Commercial Carrier Journal back issues from December 2007:
Buckle thy assets: 'tis the season to fasten your seatbelts.(In perspective)
Dec 01, 2007; ... It's amazing to me how many drivers--even those with the most stellar safe driving records--still don't fasten their seatbelts. I see them driving down the highway and wonder if their companies are aware they aren't buckled up. There's always been a lot of resistance from truckers toward ...
Trapped by a cap? A carbon cap-and-trade system could hurt your operation.(Avery Vise)
Dec 01, 2007; ... Suppose that you had to declare how much greenhouse gas your fleet emitted in a given year based primarily on the amount of fuel your fleet burned. After that, your emissions would be frozen or perhaps gradually reduced over an extended period. If you reduced your carbon ...
Freight Transportation Services Index.
Dec 01, 2007 ... Freight Transportation Services Index fell 0.7 percent in September from its August level, declining for the fifth time in the last six months, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported. The ...
Ryder Integrated Logistics.
Dec 01, 2007 ... Ryder Integrated Logistics dropped its protest of a $1.6 billion Defense Transportation Coordination Initiative contract award to Menlo Worldwide Government Services ....
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
Dec 01, 2007 ... House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved legislation (H.R. 3999) that would authorize $2 billion to ...
New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer.
Dec 01, 2007 ... New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer dropped his proposal to ...
Chrysler plans to cut 8,500 to 10,000 hourly jobs through 2008.
Dec 01, 2007 ... Chrysler plans to cut 8,500 to 10,000 hourly jobs through 2008 and reduce salaried employment by about 2,100, reducing its work force by as ...
Mexico program on life support: political wrangling delays final fatal blow.(Journal)(Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)
Dec 01, 2007; ... The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's cross-border pilot program last month edged closer to its likely demise when the House of Representatives approved the conference report on the transportation funding bill (H.R. 3074) by a 270 to 147 vote. The Senate did not vote on the ...
L.A., Long Beach ports phase out older trucks: pre-2007 technology to be banned after 2011.(Journal)
Dec 01, 2007 ... Harbor commissioners for Los Angeles and Long Beach last month separately approved a tariff that will phase out by Jan. 1, 2012, drayage trucks at the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach that don't meet 2007 or later federal emissions standards. Harbor commission approval is ...
Supreme Court accepts Washington state overtime ruling.(Journal)
Dec 01, 2007 ... The U.S. Supreme Court last month refused to hear an appeal of a Washington state Supreme Court ruling declaring that truck drivers are entitled to overtime pay beyond 40 hours regardless of how much of their driving took place in the state. The effect of the court's action is to end legal ...
White House reviews HOS rule.(Journal)
Dec 01, 2007 ... The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Nov. 27 submitted to the White House Office of Management and Budget an interim final rule concerning the hours-of-service regulations. The document responds to the ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, ...
Midwestern states to cut greenhouse gases.(Journal)
Dec 01, 2007 ... The governors of nine U.S. states and the premier of Manitoba last month agreed to take certain steps to cut greenhouse gases like carbon monoxide and to reduce dependence on foreign oil. The governors signed the Midwestern Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord at the Midwestern ...
Tonnage index dips in October.(Journal)
Dec 01, 2007 ... The American Trucking Associations' advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire TruckTonnage Index decreased 0.3 percent in October, after rising 1.5 percent in September. The not-seasonally adjusted index gained 14.0 percent from September to 122.1. On a seasonally adjusted basis, ...
Old Dominion Freight Line.(carrier news)
Dec 01, 2007 ... Old Dominion Freight Line said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Earl Congdon, 76, plans to retire from his duties as CEO, effective Dec. 31. He will continue as ...
Pacer International.(carrier news)
Dec 01, 2007 ... Pacer International announced that its president, Tom Shurstad, left the company to pursue other interests. Don Orris, retired chief ...
UPS Freight beginning Jan. 2 will offer its less-than-truckload shippers.(carrier news)
Dec 01, 2007 ... UPS Freight beginning Jan. 2 will offer its less-than-truckload shippers using the current UPS Freight ...
USF Holland.(carrier news)
Dec 01, 2007 ... USF Holland, an operating unit of YRC Regional Transportation, has ...
United Road Services.(carrier news)
Dec 01, 2007 ... United Road Services, a Romulus, Mich.-based provider of vehicle logistics services, was acquired by the ...
