Transport Topics back issues from January 2007:
NYSE May Drop Navistar Stock; Review Hearing Set for Jan. 30
Jan 01, 2007; ... Truck and engine manufacturer Navistar International Corp. won a reprieve from having its stock delisted from trading on the New York Stock Exchange, but still faces a hearing Jan. 30 to determine the future of its shares. The NYSE announced plans for the hearing on Dec. 19, the day ...
Driver Turnover Increases
Jan 01, 2007; ... Gap Between Large, Small TL Carriers Shrinks Driver turnover at large truckload carriers jumped 11% during the third quarter of 2006 from the previous quarter to reach an annual average rate of 121%, the first increase since the end of 2005, according to American Trucking ...
Peters Seeks Funding Plan To Improve Nation's Roads
Jan 01, 2007; ... Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said she intends to focus on developing new sources of funding and improving the overall performance of the transportation network during her expected twoyear tenure. And while she favors some privatization of highways, Peters said public agencies ...
Downturn in Autos, Home Building a Concern as Trucking Enters New Year
Jan 01, 2007; ... Trucking industry officials said they see a soft landing for the U.S. economy in the year ahead despite signs of weakening demand in several key industries. "The two sectors to watch out for are housing and autos," said American Trucking Associations Chief Economist Bob ...
States Face Funding Shortfalls As Registration System Expires
Jan 01, 2007; ... State commercial vehicle enforcement agencies said they are facing funding shortfalls in 2007 since the revenue previously generated by the now-expired Single State Registration System does not come in. "Our state is really dependent on that funding," Capt. Bob Powers, head of the ...
Tolls on Ohio Turnpike to Increase on Jan. 1; Fee for Truckers Rising 8.1% to $33.50
Jan 01, 2007; ... Truck drivers will have to pay an additional $2.50,or 8.1%, starting Jan. 1 to travel the entire length of the Ohio Turnpike, following a decision last month by the Ohio Turnpike Commission to raise tolls for most vehicles. Class 8 trucks will be accessed a $33.50 fee to travel the ...
Truck Officials Wrestle With In-Cab Systems For Monitoring Sophisticated Diesel Engines
Jan 01, 2007; ... Engine manufacturers and trucking officials said they recognize the need for onboard diagnostic systems to monitor the performance of emission-treatment systems because diesel engines are growing in complexity. The Environmental Protection Agency last month proposed requiring engine ...
FMCSA Proposes Chassis Rule, Changes to New Entrant Program
Jan 01, 2007; ... The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration late last month published its intermodal chassis safety rule, and also proposed changes to its new entrant audit program. The proposed chassis rule would require intermodal equipment owners to register equipment and establish procedures for ...
Truck Tonnage Plunges 3.6% in November
Jan 01, 2007; ... American Trucking Associations seasonally adjusted truck tonnage index plunged 3.6% in November to a reading of 106.8, the largest monthly drop since December 2000. The index decreased 8.8% in November from a year ago, and followed a 1.9% drop in October. "Both month-to-month and ...
Ohio Exempts Most Trucks From Smoking Ban
Jan 01, 2007; ... Ohio said it has modified the provisions of its new statewide smoking ban to exclude truck cabs with only one occupant. A discussion draft of the legislation now restricts the smoking ban to vehicles "registered by the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles when [they are] ...
Workers Voting on Deal With Goodyear
Jan 01, 2007; ... Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. workers represented by the United Steelworkers were voting last week on a contract that would end a strike at 12 plants in the United States. The sides reached a tentative three-year agreement on Dec. 22 to end the strike started Oct. 5. Goodyear is the ...
Ford Was Early Proponent of Deregulation
Jan 01, 2007; ... President Ford, who died last week at age 93, will be remembered in the trucking community for his proposal to deregulate the industry in November 1975. Part of a broader effort to stimulate the economy, the proposal would have eliminated rate bureaus' immunity from antitrust laws and ...
Canada Issues National Biodiesel Mandate
Jan 01, 2007; ... Diesel fuel and heating oil in Canada will have to contain at least 2% biodiesel by 2012, under a regulation issued by the Canadian government on Dec. 20. The government also announced ...
