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Motor carriers paused their replacement cycles during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, but most dealers, fleets and analysts said the industry merely delayed making purchases for a few months, and they don’t expect long-term changes.

The national average price of diesel dropped 1.3 cents a gallon to $2.422, the Energy Information Administration reported Sept. 14. Diesel costs 56.5 cents a gallon less than it did a year ago after the second straight weekly drop.

Automaker Daimler AG and subsidiary Mercedes-Benz USA have agreed to pay $1.5 billion to the U.S. government and California state regulators to resolve emissions cheating allegations, officials said Sept. 14.

The House is aiming to vote the week of Sept. 21 on a stopgap spending bill to keep the government open when the fiscal year ends Oct. 1, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said.

Nikola Corp. made a fuller-throated denial of a report last week that claimed the electric-truck maker had deceived investors, accusing a short seller of mischaracterizations and distortions.

Senate-passed legislation meant to promote access to electric vehicles around the country will be under consideration before the U.S. House of Representatives this month.

Hurricane Sally will begin hammering the U.S. Gulf Coast with flooding rains late Sept. 14, before making landfall between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., and potentially causing as much as $3 billion in losses and damage.

Leading Alabama officials have announced $1.5 million in funding will be awarded to cities and counties for local road and bridge projects.

U.S. Class 8 retail sales in August hit the high point of the year, clearing 17,000 as Freightliner notched a leading 41.1% market share, WardsAuto .com reported.

Developing countries’ difficulty in containing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic will keep a lid on global oil demand, particularly in India, the OPEC cartel said Sept. 14 as it cut its forecasts.