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MINNEAPOLIS — ABF Freight System truck driver Ralph Garcia had to make a choice between being at the hospital for the birth of his first grandson or competing here in the 2012 National Truck Driving Championships.

Managers of the nation’s largest shipper-owned truck fleets are taking steps to counter the rising cost of fuel and equipment by more closely monitoring drivers and using new data collection techniques to make better routing decisions and improve compliance with safety and environmental regulations.

Container shipping at the Port of Los Angeles grew by 8.75% in June, faster than the first-half average, the port authority said Wednesday.

The American Transportation Research Institute has released its annual survey to gauge the trucking industry’s top concerns.

Truckers on the Maine Turnpike, which includes a stretch of Interstate 95, will pay up to 40% more in tolls beginning in November.

Motor carriers and shippers cited for hazardous materials violations face far greater penalties following the passage of the new federal highway reauthorization law.

The Obama administration is making up to $17 billion available for transportation infrastructure project loans, thanks to a provision in the new transportation law, the Department of Transportation announced.

Truck and engine manufacturer Navistar International Corp., pressed to find a way to offer engines that comply with federal emissions regulations, said last week that it has reached an agreement to use Cummins Inc. selective catalytic reduction technology for its 13-liter engines and offer Cummins 15-liter engines in some of its International brand trucks.

Proposed changes intended to strengthen federal enforcement of fleets that haul hazardous materials would have the unintended effect of damaging the safety ratings of some of the industry’s safest operators.