CCJ hotspots: Arkansas rejoins the elite.(Journal)
Dec 01, 2007 ... After a one-month break, Arkansas rejoined the CCI Hot Spots in October. Arkansas had been among the three hottest spot-market states for five consecutive months until being replaced in September by Ohio, according to CCJ Hotspots data. Meanwhile, Illinois was a Hot Spot for the third ...
House panel eyes drug testing program: GAO finds testing procedures lacking.(Journal)
Dec 01, 2007 ... Truck drivers who want to thwart regulations aimed at detecting use of drugs and alcohol could take advantage of lax collection procedures and products intended to mask drug use, the General Accounting Office told a U.S. House subcommittee overseeing motor carriers last month. With an ...
M & M's Hayden receives image award.(Journal)(M and M Cartage Co. Inc.)(Brief article)
Dec 01, 2007 ... The American Trucking Associations presented Don Hayden, president of M & M Cartage Co. Inc., with the inaugural Mike Russell "Good stuff" Trucking Image Award during ATA's annual Management Conference & Exhibition Oct. 20-23 in Orlando, Fla. The award was created to honor those that ...
Forecast calls for a year of $3-plus diesel.(Journal)
Dec 01, 2007; ... Diesel prices likely won't fall below $3 per gallon again until November 2008, and even then the decrease will be slight, according to a U.S. Energy Information Administration specialist. "Oil will still stay well above $80 a barrel," says Jonathan Cogan. "The big driver of prices now is ...
Onboard technology cuts idling, saves fuel: idling report key to major dollar savings.(SPONSORED INFORMATION)(PeopleNet Communications)
Dec 01, 2007; ... In 2007, onboard truck technology can pay off in fuel cost savings alone--something cell-phone-based technologies cannot. Even if you ignore the potential benefits of increased productivity and improved customer service--which provide excellent ROI themselves--your technology ...
Tougher fuel economy ordered for light trucks.(Journal)
Dec 01, 2007 ... Saying that the federal government failed to consider the benefits of reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled Nov. 15 that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration must go back to the drawing board and develop new corporate ...
Calendar.(Conference news)(Brief article)(Calendar)
Dec 01, 2007 ... Jan. 12-16: National Private Truck Council Private Fleet Management Institute, Crowne Plaza Jacksonville Riverfront, Jacksonville, Fla. 703-683-1300; www.nptc.org Jan. 29-31: Truckload Carders Association/ Multimedia-ACS Recruitment and Retention Conference, Renaissance Hotel, ...
Freightliner will transfer.
Dec 01, 2007 ... Freightliner will transfer selected functions from its corporate headquarters in Portland, Ore., to a South Carolina location closer to customers and ...
Ryder System launched its RydeGreen line of tractors and trailers designed to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Dec 01, 2007 ... Ryder System launched its RydeGreen line of tractors and trailers designed to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The line features ...
The Boler Company signed.
Dec 01, 2007 ... The Boler Company signed a definitive agreement to acquire Watson and Chalin Manufacturing, a manufacturer of truck and ...
Isuzu Commercial Truck of America announced the availability of what it says is the industry's first gas-powered low-cab-forward crew-cab truck.
Dec 01, 2007 ... Isuzu Commercial Truck of America announced the availability of what it says is the industry's first gas-powered low-cab-forward crew-cab truck. The ...
ArvinMeritor said last month it plans to begin production by May at a new Commercial Vehicle Systems (CVS) facility in Monterrey, Mexico, providing about 400,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space for the company's axle and brake assembly operations and component manufacturing.
Dec 01, 2007 ... ArvinMeritor said last month it plans to begin production by May at a new Commercial Vehicle Systems (CVS) facility in Monterrey, Mexico, providing about 400,000 square feet of ...
2010 MaxxForce to shun SCR: International is second to declare EGR-only course.(equipment)
Dec 01, 2007 ... International Truck and Engine Corp. announced Oct. 31 that its MaxxForce diesel engines will meet the Environmental Protection Agency's 2010 emissions standards for all its core applications without the use of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology. Instead, International plans to ...
International begins hybrid production.(equipment)
Dec 01, 2007 ... International Truck and Engine Corp. announced last month that it had begun production of hybrid commercial trucks--specifically the medium-duty International DuraStar Hybrid. The company says the truck can save 30 to 40 percent on fuel in a standard in-city pickup-and-delivery ...
Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co.
