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American Trucking Associations said it will host a first-ever national summit on the growing use of natural gas as a fuel for moving freight across the country.

Westport Innovations Inc. and Caterpillar Inc. last week announced plans to collaborate on the development of natural gas technology for mining and off-road trucks as well as for freight locomotives, marking the latest trend in the spread of natural gas as an alternative fuel source.

Shell Oil Co. said Thursday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with TravelCenters of America LLC to provide liquefied natural gas for heavy-duty trucks at TA travel plazas.

MIAMI BEACH — Volvo Trucks said it intends to introduce a liquefied natural gas engine for its heavy-duty over-the-road vehicles in 2014, which company officials hailed as the next step in the industry’s quickly evolving move toward natural gas as a primary fuel.

U.S. natural gas prices may double from recent 10-year lows by 2015 as more of the fuel is used in transportation, the Financial Times reported May 17, citing an oil company executive.

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. reported its first-quarter loss widened, in part due to one-time costs.

Natural gas producers are scaling back output, boosting historically low prices, the Wall Street Journal reported.

CINCINNATI — There is strong interest among corporate fleet executives in converting from diesel-powered trucks to those that run on compressed and liquefied natural gas as more fueling stations are built and more powerful engines are available, according to panelists at an industry meeting here last week.

YRC Worldwide Inc. and Arkansas Best Corp.’s less-than-truckload unit reported losses in the first quarter, although three other major carriers reported marked improvement during the period.