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A proposed federal rule that triples to $3,000 the annual registration fee for large hazardous materials motor carriers but maintains a fee of $300 for small carriers places an unfair burden on large carriers, American Trucking Associations and National Tank Truck Carriers said in written comments opposing the new rule.

February orders for new Class 8s gained 12% from a year earlier and were 20% above an eight-year low in January, research firm FTR Associates reported last week.

The Transportation Department announced last week it will drop some materials, including paint and diesel fuel, from the list of substances the agency considers dangerous enough to require hazmat motor carriers to file detailed security plans.

Despite a challenging freight environment over the past year, the 2010 Mid-America Trucking Show organizers said industry optimism may be rising. They cited an anticipated increase in the number of exhibitors and attendees for the March 25-27 show.

As the use of mapping and routing software becomes more prevalent across the trucking industry, service providers and state transportation officials said fleets must be wary of the risks posed from using applications not specifically designed for trucks.

The Mexican government is preparing to change the list of U.S. products that will be subjected to higher tariffs in retaliation for the continued lockout of that nation’s truck fleets, sources told Transport Topics last week.

The Department of Transportation said Thursday that the number of overall traffic fatalities reported at the end of 2009 reached the lowest level since 1954, declining for the 15th consecutive quarter.