Freight, the economy and alt fuels: CCJ Symposium roundup

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Overdrive sister site CCJ and Overdrive publisher Randall-Reilly held in Scottsdale, Ariz., this week the CCJ Fall Symposium, in which fleet executives from around the country attended to hear sessions on alternative fuels, trucking and the economy, federal policy, equipment and more.

However, some of the sessions might be of interest to owner-operators and drivers, too. Click here to see the full list of stories from the Symposium, but here are a few stories in particular that might interest you:

New frontier in fuel surcharge could be near β€” An evolution in how fuel reimbursement works in the trucking industry could be underway, said Gary Lewis, president of Pendulum Shift consulting.

Trucking industry analyst predicts soft freight market β€” Donald Broughton of the Avondale Partners says another recession could be around the corner if current freight trends continue.

FMCSA plans to change the safety rating process β€” The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration could in 2013 alter its rules to allow itself to downgrade safety ratings of motor carriers without performing an on-site review.

Do your homework when buying equipment β€” A vice president for Knight Transportation offers his insight on how to spec truck and trailer purchases.