Logistics
August 20, 2026
Written by Stephen Miller
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has agreed to rescind the Open Top Loading Rule (OTLR), according to a notice issued by the Recycled Material Association (ReMA).
The rule required loose recycled material not to be piled above the top edge of the railcar, mainly gondolas. The rationale for the rule was the material can shift, affecting stability, or material can fall off the car during transit.
Canadian steel producers will get new help moving material across the country under a federal freight rebate plan launched on Aug. 10.
Gregg Troian, industry veteran and president of both PGT Trucking and the Board of Directors at the American Transportation Research Institute, cautions that the trucking industry continues to face mounting obstacles.
Steel trade groups have come out in support of the Building Unrivaled Infrastructure and Long-term Development for America's 250th Act (BUILD America 250 Act)
The Iran war and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have sent oil and aluminum prices soaring higher. The impact on steel has been mostly indirect but hardly insignificant – especially when it comes to the costs of moving metal.