Equipment

We live in an age of electronic information. Computers, the Internet, iPhones, iPads, GPS . . . all these technological wonders work to make our lives easier, reduce paperwork and give us all more time to do other things.

After carefully weighing the pros and cons in the sometimes overheated debate over whether the federal government should mandate electronic logging devices in heavy-duty trucks, we unequivocally support a requirement for electronic logging to monitor hours-of-service compliance.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has formally withdrawn its regulation that would have mandated electronic onboard recorders for some carriers.

An index of manufacturing activity in the Philadelphia region in May showed contraction for the first time in eight months, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said Thursday.

Truck engine and components maker Cummins Inc. said it has signed an agreement to acquire Hilite International’s emissions-control business. Terms were not disclosed.

Recent advances in rubber compounding processes have helped make tires more durable and fuel efficient, according to manufacturers who compare the techniques to the culinary arts.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration continues to be dead set on forcing every commercial vehicle in the United States to carry an electronic onboard recorder — better known as an EOBR — despite the device’s hefty price tag and general uselessness as a safety tool.

Commercial Vehicle Group’s first-quarter profit improved, the truck and auto components maker said.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. reported a first-quarter loss, citing refinancing charges that offset higher revenue.