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Rail and intermodal traffic continued their weeks-long decline last week, the Association of American Railroads said Thursday.

Oil rose to a five-week high Friday, rising almost $2 to close the week at more than $45 a barrel, Bloomberg reported.

SALTILLO, Mexico — Daimler Trucks North America dedicated its $300 million Freightliner plant here Feb. 27, as Mexico’s president, Felipe Calderon, joined company officials to formally launch the new 1.3 million-square-foot facility.

WASHINGTON — Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), a member of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, said the country should move quickly to a vehicle-miles tax but meanwhile should raise fuel taxes significantly, al-though the higher taxes shouldn’t take effect for at least two years.

A pair of California residents have pleaded guilty to defrauding dozens of truckers and brokers of at least $2.4 million in an Internet load-board fraud scheme that included hacking into the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Web site.

While much of the debate on the upcoming highway bill will focus on funding issues, a senator charged with overseeing the safety portion of the legislation said recently that “the status quo is simply unacceptable.”

The Mid-America Trucking Show will hold this year’s event with 980 exhibitors, 100 from outside the country, down only slightly from last year.

The Environmental Protection Agency will require onboard diagnostics systems on at least one engine family per manufacturer starting in 2010.

General Motors Co. and Chrysler  have asked the Treasury Department to set up an urgent insurance program to back capital for factoring companies that deal with suppliers and trucking companies serving the auto industry.