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Three of the nation’s major package couriers behind United Parcel Service and FedEx Corp. have instituted major changes of ownership, stock exchange listing and corporate organization.

The Surface Transportation Board issued its final ruling in a series of undercharge cases that had their roots in the economic deregulation of trucking in 1980 and once threatened to transfer $27 billion from the nation’s shippers into the estates of bankrupt motor carriers.

California agricultural haulers, farmers and food processors are up to their ears in broccoli these days.

New York’s fuel-use tax does not violate the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution when it is imposed on the New York State Thruway, a state appellate court said, upholding a lower court ruling.

In a somber news release that echoed four issued previously, OTR Express Inc., a nationwide truckload dry van carrier, predicted net losses for the fourth quarter of 2000 and the first quarter of 2001.

A softening economy slathered on top of the traditionally slow winter season prompted less-than-truckload carrier Yellow Corp. to lay off 75 full- ime, salaried personnel Jan. 12, according to a company spokesman.

Eagle Global Logistics, the strongly profitable Houston-based freight forwarder owned by EGL Inc., last week acknowledged difficulties that will cause it to take about $90 million in pre-tax charges against earnings and to lay off 300 employees.

Testimony from Norman Y. Mineta during his confirmation hearing last week before a Senate panel on his appointment as President Bush’s transportation secretary contained much welcome news for trucking.

“I’ve been cheated!,” “Add it up again!,” “What a rip-off!” More complaining from disgruntled Democrats? No, those are remarks frequently attributed to trucking company executives referring to towing and storage bills on accident recoveries.

Some towing operators will tell you that one reason they have to raise their rates is because trucking is getting safer. There are fewer truck crashes, they say, but towing’s overhead is only going up.