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WASHINGTON — Anne Ferro, head of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, told Transport Topics she hoped the agency will get a variety of points of view during its upcoming public hearings on hours-of-service.

Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced Tuesday the creation of FocusDriven, an organization dedicated to fighting distracted driving.

Automated vehicle tracking is now accessible to more fleets than ever before, as providers pack the technology into small — but powerful — hardware. However, economic and regulatory concerns are keeping older systems firmly entrenched in the trucking industry.

The biodiesel industry was at a virtual standstill last week, despite an assurance by two Senate leaders they will introduce legislation “as soon as possible” to reinstate the tax credit that expired on Dec. 31.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced it would host a series of public “listening sessions” over its intentions to modify again its often-challenged hours-of-service rule for commercial drivers.

Cummins Inc. said Friday it has received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency certification for its heavy-duty and midrange 2010 engines — the heavy-duty big-bore ISX15 and midrange ISB6.7, ISC8.3 and ISL9 units.

We all have to hope that officials of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration really have their ears open when they hold their three public “listening sessions” later this month over their embattled hours-of-service rule for the nation’s truck drivers.

Patriot Transportation Holding said its transportation group has been unsuccessful in renewing contracts with major customers who accounted for $10 million in revenue last year, or 11% of its total.

The U.S. economy’s service sector improved, showing modest expansion last month, the Institute for Supply Management said Wednesday.