Safety

Truck technicians next year will have to deal with a pronounced increase in engine fault codes because of the onboard diagnostics systems added to 2010 and later model engines, engine makers said.

Garmin International announced last week a global positioning system navigator that it said is its first portable navigation device designed exclusively for the trucking industry.

Several companies that blend diesel exhaust fluid, the urea solution used in truck engines with selective catalytic reduction systems, have had their blends certified by the American Petroleum Institute.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Cummins Inc. said it is confident the Environmental Protection Agency will approve the company’s use of copper zeolite in engines de-signed to meet 2010 emission rules, removing any potential roadblock for the new models.

FedEx Corp.’s freight unit last week posted its first-ever operating loss, falling victim to the recession that cut both rates and freight volumes. It announced cost-cutting moves that included job reductions and the closing of its California general office.

The worst U.S. traffic bottleneck is on the south edge of Chicago, according to a pioneering study that uses electronic data from trucks — a research method that could influence future transportation spending debates.

Transportation officials in Colorado said initial feedback from commercial drivers who have used the AutoSock, a heavy-duty cloth covering for tires, has been positive, and it could become an accepted alternative to metal snow chains.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Truck and engine makers took advantage of one of the last major marketing forums before the onset of new federal emission rules to starkly set the stage for buyers of heavy-duty vehicles in choosing between SCR and EGR for their diesel engines.