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Engine manufacturer Cummins Inc. last week reversed its decision to use only exhaust-gas recirculation to meet 2010 emission standards and said it would instead use urea-based selective catalytic reduction to cut the new engines’ fuel consumption.

Volvo Trucks North America said Monday it is now offering Bendix heavy-duty air disc brakes on Volvo VN and VT model trucks.

Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire said Thursday that it will raise prices by up to 10% on all of its truck, bus, pickup and passenger tires because of higher raw materials costs and persistently high fuel prices.

Caterpillar Inc., which said Thursday it has signed an agreement to develop a heavy-duty truck with Navistar International Corp., said it would not develop and sell engines that meet 2010 emissions standards to other truck original equipment manufacturers.

WASHINGTON — Several prototype Class 8 hybrid trucks are currently under development, but the technical and economic obstacles in the way of placing reliable and fuel-efficient heavy hybrid over-the-road trucks in service remain daunting, experts told a House subcommittee.

Soaring fuel prices have driven trucking bankruptcies up 143% over the same time last year, and industry analysts said the market may need to consolidate more before it improves for those companies that survive, the Associated Press reported.

Ford Motor Co. plans to lay off up to 12% of its salaried employees by August as part of a restructuring in the face of slumping sales and high fuel prices, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.

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