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Former Teamsters President Ron Carey was indicted Thursday, charged with lying during investigations into fund-raising activities for his 1996 union re-election bid, news agencies reported.

In the news: Xtra reports lower 1Q; USFreightways’ 4Q earnings slide; Covenant reports weaker 4Q, cautions about 2001; and more.

Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said U.S. economic growth is near zero, something many trucking companies have already been seeing in freight shipments.

The Department of Transportation has set meetings on Feb. 21 and 22 on changes in drug and alcohol testing rules that affect truck drivers.

Logistics software provider ShipChem nets leading chemical exchanges; SynQuest partners with G-Log; Senators review high-speed Internet tax credit bill; and NextNet testing wireless broadband for the desktop.

Freight customers expect more Internet-based transactions; FCC may allow more spectrum for wireless providers; Rep. Tauzin vows to revamp telecom act; and high court to hear cable web case.

The Senate unanimously confirmed Norman Y. Mineta - who served as commerce secretary late in the Clinton administration - as the new secretary of transportation.

Labor Secretary-nominee Elaine Chao, in her confirmation hearing Wednesday before a Senate committee, reportedly declined to commit herself to the broad-ranging and controversial workplace safety or ergonomics standards issued by the outgoing Clinton administration.

The wave of mergers sweeping through trucking came to the industry’s leasing sector Jan. 15, when No. 2 Penske Truck Leasing announced it will buy No. 3 Rollins Truck Leasing in a $2 billion deal that threatens Ryder System’s position as the nation’s largest full-service leasing company.

The national average price of diesel fuel fell by 1.1 cents a gallon last week to stand at $1.509 a gallon on Jan. 15, the lowest point since late August and the sixth price drop in the past seven weeks reported by the Energy Information Administration.