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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The 40th Mid-America Trucking Show here grew by more than 7% from 2010 in terms of visitors and exhibitors, but fell short of establishing new records in either category.

Fueled by stronger manufacturing and demand for freight, the U.S. economy will grow at least at a 3.2% annual pace in 2011, and truck tonnage will rise 5%, according to several recent reports.

The head of the National Private Truck Council said shippers are beginning to expand and upgrade their in-house fleets in response to improved business conditions and in anticipation of possible shortages of freight-hauling capacity and higher fuel costs in the year ahead.

The number of people employed in trucking rose 3% in March, compared with a year ago, to a seasonally adjusted 1.27 million, the Department of Labor reported April 1.

Most trucking companies are expected to post a fifth consecutive quarter of better earnings because freight volumes and rates are rising, but sharply higher fuel prices likely will put a dent in the increases, analysts said.

The diesel-price spike continued last week, as the U.S. retail average rose another 4.4 cents to $3.976 a gallon, the Department of Energy reported.

American Trucking Associations last week endorsed a federal proposal that trucking companies use electronic logging devices to monitor driver compliance with the hours-of-service rule.

Truck orders soared in March to the highest total in nearly five years, as carriers snapped up new equipment to renew their fleets in advance of the fall freight season, two market research reports said last week.

Third-party logistics provider Radiant Logistics, Bellevue, Wash., said it agreed to acquire DBA Distribution Services, a Somerset, N.J. air-freight forwarder, for $12 million in cash and debt.

DHL said it is taking the first step toward establishing a delivery fleet in New York City that is powered entirely by alternative fuels, in a move that it said will reduce emissions by at least 50%.