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Jobless claims declined by 10,000 for the week ended Oct. 26 as backlogs in California cleared after a switch in computer systems, Bloomberg News reported.

The opening days of the sad soap opera being played out on Capitol Hill apparently did little damage to the nation’s freight distribution system, according to what industry executives told our reporters last week.

Work on computer systems at state employment agencies caused reported initial jobless claims to fall by 31,000 last week, the Labor Department said Sept. 12.

PeopleNet Communications Corp. said it is working with security technology firm SafeKey Corp. to provide a location-aware key fob that truck drivers can use to send “panic” signals through PeopleNet’s system.

Refrigeration-unit maker Thermo King said it has integrated its telematics system into the iSeries transportation management software for truckload fleets from Add On Systems Inc.

Payment processing provider Electronic Funds Source said it has upgraded its integration with TMW Systems Inc.’s Innovative transportation management software.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has opened a 30-day public comment period on its plans to survey more than 1,000 drivers and motor carriers for input on ways that drivers can potentially be harassed by the use of electronic logging devices.

A federal appeals court has ruled that a legal challenge to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s “conflict minerals” reporting rule must first be adjudicated in a civil federal district court.