Clarification
Jan 01, 2007; ... The news article "CVSA Official Says Group Plans Vote on Roadside Brake-Testing Devices" (12-4, p. 15) should have specified that while American Trucking Associations supports the ...
Officials Praise I-10 as Model For Future Road, Bridge Work
Jan 01, 2007; ... PENSACOLA, Fla. - The reconstruction of the Interstate 10 bridge over Escambia Bay in northwest Florida has provided a blueprint for future repair projects, transportation and government officials said. One span of the Florida bridge, washed out during Hurricane Ivan in 2004, was opened ...
DOT, DHS Issue Proposal, Seek to Boost Rail Security
Jan 01, 2007; ... Agencies within the departments of Transportation and Homeland security have issued proposed regulations they say would improve the security of hazardous rail shipments, while reducing the chance of an accident near heavily populated areas. "A toxic emission from an attack against a ...
Diesel Finishes Year at $2.596, Gasoline at $2.341, DOE Says
Jan 01, 2007; ... The U.S. average retail price of diesel fuel fell a combined 2.5 cents over the final two weeks of 2006, to finish the year at $2.596 a gallon, the Department of Energy reported. Commercial truckings main fuel declined 1 cent in the department's Dec. 25 audit of filling stations, and 1.5 ...
FedEx Profits, Revenue Rise in Quarter, But Stock Falls as Guidance Disappoints
Jan 01, 2007; ... FedEx Corp. reported increases in net income and revenue for the three months ended Nov. 30, but the company's stock price fell by more than 5% as the company's guidance for annual earnings aid not meet stock analysts' consensus estimate. The Memphis, Tenn., parcel giant earned $511 ...
Stepping Gingerly Into 2007
Jan 01, 2007; ... The year just completed showed us that substantial changes in many aspects of life - including freight transportation - are coming during 2007. Politics offers the tidiest example of this. The Republicans' popularity with the voters waned and the November election results have created a ...
Letters & Comments
Jan 01, 2007; ... J.B. Hunt Appreciated I'm a J.B. Hunt driver. My girlfriend, Nicole Mullendore, and I just wanted to send our condolences to Mr. J.B. Hunt's family and let them know that we're very sorry to hear what happened. I also wanted to say I enjoy working for J.B. Hunt. I would never go to ...
Truck Makers Brace for 2007
Jan 01, 2007; ... The following essay by George Grask was written for the author's "Chairman's Column" in the American Truck Dealers newsletter. ATD, which is located in McLean, Va., is a division of the National Automobile Dealers Association. This year, by every prognosticator that I know of or have ...
Arcapita Buys, Merges 2 Delivery Firms
Jan 01, 2007; ... Private equity firm Arcapita Inc., Atlanta, said it has purchased and merged home delivery firms 3PDelivery Inc. and General Transportation Services to create a new nationwide provider of "last-mile" logistics services. The combined businesses will operate 1,100 trucks in 45 states and ...
FedEx in $235.4 Mln. Deal for U.K. Package Firm
Jan 01, 2007; ... FedEx Corp. said Dec. 18 that it acquired ANC Holdings Ltd., an express delivery firm based in the United Kingdom, for $235.4 million. The deal will allow air cargo unit FedEx Express to serve the entire United Kingdom and offer customers bundled services, rather than having them use ...
Carriers Lower Guidance, Citing Softer 4Q Demand
Jan 01, 2007; ... YRC Worldwide Inc., the nation's largest less-thantruckload carrier, and truckload carrier USA Truck both said softer-than-expected freight volumes in the fourth quarter would result in lower earnings. Bill Zollars, chairman and chief executive officer of YRC, said Dec. 14 the firm ...
N. Dakota Spending Plan Gives DOT a Cash Infusion
Jan 01, 2007; ... BISMARCK, N.D. - Rising road construction costs have prompted Gov. John Hoeven (R) to suggest an unusual step for the state's highway budget - including a $20 million share from the general fund, which normally is spent on education and human services programs. The infusion is possible ...
WYOMING: Interstate 80
Jan 01, 2007; ... BRIEFS CHEYENNE - Wyoming has only a few years to take action to improve Interstate 80, the state's busiest highway, before increasingly heavy traffic and skyrocketing construction costs spell real problems, state officials said. "If we took all the money we spend on every road ...
