U.S.-based freight railroads and their major customers, including intermodal fleets, raced last week to prepare for what could be the first nationwide rail strike in two decades as soon as Dec. 6.

U.S. intermodal traffic rose 3.7% for the week ended Saturday from a year ago, the Association of American Railroads reported.

Ryder System has expanded its reverse-logistics business to include processing returns in the same facilities from which it forwards outbound shipments.

UPS on Thursday announced an agreement to purchase Pieffe Group, an Italian pharmaceutical logistics company. Terms were not disclosed.

Third-party logistics provider Radiant Logistics will acquire Isla International, a company that specializes in shipments between the United States and Mexico, for $15 million.

General Electric Co. opened a new logistics center in Olive Branch, Miss., to distribute replacement wind turbine parts and solar technology components to customers in North and South America.

ATLANTA — Intermodal transportation is brimming with opportunities, suffering from routing limitations or possibly a mixture of both, industry officials said here.

Consumer confidence rose in November by the most since April 2003, the New York-based Conference Board said Tuesday.

Fleets today are running their trailers longer than they ever have, and they expect trailer suppliers to make products that can meet higher standards.