service. In addition, the system will be monitored for any adjustments needed in its early stages.

"We know that many people will choose to call motor registration before lining up at the counter," said Minister O'Brien. "The new teleservice centre allows for an interactive conversation which will help customers with their request. Not all transactions are straight forward and this will give customers the opportunity to know exactly what documents they need to have prior to coming to our office. As well, there may be better alternatives that they might not be aware of, such as using fax, mail or Internet services, which would save them time and travel costs. As a result, we expect that, over time, this service will also help reduce wait times at motor registration offices as fewer direct calls allow staff to concentrate on counter service."

"The implementation has been very smooth and, on the whole, a positive experience with great feedback from our customers," said Minister O’Brien. "However, this is a new system and, while a great improvement, we ask the public to be patient as we work out any difficulties."

On average, the motor registration division processes nearly 1.5 million transactions a year, including approximately 300,000 customers directly over the counter at offices throughout the province.

In Budget 2008, the Provincial Government reduced the annual vehicle registration fee from $180 to $140 and continued the 10 per cent online vehicle registration discount, providing a further reduction to $126. The $40 reduction is expected to return some $10 million annually to vehicles owners and the online discount, first introduced in Budget 2007, is expected to result in an additional $800,000 in savings.