Business

The swimmers, sprinters, gymnasts, weightlifters and fancy horse riders have finished their two weeks in the sun, bathed in the world’s adoration as they competed against the best of their respective sports for that elusive gold medal.

Comdata Corp. said it has started processing cardless fueling transactions using radio-frequency identification, while two major truck-stop chains work to install the wireless technology at all of their fueling locations.

Christopher Smithen, a certified North American Standard inspector from the Nevada Highway Patrol, was awarded the Jimmy K. Ammons Grand Champion Award for his combined performances in six competition areas in the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s North American Inspectors Championship last week in Minneapolis.

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.

New Class 8 truck orders plunged 31.1% in July from the year-ago level to 12,900, the lowest monthly total since August 2010, according to preliminary data from ACT Research Co.

With much of the United States still suffering “with the impacts of one of the worst droughts in decades,” the White House announced last week an easing of trucking regulations in an effort to aid farmers and livestock ranchers.

The National Tank Truck Carriers announced that vice president Daniel Furth has become president, succeeding John Conley, who will retire at the end of 2013.

Less-than-truckload carrier YRC Worldwide Inc. pared its quarterly net loss by 46.5% from a year earlier and turned a profit on operations — before interest payments — for the first time since 2008.

YOUNTVILLE, Calif. — The head of sales and marketing for Daimler Trucks North America said 2012 is likely to end up as a “disappointing year” in general but that sales would exceed 2011’s total.

MINNEAPOLIS — ABF Freight System truck driver Ralph Garcia had to make a choice between being at the hospital for the birth of his first grandson or competing here in the 2012 National Truck Driving Championships.