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It took years for the trucking industry to get Congress to place responsibility for intermodal freight chassis road worthiness in the correct place. In 2005, legislators specified that the providers of the equipment — and not the fleets that were using them to move freight — had to ensure that the units met all safety standards.

For the trucking industry, the summer driving season means sharing the road with more passenger-vehicle drivers — some of whom are paying more attention to road maps, electronic devices or kids in the back seat than to the road in front of them, safety experts say.

The American Truck Dealers held its annual convention in Phoenix this month, with members cheerful over the economic rebound but increasingly leery of pending federal regulations.

While all fleet managers are waging a battle with soaring diesel prices, refrigerated carriers are facing a second front in terms of collecting fuel surcharges to cover the cost of buying the red-dyed diesel that powers the engines of their reefer units.

First-quarter net income and revenue soared for Paccar Inc. as the original equipment manufacturer benefited from increased global demand for its products, including Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks in North America.

Several tank-truck operators said freight volumes are increasing and rates are moving higher thanks to the combination of that higher level of demand and lower capacity on the carrier side.

Sharply higher fuel prices put a significant dent in first-quarter earnings for truckload fleets, but seven of the eight companies that have reported thus far still managed to top year-earlier results.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is seeking additional public comment on its proposed electronic onboard recorders rule to ensure motor carriers do not use the technology to violate the privacy of truck drivers.

As a new federal chassis rule is taking effect this spring, frequent errors are hurting intermodal fleets’ safety records and saddling them with violations that were supposed to be charged against chassis providers, according to industry officials.

CINCINNATI — Fleets are adopting electronic logging systems at a rapid pace in advance of a federal mandate, according to technology vendors and fleet executives.