Business

U.S. truck tonnage rose 4.7% in July from the year-ago level and remained near a record high, bolstered by heavy freight related to the housing, oil and natural-gas markets.

Intermodal truckers could face a new operational threat after a recent warning from port labor and management to leasing companies, the primary owners of chassis, that union workers must continue to fix and repair the equipment.

Shipper-owned fleet operators are buying more fuel-efficient trucks, collaborating with other shippers to better utilize equipment and, in some cases, outsourcing freight hauling to for-hire carriers and third-party logistics companies in response to demands from corporate executives for cost savings, faster service and fewer carbon emissions.

Washington state’s two U.S. senators said they plan to introduce a bill next month to overhaul how the country collects and spends money to improve seaport freight infrastructure.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration enforcement mechanism dubbed Compliance, Safety, Accountability has been the topic of much discussion and controversy since its launch in 2010.

It appears that the death of the nation’s economic recovery has been greatly exaggerated, at least up until now.

The total U.S. heavy-duty truck fleet grew by 2.7% to 3.59 million vehicles in the second quarter compared with the same period a year ago, the highest rate of growth since mid-2007, R.L. Polk & Co. reported.

SAN ANTONIO — PeopleNet Communications Corp. unveiled what it said will be the next steps in the evolution of its mobile technology and fleet-management software, including support for 4G wireless service, cloud-based data processing and a greater role for predictive analytics.

SALT LAKE CITY — For the hundreds of men and women skillfully navigating big rigs here last week in the National Truck Driving Championships, the chance was not without a great deal of sacrifice.

Motor carriers received a stark reminder earlier this month that cross-border trucking presents special challenges when U.S. prosecutors announced the arrest of 19 members of Mexican drug organizations who allegedly transported drugs in PVC pipes concealed inside tractor-trailer axles.