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North American trucking fleets ordered 22,500 new Class 8 vehicles in February, a 7.3% decrease from last February and the second straight monthly decline, ACT Research reported. However, truck dealers told Transport Topics they were not concerned a downward trend had begun.

Although today’s handheld devices continue to become smaller, tougher and far more capable than their clunky, limited-application predecessors, manufacturers and officials at the freight companies that rely on them said the next technological developments will be influenced by what’s happening in the consumer market.

Wholesale used Class 8 truck dealers have seen more of a drop-off in their business than retailers and auctioneers because of the difficulty of getting product, but the used truck market could get some relief from trade-ins resulting from burgeoning new truck sales, according to ACT Research Co. and some dealers.

The U.S. trade deficit widened in January to its highest level since October 2008, the Commerce Department said Friday.

Congress has again delayed voting on a transportation reauthorization bill, with House Republicans saying they want to rewrite their bill and senators on Tuesday voting against a measure to limit debate and amendments to their two-year, $109 billion bill.

WASHINGTON — The head of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said the agency will issue strict guidance to medical examiners later this year on how to detect and treat sleep disorders when administering physicals to truck drivers.

South Dakota last month became the 31st state to pass legislation protecting truckers from shipping contracts that require the carrier to shoulder all responsibility for accidents even though they may not be at fault.

The U.S. economy’s service sector improved in February, the Institute for Supply Management said Monday.

Most truck makers said they will make important announcements of new products this year at the Mid-America Trucking Show, including Peterbilt Motors Co.’s introduction of a new model.