Trucking Stocks Retreat From Records; Dow Jones, S&P Outperform Industry
Jan 01, 2007; ... Stocks Trucking company stocks on two major indexes reached their highest levels ever by Independence Day this year, but after nearly six years of steady growth the industry's equities fell into a retreat and failed to outperform the market as a whole. Though the Dow Jones ...
Mergers, Acquisitions in Year Rise Over 2005; FedEx Dominates With Watkins Purchase
Jan 01, 2007; ... Mergers/Closings The year just ended was busy for the transportation industry, as companies completed more than 90 mergers and acquisitions - a jump by almost half over the 62 reported in 2005. Looming large was FedEx Corp.'s $780 million purchase of Watkins Motor Lines, a ...
Resignations and Elections Highlight Year of New Leadership in Washington
Jan 01, 2007; ... Changes "While fleets continued to struggle with the issue of driver turnover, there was significant turnover among the top transportation officials in Washington as defections and elections marked 2006 as a year of change in the nation's capital. During the year, the leadership ...
Deficit Threat, Fuel Tax Shortfalls Force States To Lease Toll Roads, Ponder Private Projects
Jan 01, 2007; ... Highways States must find new ways to fund their transportation needs by 2015 or they will face a $1 trillion deficit, the National Conference of State Legislatures said in a report earlier this year. The root of the problem is that fuel taxes, states' primary source of revenue ...
EPA Issues Guidelines For 2010 Engine Emissions
Jan 01, 2007; ... EPA The Environmental Protection Agency issued guidelines to engine manufacturers governing the use of new technology to meet 2010 emission standards. It also said it will approve pollution rules governing railroad emissions in 2007. EPA issued guidelines for urea-injection ...
Company Mergers and Acquisitions
Jan 01, 2007; ... Mergers Truckload carrier Gulf Coast Transport, Sunnyvale, Texas, acquired regional carrier Southwest Transportation, Fort Worth, Texas (1-2, p. 4). Private equity firm Llttlejohn & Co., Greenwich, Conn., acquired fuel hauler Kenan Advantage Group, Canton, Ohio (1-9, p ....
Closings and Bankruptcies
Jan 01, 2007; ... Closings Automobile hauler Performance Transportation Services, Wayne, Mich., filed for protection from creditors under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Act (2-6, p. 5). APX Logistics, Santa Fe Springs, Calif., ceased operating after filing for ...
Border Remains Closed To Trucks From Mexico
Jan 01, 2007; ... Mexico The Department of Transportation went from being "very close" to opening the border with Mexico to trucks, to preparing a pilot project to allow such trucks to enter the country, to having the border shuttered indefinitely to Mexican truck traffic. Norman Mineta, ...
Diesel Distributors, Retailers Face Suit From Drivers in 7 States Over Hot Fuel
Jan 01, 2007; ... A group of independent truck drivers and motorists in seven states' filed suit against some of the largest distributors and retailers of diesel fuel and gasoline, alleging they systematically overcharged for fuel sold at high temperatures. The suit, which was filed in California, ...
Greatwide Signs Deal To Oversee Tyson's O-Os
Jan 01, 2007; ... Greatwide Logistics Services said it signed a five-year deal to oversee Tyson Foods' network of 300 owneroperators. Dick Metzler, Greatwide's chief commercial officer, said owner-operators who had worked for meat processor Tyson Foods will have the opportunity to transfer their contracts ...
Tech Firm Trimble to Purchase AtRoad Inc. for $417 Million
Jan 01, 2007; ... Technology firm Trimble, which provides a variety of applications to help fleets manage resources in the field, said it signed an agreement to acquire AtRoad Inc. for $417 million. The deal, expected to close during the first quarter, will allow Trimble to add more subscribers that use ...
Icelandic Firm Buys 2 Companies, Opens North American Base
Jan 01, 2007; ... Hf. Eimskipafelag Islands, a transportation and aviation services firm based in Iceland, has opened a North American base of operations with the purchases of Canadian warehouse operator Atlas Cold Storage Income Trust and Pacific Tramper Services of Seattle. Hf. Eimskipafelag Islands and ...
