Business

American Trucking Associations’ seasonally adjusted truck tonnage index rose 2.3% on a year-over-year basis last month, capping a second quarter when freight levels improved from earlier in 2014, the federation reported.

Heartland Express Inc., in North Liberty, Iowa, reported second-quarter net income rose 38% to $26.5 million, or 30 cents per share, from $19.1 million, or 23 cents, reflecting the effects of its late 2013 acquisition of Gordon Trucking.

The South Carolina Ports Authority reported container growth increased 8% in its fiscal year, 2% more than projected.

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute received $55 million in federal contracts to study safety efforts for commercial truck drivers and automated vehicles.

Diesel’s national average price fell for the third straight week and 10th time in 12 weeks, dropping 2.5 cents to $3.869 a gallon, the Department of Energy reported July 21.

Sales of previously owned U.S. homes climbed in June to an eight-month high as more listings helped prices cool, luring buyers into the market.

The consumer price index increased 0.3% in June after a 0.4% gain the prior month, matching median forecast of 85 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News, figures from the Labor Department showed.

With only two weeks remaining until Congress adjourns for the summer, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and the 11 secretaries of transportation before him urged Congress to pass a bill to boost the Highway Trust Fund before that account runs out of money next month.

Werner Enterprises said its second-quarter profit declined from a year ago on constraint by economic and safety regulatory factors.