Business

Allowing higher truck weights on interstate highways and helping captive shippers who use the railroads would promote freight mobility and make American companies more competitive globally, representatives of large shippers told a special U.S. House panel exploring freight issues.

Canadian holding company Clarke Inc. said it has purchased 1,000 shares of Vitran Corp., bringing its total stake in the company to 10%.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a proposed rule that could require as many as nearly 300,000 less-than-truckload drivers to obtain tanK-vehicle endorsements.

ABF Freight System said it has agreed to extend its contract with the Teamsters union while the parties work to resolve two supplemental agreements before a new deal is finalized.

U.S. manufacturing activity’s rate of expansion rose in September, the Institute for Supply Management reported Oct. 1.

The U.S. House and Senate are backing increased funding to fix Colorado’s flood-damaged roads, the Associated Press reported.

Pilot Flying J CEO Jimmy Haslam said Sept. 30 that his company has instituted practices to prevent fuel-rebate discrepancies in response to revelations that the truck-stop chain short-changed some trucking company customers.

Volvo Trucks said it has increased fuel efficiency for its model year 2014 engines by up to 2% using new components.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) signed a declaration of emergency for the sagging Leo Frigo Memorial Bridge, which has been closed since Sept. 25, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Manufacturing activity in the Chicago area grew in September, the Institute for Supply Management-Chicago said Sept. 25.