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Nissan Diesel America has changed its name to UD Trucks North America Inc., part of a rebranding effort in conjunction with the company’s 25th anniversary.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Dealer executives bubbled with optimism as they exited their respective truck-brand meetings here at the American Truck Dealers conference.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration was criticized during a Senate subcommittee hearing last week for not doing enough to clamp down on unsafe trucks, particularly with regard to driver hours of service.

There was a time when foreign-based tire manufacturers had to overcome major hurdles to enter the North American market.

PRINCETON, N.J. — New federal safety regulations soon will drive a wave of purchases by U.S. trucking companies that have not yet adopted electronic onboard recorders and mobile communication systems that closely monitor driver performance, a technology vendor here said.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Truck makers and dealers have called for a 10% investment tax credit to smooth out the buying cycle of the cleaner burning but more expensive trucking equipment. 

U.S. truck tonnage jumped 7.5% in March from year-ago levels, the fastest monthly increase in more than five years, according to American Trucking Associations.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration last week announced that fees for the Unified Carrier Registration program would nearly double, and officials familiar with the program said the fees soon may need to rise even higher to satisfy states’ need for revenue.

Trailer orders in March soared 165% over the comparable month of 2009, ACT Research Co. reported last week, as the strengthening economy and the brighter picture for the freight industry drove fleets to boost orders over dismal year-ago levels for the sixth month in a row.

Reese Taylor Jr., who was chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission when the Motor Carrier Act of 1980 was implemented, died April 16 in Las Vegas. He was 81.