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EL PASO, Texas — The Transportation Department’s pilot project allowing a limited number of Mexican carriers to access U.S. highways would not diminish security at the border, Michael Jackson, deputy secretary of °®¶¹´«Ã½land Security, said at a Feb. 23 press conference.

WASHINGTON — Advocacy groups and congressional leaders, citing safety concerns, questioned the Department of Transportation’s decision to allow Mexican trucks into the United States, and a key senator said she would hold a hearing on the issue.

The average national price of diesel fuel jumped 7.5 cents to $2.626 a gallon, while gasoline soared 12.2 cents from last week to $2.505, the Department of Energy said Monday.

Fourth-quarter U.S. worker productivity rose 1.6%, matching the level for the full year but lower than originally estimated, the Labor Department said Tuesday.

Canadian firm Contrans Income Fund reported it earned C$7.8 million or 34 cents a unit, compared with C$6.3 million or 33 cents a year earlier.

Refrigerated truckload carrier Frozen Food Express Industries said Tuesday its fourth-quarter income fell to $3.4 million or 24 cents a share, from $6.4 million or 34 cents a year earlier.

The U.S. economy’s service sector growth declined in February, the Institute for Supply Management said Monday.

According to the most recent Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration census, there are now 16,930 registered transportation brokers. These numbers have been growing at a rate of 30% over the course of the past three years.

Surface trade among the United States, Canada and Mexico dipped 0.1% in December from the same month a year earlier, though both truck and rail numbers rose, the Department of Transportation said.

The Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing index for February rose to positive territory from January’s contraction, ISM said Thursday.