October 22, 2014: New hazmat trucking safety research; UPS and FedEx boosting rates; Kenworth readies Christmas tree truck

Here is a look at what is happening in the world of transportation this morning:

A researcher at the University of Buffalo is testing new safety tactics for the hauling of hazardous materials by truck, according to the school’s UB News outlet.

The third party logistics business is in need of more workers, according to DC Velocity magazine; a need that dovetails with rising demand for logistics services in the Americas, Logistics Management reports.

Across the board general freight rate increases are on the way from UPS and FedEx, according to the Journal of Commerce.

A story in the Salt Lake Tribune takes issue with the business tactics of some private tow truck firms.

The Chillicothe Gazette reports on a special Kenworth T880 that’s being prepped to haul the national Christmas tree to Washington D.C. this year.

Low gasoline prices may hurt sales of Ford’s new lighter and pricier aluminum-based 2015 model F-150, according to The Wall Street Journal

Investment analysis site Seeking Alpha believes the Roadrunner conglomeration of trucking companies is significantly undervalued by Wall Street.

The Connecticut Law Tribune reports on a $3.7 million judgment against a Wisconsin trucking firm in the death of a state DOT supervisor.

The Journal of Commerce reports that low participation in the three-year Mexico-U.S. cross-border trucking pilot program despite growing trade flows adding to next-step challenges.

The economic mood may be brightening in Europe, reports Reuters, which may bode well for trade volumes and freight flows.