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A U.S. appeals court last week reversed a lower court’s ruling that blocked ABF Freight System from challenging three cost-cutting agreements between YRC Worldwide Inc. and the Teamsters union.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said it wants to extend its regulatory reach over the next five years to include not only trucks and buses but also shippers, brokers and receivers.

UPS Freight and ABF Freight System, two of the nation’s largest less-than-truckload carriers, recently announced general rate increases of 6.9% each, a move analysts said heralds an industry push to higher rates.

The average price of retail diesel fuel dropped to its lowest level since February last week, shedding 3.8 cents a gallon to $3.85, marking the eighth decline in nine weeks, the Department of Energy reported.

Many carriers are finding it necessary to provide shippers with real-time tracking for their loads if they want to retain valued customers,  several trucking and software company executives have said.

Truck manufacturers received more than 20,000 orders for new Class 8 vehicles in June in North America, the eighth consecutive month above that level and 33% higher than June 2010, two market research firms reported.

Dupré Logistics LLC said it has added dedicated cryogenic transportation to its service offerings.

House Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica outlined a six-year, $230 billion transportation reauthorization plan that would sharply cut spending levels on road-related projects.

Top transportation officials of the United States and Mexico last week signed an agreement that will allow Mexican trucks to carry freight beyond border commercial trade zones, which will in turn prompt Mexico to remove $2.4 billion in retaliatory tariffs it imposed on U.S. products.

Echo Global Logistics said Thursday it has acquired Phoenix truckload brokerage firm Advantage Transport for an undisclosed sum.