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Class 8 tractors have long been the standard for U.S. for-hire carriers, yet for certain service lines, even the most venerable of heavy-duty fleets are now buying Class 6 and 7 trucks and sometimes even smaller cargo vans.

Officials of brake manufacturer Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems said they are wrestling with the challenge of manufacturing and distributing replacement parts for a defective valve that could cause braking problems, which prompted federal and heavy-duty truck manufacturer recalls.

Trailer makers experienced robust ordering activity to end 2011 and early this year, according to ACT Research Co. and interviews with manufacturers.

LISLE, Ill. — Navistar Inc. has formally submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency a 13-liter heavy-duty engine model that it says meets current federal emissions standards.

Trailer manufacturers may be facing an embarrassment of riches: too much business.

The 2010 technology power plants and the new emissions systems represented such a dramatic break from the past that only technicians certified by original equipment manufacturers have been able to work on them while they are still under warranty, truck dealers said.

Commercial vehicle component supplier Accuride Corp. will invest $75 million this year to increase output, quality and reliability; upgrade its manufacturing processes and improve customer service.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will move forward with a host of developing rules and regulations regarding trucking this year, Administrator Anne Ferro said Tuesday.