Manufacturing continues modest upward trend

OTTAWA -- Manufacturing sales in Canada increased 5.5 percent to $41.4 billion in July, building on the small 2.2 percent increase in June.

Western provinces make a pact

REGINA -- After taking the summer to let the idea simmer, Canada's three westernmost provinces agreed to move forward on a plan to collaborate on environmental and pension issues.

Volvo heavy trucks to run on CO2-free ‘black liquor’

STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Starting next year, Volvo Trucks will be the first truck manufacturer to conduct comprehensive field tests of Bio-DME -- a next generation biofuel said to produce close to no carbon dioxide emissions.

Vocational owners report more reliable engines; Mercedes tops list

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. -- More vocational truck owners are satisfied with their heavy-duty engines this year from the year before, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Heavy-Duty Truck Engine and Transmission Study.

August truck orders show biggest improvement of the year

COLUMBUS, Ind. -- August commercial vehicle orders of Class 8 models shot up to their highest level since November of 2008, but were still down 30 percent year over year, according to the recently released State of the Industry report by ACT Research.

OTA boss spreads the word on rates, freight outlook

PICKERING, Ont. -- The president of Ontario's largest trucking group told a group of shippers and retailers that the cheap rates they've come to expect in this softened freight market are not sustainable.

Ontario truckers join pro-tax harmonization lobby coalition

TORONTO -- A coalition of business and industry groups has formed to demonstrate the broad-based support for sales tax reform in Ontario.

Nav-Cat alliance seeks major Chinese merger

CHICAGO -- Caterpillar Inc. and Navistar's global alliance is looking to make a big footprint in China and is talking to Chinese automaker with Anhui Jianghuai Automobile to build and sell commercial trucks in that part of the world.

Trailer sector rebounding faster than trucks

COLUMBUS, Ind. -- The commercial trailer segment saw a boost in net orders in August, up 14 percent from July and 69 percent from the same period last year -- a bigger gain than heavy-duty trucks, which are improving, but still way down from any relative month in 2008.

Toyo Tires ranks at the top in mag survey

AKRON, Ohio -- Tire Review magazine has rated Toyo Tires as the No. 1 Overall Brand for both consumer and commercial truck tires in its annual Tire Brand Study of North American Tire Dealers.

Truck OEMs strut clean technology trucks for policymakers

WASHINGTON -- The Diesel Technology Forum held its clean diesel power showcase this week Washington, D.C., drawing industry leaders, senior government officials, members of the media and user group representatives.

Challenger makes specialized acquisition

CAMBRIDGE, Ont. -- Almost a year after expanding its special commodities division, Challenger Motor Freight is at it again.

Load Surfer smoothes freight broker waters

MILTON, Ont. -- Load Surfer has partnered with factoring firm JD Factors to provide a unique guarantee on certain loads posted in the Load Surfer system.

Atlantic truckers appoint new helmsman

MONTAGUE, P.E.I -- Shane Esson, the general manager of Moncton-based Keltic Transport, is the new chair of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association.

New Daimler trucks boss ready to tackle NA market challenges

LAS VEGAS -- The American trucking industry is still scraping along the bottom, but the new president of Daimler Trucks' operations on this side of the pond doesn't consider his new job "unenviable" at all.