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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.

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

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

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.

Truckload carrier P.A.M. Transportation Services said its second-quarter net income rose to $935,000, or 11 cents per share, from $693,000 or 8 cents, a year ago.

Patriot Transportation Holding’s fiscal third-quarter net income rose to $2.68 million, or 28 cents per share, from $2.38 million, or 25 cents, a year ago.

Voters in and around Atlanta will vote Tuesday on a proposition to increase sales tax by a penny to raise $18 billion for transportation projects, the Associated Press reported.

Rand McNally Inc. said it has upgraded the hardware for its TPC 7600 mobile communication fleet-management system.

For carriers, the effort to find the best nonidling cooling option for the truck cab has not been without starts and stops.