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Common wisdom has long maintained that truck dealers make more money from parts and service than from new vehicle sales. But the economic reality today is challenging even that old maxim.

A federal judge ruled that Norfolk Southern Corp. can continue operating an ethanol-transfer station in Alexandria, Va., overruling a local ordinance, Bloomberg reported.

Intermodal rail traffic fell 24.6% for the week ended Saturday, compared with the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads said Thursday.

The U.S. economy continued to decline from the end of February through the beginning of April, affecting transportation industry services and demand, the Federal Reserve said Wednesday.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has sent the White House recommendations aimed at ending a trucking dispute with Mexico, expected to be high on the agenda when President Obama visits Mexico later this week, Reuters reported.

President Obama will nominate John Porcari, Maryland Transportation Secretary as deputy secretary of the Department of Transportation, the No. 2 DOT job, the White House said.

Conga lines of idle trucks waiting to clear U.S. customs are daily a fact for trade traffic at America’s major border-crossing points, north and south.

Most Transport Topics readers have experienced the current downturn firsthand — dwindling freight demand, fluctuating fuel prices, clean-engine mandates and downward-spiraling leading indicators.

Here we go again — the safety freaks filing yet another challenge to the current hours of service, led unfortunately by my illustrious leader, James Hoffa. I think he needs to pull his head out of the sand on this one.