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After refusing to budge on the issue for months, the federal government has agreed to extend the deadline for comments on its controversial ergonomics standard proposal.

The Department of Transportation’s much-anticipated hours-of-service reforms should be made public within a few weeks, according to a top agency official.

This afternoon's headlines: Fuel costs raise questions in New York; UPS's new eVentures unit plans to expand logistics business; and FMCSA extends deadline to join paperless log program.

Data recorders and productivity issues are on the agenda for the winter meeting of American Trucking Associations, whose board of directors is meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

In the news this morning: Class-action lawsuit claims UPS inflates insurance fees; OPEC holds key to lower fuel prices; and Vancouver truckers threaten port shutdown over wage dispute

This afternoon's headlines: States bypass rules, costs, and delays with toll roads; Austin, Tx., police on the lookout for scofflaw truckers; and Intermodal firm ventures into truckload sector.

Representatives of Overnite Transportation Co. and the Teamsters will meet in Chicago to discuss changes in pay and benefits implemented by the company on Jan. 1.

Parts of the eastern United States were hammered again by escalating diesel fuel prices, led by a 15.3-cent surge in the Central Atlantic region and 13-cent increase in New England this week.

Trucking and the state of New Jersey are heading to federal court to do battle over the ban that prohibits many out-of-state trucks from running on most of the state’s secondary road system.

The International Registration Plan could go awry in California if the industry and lawmakers can’t bring the state’s registration policies into line with the other IRP states by next year.