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A National Research Council study suggests people are eager to use technology to make business processes more efficient, but that it may take some digging to determine which are the best tools.

The Teamsters union negotiating team, led by general president James P. Hoffa in his first appearance at the bargaining table, came to terms with the unionized autohaulers last week, avoiding a job walkout that would have disrupted new car deliveries across the country.

The price of diesel fuel continued its downward trend, hitting a nine-week low of $1.065 a gallon May 31, one-tenth of a cent off the previous week’s national average. Gasoline prices, which had been expected to rise, also dropped by 1.5 cents to $1.151.

A conference for Wall Street analysts on railroad finance last week turned into a debate on whether railroads should be forced to provide competitive access to their tracks and other infrastructure.

In an experiment that has an element of risk to it, Yellow Corp. is providing transportation services for eChemicals, a company that uses the Internet to match buyers and sellers of industrial chemicals.

Airborne Freight, known for its corporate delivery service, will start sending packages to residential addresses via the post office. The company is taking advantage of a U.S. Postal Service offer of rate discounts to private shipping companies.

The truck renting and leasing industry is thrilled about proposed legislation that would prevent lessors from being held liable for accidents caused by their customers.

As the federal government begins developing a plan to increase the availability and safety of nighttime parking for long-haul truckers, truck stop operators are saying it’s a non-issue.

Truckers got their annual doses of increased inspections and appreciation June 1-5.

A handful of trucking companies and their attorney are taking on the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General, alleging in a class-action lawsuit that federal investigators exceeded their authority by conducting SWAT-like “raids” against the carriers.