The U.S. House of Representatives today approved a major transportation bill by a vote of 373 to 52. “This measure includes historic reforms – cutting red tape and consolidating or eliminating nearly 70 federal programs,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John L. Mica. The unprecedented reforms in the transportation bill will streamline the lengthy project approval process, consolidate or eliminate federal programs, and ensure that states have more flexibility to direct limited resources to high-priority needs.

Talbert Manufacturing, a leader in the engineering and manufacturing of heavy-haul, specialized and custom-built trailers, has appointed industry veteran Gerald (Jerry) Rothwell as Director of Business Development. This position is designed to create and expand markets for the Talbert trailer lines throughout North America.

Kentucky High Tech Performance Trailers will present its new custom Race Transporter at the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series Quaker State 400 on June 29 and June 30 in Sparta, Kentucky. The trailer exemplifies Kentucky High Tech Performance Trailers extraordinary design-and-build capabilities. Each Race Transporter is custom built to fit specific team requirements for each race series.

On June 20, Meritor announced it has invested more than $2.7 million in improving its remanufacturing facility in Plainfield, IN, to meet its North American customers’ growing need for remanufactured components, especially brake shoes.

Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems has been recognized for achieving workplace safety milestones at its headquarters in Elyria, OH. Bendix, a North American provider of active safety and braking system technologies, was honored for remaining accident-free at its Elyria facility in 2011, and earned a special award for surpassing 3 million accident-free hours between 2008 and 2011.

Felling Trailers has added to its product line with the X55 Cross/Over Dump trailer. Primary applications for Felling’s X55 Cross/Over include hauling materials such as rip rap, clay, demolition and a multitude of other materials that current bottom dumps cannot haul.

Jon Morrison, president and general manager, Meritor WABCO made remarks pertaining to “Innovation ROI” during today’s Commercial Vehicle Megatrends USA 2012 conference in Dearborn, MI, at The Henry.

Meritor, Inc. (NYSE: MTOR) offers unique capabilities with its Vehicle Dynamics mobile laboratory. Traveling throughout North America, various products and capabilities are tested on location including: Truck and Trailer: SMARTandem® axle, tire inflation systems and drum and air disc brake development; Specialty and Off-Highway: Adaptive damping systems for off-highway seats, as well as bus and fire truck suspensions; Defense: The ProTec™ High Mobility Independent Suspension (HMIS), adaptive damping systems, tire inflation systems and suspension height control are tuned for best performance in the specific combat environment in which they will be used.

Shur-Co®, LLC, a leader in the cover and containment industry for 58 years, has expanded its product line once again, introducing the DuraPull™ Semi-automatic pull tarp system for dump bodies, belly dumps, landscape boxes and end dumps up to 24 ft.

Wabash National Corporation (NYSE: WNC) recently announced production of its first carbon steel vacuum tanker, designed to transport bulk non-hazardous liquids primarily for the oil and gas industry. The new product offering will add up to 60 additional jobs for Wabash National in Lafayette, IN.