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Led by a surge in new truck registrations by general freight carriers, the number of heavy-duty vehicles in use for all types of operations expanded by more than 80,000 in the third quarter from the same period in 2003, according to research firm R.L. Polk & Co.

Investors with capital to put to work are much more receptive to entreaties from trucking executives seeking debt relief and equity financing than they have been in recent years, according to bankers, investment analysts and fleet executives.

The Department of Transportation said late Thursday its transportation services index jumped 1.3% in October to a new record, and the freight TSI also rose..

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The Institute for Supply Management said Wednesday that its service economy index rose to 63.1 in December, from 61.3 in November.

Surging freight volumes and tight transport capacity pushed trucking profits sharply higher in 2004, even as carriers struggled with pay increases needed to cope with driver recruitment and retention, skyrocketing fuel prices and changing driver hours-of-service regulations. br clear=all>

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said it would explore whether additional national regulations were needed to protect consumers from “unscrupulous” brokers involved in moving household goods. Brokers who use the Internet to solicit customers are the focus of this investigation.

American Trucking Associations said it appealed to the federal government to drop its plan to fingerprint drivers permitted to haul hazardous materials, setting the stage for possible legal action, a senior association official told Transport Topics.

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