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U.S. consumer confidence improved in August, according to the latest Reuters/University of Michigan monthly consumer sentiment index, released Friday.

Consumer personal spending rose 0.2% in July, while prices rose by the most in 17 years, the Commerce Department said Friday.

Citing soaring raw materials costs, trailer maker Wabash National Corp. said it would raise prices an average of 5%, effective for new orders booked on or after Oct. 1.

Transportation Secretary Mary Peters told Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D) she does not believe the plan by DHL Express to use UPS Inc. for its U.S. air cargo operations constitutes unfair competition.

Transport Topics Online will be closed Monday for the Labor Day holiday. Please check back on Tuesday, Sept. 2, for the latest trucking and freight transportation news.

The July truck tonnage report offered mixed signals about the industry and the U.S. economy, as American Trucking Associations’ index rose 4.4% from weak results a year earlier but declined 0.3% from the June totals.

HOUSTON — Dennis Shirar, a 51-year-old driver for Heritage Transport, Indianapolis, earned the title of Grand Champion at the 2008 National Truck Driving Championships.

Only four days after he was crowned Grand Champion of the 2008 North American Inspectors Championship on Aug. 23, Wisconsin State Patrol inspector Daniel Slick already was back at work.

The U.S. average price of retail diesel continued its descent last week, falling another 6.2 cents a gallon to $4.145, the Department of Energy reported.