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Used Class 8 truck sales declined in December from a year earlier as vehicle prices increased and average mileage trickled lower, according to ACT Research.

Truck and engine manufacturer Navistar International Corp., pressed to find a way to offer engines that comply with federal emissions regulations, said last week that it has reached an agreement to use Cummins Inc. selective catalytic reduction technology for its 13-liter engines and offer Cummins 15-liter engines in some of its International brand trucks.

Allied Systems Holdings Inc., the largest U.S. car hauler, last week filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the second time it has done so, saying it’s continuing to provide service and blaming weakness in the car and light-truck business for the move.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Permanent repair kits for defective ATR-6 traction-relay brake valves are moving to truck makers, executives of Bendix Commercial Vehicle System said.

North American truck makers installed 99,504 Cummins Inc. engines into new 2011 Class 8 trucks, slightly increasing the independent engine maker’s leading market share to 39.1% from 38.5% in 2010, WardsAuto.com reported.

The total U.S. Class 8 fleet dropped 2.1% in the 4th quarter of 2011 compared with the last quarter of 2010, as fleets continued to squeeze out their oldest trucks to bring freight capacity more into alignment with available loads, according to R.L. Polk & Co.

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.

I have attended several meetings of American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council where participants have stated they simply want to know how many years a component will last.