C.H. Robinson Worldwide said Monday it has formed a new ChemSolutions division to provide logistics services to chemical manufacturing and distribution customers.

Trailer orders rose 15% in August from a year earlier, ACT Research reported, reversing a recent pattern of decline and fueling hope that the traditionally strong fourth quarter order pace will occur again this year.

With federal funding of transportation research facing political and budgetary pressures, many schools and research institutions are turning to industry to support research ranging from alternative fuels to electronic networks that connect vehicles and roadway infrastructure in ways that could lead to fewer and less severe crashes, according to industry experts and academic sources.

Third-party logistics company Radiant Logistics’ fiscal fourth-quarter net income rose from a year ago.

Forward Air Corp. said its third-quarter earnings will be lower than the company originally estimated, as tonnage volumes became “inconsistent” in August following a strong start to the period.

Consumer confidence rose to a seven-month high in September, the New York-based Conference Board said Tuesday.

Swift Transportation Co. said last week its third-quarter earnings will be 20 to 23 cents a share.

Shippers and carriers are considering putting more freight directly on asset-based carriers — potentially hurting middlemen who do not own trucks — as the supply of vehicles and drivers dwindles.

U.S. intermodal traffic rose 3.9% last week over the same week a year ago, the Association of American Railroads reported.