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Truck-rail intermodal freight increased 4.9% in 2011 from the previous year, led by a strong gain in domestic shipments and putting last year’s volume in a virtual tie for the second-best annual volume ever, the Intermodal Association of North America reported.

Provisions that would have allowed states to permit larger, heavier trucks on interstate highways were voted down last week, just days after the highway reauthorization bill containing the measures was introduced in the House of Representatives.

The federal government’s chief truck overseer defended her agency’s controversial changes to the 34-hour restart provisions of the hours-of-service rule and vowed to continue efforts to cut the hours drivers may be behind the wheel.

U.S. truckers closed out the year with a surge of heavy-duty truck buying that led to the highest-volume month and highest-volume year since 2006, according to data from WardsAuto.com. Sales boomed 78.3% in December and 59.9% for the year, compared with 2010.

Canadian carrier Contrans Group said Thursday it has acquired Wilburn Archer Trucking, a dry-bulk trucking business based in Norwood, Ontario.

Trucking executives said the industry could see some benefits of the recently announced U.S.-Canadian trade agreement as early as this year.

Maryland’s Department of Transportation, working with the Maryland Motor Truck Association, said it has created a pilot program for truckers to use commuter park-and-ride lots to park when snowfalls exceed 6 inches.

I have attended several meetings of American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council where participants have stated they simply want to know how many years a component will last.