Best of the Web

• Applause for New MPG Standards for Heavy-Duty Trucks Fleet Owner magazine says the new fuel-efficiency standards for heavy work trucks are being widely praised.
• Best Values in Cars & Trucks Vincentric, a Michigan-based firm that analyzes consumer vehicles for overall value to the buyers, offers its look at the top 2011 models in numerous categories.
• Biodiesel Okay for Winter Use Canadian study finds biodiesel fuel okay for winter use in heavy, off-road machinery.
• Construction-Related Software Apps Listed by ACPA The American Concrete Pavement Association has assembled and offers a library of construction-related software apps
• Crane Hotline A commercial site for crane industry news and products from Maximum Capacity Media.
• Green Building Market Grows 50 Percent in Two Years Looking for a growing market in which to bid? Maybe this one would fit your business.
• How To Inspect A Used, Mid-Sized Excavator Here’s an overview of what to look for when buying a used excavator. From Equipment World magazine.
• Huge "Mechanical Monstrosities" Here you’ll find facts and illustrations depicting machines that are longer than the Eiffel Tower or use as much fuel in a day as 400 cars do in a year.
• IPhone and iPad Apps Aid Construction Management Brief looks at some portable software tools that just might fit your needs.
• Is an Equipment Revolution on the Horizon? First there was horsepower, then steam power, followed by diesel power, then hydraulics. The next construction equipment revolution might be in sight, according to one industry onlooker.
• Just for Fun, Part 1: Video of Working Scale Model Equipment These 1/16-scale models of heavy equipment work a modeled jobsite while rock music plays.
• Just for Fun, Part 2: More Model Machines in Action Here’s a You Tube video showing scale model Cats moving truckloads of real dirt. Skip through the video to see different machines and perspectives.
• Machinery Photos Galore at biglorryblog.com Photos galore of commercial equipment on tires or tracks! Cool, pretty, goofy, amazing — they’re all here.
• Move It! How the U.S. gets transportation policy wrong—and how to get it right The Wall Street Journal offers a highly critical look at — and recommendations for — U.S. transportation and infrastructure policies by Robert Puentes, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program.
• Negligence Drops U.S. Infrastructure to 23rd, The Economist Reports “America, despite its wealth and strength, often seems to be falling apart,” The Economist says. “America now ranks 23rd for overall infrastructure quality, between Spain and Chile. Its roads, railways, ports and air-transport infrastructure are all judge
• New Revenue Source: Pay to "Play" with Equipment Florida contractor gives folks a chance to experience heavy equipment operation — for a price.
• Overview of Crane and Derrick Rules The Occupational Safety and Health Administration offers this Small Entity Compliance Guide for Cranes and Derricks in Construction to help businesses comply with rules established in August 2010.
• Potholes: A Deep National Problem Bloomberg Businessweek reports on the hard-felt ramifications of decreased funding for road repair and construction.
• ProPickup Magazine A new, must-see site for professionals who are serious, even passionate, about their pickup truck. Lots of tips on getting the most from your pickup.
• Small Builders Anchor the Housing Industry Survey by the National Association of Homebuilders finds that small operations are key to the nation’s housing efforts.
• The AGC's 35-Point Plan for Recovery Here’s a plan from the Associated General Contractors of America outlining 35 concrete steps that the association believes would boost the construction industry and the country as a whole.
• The Case for "Clean" Construction Reuters News Agency offers an overview of the various facets of the environmental movement in the construction industry.
• The Most Efficient Pickup Trucks for 2011 Pro Pickup magazine takes a look at the numbers from the Environmental Protection Agency.
• The Scary Truth: The U.S. has a Big Transportation Deficit An op-ed piece advocating the need to spend money on U.S. transportation infrastructure — or suffer the economic consequenses
• The U.S. DOT's 2012 Proposed Spending Plan For a close look at the DOT’s proposed budget expenditures for 2012, check out this numbers document from the DOT.
• Top Five States for Construction Workers Here are the states where things look best for construction workers right now, as reported by Financial Edge.
• Train System Would Mean Jobs A McClatchy Newspapers article points to an outdated railway system and says that new railways would bring millions of jobs, including construction jobs, as well as an improved transportation system.
• Transportation Creates Jobs, Says American Road & Transportation Builders Association If you want to support your argument for public funding of roads as an investment in jobs, here’s a good spot to collect information.
• Voices of the Recovery Act Curious about who’s benefitting from Recovery Act funds? Here’s a point-and-click map that brings up contractors telling their stories. Or add a video telling how the Recovery Act helped you.