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Industry groups and some state governments hailed the decision blocking all states from collecting Unified Carrier Registration fees until the federal government sets fee levels for 2010, but other states said the move could hamstring their safety programs.

The U.S. retail diesel price average rose another 2 cents to a 16-month high of $2.924 a gallon last week, the fourth straight increase, the Department of Energy reported.

Manufacturers and their dealers sold 19.1% more big trucks in February than they did a year earlier, marking the second consecutive month in which Class 8 sales beat their year-ago totals, according to WardsAuto.com.

Surface trade among the United States, Canada and Mexico fell by 23.3% in 2009 compared with 2008, the Department of Transportation said.

An index of leading economic indicators improved slightly in February, marking the 11th straight increase, the New York-based Conference Board said Thursday.

The consumer price index was unchanged in February, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Prices paid to U.S. producers fell 0.6% in February, the Labor Department said Wednesday.

Swift Transportation Co. has ordered 3,100 dry van trailers from Wabash National Corp., with deliveries scheduled to be spread over 12 months, the companies said.

I’ve just returned from my third trip to China in the past five years and continue to be amazed by — and envious of — the high-growth economy there.

President Obama signed a jobs bill into law Thursday that will give a $20 billion infusion to highway and transit programs, following the Senate’s approval of the measure in a 68-29 bipartisan vote Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.