Dec 01, 2007 ... Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co. said that its plant in Paragould, Ark., reached a production milestone with its 75,000th dry van that rolled off ...
Caterpillar Inc. said it had received a J.D. Power and Associates Award.
Dec 01, 2007 ... Caterpillar Inc. said it had received a J.D. Power and Associates Award for ranking highest in customer satisfaction ...
Kenworth received a FedEx Freight Outstanding Performance Award.
Dec 01, 2007 ... Kenworth received a FedEx Freight Outstanding Performance ...
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems.
Dec 01, 2007 ... Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems celebrated the 5,000th download of its ACorn diagnostics software. The company also is among the ...
Manac Inc. named Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire.
Dec 01, 2007 ... Manac Inc. named Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire the ...
Michelin keepin' it green.(equipment)
Dec 01, 2007; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Michelin North America's chairman and president Jim Micali announced an initiative designed to reduce tire-related fuel consumption for each vehicle to half of what it is now by 2030--the year when the number of vehicles worldwide is projected to have ...
CARB approves Webasto heaters: no APUs have been verified to date.(equipment)
Dec 01, 2007 ... The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has verified three Webasto Product North America heating products--the Webasto Air Top 2000 S and Air Top 2000 ST compartment air heaters and Thermo Top Z/C (TSL 17) engine coolant pre-heater. The three Webasto heaters join three Espar ...
This thing learns fast! A transmission that's smarter than your drivers.(equipment)
Dec 01, 2007; ... While passenger cars with standard transmissions usually will beat out similarly equipped cars with automatics, the same is not necessarily true of trucks. "The real difference is that, with manuals and automated manuals, every time you shift, you're separating the engine from ...
Keeping your techs on top.(equipment)(Brief article)
Dec 01, 2007 ... Delmar Cengage Learning, a provider of training and information materials, announced the expansion of its Professional Technician Training Series that now offers interactive self-paced training in both the automotive and medium-/ heavy-duty truck training areas, The courses are ...
Penske Truck Leasing celebrated.
Dec 01, 2007 ... Penske Truck Leasing celebrated the grand opening of its ...
Luber-finer, a division of Champion Laboratories.
Dec 01, 2007 ... Luber-finer, a division of Champion Laboratories, has added a Web page that focuses on its ...
Delphi Product & Service Solutions.
Dec 01, 2007 ... Delphi Product & Service Solutions will launch Diesel Point, a new initiative that ensures ...
The Denso North America Foundation.
Dec 01, 2007 ... The Denso North America Foundation pledged to donate $200,000 to ...
Equipment puzzler.(equipment)
Dec 01, 2007 ... Back in October, we asked: In a hydraulic disc brake system, if the master cylinder has a 1-inch bore and produces 700 lb of force, how much force will a single-piston caliper exert on the brake pads, if said piston has a 2-inch bore? The answer, 1,400 lb of force, was not ...
Don't get hosed by hot belts, hoses: learn to keep high-underhood temperatures from damaging parts.(infocus: BELTS AND HOSES)
Dec 01, 2007; ... Thanks to exhaust gas recirculation in 2007 engines, trucks are seeing hotter underhood temperatures than ever. Many fleets probably are wondering how to cope in the belts and hoses department. "Even though we are seeing more temperature and pressure in the cooling system, we ...
Swarm smarts: GE sees the natural world as a model for asset management.(technology)
Dec 01, 2007; ... Thomas Edison may have invented the light bulb, but that innovation--among his many others--wasn't what made him stand out among his contemporaries. Rather, it was his appreciation and understanding of the value of a system: Edison built the nation's first electrical distribution network ...
The Information Technology & Logistics Council (ITLC) of the American Trucking Associations (http://itlc.truckline.com) named Braxton Vick and Vicki Schluter to serve as the council's first chair and vice chair in 2008.
Dec 01, 2007 ... The Information Technology & Logistics Council (ITLC) of the American Trucking Associations (http://itlc.truckline.com) named Braxton Vick and Vicki Schluter to serve as the council's first chair ...
McLeod Software (www.mcleodsoftware.com) said it ended its fiscal year in September with record sales--a 44 percent increase over the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2006.
Dec 01, 2007 ... McLeod Software (www.mcleodsoftware.com) said it ended its fiscal year in September with record sales--a 44 percent increase over the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2006. During the year, McLeod introduced nine new modules and 90 new ...
