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The ire of fleet managers who say diesel particulate filters are clogging with soot too quickly should be eased with the arrival of 2010 engines, according to some engine manufacturers.

The U.S. economy expanded at a lower rate than previously reported in the third quarter, growing at a 2.8% annual rate versus the 3.5% reported last month, the Commerce Department said Tuesday.

A proposal to increase tolls on some bridges in California’s San Francisco Bay Area could have trucks paying an additional $5 to $41.50 per trip, the San Mateo County (Calif.) Times reported.

When large, corporate-owned fleets such as U.S. Foodservice and Wal-Mart Transportation were pressured by their owners to meet environmental sustainability goals even during the current faltering economy, it made the news.

When will the trucking industry, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the critics of the industry come to the realization that there never will be one set of rules that fits all types of trucking operations or satisfies every proponent and opponent?

Yes, it’s still impossible to pay your bills with “cautious optimism.” But that state of mind is a lot better than what we were hearing just a few months ago when we asked any gathering of truckers about the outlook for their businesses.

The House Transportation Committee last week approved a bill that would prohibit the transport of flammable liquids in unprotected product piping on new cargo tankers in two years and in existing tankers by the end of 2025.

Federal and California environmental regulators have certified 2010 engines of AB Volvo’s two North American brands — Volvo and Mack — the companies said Nov. 16. They are the first engine manufacturers to gain official approval.