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U.S. economic activity, including trucking and freight transportation, was sluggish in July and August, according to a Federal Reserve report released Wednesday.

Motor carriers and drivers providing emergency in areas affected by Hurricane Gustav will be relieved federal hours-of-service regulations, the Federal Motor Carrier Administration said.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has sent a final rule linking the driver certification to the commercial license, and a proposed rule creating a national registry of doctors qualified to certify drivers to the White House Office of Management and Budget.

Ryder System said Wednesday it completed its previously announced acquisition of Gordon Truck Leasing, based in Philadelphia.

American Trucking Associations Wednesday launched ATA Business Solutions, a line of information products, business tools, services, training programs and conferences designed to address critical issues affecting trucking-related companies.

Wright Express Corp. said it completed its acquisition of Financial Automation Limited, a New Zealand-based international provider of fuel card processing software systems.

U.S. manufacturing fell slightly into contraction levels in August, the Institute for Supply Management said Tuesday.

Camera-based driver monitoring costs $400 to $1,000 per device, plus monthly monitoring fees of $20 to $40 per vehicle, according to vendor reports.

The July truck tonnage report offered mixed signals about the industry and the U.S. economy, as American Trucking Associations’ index rose 4.4% from weak results a year earlier but declined 0.3% from the June totals.

HOUSTON — Dennis Shirar, a 51-year-old driver for Heritage Transport, Indianapolis, earned the title of Grand Champion at the 2008 National Truck Driving Championships.