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Harbor commissioners at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif., are expected to approve a plan next month to spend $46.5 million in new grant funding from the state to fast-track the purchase of up to 500 new liquefied natural gas trucks, officials with both ports said.

Trucking groups hailed the decision by the National Conference on Weights and Measures not to proceed with proposals to regulate the temperature of retail fuel at the pump.

Wal-Mart Stores and UPS Inc. have separately pledged to support enterprise-wide reporting of greenhouse gas emissions, underscoring the emerging relevance of the carbon accounting field to motor carriers.

U.S. retail diesel prices dropped 4.6 cents last week to $2.496 a gallon, the Department of Energy reported — the fourth straight decline — but rising crude oil costs will soon lead to a reversal of that trend, a department analyst predicted.

Vitran Corp. said Thursday its second-quarter income fell to $400,000, or 3 cents a share, compared with $4.6 million, or 34 cents, a year ago.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. said its second-quarter profit improved but its revenue fell on lower overall freight demand.

Canadian transportation firm TransForce Inc. said its second-quarter net income fell to C$18 million, or 21 cents a share, from C$19.3 million, or 22 cents, a year ago.

Illinois has joined the 49 other states in adopting a uniform 80,000-pound truck weight limit law for state routes and other local roads.

Truckload carrier Knight Transportation’s second-quarter profit was about even with a year ago at $12.6 million, or 15 cents a share, compared with last year’s $12.7 million, or 15 cents.