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American Trucking Associations, truck manufacturers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have urged the Senate to address a research and development bill on increasing fuel efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

Hybrid engine technology is not yet ready for Class 8 over-the-road trucks, but it is making inroads in other heavy- and medium-duty applications and appears to be performing well, both on the road and in the shop.

A new U.S. Department of Transportation study hints that the Obama administration’s recently announced plans to increase heavy truck fuel efficiency and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions likely will rely on a combination of existing aerodynamic design technologies and future diesel engine and drivetrain modifications that barely have left the laboratory or still are in development.

WASHINGTON — A week after President Obama announced that the federal government would be crafting the first-ever fuel economy standards for large trucks, observers said it was still unclear exactly what those standards would entail.

The average retail price paid for a gallon of diesel dropped 7.3 cents to $3.021 last week, the Energy Department said, as the biggest one-week decline in nearly 18 months followed a recent slide in crude oil prices.

Logistics firm Expeditors International of Washington said airfreight tonnage has risen 40% in the first three months of 2010 compared to last year, the Associated Press reported.

A new Department of Transportation study hints that the Obama administration’s ambitious plans to increase heavy truck fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gases emissions will likely rely on a combination of existing aerodynamic design technologies and future diesel engine modifications that have barely left the laboratory or are still under development.