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In the news this morning: UPS, Teamsters settle full-time job creation dispute; Police suspect recent thefts of computers from trucks are related; and Federal government to help Illinois track down truckers for CDL retesting.

This afternoon's headlines: Illinois report plots ways for ending state's toll roads; Shots fired at Coca-Cola delivery trucks in West Virginia; and Study finds drivers regularly break hours-of-service regulations.

The national diesel price average recorded its biggest drop of the year this week, after the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed to boost oil production by some 1.7 million barrels a day.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is in the process of inspecting 417 trucking-related companies nationwide because of 1998 employer records on injuries or illness.

The Research and Special Programs Administration withdrew its 1992 proposal to rewrite the standards governing the use of signaling systems for loading and unloading of cargo tanks.

West Side Transport will raise the starting pay for company drivers April 1, the second increase in the past five months for the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, truckload carrier.

In the news this morning: Canadian Trucking Alliance urges finance ministers to discuss fuel tax reductions; Arkansas taxes to go up if federal fuel tax reduced; and Nissan Diesel buys shares in firms selling its trucks to make up for losses.

A proposal to allow drivers under age 21 to operate trucks in interstate commerce — if well-trained — appears to be losing momentum.

Four months after the collapse of AmeriTruck Distribution Corp., Ronald Damico – who sold his own business to AmeriTruck in 1996 – is still picking up the pieces.

This afternoon's headlines: UPS courts online grocer Peapod; Ford could buy Volvo Truck if another offer threatens the brand name; and Teamsters prepared to strike Associated Wholesale Grocers this weekend.