°®¶¹´«Ã½

Once again, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation has failed to put forth common sense with regards to longhaul truckers’ hours of service.

Diesel refineries must produce 1 billion gallons of biodiesel in 2012, a 25% increase from last year, the Environmental Protection Agency said last month, but the agency decided to delay its planned 2013 mandate.

Trade organizations representing motor carriers and freight brokers generally backed a federal move to streamline the federal registration process, but complained that the registration form is too long and complicated for many in the industry.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s new hours-of-service rule is a serious and major disappointment for the trucking industry.

While many trucking fleets and the companies that make in-cab data devices to support carriers’ operations back moves to restrict cellphone use by drivers, a number of them strongly oppose the recent National Transportation Safety Board recommendation that calls for a total ban on their use — including hands-free devices — while driving.

Trucking industry mergers and acquisitions are expected to surge this year because of factors such as tight capacity and eager private-equity buyers, several industry experts have said.

Wholesale diesel prices spiked last week as tensions in the Middle East rose and temperatures in the eastern United States fell, signaling the likely end of the current run of declining retail prices.

At least some trucking industry analysts said they expect the latest version of the hours-of-service rule to land back in federal court because the rule seems to satisfy no one.

Canadian carrier Contrans Group said Thursday it has acquired Wilburn Archer Trucking, a dry-bulk trucking business based in Norwood, Ontario.