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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.

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.

While the U.S. economy continues to look better and better in many ways, there are some pretty powerful reasons for truckers to remain cautious, or at least watchful in the coming months.

Members of a key House panel began hearing proposals Tuesday from members of Congress about ways to fund a six-year highway reauthorization bill without exceeding Highway Trust Fund revenues that are mostly derived from federal gas and diesel taxes.

The new 70-mile-per-hour speed limit on the Ohio Turnpike, which the state’s trucking industry opposes, has taken effect, the Associated Press reported.

American Truck Dealers said it will focus on how to mitigate the possible negative effects of regulatory and legislative actions during its annual convention April 15-18 in Phoenix.

To improve our scores with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability program, many of us have worked diligently to put electronic onboard recorders in our trucks.

Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, told a group of shippers attending a Washington legislative policy forum Tuesday that he plans to get a long-term transportation reauthorization bill on the House floor sometime in May.