ALK Technologies (www.alk.com) and the U.S. Department of Defense released the PC Miler-based Defense Table of Official Distances.
Dec 01, 2007 ... ALK Technologies (www.alk.com) and the U.S. Department of Defense released the PC Miler-based Defense Table of Official Distances, Version 21.1, marking the eighth year that ALK ...
SkyBitz (www.skybitz.com) announced that MHF Inc., a Zelienople, Pa.-based truckload carrier, selected the SkyBitz Global Locating System (GLS).
Dec 01, 2007 ... SkyBitz (www.skybitz.com) announced that MHF Inc., a Zelienople, Pa.-based truckload carrier, ...
Intermec Technologies (www.intermec.com) will hold its i-comm 2008 conference Jan. 29-31 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, Fla.(Conference news)
Dec 01, 2007 ... Intermec Technologies (www.intermec.com) will hold its i-comm 2008 conference Jan. 29-31 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, Fla. ...
IAS-Trinium (www.triniumtech.com) launched a new subscription-based service.
Dec 01, 2007 ... IAS-Trinium (www.triniumtech.com) launched a new subscription-based service, DispatchManager, that supplants the manual process of ...
DriveCam (www.drivecam.com) released RiskPredict, a new analytical process.
Dec 01, 2007 ... DriveCam (www.drivecam.com) released RiskPredict, a new analytical process that the company says ...
TireStamp (www.tirestamp.com), a tire monitoring and management systems supplier, announced TireVigil Pro 2.8.
Dec 01, 2007 ... TireStamp (www.tirestamp.com), a tire monitoring and management systems supplier, announced TireVigil Pro 2.8. As a fully integrated and ...
Registration for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) has begun at the Port of Tacoma, Wash., and the Port of Seattle.
Dec 01, 2007 ... Registration for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) has begun at the Port of Tacoma, Wash., and the Port of ...
McLeod Software adds AgentAccess For Truckload.(technology)
Dec 01, 2007 ... McLeod Software has added Agent Access For Truckload to its PowerBroker and LoadMaster enterprise management systems. The Agent Access module allows brokers, logistics providers and carriers that dispatch their own trucks to manage those assets from a remote location. The Web-based tool ...
AirIQ to use Microsoft Virtual Earth mapping software.(technology)
Dec 01, 2007 ... AirIQ Inc., a provider of wireless location-based services, specializing in telematics and security, has signed an agreement with Microsoft Canada Co. to advance AirIQ's mapping capabilities with Microsoft Virtual Earth mapping software. AirIQ also added functionality that enables clients ...
No-touch paperwork: new options for remote scanning speed the flow of critical documents.(infocus: DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT)
Dec 01, 2007; ... A driver for Summitt Trucking stops at a Flying J location, walks up to a Scan & Go kiosk, swipes his TCH fuel card and follows the prompts. The first screen shows all the loads he has delivered but still has outstanding paperwork he needs to scan. He selects the load(s) he will ...
Waste Management agreed to pay more than $1 million to settle charges levied by the California Air Resources Board for air quality violations in 2004 and 2005 resulting from the company's failure to properly inspect its diesel truck fleet to ensure compliance with state emissions standards.
Dec 01, 2007 ... Waste Management agreed to pay more than $1 million to settle charges levied by the California Air Resources Board for air quality violations in 2004 and 2005 resulting from the company's failure to properly inspect its diesel ...
Beginning Jan. 1, California will triple its idling fine from $100 to $300 and prevent registration of trucks with outstanding citations for pollution.(Brief article)
Dec 01, 2007 ... Beginning Jan. 1, California will triple its idling fine from $100 to $300 and prevent registration of trucks with outstanding citations for pollution. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Oct. 15 ...
Wyoming Highway Patrol is citing more trucks on state highways for being overweight.
Dec 01, 2007 ... Wyoming Highway Patrol is citing more trucks on state highways for being overweight. The patrol issued an average of nearly 740 ...
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld a National Labor Relations Board ruling that El Paso.
Dec 01, 2007 ... The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld a National Labor Relations Board ruling that El Paso, Texas-based California Gas Transport ...
Declaring independence: owner-operators, carriers must work together.(law)
Dec 01, 2007; ... Q What can be done to preserve the owner-operator as an independent businessman in view of the current trends in federal and state law? A This is the third and final installment in a series dealing with the status of owner-operators as independent contractors and the ...