Eastern freight railroads Norfolk Southern Corp. and CSX Corp. each reported lower fourth-quarter profits from a year ago.

Canadian National Railway Co. reported a higher fourth-quarter profit from a year ago on higher freight volume.

Kansas City Southern reported a smaller fourth-quarter profit but said its revenue rose 7%, boosted by strong intermodal volume.

WASHINGTON — Don Osterberg, senior vice president of safety at truckload carrier Schneider National Inc., said transportation research needs to include components to help businesses and regulators make better use of the research.

Consumer confidence fell in January, according to the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index released Friday.

U.S. rail intermodal traffic rose 10.4% last week over the same week a year ago, the Association of American Railroads said.

The Intermodal Association of North America last week announced that Barry Michaels, vice president of intermodal operations at Union Pacific Railroad, is the group’s new chairman.

ABF Freight System said it has expanded its ocean transport coverage to several countries in South America.

TransForce Inc. said Thursday it has entered into an agreement to acquire Velocity Express and its subsidiaries. No terms were disclosed.