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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — International freight has re-emerged as the driving force for intermodal growth because factors such as lower diesel prices and suboptimal rail service have slowed increases in domestic truck-rail freight, experts said.

Federal regulators have taken steps to push the trucking industry toward greater adoption of low-rolling-resistance tires on trucks and trailers in the years ahead, but developing these increasingly efficient tires involves more than simply tweaking a rubber compound, manufacturers said.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Volkswagen cheated on air-pollution rules for its diesel cars with a defeat device, reminiscent of 1998 when heavy-duty truck manufacturers were doing the same thing.

The driver shortage issue may be a thorn to the trucking industry, but it puts drivers in a bit of a power position to make their services available to the highest bidder. One particular driver is doing that literally, advertising himself on the online auction site, eBay.

The head of the Canadian Trucking Alliance said he hopes the nation will develop a greenhouse-gas rule that reflects unique operations there and is not simply a clone of the U.S. proposal that is expected to be finalized next year.

The highest court in Massachusetts has agreed to hear a tax case on buying trucks — perhaps as early as October — that could increase tax liability for motor carriers.

GREENCASTLE, Pa. — Kathy Frady, store manager at the TravelCenters of America, leans forward toward a visitor across from her cluttered desk, smiles and explains how she got into trucking — by accident.

GREENCASTLE, Pa. — If tempted to stereotype truckers, visit a truck stop and you’ll quickly appreciate that drivers are individuals with plenty of insight on a wide range of topics: food, car drivers, law enforcement and much more.