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TAMPA, Fla. — Less-than-truckload carriers can realize substantial savings if they manage to end the prevailing industry practice of preparing freight bills on paper and convert the process to electronic transmissions, industry officials and experts said.

LAS VEGAS — Already expected to eliminate several thousand truckers from the driving pool, the federal government’s new truck safety rating system is likely to threaten the career of thousands more, as well the fortunes of many fleets, carrier executives and others familiar with the program said.

The Obama administration said it plans to begin a multimillion-dollar push to crack down on employers who misclassify employees as independent contractors.

Transportation leaders said last week they hoped to complete a long-term surface transportation reauthorization before the end of the year, although paying for the legislation’s increased infrastructure spending remains a major obstacle.

Anger over closed rest stops in Arizona has spurred a state legislator to propose allowing entities other than the state to pay to keep rest stops open, the New York Times reported Friday.

The rules are changing for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s “SafeStat” audits for trucking companies.

Worker productivity jumped 6.9% in the fourth quarter, capping the largest one-year gain since 2002, the Labor Department said Thursday.

The U.S. economy improved in nine of the Federal Reserve’s 12 districts early this year, with transportation levels improving modestly, the Fed said Wednesday.