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After months of optimistic predictions, truck makers said orders for heavy-duty vehicles were picking up significantly, including Volvo Trucks North America Inc.’s Dec. 5 completion of the largest order ever of its VN tractors.

Two national shippers’ organizations said they were concerned that trucking freight rate increases could follow if a request by the Southern Motor Carriers Rate Conference seeking authority to establish nationwide trucking tariffs is approved.

Joining a growing number of truckload carriers responding to the potential for new federal hours-of-service rules to cut drivers’ earnings, three companies last week announced a variety of driver-pay increases.

Speaking publicly for the first time since less-than-truckload carrier Overnite Corp. became a publicly traded company Oct. 31, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Leo Suggs said he remained “cautiously optimistic” about the outlook for trucking as the economy continued to improve.

WASHINGTON — Officials of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach visited legislators here Nov. 6 to lobby for millions more in federal funding to secure their facilities, the third-busiest seaport complex in the world.