���ϳԹ���

Factory orders decreased 0.4% in October, the Commerce Department said Monday.

Gasoline’s national average price dropped 9 cents in the past two weeks to an average $3.29 a gallon, according to the latest Lundberg Survey of filling stations released Sunday.

Transportation technology provider ALK Technologies has formed a new group responsible for all of its products and services sold worldwide to transportation and logistics companies, ALK announced Friday.

In a federal securities filing, Qualcomm Inc. warned that some truck original equipment manufacturers and truck component makers are beginning to offer built-in, onboard fleet management and GPS devices, which could intensify competition and eventually affect the San Diego-based company’s margins.

TomTom NV said its Pro 7150 truck-specific GPS is now available and provides drivers and fleet managers with routing that factors in vehicle profiles, road attributes and restrictions.

Despite representing 20% of all fuel-cell systems shipped in 2010, fuel cells used as auxiliary power units remain limited commercially, according to market research and consulting firm Pike Research.

Advanced transportation management systems (TMS) have long provided automation and functionality that help plan, optimize, manage and execute transportation more accurately and productively than — to be blunt — a human being.

Of course, concerns persist about electronic onboard recorders (“FMCSA Drops Its 2012 Electronic Log Rule Aimed at Carriers With Major HOS Offenses,” 11-21, p. 3). EOBRs are unconstitutional and should be outlawed.