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The new year broke with a long dawn for truck buyers who were only beginning to recognize that as of Oct. 1, original equipment manufacturers would be selling over-the-road power units equipped with new — and for the truckers, unknown and untried — diesel engines.

Lott Resigns as Senate Majority Leader • U.S. Postal Service to Hand-Sort Some Letters • Daimler Expects to Beat Sprinter Sales Goal • Ryder Forecasts Better 2003 • And more ...

The Conference Board said that its index of leading economic indicators rose 0.7% in November.

Transportation sector political action committees were major contributors to the 2002 congressional campaigns, doling out $13.5 million, according to an analysis of campaign spending by the Federal Election Commission, the Center for Responsive Politics and American Trucking Associations.

Navistar Closes Bond Sale • Mullen Acquires Two Oil Drilling Companies • Volvo Says Truck Deliveries Fell in November • Initial Jobless Claims Dropped by 11,000 Last Week •

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said that manufacturing activity in the mid-Atlantic region edged higher in December.

Underwriters Exercise Option on UTi Offering • Stronger Truck Tires Sales Forecasted • Volvo to Boost Capacity at Swedish Powertrain Plant • U.S. May Tap Oil Reserves •

FedEx Corp. said Wednesday that it had earnings of 81 cents per share in the second quarter ended Nov. 30 – identical to the 81 cents per share the company posted in the same timeframe last year.

PAR, Savi Team on Container Security • Central Transport Gets Fast-Track Trade Approval •

Trucking industry officials had divided opinions last week over the Transportation Security Administration’s recently announced intention to require locks on all trailers, with some warning it could hurt business and others saying they it would increase security at little or no extra cost.