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Manufacturing activity in the New York region contracted in August for the third straight month, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said Monday.

Trimble Navigation has completed its purchase of commercial vehicle mobile communications firm PeopleNet Communications Corp., said Norwest Equity Partners, PeopleNet’s former owner.

A federally funded program that retrofitted 76 trucks in Arizona with new $1,600 catalytic converters was terminated after public uproar that some of the money was being spent on Mexican carriers.

Heavy-duty U.S. retail truck sales grew 31.5% to 12,609 units in July over the 9,589 sold in July 2010, WardsAuto.com reported.

Increasing freight hauling demand and possible changes in hours-of-service rules and vehicle weight limits are forcing the largest private fleets in the United States and Canada to focus more attention on the availability of drivers and the cost of transporting goods.

The Obama administration last week issued fuel-economy and carbon-dioxide standards for heavy-duty trucks, marking the federal government’s first foray into regulating our industry’s energy efficiency, and we must say, it was an enlightened step.

Trucking stocks have suffered a thrashing this month from in­vestors as the overall stock market bounced up and down, pressured by worries about European debt, the United States’ debt downgrade and the global economy, but several analysts expressed confidence in the industry.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Despite being some of the nation’s top professional drivers, competitors at the 2011 National Truck Driving Championships said it was only natural to be nervous.