Business

RALEIGH, N.C. — Two federal agencies that regularly deal with trucks have outlined ambitious plans that could make the nation’s highways nearly as busy with electronic communications as they are with vehicles, and doing so before the end of this decade.

PAR Technology Corp. said it is selling its PAR Logistics Management Systems subsidiary to telematics company Orbcomm in a transaction valued at up to $10 million.

Without a doubt, however, the single most dangerous thing our employees do in the course of our workday is commuting to and from the job.

Once again, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation has failed to put forth common sense with regards to longhaul truckers’ hours of service.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s new hours-of-service rule is a serious and major disappointment for the trucking industry.

Trucking industry mergers and acquisitions are expected to surge this year because of factors such as tight capacity and eager private-equity buyers, several industry experts have said.

Trade organizations representing motor carriers and freight brokers generally backed a federal move to streamline the federal registration process, but complained that the registration form is too long and complicated for many in the industry.

While heavy-duty truck makers said last week that they do not share Navistar International’s assessment that engine castings are in short supply, foundry executives said the recession eliminated industry capacity and problems could become more noticeable if demand for metal parts continues to rise.

Diesel refineries must produce 1 billion gallons of biodiesel in 2012, a 25% increase from last year, the Environmental Protection Agency said last month, but the agency decided to delay its planned 2013 mandate.

At least some trucking industry analysts said they expect the latest version of the hours-of-service rule to land back in federal court because the rule seems to satisfy no one.