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SAN ANTONIO — Trailer makers can expect the vital economy to keep their businesses strong, but they will have to find creative ways to increase profits, an economist told participants at the annual meeting of the Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association.

Joe Pennell is not your typical private fleet manager. For one thing, he’s a former U.S. Army pilot who flew a Cobra helicopter gunship in the Persian Gulf War. For another, he doesn’t manage any trucks.

Photo from Ontario Ministry of the EnvironmentOntario will be the first province in Canada to get tough on excessive smoke from truck exhaust stacks in a wide-ranging enforcement effort to combat a growing smog problem.

Forget JIT and ERP. The future of trucking and its role in supply chain management systems may be small, open windows.

A temporary 3-cent fuel tax increase enacted in North Dakota to provide funding to repair flooded roads was made permanent to handle a deluge of a different kind.

The operator of the New York Cross Harbor Railroad purchased a majority interest in J.S. Transportation, a regional trucking company based in southern New Jersey.

Trailer makers can expect the vital economy to keep their businesses strong, but they will have to find creative ways to increase profits.

TT PhotoWith a crowd of approximately 3,500 cheering him on with a chant of "Hoffa, Hoffa, Hoffa," new Teamsters President James P. Hoffa declared "a new era" for the union at Teamsters’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. "The Teamsters are back," he declared after taking a ceremonial oath of office.

Transport Corp. of America, Minneapolis, acquired Robert Hansen Trucking of Delavan, Wis., company officials announced May 3.

Calls for a separate modal administration to handle truck safety gained momentum with support from Department of Transportation Inspector General Kenneth Mead.