Trucking Business News

About Business News...

Transport Topics business coverage focuses on the financial, economic, and commercial aspects of the modern freight business. Looking at both the microeconomic and macroeconomic forces shaping bottom lines, the news in this category includes labor news, jobs reports, tonnage and sales indicators, operations analysis, money and banking, mergers, acquisitions, e-commerce, bankruptcy, insurance issues, and more.

GovernmentBusinessSafety

FMCSA Submits Court-Ordered Guidelines for Driver Training

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has sent its court-ordered revision of new-driver training guidelines to the White House Office of Management and Budget, and trucking industry and safety officials said they hoped the agency would publish the new rule before the end of the year.

September 5, 2007
BusinessGovernmentSafetyEquipment

Feds Propose Rail Brake Rule

Federal rail regulators are backing a technological change that will enable trains to stop more quickly while permitting them to travel longer distances between required brake tests, the Associated Press reported Tuesday.

September 5, 2007
BusinessGovernmentTechnologyEquipmentSafety

Ryder to Manage China Operations for Italian Firm

An Italian manufacturer chose Ryder System to manage its supply chain operations in China, Ryder said late Tuesday.

September 5, 2007
GovernmentBusinessSafety

Opinion: HOS鈥 Safety Benefits Hang in the Balance

A court decision vacating two aspects of the regulations that determine the work hours of professional truck drivers could erase a rule that contributed to a 4.7% decline in large-truck-related crash deaths in 2006 鈥 unless cooler heads prevail.

September 5, 2007
BusinessSafetyGovernment

Letters to the Editor: Hours of Service (Cont鈥檇.)

On the front page of the July 30 issue of Transport Topics, there was an article titled, 鈥淣HTSA Revises 鈥06 Deaths Down to Lowest Total Since 2002.鈥 On the same front page, there was another article titled, 鈥淐ourt Rejects HOS Rule.鈥 Does anyone in the government read their own reports?

September 5, 2007
Business

Berkshire May Boost BNSF Stake to 25%

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett鈥檚 investment company, Berkshire Hathaway, may boost its freight rail line Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. to 25%, the Associated Press reported.

September 5, 2007
BusinessSafetyGovernment

ISM Factory Index Drops for August

The Institute for Supply Management鈥檚 manufacturing index declined last month, ISM said Tuesday.

September 4, 2007
GovernmentBusiness

Construction Spending Declines in July

Construction spending fell in July by the most since January, the Commerce Department said Tuesday.

September 4, 2007
GovernmentBusinessFuelTechnology

Tweaking Specifications on Truck Engines Can Raise Fuel Economy, Study Finds

Fleets can save fuel 鈥 possibly by as much as 5% 鈥 by 鈥渙verspec鈥檌ng鈥 engines, according to PHH FirstFleet, an asset, financial and technology management company for fleets.

September 4, 2007
BusinessGovernmentSafety

iTECH: Volvo Sentry 鈥業ntegrates鈥 Actual Human Response

In a time when a computer is more likely to answer a business phone than a live human being, getting a call from a breathing, thinking person at 2 a.m. telling you that your Volvo is showing some unusually serious departures from its normal coolant temperature has to qualify as unique

September 4, 2007