BANGALORE (Reuters) - Hospitality and fuel services provider TravelCenters of America LLC (TA.A: Quote, Profile, Research) said it has reduced the work force at its headquarters and other locations by about 190, or about 8 percent of its managerial personnel and scaled down its expansion programs in a slowing U.S. economy.

Shares of TravelCenters, which went public in January 2007, fell as much 8.6 percent to their life-low of $9.29 before pulling back some of the losses to trade at $9.35 in afternoon trade on the American Stock Exchange.

The company, which also expects to reduce its hourly work force, said the reductions reflect difficult conditions in the trucking industry.

TravelCenters had in August said it expects to reduce about 100 positions and eliminate about 60 positions in Petro Stopping Centers LP, which it acquired last May, as part of a reorganization plan.

The U.S. trucking industry has seen weak freight volumes since the third quarter of 2006 due to falling auto sales, lackluster retail sales and overall slowing economic growth. TravelCenters, which operates truck stops in 41 U.S. states and Canada, said it expects to scale back or eliminate the review of some of its expansion and development activities until industry conditions improve.

Analyst Charles Place of Ferris, Baker Watts Inc cut his rating on the stock to "neutral" from "buy," citing the headcount reduction and delay in expansion.

In a note to clients, Place said he expects the company's fourth-quarter results to be significantly below expectations.

The company, based in Westlake, Ohio, said it believes that its business may reflect a decline in imports into the country as a result of the weakening U.S. dollar.

The company's shares have shed more than three-fourths of their value since hitting their life-high of $47.41 last June. (Reporting by Dhanya Ann Thoppil in Bangalore; Editing by Jarshad Kakkrakandy)