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Drayage truckers blasted world’s largest ocean carrier Maersk Line’s plan to begin charging a chassis-use fee, saying it would raise costs and complicate operations.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. said its second-quarter profit fell 52%, hurt by mounting pressure on prices and weak demand, as the latest round of quarterly financial reports by public carriers began to roll in last week.

WASHINGTON — The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved an 18-month extension of existing highway legislation even as House leaders continued to oppose a delay in passing a new multiyear transportation funding bill.

Bankrupt Flying J Inc. last week sketched out a plan to sell its truck-stop operations to Pilot Travel Centers, which would add to Pilot’s lead as the nation’s largest truck-stop network.

HOUSTON — During the second half of 2007, when the U.S. economy and stock market were at their respective peaks, a colleague of James Crane said he was — for a brief while — bitter and unhappy. But as gross domestic product and the value of stocks, housing and other assets fell dramatically, the smile returned to Crane’s face as he realized the comfort of cash — hundreds of millions of dollars of it.

Heavy-duty U.S. retail truck sales continued to sag in June, leading to the most anemic first-half sales record in at least 20 years, according to the latest monthly survey by WardsAuto.com.

The average cost of retail diesel in the United States dropped 5.2 cents a gallon last week to $2.542, the third consecutive decline and a level nearly 50% below the record highs of a year ago.

Democratic senators have decided to drop a provision that would have allowed workers to form a union if a majority of employees sign cards, the New York Times reported Friday.

Housing starts rose 3.6% to a seven-month high in June, the Commerce Department said Friday.