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This afternoon's headlines: FDX is revamping sales operations in wake of lackluster profit, UPS gains; Volvo Trucks eyes bigger piece of U.S. market; and Cummins to take fourth-quarter charge.

The national average price of diesel fuel provided a little holiday cheer by dropping for the second consecutive week, but one analyst says the oil market is in a purge-and-binge mindset.

Robert T. “Tom” King, executive vice president of the Ohio Trucking Association, died in his sleep Dec. 13 at his home in Worthington, Ohio. He was 52.

There was no public auction today for the real estate of bankrupt Preston Trucking in Baltimore, since a $68.4 million bid for all parcels by RLR Investments LLC beat out all other offers.

In the news this morning: DaimlerChrysler reportedly begins talks to buy Nissan Diesel; La. dock board launches major renovation project; and Vt. panel approves lifting of some truck limits.

The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission proposed an air quality plan that would require the use of lower-emission California diesel in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The Trucker, a biweekly, national newspaper covering the truckload freight sector, was sold to Landmark Communications of Norfolk, Va, for an undisclosed sum.

A computer glitch in a program allowing truckers to pay California bridge tolls by credit card resulted in 30,000 customers being overcharged.

William C. Rogers, director of human factors research for American Trucking Associations, will join the Motor Freight Carriers Association as vice president of safety, training and technology.

The Transportation Research Board will hold a national conference in February focusing on global intermodal freight movement into the next century.