91��Ƶ

The Environmental Protection Agency lowered its non-compliance penalties for engines that emit more than 2.5 grams of nitrogen oxides because of lobbying pressure and revisions in what the life cycle costs of the engine could be, said EPA and a House representative.

William J. Canary, president and chief executive officer of the American Trucking Associations, Thursday called the Environmental Protection Agency’s diesel engine rule an “egregious example where our government failed us.”

The Institute for Supply Management Thursday reported a sharp slowdown in the rate of growth for the manufacturing sector, with its factory index at 50.5 in July compared with 56.2 the previous month.

Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.Back before the turn of the century when freight was strong, fuel and insurance were less expensive than they are now and owner-operators were making 97 cents on a loaded mile, it was easier to justify buying a rig and going into business for yourself.

The White House Wednesday turned down a request by Speaker of the House Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) to delay the implementation of tougher diesel-emissions rules slated to take effect Oct. 1, the Washington Post reported.

Trucking issues, particularly current heavy demand for truck engines produced before the Oct. 1 deadline for new emissions standards, were a part of the material that went into the Beige Book report released on Wednesday by the Federal Reserve.

Wisconsin Road Gets Too Much Dough • Conn. Officials Discussing Moving More Cargo by Rail • Detroit Tunnel Corp. May Limit Trucks • June Construction Spending Falls 2.2% • And more...

Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.I have been an over-the-road driver since 1982. In this time I have witnessed the growing lack of available, safe parking. In one incident that comes to mind, I was driving I-40 from Little Rock to Memphis and I maxed out my hours. Not being familiar with this part of the country, I figured no problem finding a parking spot. This was about 8 p.m.

The U.S. economy has expanded modestly since early June with solid increases in activity in the Cleveland and St. Louis districts, the Federal Reserve said in its Beige Book report released Wednesday.

Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has released new rules covering commercial driver's license provisions that will go into effect Sept. 30.