TTNews to Close Friday for July 4 Holiday
Transport Topics Online will be closed Friday for the July 4 holiday. Please check back on Monday, July 7, for the latest trucking and freight transportation news.

ArvinMeritor to Acquire European Remanufacturer
Heavy-duty components maker ArvinMeritor Inc. said it will buy Trucktechnic, a Belgium-based remanufacturer and distributor of commercial vehicle disc and foundation brakes and components.

Conn. Lawmakers, Truckers Call for Action on Fuel Prices
Two federal lawmakers joined the head of the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut in calling for action to help relieve soaring fuel prices that are driving trucking companies out of business, the Connecticut Post reported Thursday.

Payrolls Decline; Unemployment Rate Holds at 5.5%
U.S. payrolls declined in June but the unemployment rate held at 5.5%, the Labor Department said Thursday.

ISM Services Index Contracts in June
The U.S. economy's service sector contracted in June as prices reached a record high and employment reached a record low, the Institute for Supply Management said Thursday.

Diesel, Gasoline Demand Falling, NATSO Says
High fuel prices are dampening demand for diesel and gasoline, and more Americans will stay home this Fourth of July holiday than last year, a truck stop trade group said Thursday.

Michelin Boosting U.S. Tire Prices
Tire maker Michelin & Cie. is boosting commercial truck replacement tire prices by as much as 8% in North America, Bloomberg reported.

West Coast Port Talks Continue Past Deadline
Talks are continuing past a contract deadline for a contract covering 26,000 dockworkers at West Coast ports, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.

Factory Orders Rise 0.6% in Third Straight Gain
Factory orders jumped 0.6% in May, the third straight increase, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.

U.S. Xpress Names President of TL Unit

U.S. Xpress Enterprises said Wednesday it named John White president of U.S. Xpress Inc., the corporation's flagship truckload carrier.

Letters to the Editor: Speed Limiters, Drug Clearinghouse, Driver Culture, Don't Involve Feds
Hey, no problem - go ahead and limit the speed. That's what you would expect from a socialist country. The truckers will simply move south - to a free country.