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Are carriers generally immune from exercising sound business practices? It’s really not that difficult to gather solid credit history and information on a broker, whereas getting accurate relevant information on a shipper is much more difficult.

The results from the Roadcheck 2010 safety blitz reinforce the message that trucking takes safety compliance seriously.

The continuing surge in Classes 3 and 6 retail truck sales pushed medium-duty volumes 37.3% above the same month in 2009.

Of the drivers pulled over during last month’s Roadcheck 2010, only 4.4% were placed out of service, tying the driver compliance record set in 2009, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance reported.

American Trucking Associations President Bill Graves said he does not believe there will be any congressional action on a new long-term highway bill until at least 2011 — and possibly not until after the next presidential election.

Massachusetts has indefinitely suspended a mandate that was to take effect July 1 requiring all diesel fuel and heating oil sold there to be 2% biodiesel.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced last week it wants the U.S. trucking industry to increase its use of biodiesel to 800 million gallons in 2011 from 650 million gallons this year.

U.S. retail fuel prices continued their midsummer slide last week, as the average cost of a gallon of diesel dipped 2.1 cents to $2.903, and gasoline slipped 0.8 cent to $2.718, the Department of Energy reported.

Greatwide Logistics Services said it has signed a contract with NewPage Corp., the nation’s largest maker of coated paper, for dedicated shipments in Wisconsin.

Carrier earnings for the second quarter started off on a positive note last week, with truckload carrier Landstar System Inc. reporting a 37% increase in net income and J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. announcing a 52% rise in profit.