In honor of National Trucking Week, Sept. 7-14, let’s take a minute to think about the trucking industry and the thousands of men and women who work within it to make our lives functional, comfortable, healthy and safe.

In a sweeping decision with possible national implications, the Environmental Protection Agency has granted California a waiver that will allow state environmental regulators to implement stringent new heavy-duty vehicle and engine onboard diagnostics requirements for 2010 engines and beyond.

The head of the Canadian Trucking Alliance said an announcement by Prime Minister Stephen Harper that if re-elected he will cut the four cent per liter federal excise tax on diesel fuel in half was the right thing to do for the country’s truckers.

The White House named David Kelly to serve as acting administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has sent a final rule linking the driver certification to the commercial license, and a proposed rule creating a national registry of doctors qualified to certify drivers to the White House Office of Management and Budget.

HOUSTON — Dennis Shirar, a 51-year-old driver for Heritage Transport, Indianapolis, earned the title of Grand Champion at the 2008 National Truck Driving Championships.

Citing soaring raw materials costs, trailer maker Wabash National Corp. said it would raise prices an average of 5%, effective for new orders booked on or after Oct. 1.