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UPS Inc. employees represented by the Teamsters union will get a pay increase of $4 an hour and additional benefits worth $5 an hour under a new five-year contract, Bloomberg reported.

The Intermodal Motor Carriers Conference said it strongly opposes an “abhorrent” clean-air plan proposed by the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif. and will sue to block the program if the ports try to implement it, the IMCC told the Federal Maritime Commission.

A bill introduced last week by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) would provide tax credits for fleets purchasing trucks with certain types of safety technology.

Vermont leaders expressed dismay at an effort by the Bush administration to oppose new state rules designed to reduce vehicle carbon emissions, amid growing concern the rules will be rejected by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Associated Press reported.

California officials reopened southbound lanes of Interstate 5 near Los Angeles early Monday after a 31-vehicle pileup over the weekend killed three and closed a freeway tunnel, USA Today reported.

LAS VEGAS — Growing concern about global warming will help trucking’s push for longer and heavier vehicle limits, an issue that may be gaining “buoyancy” in Congress, ATA President Bill Graves said recently.

The average retail price of diesel fuel fell 1.3 cents last week to $3.035 a gallon, the first decline after five straight increases, the Department of Energy said.

Retail sales rose 0.6% in September, the Commerce Department said Friday.

Consumer confidence declined this month, according to a preliminary monthly report by the University of Michigan, released Friday.

Business inventories rose just 0.1% in August, while sales fell 0.4%, the Commerce Department said Friday.