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Electronic onboard recorders should be mandatory for all truckers operating in North America, the president of the said.

President Obama on March 18 signed into law an extension of the highway bill through the end of the year as part of a $17.6 billion package of tax incentives and bonding proposals aimed at spurring job creation.

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.