Government

ARLINGTON, Va. — American Trucking Associations said last week it would become more vocal in its support for increased fuel efficiency in heavy trucks and ratified an agreement with the biodiesel industry to promote that fuel at the federal level.

For anyone who operates a commercial truck, there is little doubt about the importance of the vehicle’s fuel efficiency — especially in this era of historically high diesel and gasoline prices.

U.S. consumer confidence fell this month from a two-year high in January, according to the University of Michigan’s monthly consumer sentiment index released Friday.

New housing starts plunged 14.3% in January to their lowest level in 10 years, the Commerce Department said Friday.

The producer price index fell 0.6% in January, but the “core” rate rose, the Labor Department reported Friday.

A thick layer of ice kept parts of major highways closed in Pennsylvania Friday morning, a day after hundreds of drivers became stranded on a hilly stretch of Interstate 78 that was hit by this week’s big snow and ice storm, the Associated Press reported.

Truckload carrier Schneider National said Thursday it received a business license from the Chinese government to begin trucking and logistics operations in that country.

Transport Topics Online will be closed Monday for the Presidents’ Day holiday. Please check back on Tuesday, Feb. 19, for the latest trucking and freight transportation news.

Manufacturing levels in the Philadelphia area fell back to a near-flat level this month following a big jump in January, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said Thursday.

Manufacturing growth in New York state rebounded in February from January, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said Thursday.