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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The new leader of Navistar International Corp. said he sees profit opportunities for all truck makers, but warned they will have to wade through a difficult business environment, filled with regulatory and operational obstacles, as well as static demand for new trucks.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Repositioning the Freightliner brand as a technology leader, and not just as the highest-selling truck nameplate in North America, is among the top achievements cited by Andreas Renschler as he prepared to step down as the head of Daimler Trucks Worldwide on April 1.

Used Class 8 truck sales in February rose from the previous month, but were still down 9.5% year-over-year as limited used inventories continued to hold back sales, ACT Research reported.

UTi Worldwide reported a fourth-quarter loss of $142.8 million, or $1.38 per share, from a profit of $12.4 million, or 12 cents, a year earlier.

Manufacturing activity in the Chicago area expanded at a slower pace in March, the Institute for Supply Management-Chicago said Thursday.

Initial jobless claims rose by 16,000 last week, the Labor Department said Thursday.

The number of carriers using electronic logging devices on all of their trucks jumped to 35% in February from 25% in May of last year, according to a new study from Transport Capital Partners.

Natso, which represents truck stops and other groups, said it has selected Tom Heinz, president of Coffee Cup Fuel Stop & Convenience Stores, as its 2013 chairman.

ABF Freight System said it has agreed to a 30-day extension on its contract talks with the Teamsters union beyond a scheduled March 31 deadline.