Editorial

The 40th edition of the Mid-America Trucking Show was the most joyful trucking event in recent years, as smiling truckers were greeted by even happier equipment suppliers in frigid Louisville, Ky., last week.

Trucking took one step forward last week and two steps back. That shows what a tough business this is, as if everyone who reads Transport Topics doesn’t already know that.

It seems that a consensus is developing in the trucking industry to support electronic devices that monitor the number of hours that drivers work behind the wheel.

Fuel prices have now jumped so high that we all need to pay close attention. Not that we can do much about these skyrocketing prices, except pay and grumble.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has cast a spotlight on the current federal standard for truck underride guards, which it says is woefully inadequate.

Just as the U.S. economy seems to be growing some serious muscle, international events are threatening to intervene in what has become a period of steady business improvement.

OK, now we’ve said it again: Leave the current hours-of-service rule alone because it has proven its value for promoting safety while allowing the freight transportation industry to continue moving the nation’s freight.

The price of diesel fuel, the lifeblood of the trucking industry, took another step up last week, the 10th week in a row that truckers have had to pay more to keep the freight — and the U.S. economy — moving.

There were more signs of the trucking industry’s resurgence last week, as a number of publicly-held fleets reported improved earnings, while analysts said trailer and used trucks sales surged during 2010.

A few stories in this edition of Transport Topics illustrate quite well the current state of the national economy.