With the year fast coming to a close, it’s time to look back at the Top 10 news issues of 2012 as determined by our online readers and subscribers to Bulk Logistics Trends, our weekly email newsletter. These are the issue-related stories that got the most hits over the past year.

Our top story was the economy and how the tank truck industry is doing well despite continued slow growth for the US economy as a whole. Other top stories focused on the continued oilfield boom, tank cleaning expansions, changes in the cargo tank manufacturing sector, Navistar’s reluctant embrace of SCR technology, hours of service rule changes, latest development on the natural gas front, a more aggressive enforcement stance at DOT, and tank truck carrier expansion and consolidation.

We’d like your comments on the Top 10 list. Were these the stories you think are important to the bulk logistics sector in 2012? What should have been on the list and why? Contact us at Facebook or by email.

No. 1 in 2012: Tank fleets continue to outpace trucking industry in general

Tank truck carriers continued to perform the rest of the trucking industry, making 2012 another good year for tank fleets.

No. 2 in 2012: Oilfield boom keeps tank fleets busy

With the United States poised to become the world’s largest oil producer by 2020, the oilfield remained a hot opportunity for many tank truck carriers.

No. 3 in 2012: Wash rack operators get back on the growth track

With the economy showing slow improvement and chemical haulers getting busier, tank wash rack operators began opening new locations again and upgrading existing locations. Wash rack consolidation also continued.

No. 4 in 2012: Significant changes occurred among cargo tank manufacturers

Significant mergers and acquisitions occurred among US cargo tank manufacturers during the year. In addition, some struggled financially.

No. 5 in 2012: Navistar officially embraces SCR-based engine emission controls

Navistar International Corporation announced August 2 that it would add selective catalytic reduction-based controls to its previously announced next-generation ICT+ (In-Cylinder Technology Plus) heavy-duty diesel engines. The shift in emission control technology is one of a series of steps Navistar is taking to rescue its market position.

No. 6 in 2012: CSA program changes take effect in December

A number of changes to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program are coming in December. Topping the list for tank truck carriers is the official implementation of the Hazardous Materials Compliance BASIC.

No. 7 in 2012: For many tank truck fleets, new HOS rules could have been worse

Scheduled to take effect July 1, 2013, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA’s) final rule retains the current 11-hour daily driving limit, but reduces by 12 hours the maximum number of hours a truck driver can work within a week.

No. 8 in 2012: Clean Energy unveils backbone of America’s Natural Gas Highway and fleets await the new 12-liter NG engine

route plan for the first phase of 150 new LNG fueling stations for America’s Natural Gas Highway (ANGH) was unveiled January 12, 2012 by Clean Energy Fuels Corp, a leading provider of natural gas fuel for transportation in North America. The company has identified 98 locations and anticipates having 70 stations open by the end of 2012 in 33 states. In March 2012, Cummins unveiled the Cummins Westport 12-liter ISX12 G spark-ignition natural gas engine during the Mid-America Trucking Show.

No. 9 in 2012: The Department of Transportation and its agencies pursued more aggressive enforcement actions

In one of many examples over the course of the year, the US Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) ordered Pleasant Grove UT-based Reliable Transportation Services Inc to immediately cease all transportation services, declaring the trucking company and its principal, Jay Zachary Barber, an imminent hazard to public safety.

No. 10 in 2012: Tank fleet expansion, consolidation pick up pace

A number of tank truck carriers grew through strategic acquisitions during the other. Others expanded operations to pursue growth opportunities, many of which were tied to the oilfield boom.