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Durable goods orders declined 2.5% in June, but orders excluding transportation equipment increased 1.1%, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.

The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that almost all Federal Reserve districts are seeing the pace of economic recession slow down, but the transportation sector is still showing signs of weakness.

Covenant Transportation Group said it lost $3.1 million, or 22 cents per share, in the second quarter, compared with a loss of $2.3 million, or 17 cents, a year ago.

Both of the terminal operators at the Port of New Orleans have reduced their business hours in response to the economic recession and reduced shipping, the Times-Picayune reported.

In reference to the story, “Safeway Fleet Set to Fill Tires With Nitrogen,” which appeared July 6 on p. 8, I have been using nitrogen in my fleet since 2005. We have noticed that the tires stay at a constant pressure, and we have been able to get well over 250,000 miles out of our drive tires and 150,000 miles out of our steer tires.

A Senate committee last week approved a bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration without a provision that would make it easier for some employees at FedEx Corp. to unionize.

The Virginia Department of Transportation closed 18 rest stops last week, despite an effort by U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) to amend federal law to allow the state to commercialize the rest areas.

WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats continued to spar over how best to address the nation’s road transportation needs, as the Senate and House moved on opposing paths.

House Transportation Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.) said he was “deeply troubled” over a claim by truck safety inspectors that proposed legislation requiring the purging of flammable materials from tanker wetlines would be “difficult, if not impossible,” to enforce.