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Cummins Engine Co. is replacing a longtime staple of its product line with a new model that will meet stricter federal emissions standards.

Creditors of bankrupt Preston Trucking Co. filled a room last week at the U.S. Trustee’s office in Baltimore to question the three principals on the less-than-truckload carrier’s demise.

Insurers say the technology motor carriers may use to become safer is great, but truckers shouldn’t expect any rebates on insurance rates for adopting the equipment.

U.S. Xpress Enterprises of Chattanooga, Tenn., has used some of the most promising safety technologies in its trucks to cut preventable accidents by 75%, according to Max Fuller, the company’s chief operating officer.

Three years after rules requiring underride guards on trailers went into effect, the Federal Highway Administration has issued a regulations to keep the guards in good condition.

Striking owner-operators at the Port of Seattle agreed to suspend their walkout Aug. 31 “to let the wheels of bureaucracy get caught up with our demands,” said Bob Hasegawa of Teamsters Local 174. But the truckers reserved the right to stop work again after 30 days if no progress is made, or earlier if companies retaliate against workers who participated in the strike.

Shippers who rent or lease pallets in Florida may qualify for an exemption from the state’s sales tax. The Florida Department of Revenue said manufacturers do not pay a sales tax on the pallets they purchase and that those who lease pallets should not be unfairly singled out.

Former Saia Motor Freight Line President Jimmy Crisp is the new owner of Dixie Trucking, a Charlotte, N.C.-based less-than-truckload carrier specializing in next-day delivery of freight in the Carolinas, northern Georgia and southern Virginia.

The national average price of diesel fuel rose 0.8 cents to $1.194 per gallon on Aug. 30, marking the 12th straight week of increases.

When Congress returns from its summer recess this week, it will face a number of issues related to trucking, including legislation that would improve the safety of our nation’s highways.