Business

Ford Motor Co. said Monday it earned $997 million in the third quarter, had its first operating profit since early 2008 and that it expects to be “solidly profitable” in 2011, Bloomberg reported.

Five states have formed a coalition to seek a federal grant to build intermodal terminals and make other improvements along the Norfolk Southern Railroad line stretching from New Orleans to New York City.

The Georgia Department of Transportation has stopped taking unsolicited proposals for public-private partnerships to finance road and tolling projects.

After several initial delays and glitches, freight hauling and government officials say the Transportation Worker Identification Credential program is moving along smoothly at U.S. ports, and they project additional security measures could be incorporated in coming years.

An index of U.S. manufacturing activity improved in October, the Institute for Supply Management said Monday.

U.S. construction spending rose 0.8% in September, the largest increase since September 2008, the Commerce Department said Monday.

The Department of Transportation last week said it will withdraw its controversial driver hours-of-service rule and write new regulations as part of a deal in which a coalition of advocacy groups agreed to suspend its federal lawsuit challenging the rule.

For the past three years under federal hours-of-service regulations, fatal crashes involving heavy trucks have declined, last year reaching the lowest level since the U.S. Department of Transportation began keeping the records.

Eight major truckload carriers have reported third-quarter earnings, with six of them remaining profitable but at lower levels than a year ago. Revenue also declined, but some of the companies improved their operating ratios of management efficiency.