Peterbilt rolls out two new truck models
Trailer-Body Builders
Two new trucks - a new medium-duty model and a Class 7-8 heavy-duty vocational unit - are being added to Peterbilt Motors Co.'s lineup. The new Peterbilt Model 337 is considered the new flagship of the company’s medium-duty line of trucks; a model designed specifically with the P&D, beverage and food service vocations in mind The Model 337 comes equipped with an all-new ergonomically designed driver display package that can be upgraded with an optional GPS system for navigating difficult urban environments. More

Housing starts rise 0.5 percent in September
Transport Topics
Housing starts rose 0.5 percent in September, while building permits declined, the Commerce Department said. Starts rose to an annual rate of 590,000 units, from a 587,000 rate in August that was lower than previously estimated.More

Kenworth introduces vocational model
Fleet Owner
The new T440 model rolled out by Kenworth Truck Co. is available in tractor and truck configurations for regional haul, city pickup and delivery, municipal and vocational applications. Built on the same platform as the T470 introduced in June, the Kenworth T440 has a gross vehicle weight (GVW) ranging from a heavy Class 7 vehicle at 33,000 lbs. up to a light Class 8 truck at 68,000 lbs. More

New jobless claims rise more than expected to 531K
Yahoo! News
The number of newly laid-off workers filing claims for jobless benefits rose more than expected last week, as employers remain reluctant to hire even with the economy showing signs of recovery. Claims had fallen in five out of the previous six weeks and most economists expect that trend to continue, but at a slow pace, as jobs remain scarce. More

2010 Dodge Ram truck intro to be well financed
The Detroit News
The 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty pickup will hit dealerships in a few weeks with a new look and the same powerful engines, but with a well-financed marketing campaign in tow, Chrysler LLC executives said. Chrysler's marketing will focus on two types of customers: Those who see the truck as a work tool and recreational users.More

Fiat lands $31-million profit
the Detroit Free Press
Sales fell in all of Fiat SpA's business groups, but the Italian manufacturing company squeezed out a 21-million-euro profit ($31 million) for the third quarter, through continued cost-cutting and a smaller-than-expected decrease in automotive sales.More

Navistar announces $1.5 billion debt offerings
the Earth Times
Navistar International Corporation announced that it plans to issue, subject to market conditions, $1 billion of senior notes due 2021 and $500 million of senior subordinated convertible notes due 2014. The net proceeds will be used to repay in full amounts outstanding under its $1.1 billion term loan and $400 million synthetic revolver senior unsecured credit facilities, which expire in January 2012, as well as other general corporate purposes.More

Trucking sluggish in some regions, Fed 'Beige Book' says
Transport Topics
Despite some signs of economic recovery, transportation services activity in most regions declined in the six weeks through mid-October, the Federal Reserve said. Two regional exceptions were Chicago, where trucking shipments reportedly increased, and Cleveland, where contacts cited an uptick in freight transport volume in recent weeks.More