ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

The House of Representatives passed a bill last week that included a tax break for companies purchasing trucks with auxiliary power units or advanced insulation by exempting the cost of those items from the federal excise tax on trucks.

Thieves stole six tractor trailers in Long Beach, Calif., that were carrying 40,000-pound steel coils valued at $150,000, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reported Tuesday.

California work crews will close parts of Interstate 5 in Sacramento starting Friday, the California Department of Transportation said on its Web site.

NEW YORK — Shippers can expect hefty rate increases from truckload carriers, possibly as early as next quarter, because shrinking capacity is bringing supply more in line with demand, said carrier executives and industry experts.

Jevic Transportation, the heavyweight less-than-truckload carrier and vendor to the chemical industry whose rapid growth at an early age once impressed investors, closed its doors and filed for bankruptcy last week after 27 years in business.

As fuel prices have skyrocketed, trucking companies have been forced to look closer at other parts of their businesses to trim costs.

The average retail diesel price continued its meteoric rise last week, surging another 16.6 cents to a record $4.497 a gallon, according to the Department of Energy.

The New Jersey Motor Truck Association has put a large banner link on its Web site to help the approximately 1,000 truck drivers who were let go from Jevic Transportation this week find work.

Auto parts supplier American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings said Friday it expects production to resume next week after union workers overwhelmingly approved a new contract that contains steep pay cuts and other concessions, the Associated Press reported.