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U.S. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson showed trucking industry leaders Wednesday afternoon that he was "clearly concerned" with the impact on trucking of a 73% fuel price increase over 18 months, American Trucking Associations President Walter B. McCormick Jr. told Transport Topics.

This afternoon's headlines: DOE's Richardson says U.S. attendance at special energy meeting up to Clinton; Senate committee approves legislation to beef up tire safety; L.A. transit talks resume as strike begins to affect businesses; and more.

Vice President Al Gore plans to issue proposals on Thursday to immediately deal with surging oil prices, a Gore presidential campaign spokesman told reporters, Reuters said.

Six diesel engine manufacturers have asked the federal government to allow them to install a computer program in model 2003 engines that would shut off pollution control equipment to prevent engine damage under certain driving conditions.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have embarked on a three-year, $18 million project to produce a database of statistics on the causes of truck crashes across the country.

While it's the time of year to begin winterizing the fleet, some carriers are also taking steps to winterize their drivers as well.

A federal panel looking into commercial driver license bribery in the Chicago area found driver licensers were not being adequately monitored in Illinois and nationwide.

In the news this morning: Diesel prices continue to climb; FedEx's first-quarter profit grows; fuel protests continue in Europe, spread to Middle East; and more.

Crude oil futures fell $2.14 Tuesday to close at $61.66 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, Bloomberg News reported.