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This morning's top headlines: Insurance rates may be firming in some specialty classes; Diesel-ethanol fuel cleans up in early tests; and CSX is in talks to sell some operations.

Simon Transportation Services, Salt Lake City, laid off 140 workers July 16 to reduce its nondriver workforce by about 25%.

For the first time since January 1998, some of the biggest U.S. trucking companies are hitting shippers with rate surcharges, triggered by rising fuel prices.

This afternoon's headlines: Yellow reports revenue, net up; Driver appeals for job lost for refusing to use vehicle; and owner operators hit bumpy road in search for independence

C.R. England Inc. will boost its driver pay scale as much as 30% effective Aug. 1, a move the Utah-based truckload carrier said is part of an effort to attract and retain drivers.

Iowa Tanklines expanded its fuel hauling business and added a new service to its transportation portfolio with the purchase of assets from Wheeler Transport Service of Omaha, Neb.

Ryder Systems and Frozen Food Express Industries cautioned investors that second-quarter earnings would be below those for the same period in 1998.

Tighter rules on self-insurance aren’t necessary, according to American Trucking Associations, which suggested the agency instead focus on monitoring and enforcement activities.

Today's headlines from papers across the country: Trucking company builds big terminal in Virginia; Acid spill snarls traffic for hours in California; and Manugistics to go online with NTE.

rimac Transportation prepared to expand its operations between the United States and Mexico by acquiring an 80% interest in Amer-Liquid Transport of Brownsville, Texas.