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When Congress went back into session last week, the prospects for passing a long-term highway bill appeared to be dimming as other issues continued to dominate the legislative agenda.

Global economic and environmental challenges, upgrading transportation infrastructure and improving business performance are some of the major issues on the agenda at the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals’ annual conference Sept. 20-23 in Chicago.

A review of U.S. efforts to ensure the safety of Mexican trucks crossing the border said the trucks’ out-of-service rates were similar to those of U.S. trucks, but it raised concerns about how traffic violations by Mexican drivers are reported and data on Mexican carriers are maintained.

Owner-operators and small fleets haven’t seen any sign of a freight demand or price recovery, but those who survived said they have done it through hard work, perseverance and bold decisions such as expanding a fleet even as the recession hit.

Teamsters at YRC Worldwide Inc.’s New Penn regional trucking subsidiary approved a 5% wage cut and pension givebacks in a second vote on those concessions to help the parent company cope with mounting losses and dwindling freight volumes.

Less than a week after the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration proposed more than doubling registration fees for motor carriers and brokers, American Trucking Associations and several other groups urged the agency to extend its short 15-day comment period.

The average retail price of U.S. diesel dipped 2.7 cents to $2.647 a gallon, breaking a string of six small weekly increases that began in mid-July, the U.S. Department of Energy reported.

While sales of new Class 8 trucks continue to languish, several used truck dealers said they have noted recent “sporadic” increases in business that they believe could signal a market bottom. However, they added that financing problems were restricting sales.