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Volvo AB and Daimler AG are producing global heavy-duty engine platforms for use in North America, Europe and Asia, and other manufacturers plan to introduce their own versions, pushed by converging emission regulations, the need to reduce research and development costs and to take advantage of economies of scale, according to industry analysts and executives.

The national average price of regular gasoline plunged another 22 cents in the two weeks ended Friday, to $1.75 a gallon, the lowest price in almost five years, according to the latest Lundberg Survey of filling stations released Sunday.

The Teamsters tentatively agreed to a 10% wage cut to help YRC Worldwide Inc. cope with the recession as part of a package that, among other things, requires YRC to give the union a 15% stake in the less-than-truckload carrier.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration last week issued a final rule requiring all interstate truck drivers to prove they have passed medical examinations and proposed a separate rule setting up a national registry of qualified examiners.

Diesel fuel prices continued to slide last week, with the U.S. average falling 4.9 cents to $2.615 a gallon, according to the Department of Energy.

Oil fell almost $3 Friday to close the week near $40 a barrel, the lowest closing price in four years, Bloomberg reported.

Diesel engine maker Cummins Inc. said Friday it would cut “at least 500 jobs,” or 3.5% of its workforce, by the end of the year, due to “the continued deterioration in the U.S. economy and many other key markets around the world.”