Government

WASHINGTON — Advocacy groups and congressional leaders, citing safety concerns, questioned the Department of Transportation’s decision to allow Mexican trucks into the United States, and a key senator said she would hold a hearing on the issue.

Two Idaho state senators want to raise an additional $57 million per year — largely from out-of-state truckers — to build and repair state roads, the Associated Press reported.

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced Tuesday a new initiative with UPS Inc. to boost exports from U.S.-based small- and medium-sized enterprises.

The average national price of diesel fuel jumped 7.5 cents to $2.626 a gallon, while gasoline soared 12.2 cents from last week to $2.505, the Department of Energy said Monday.

Factory orders plunged 5.6% in January, the biggest drop in six years, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.

Fourth-quarter U.S. worker productivity rose 1.6%, matching the level for the full year but lower than originally estimated, the Labor Department said Tuesday.

Canadian firm Contrans Income Fund reported it earned C$7.8 million or 34 cents a unit, compared with C$6.3 million or 33 cents a year earlier.

Refrigerated truckload carrier Frozen Food Express Industries said Tuesday its fourth-quarter income fell to $3.4 million or 24 cents a share, from $6.4 million or 34 cents a year earlier.

The U.S. economy’s service sector growth declined in February, the Institute for Supply Management said Monday.

U.S. consumer confidence fell last month to a five-month low, according to the University of Michigan’s monthly consumer sentiment index released Friday.