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We almost made it through 2009 without another national news exposé of the trucking industry, but then came November and December. This time, the focus was on truck driver training and motor carrier employment practices.

Covenant Transportation Group said late Wednesday its fourth-quarter loss narrowed from a year ago, as freight revenue declined.

Great Dane Trailers said Wednesday it has acquired Johnson Refrigerated Truck Bodies, which makes insulated fiberglass refrigerated truck bodies. Terms were not released.

Tank and bulk carrier Patriot Transportation Holding’s fiscal first-quarter net income fell 23.5% to $1.34 million, or 43 cents per share, from $1.7 million, or 56 cents, a year ago.

The U.S. economy’s service sector improved in January for the first time in three months, the Institute for Supply Management said Wednesday.

Transportation and third-party logistics firm C.H. Robinson Worldwide reported a fourth-quarter profit of $87.7 million, or 52 cents a share, down slightly from $88.9 million, or 52 cents a share, a year ago.

The Department of Transportation would get an additional $2 billion next year if Congress approves the budget proposal made by President Obama on Monday.

The Obama Administration is asking Congress to approve a nearly $10 billion Environmental Protection Agency budget that would shift $20 million in California truck diesel emissions retrofit grant funding to a nationwide diesel emissions reduction program that also includes funding for rail and marine diesel emissions reduction projects.