���ϳԹ���

Trucking bankruptcies rose 11.5% in October from the previous month as carriers struggled with weak freight demand and sharply rising costs for fuel and other operating expenses, according to data from investment bank Credit Suisse in New York.

The continuing drought in freight withered third-quarter earnings results for truckload carriers, with all 13 of the companies that reported through Nov. 20 showing lower levels of profitability than a year ago.

The average price of retail diesel fell 1.5 cents last week to $3.41 a gallon, ending a string of five straight increases that had pushed the fuel to record levels, the Department of Energy reported.

Housing starts in October rose 3% to 1.229, the Commerce Department said Tuesday.

Aluminum manufacturer Alcoa, Pittsburgh, Pa., said Monday that its Alcoa Auto and Truck Structures business in Hungary delivered a aluminum truck bodies to SIP-WELL, a company that delivers water coolers and water to homes and offices.

Lawson Software, St. Paul, Minn., announced Monday that container terminal operator Global Container Terminals has licensed the Lawson S3 Enterprise Performance Management and Enterprise Financial Management software suites.

McLeod Software said it added a new program to allow customers to manage assets from any computer.

International Truck and Engine Corp. said it has put into “in-line production” a medium-duty hybrid truck that can bring fuel savings of 30% to 60%.

The head of the Louisiana state trucking association said that shippers and freight transporters should expect major delays after a part of Interstate 10 was closed in the wake of a natural gas fire.

John Ficker, president of the National Industrial Transportation League, will step down at the end of November, NITL said Monday.