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ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Mack Trucks Inc. is likely to use technologies such as speed limiters and idling-reduction devices on its tractors to help its full family of vehicles comply with federal greenhouse-gas regulations set to take effect in 2014, a company official said.

The National Transportation Safety Board wants trucking companies to gather 10 years of driving records for newly hired drivers — an increase from the current three years that the board said does not allow carriers to make informed hiring decisions.

Each year, the Department of Transportation undertakes a number of new initiatives to further reduce or eliminate highway crashes. One measure DOT has announced it will undertake this year will have a marked effect on highway safety: mandating that speed limiters on large trucks be set at a reasonable top speed.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The Truckload Carriers Association has decided to endorse a 65-mph national speed limit in the latest sign of consensus-building within the industry.

Illinois’ law allowing truckers in most parts of the state a 65-mph speed limit took effect Sunday.

Your Oct. 31 “Analysis” from The Associated Press, which was headlined “Small Business Tax Deduction to Shrink, Showing Importance of Year-End Planning” (p. 7), stated: “The maximum that can be deducted under the two deductions combined is $2 million.”

A new, higher speed limit in Kansas could cause safety problems if trucks are governed at lower speeds than the new limit, the head of the state’s trucking association said.

The Texas House has given final approval to a bill that could raise the speed limit on some highways to 85 mph, the Associated Press reported.

While I fully support the Ohio Trucking Association’s stance on limiting speeds to 65 mph or lower, I still am a proponent for same-speed roads because split speeds promote obvious obstacles to safety on the roads.