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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Tuesday announced a slate of changes to its safety rating system designed to ratchet up enforcement of hazardous materials carriers and mitigate an inspection bias against flatbed haulers.

COLUMBUS, Ind. — Growth in North American sales will lead the global truck-making industry this year, as U.S. fleets are prospering along with their shipper customers in the manufacturing sector, economists said.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Permanent repair kits for defective ATR-6 traction-relay brake valves are moving to truck makers, executives of Bendix Commercial Vehicle System said.

P.A.M. Transportation Services said its board of directors has approved a special dividend of $1 per share.

Gene Scoggins, president of the NationaLease truck-leasing organization, is retiring after 37 years in the transportation industry.

The rate at which fatalities occurred in truck-involved crashes increased 9.4% in 2010 from the previous year’s all-time low, according to an analysis of Department of Transportation mileage data made public last week.

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.

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.

Efforts to overcome the effect of defective brake valves supplied by Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems are progressing, with Navistar Inc. reporting that all its trucks delayed for repairs have now been shipped.

North American truck makers installed 99,504 Cummins Inc. engines into new 2011 Class 8 trucks, slightly increasing the independent engine maker’s leading market share to 39.1% from 38.5% in 2010, WardsAuto.com reported.