Safety

This year has been tough on trucking profits, but a broad spectrum of accounting experts said there are many tax opportunities available to cushion the blow.

WASHINGTON — Several lawmakers, Department of Transportation officials and experts have  expressed concern with elements of a vehicle miles traveled tax, which some advocates tout as a replacement for the fuel tax. They also cautioned that a transition to VMT could be a slow process.

Representatives of several high-tech firms said they already are marketing, or soon will offer, systems designed to prevent motorists from texting and talking on cell phones while driving their vehicles.

Navistar Inc., which said it has spent $600 million to develop its 2010 exhaust gas recirculation engine, said the company is losing sales of next year’s model because federal regulators “helped create the false impression” among customers that only urea-based after-treatment systems would meet 2010 federal emissions standards.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Whenever truckers think times are tough in their industry, they might want to consider ocean shipping, where the estimated losses this year could top $20 billion, shipping officials here said.

The Surface Transportation Board has approved an application by 10 small drayage carriers serving the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif., to pool some of their operations and purchases of fuel, equipment and materials.

Kenan Advantage Group will acquire the assets of Reinhard Transportation, a Federal Way, Wash., fuel hauler that runs 64 trucks.

WASHINGTON — Several lawmakers, Department of Transportation officials and experts have expressed concern with elements of a vehicle miles traveled tax, which some advocates tout as a replacement for the federal fuel tax, while also cautioning that a transition to VMT could be a slow process.

The ire of fleet managers who say diesel particulate filters are clogging with soot too quickly should be eased with the arrival of 2010 engines, according to some engine manufacturers.