Pitt Ohio to Sell Internal Software Package To Other Companies Beginning in January
Jan 01, 2007; ... Less-than-truckload carrier Pitt Ohio Express said it will start selling an internally developed software package, aimed at improving customer management and reducing bad accounts, to fleets this month. The company said it originally decided to develop Cube-It to promote greater access ...
Market Trends
Jan 01, 2007; ... * Dec. 13 - J.B. Hunt Transport Services was cut to "hold" From "buy" by Jordan Alliger at Deutsche Bank. The price target is $23 per share. * Dec. 13 - J.B. Hunt Transport Services was rated "hold" in new coverage by Todd Fowler at KeyBanc Capital Markets. * Dec. 13 - YRC ...
Market Insiders
Jan 01, 2007; ... * Dec. 8 - John Affleck-Graves, a director at Express-1 Expedited Solutions, bought his first 10,000 shares for $1.34 each. * Dec. 8 - Chad Lindbloom, chief financial officer of C.H. Robinson Worldwide, exercised options on 1,380 shares for $31.29 each. He then sold 1,140 shares for ...
Freightmasters Buys TL Carrier Major Transport
Jan 01, 2007; ... Freightmasters Inc. said last month that it purchased Major Transport, a truckload carrier based in Eagan, Minn., for an undisclosed sum. Freightmasters also transferred its truckload division to Major Transport, the company said in a statement. Ron Have, owner of ...
Cakeboxx Says Doorless Container Prevents Unauthorized Access
Jan 01, 2007; ... Cakeboxx LLC, Portland, Ore., said in December that it has developed an intermodal container that does not have any doors. The container consists of a superstructure and a platform that can be separated from each other. In addition, the superstructure is fastened to the platform with a ...
Wash. Gov. to Allow Seattle Voters to Decide Viaduct Replacement
Jan 01, 2007; ... OLYMPIA, Wash. - Gov. Chris Gregoire (D) on Dec. 15 said Seattle voters should be allowed to finally break the political stalemate over whether to replace the quake-damaged Alaskan Way viaduct along Seattle's busy waterfront with a new elevated structure or a tunnel. "We must move ...
Former Transportation Secretary Mineta Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom
Jan 01, 2007; ... Former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta was one of 10 people to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom last month, the nation's top civilian honor. The award recognizes high achievement in public service, science, the arts, education, athletics and other fields, the White House ...
Schneider 3PL Hires New VP Of Int'l Sales
Jan 01, 2007; ... Schneider Logistics, the third-party logistics arm of truckload carrier Schneider National, Green Bay, Wis., hired Michael Squadrille as team vice president of international sales. Squadrille will focus on international development, working closely with the company's wholly owned ...
Trucker Rescues Children From Runaway Bus
Jan 01, 2007; ... On Nov. 19, Barthel Green, a Charleston, S.C.-based contract driver with container hauler Bridge Terminal Transport, which is based in Charlotte, N.C., jumped aboard a runaway school bus and steered the vehicle to safety after its driver had passed out. Green was driving his truck home ...
FLEETS: BRIEFS
Jan 01, 2007; ... Association The Transportation Marketing and Communications Association announced its call for entries for the 2007 Compass Awards. The program recognizes North American transportation and logistics companies that have developed creative, strategic marketing or communications programs ....
TBI Names Wal-Mart Driver Jones Nov. Trucker Buddy of Month
Jan 01, 2007; ... Chris Jones, a driver for Wal-Mart Transportation, was named Trucker Buddy of the Month for November by Trucker Buddy International. Jones, who has driven for Wal-Mart for the past 11 years, was most recently matched with Janet Blackwell's second grade class at Simsboro High School in ...
EVENTS
Jan 01, 2007; ... BRIEFS Special Events The Transportation Research Board has scheduled its annual meeting for Jan. 21-25 at the Marriott Wardman Park, Hilton Washington and Omni Shoreham hotels in Washington, D.C. The event includes a workshop, "The Human Factor of Commercial Driving," which features an ...
HOS Rules in Canada Take Effect on Jan. 1
Jan 01, 2007; ... Immediate Enforcement Not Expected New Canadian hours-of-service rules for commercial drivers were set to take effect on Jan. 1, but officials said it was not clear when most provinces would adopt and enforce them. "The federal hours-of-service regulation [is expected to become ...
