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North American railroads ended 2009 with the largest annual percentage drop in freight traffic in six decades, but the carriers finished on a high note by topping 2008 levels for the final three weeks of last year.

WASHINGTON — The prospects of the Senate passing controversial cap-and-trade climate legislation in 2010 appear to be very slim, a panel of Washington insiders said last week.

WASHINGTON — The chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said he believes that a lack of good data on the effect of bigger trucks on the nation’s roadways has stalled any hope the trucking industry has of new legislation to change the current limits.

WASHINGTON — Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said last week he expected the Obama administration and Congress would agree on a surface transportation bill that could be finalized before the end of the year.

The average price of a gallon of retail diesel fuel in the United States rose 8.2 cents a gallon last week to $2.879, the highest level in 14 months, according to the Department of Energy.

The consumer price index rose 0.1% in December, the Labor Department said Friday.

Manufacturing activity in the New York region improved this month, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said Friday.

Transport Topics Online will be closed Monday for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. Please check back on Tuesday, Jan. 19, for the latest trucking and freight transportation news.

An economist with lots of experience in freight transportation has some interesting things to say that directly challenge the railroad industry’s extensive advertising blitz apparently aimed at convincing Americans that their way is the green way.