Business

Two sets of changes in the way freight is moved in the United States will require fleet operators to take a fresh look at transportation strategy and fleet utilization.

Here’s a true story: The editorial office of Transport Topics overlooks a cul-de-sac that leads off a busy commercial street. There is a lot of construction going on in that cul-de-sac and last week one of the trucks delivering ready-mixed concrete broke down.

Class 8 U.S. retail truck sales declined in July for the 11th straight month in comparison with last year, according to WardsAuto.com. However, the drop was the smallest percentage decline of the 11 months.

Despite the nation’s efforts to upgrade its bridges in recent years, a staggering 151,500 are still labeled as deficient, the cure for which is to spend $20.5 billion every year between now and 2028.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration refused last week to make changes to a regulatory guidance document it published last year allowing some specialty truck drivers at oil and gas exploration sites to extend their workdays.

HIBBING, Minn. — Detroit Diesel Remanufacturing unveiled plans for expansion of its electronics unit here and announced a change in top management of this Daimler Trucks North America subsidiary.

A judge in Knoxville, Tenn. has scheduled an Aug. 22 hearing to consider whether to allow a Georgia motor carrier to take a sworn deposition from Pilot Flying J CEO Jimmy Haslam and three other executives of the truck stop chain in connection with a rebate-discount fraud lawsuit.

The chief adversaries in the nearly 17-year battle over federal work rules for commercial drivers agreed that the recent appeals court decision upholding most of the government’s latest regulation closes the book on the overhaul of the so-called hours-of-service rule, which had not changed significantly in 57 years.

The average price of a gallon of U.S. retail diesel last week inched down 1.3 cents to $3.896, continuing a pattern of “unexciting” fuel moves that offer little consolation to fleets.