North American fleets ordered 23,800 new Class 8 vehicles in September, a 55.5% jump over the same month last year and a clear sign the heavy-duty truck market recovery is continuing, analysts and industry figures said.

It has been almost a year since we gathered in Phoenix, and while it seems that the time has just flown by, as we prepare to come together in Grapevine, Texas, the issues we face now are identical to the issues we faced then.

Class 8 U.S. retail truck sales soared in August by 70.8% — the highest increase since 2004 — and crossed the 15,000-vehicle mark for the first time since 2007.

In the United States, we have a tendency to take quite a bit for granted. We often gripe about mundane things like our kids’ sports schedules or running through the “Honey-do” list at home.

August orders for new Class 8 trucks jumped 68% this year from a year earlier as dramatic increases  in sales and orders continued. Despite a 31.5% gain in registrations in the second quarter, however, the total fleet size remained below previous years.

A continued shortage of available low-mileage used Class 8 trucks is being blamed for lower sales and higher prices in July, industry executives and dealers said.

UPS announced it will purchase 100 all-electric delivery vehicles to replace older generation diesel trucks in the company's fleet.

USA Truck announced that it expects a net loss for the third quarter of 2011, but said it is too early in the quarter to predict the range of the expected loss.

Con-way Freight driver Paul Phillips has participated in truck driving competitions for 15 years. Even though this year was only his second appearance at the nationals, he believed he had a shot at the top prize.