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American Trucking Associations said last week that Prasad Sharma has been promoted to general counsel and senior vice president.

The increase in new Class 8 deliveries in 2011 hasn’t yet done anything to ease the scarcity of used vehicles and, if anything, has added even more upward price pressure, industry executives and analysts said.

YRC Worldwide CEO James Welch and FedEx Freight President William Logue, the top leaders at the two largest less-than-truckload carriers, last week underscored the urgent need for highway funding legislation and the potential for longer trailers to improve productivity.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. and Werner Enterprises Inc. continued the parade of truckload operators whose fourth-quarter earnings rose with help from higher rates, stronger freight trends and key businesses such as intermodal.

Well, it appears that trucking has at least made some progress in getting Congress to address some of the issues that are impeding the industry’s efforts to deliver the nation’s freight.

Fourth-quarter freight volumes and pricing generally improved for UPS Inc., but quarterly earnings declined because of a one-time $827 million noncash charge for pension accounting, the company said Jan. 31.

Trailer makers experienced robust ordering activity to end 2011 and early this year, according to ACT Research Co. and interviews with manufacturers.

LISLE, Ill. — Navistar Inc. has formally submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency a 13-liter heavy-duty engine model that it says meets current federal emissions standards.

Trailer manufacturers may be facing an embarrassment of riches: too much business.

LISLE, Ill. — Navistar Inc. and Clean Energy Fuels Corp. unveiled a joint offensive on Feb. 1 to expand the reach of natural-gas-powered vehicles in the heavy-duty trucking market.