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The American Truck Dealers have named James E. Coles, president of Western Peterbilt, as the North American Truck Dealer of the Year for 2000.

This afternoon's headlines: FMCSA extends deadline to join GPS-based driver log program; Web sites make findign lease options easier; and Hunt Logistics uses technological savvy to develop new bid system.

The number of crashes involving trucks took another dive during 1999 as the industry improved its safety record for the second year in the row, according to preliminary statistics from the Department of Transportation.

Teamsters and Overnite Transportation officials made no progress after three more days of negotiations last week, but the union was involved in job actions all over the country.

Cattle ranchers, steel makers and trucking company executives fanned out across Capitol Hill last week in an effort to spark congressional interest in heavier trucks.

Revisions by the Bureau of the Census have wiped out an apparent record set for trailer shipments in 1998, while new reports showed January 2000 shipments trailing those in the same month a year earlier.

In the news this morning: Celarix allies with consulting giant Ernst & Young; and Purchase makes TCT Canada's hird biggest trucking firm.

In the news this afternoon: A miracle cure for wasted fuel; E-commerce activity grows as more trucking companies put logistics on Web; and Intermodal continues to expand.

Expectations – and rumors – of an increase in the fuel supply helped push the national average price of diesel fuel down for the third straight week and forced the price of crude oil below $26 per barrel.

Railroads should spend less time trying to slow the growth of trucking and more time working with the industry to improve service, American Trucking Associations President Walter B. McCormick said in a recent speech to rail shippers.