EPA Grants Calif. Request to Enforce Reefer Emissions Rule
California environmental regulators said last week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has granted the state a waiver that will allow enforcement of its regulation requiring emission-control retrofits on refrigerated trucks and trailers.
February 3, 2009ISM Manufacturing Index Contracts
Manufacturing in the U.S. contracted in January for the 12th straight month, the Institute for Supply Management said Monday.
February 2, 2009Construction Spending Falls 1.4%
Construction spending fell 1.4% in December, the Commerce Department said Monday.
February 2, 2009Paccar Offers Aftermarket Particulate Filter
Paccar Inc.’s parts dealers are offering the company’s Engine Control Systems Purifilter, an aftermarket passively regenerating diesel particulate filter approved by the California Air Resources Board for installation and use in a wide variety of Class 8 trucks.
February 2, 2009Lawmakers Consider Requiring Snow and Ice Removal from Vehicles
Two states and the District of Columbia may soon enact legislation requiring drivers to remove snow and ice from atop their vehicles, news outlets have reported.
February 2, 2009Ohio Truckers Seek 65-mph Speed Limit
Truck drivers in Ohio are asking state lawmakers to raise the highway speed limit for large trucks to a 65 mph limit, matching the speed limit for passenger cars, saying such a change would help make roadways safer, the Associated Press reported.
February 2, 2009Personal Spending Falls for Sixth Straight Month
Consumer personal spending fell for a record sixth straight month in December, the Commerce Department said Monday.
February 2, 2009December Truck Tonnage Plummets 14.1%
December truck tonnage plummeted 14.1% from year-earlier levels and 11.1% from November, the worst freight performance in more than a decade.
February 2, 2009Spot Market Freight Rates Dive as Recession Slashes Demand
Rates for freight services bought on the spot market have nose dived to 1990s levels as shrinking fuel surcharges have sent prices falling further while the recession continues to ravage shipping demand.
February 2, 2009FMCSA Withdraws EOBR Rule For Review, Possible Expansion
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has pulled back its formal proposal to require some carriers to use electronic onboard recorders, with indications the Obama administration may want to expand their use.
February 2, 2009