Looking Ahead to 2007
Jan 01, 2007; ... Bill Graves (right), president of American Trucking Associations, discusses the 2007 political outlook with Frank Fahrenkopf (left), president of ...
Medium-Duty Volumes Dip 4.2% in November
Jan 01, 2007; ... TRUCK SALES Monthly sales of Classes 3 to 7 medium-duty trucks contracted by 4.2% in November to 28,700 vehicles from 29,971 the year before. For 2006, volumes have been largely flat, expanding by 0.6% for the first 11 months to 372,803 vehicles from 370,639 the year before, according to ...
Florida Trucking Names New President
Jan 01, 2007; ... The Florida Trucking Association said it named Mary Lou Rajchel its president. "I look forward to undertaking my new role at FTA to move the organization forward, and working on public policy issues dedicated to promoting the ...
Fleets Face Uncertain Outlook As Freight Continues to Fall
Jan 08, 2007; ... Evidence is accumulating that freight volumes are falling significantly and that the traditional fourth-quarter peak was all but nonexistent, although analysts and fleet executives remain unsure of what will happen in the first half of the new year. Con-way Inc. notified investors Jan. 3 ...
U.S. Proposes Chassis Rule
Jan 08, 2007; ... Owners Would Be Responsible for Maintenance Owners of intermodal chassis will be responsible for their safety and maintenance and will be subject to the same enforcement procedures motor carriers face, under a longawaited regulation the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued ...
EPA Certifies '07 Diesel Engines As Dealers Await Clues on Sales
Jan 08, 2007; ... Manufacturers of new heavy-duty engines designed to meet Environmental Protection Agency emission regulations that went into effect Jan. 1 said EPA has certified all engine models submitted for approval. Now, truck makers and dealers are waiting to see whether customers will buy trucks ...
Carriers, Drivers Embrace Tracking Technology
Jan 08, 2007; ... MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS When Foodliner Inc., a liquid and dry-bulk carrier based in Dubuque, Iowa, put in a mobile communications system to track the location of its trucks and monitor the performance of its drivers, corporate controller Tom Stueck said he expected some ...
FMCSA to Offer Driver-Training Grants
Jan 01, 2007; ... The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced plans to provide grants for states, cities and driving schools to subsidize the training of commercial drivers. Spokesman Ian ...
Appeals Court Tosses Out Smog Rules
Jan 01, 2007; ... A federal appeals court on Dec. 22 struck down the Bush administration s strategy for reducing smog. The Environmental Protection Agency rules for forcing state cleanups of smog do not meet Clean Air Act requirements, a three-judge panel ruled in a suit brought by a Southern California ...
Delphi to Get $3.4 Billion From Investors
Jan 01, 2007; ... Vehicle parts supplier Delphi Corp. agreed to receive $3.4 billion from five investment firms to help it emerge from bankruptcy. The investors include Cerberus Capital Management LP and Appaloosa Management LP. General ...
Automakers Urge Dismissal of California Suit
Jan 01, 2007; ... General Motors Corp. and five other companies said California's lawsuit over tailpipe emissions linked to global warming should be dismissed. The companies say regulators and lawmakers, not courts, have authority over the nation's emissions policy. In a ...
EPA Issues New Fuel Storage Rules
Jan 01, 2007; ... A rule from the Environmental Protection Agency will allow covered fueling facilities that handle up to 10,000 gallons of oil to "self-certify" their spill-prevention plans. Facility operators of tanks more than 10,000 gallons still will have to use a professional engineer to certify their ...
Freightliner Completes Braking Test
Jan 01, 2007; ... Truck manufacturer Freightliner said Dec. 14 it has completed a field test of trucks equipped with electronically controlled braking systems. The trial was conducted as part of a research project awarded to Freightliner in 2003 by the Department of Transportation. Freightliner ...
DaimlerChrysler Plans to Fight $838 Mln. Jury Award to MAN
Jan 01, 2007; ... DaimlerChrysler AG, the world's largest truck maker, said it will fight a decision by an Oregon jury ordering it to pay $838 million in damages to rival German truck maker MAN AG. A Portland, Ore., jury decided Dec. 15 that DaimlerChrysler should have to pay MAN at least $488 million ...