Safety

The U.S. Transportation Department’s transportation services index fell 0.4% in 2006, its first annual decline since 2001, DOT said Wednesday.

ATA Seeks Alerts to Fleets on Drivers’ CDLs • ATRI Seeking Input for Speed-Governor Survey • Idaho Eyes Raising Truck Speed Limit to 70 MPH • Mitsubishi Fuso Recalls 60,000 Trucks Overseas

In addition to providing billions of dollars for congestion relief, the Department of Transportation’s $67 billion fiscal 2008 budget proposal included millions of dollars for commercial vehicle safety.

In May 2000, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued a number of proposed changes to the existing hours-of-service rules — rules which, until this point, had remained virtually unchanged for 60 years.

A winter blast of snow, freezing rain and frigid temperatures created headaches for travelers across the Midwest Tuesday, pushing cars and tractor-trailer rigs off highways, the Associated Press reported.

Forward Air Corp., a contractor to the air cargo industry, reported its fourth-quarter net income matched the previous year’s, at $12.2 million, while earnings per share climbed to 40 cents a share from 38 cents.

Logistics firm Expeditors International of Washington on Tuesday said its fourth-quarter profits fell to $62.6 million or 28 cents a share, down from $74.3 million or 34 cents a year ago.

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle (D) has proposed a new tax on oil companies to help raise needed funds for the state’s transportation projects, the Associated Press reported Tuesday.

Third-party logistics provider Hub Group said late Monday it earned $13.5 million or 34 cents a share in the fourth quarter, up from $10.1 million or 25 cents a share for the same quarter a year earlier.

Ryder System said Monday its board approved a 3-cent increase in its dividend, boosting the payout to 21 cents a share.