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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Reconfigured drum and air disc brakes that meet the new federal stopping-distance rule for commercial vehicles that takes effect in August made their debut here, and one truck maker said air discs will be standard on all its Class 8 trucks.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Executives of Cummins Inc. said that despite the trend by truck manufacturers toward vertical integration of engines and trucks, the sole remaining independent manufacturer of heavy-duty truck engines will be able to offer unique technology and service that will keep their company profitable.

Building on a surge of replacement demand that began last year, trailer manufacturers received orders for 21,990 new units in February — a 105% year-over-year increase.

Outsourcing of transportation services by smaller shippers is fueling revenue growth for brokerage firms and forwarders, while increasing the clout of many third-party logistics firms, industry observers said.

Fleets’ driver retention and recruitment moves are accelerating as pay increases proliferate and drivers begin to chase better-paying jobs, industry officials said.

Barbara Windsor, chairman of American Trucking Associations, told a congressional panel that the next surface transportation reauthorization measure should feature more effective highway-focused programs.

U.S. retail diesel prices resumed their upward march last week, as the national average increased 2.5 cents to a 30-month high of $3.932 per gallon, leading fleets to take wide-ranging steps to address their mounting costs.

U.S. traffic deaths fell 3% last year to the lowest level on record, even as vehicle miles traveled rose, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported Friday.

The U.S. unemployment rate fell to a two-year low rate of 8.8% in March as the economy added about 216,000 jobs, the Labor Department said Friday.

Construction spending fell for a third straight month in February, the Commerce Department said Friday.