Government

WASHINGTON — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, in a long-awaited response to a ruling striking down key portions of its driver hours-of-service regulation, said it would continue allowing drivers 11 hours behind the wheel daily and letting them reset the weekly limit after a 34-hour break.

Truck trailer sales and production continued to lag through the third quarter, with U.S. registrations of new units down 24.7%, year-over-year, and the decline of industrywide production levels accelerating.

The number of people killed in large-truck crashes for every mile driven and the rate of fatal crashes involving large trucks fell to all-time lows in 2006, according to a Transport Topics analysis of data from the Department of Transportation.

Retail diesel posted its largest weekly decline of 2007, falling 9.1 cents to $3.325 a gallon following recent inventory gains and lower crude oil prices, the Department of Energy reported.

Restricting older trucks in the ports seems to be restricting trade. If these trucks are legal to use in the state of California, they should be allowed in the ports.

The Senate passed an energy bill late Thursday that would boost fuel efficiency for new automobile fleets to 35 mpg by 2020, increase energy efficiency standards and set a mandate for more use of ethanol and other biofuels, the Washington Post reported Friday.

The consumer price index jumped 0.8% in November, led by increases in energy costs, the Labor Department said Friday.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation asking the agency to deny the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s request to toll Interstate 80.

Business inventories rose 0.1% in October, while sales jumped 0.7% for second straight month, the Commerce Department said Thursday.

Retail sales rose 1.2% in November, the Commerce Department said Thursday.