TRUCKING INDUSTRY * USA - What can plastic do for you ?

* Georgia - UPS tests composite delivery truck that cut weight by 1,000 pounds

(Video from You Tube, by UPS 6 May 2011: Test drive of the new UPS Composite Car)
Sandy Springs,GA,USA -Jalopnik, by Mike Spinelli -May 31, 2011: -- UPS is known for its amazing level of efficiency, and that reputation could soon extend to fuel savings thanks to a prototype dubbed CV-23. The delivery company has ordered five of these prototypes to be tested through the end of 2011, but this is no ordinary next-generation package hauler... The CV-23 weighs about a thousand pounds less than the typical UPS truck, thanks to the fact that it is made with composite materials instead of metal. The lightweight materials could help UPS deliver up to 40 percent better fuel economy than the current UPS fleet truck. Those kinds of fuel economy gains can pay huge dividends in rural areas where trucks are required to drive large distances. And since the body panels are plastic, bumpers, panels and other parts can be replaced easily... If the company is sufficiently impressed, the guys and gals in brown could order more trucks, potentially saving 84 million gallons of fuel per year. We're guessing drivers will want to see some crash test data before seeing what brown plastic can do for them, but otherwise, this seems like a pretty good idea...


* Kansas - Roadrunner buys Bruenger Trucking

Cudahy,WI,USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by William B. Cassidy -Jun 1, 2011: -- Roadrunner Transportation Systems acquired M. Bruenger Trucking, a truckload carrier with headquarters in Wichita, Kans., for approximately $10.6 million...  The transaction also includes an earn-out capped at $3 million, Roadrunner said. Bruenger’s former owner and management team will stay with the operation...  The earn-out will be paid if Bruenger hits certain performance targets...  The carrier’s Midwest coverage and its East-West traffic will the predominantly LTL carrier more effectively cross-sell its truckload services, DiBlasi said...  Acquisitions can help carriers expand capacity by buying existing operations and customer relations without adding new vehicles to their core fleets...

* Missouri - MoDOT converts aging rest areas into truck-only parking sites

Mineola,MO,USA -Land Line, by Clarissa Kell-Holland -31 May 2011: -- The Missouri Department of Transportation was scheduled to tear down two aging rest areas at mile marker 168 at Mineola on Interstate 70 on Tuesday, May 31...  However, instead of closing the sites completely, DeAnne Rickabaugh of MoDOT Motor Carrier Services, told that they recognize the importance of having safe spots for truckers to rest and will reopen them as truck-only lots...  “We are going to allow trucks to go ahead and park in the safe areas and that will be any night as long as it’s safe to do so and truckers respect the construction barriers,” Rickabaugh said... (Photo: Mineola Rest Area - Eastbound I-70, 6 Miles East of Route D/YY and I-70, Mile Marker 168)

TRUCKING INDUSTRY * USA & Canada - CARB amendments to on-road rule could affect long-haul trucks

Sacramento,CAL,USA -Land Line Magazine, by Charlie Morasch -May 25,2011: -- The California Air Resources Board has proposed several amendments to its on-road rule, also known as the truck and bus rule...  The on-road truck and bus regulation requires all trucks to meet 2010 model year engine emissions standards by the year 2023. Fleets will be required to begin meeting other diesel emission standards by 2014 through a variety of compliance options...  CARB has developed an online calculator available here to help truck owners navigate the rule...  (Photo: All trucks on California roads must to meet the lower 2010 emissions standards)

* New York - Bill would mandate front-end mirrors for trucks

New York,NY,USA -Land Line Magazine, by Keith Goble -May 27 2011: -- An initiative on its way to the governor is intended to eliminate blindspots for truck drivers traveling in New York City. Large trucks base-plated in New York would be required to have front-end mirrors installed if traveling through any of the five boroughs...  The Assembly voted 103-39 to advance a bill to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, that would apply to all trucks weighing at least 26,000 pounds with conventional cabs. The Senate already approved it...  Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the mirrors can be mounted for about $150 apiece. Trucks used by city agencies already use the mirrors...  (Photo from 3.bp.blogspot: Catching the front end in the sideview mirror)

* Maryland - Economy looking great for tank truck carriers

Baltimore,MD,USA -Bulk Transporter -May 25, 2011: -- Tank truck carriers are outpacing the rest of the trucking industry, said Bob Costello, chief economist for the American Trucking Associations, during the National Tank Truck Carriers 63rd Annual Conference... In fact, tank truck activity is up around 20%, and the sector is in full economic recovery... Dennis Slagle, president and CEO of Mack Trucks, said most of the truck buying right now is for replacement. Very few new truck purchases are going to fleet expansion. Still, truck orders have been strong, and manufacturers should build 230,000 to 240,000 Class 8 trucks for the North American market this year... Tank trailer production also is growing, according to Theodore J Fick, president and CEO of Polar Corporation. He estimates that the industry will build around 8,950 tank trailers this year and 9,900 in 2012. About two-thirds of the production will be liquid cargo tanks. A significant number of the cargo tanks will be for fleet expansion especially for carriers involved in oil and gas production operations... (Photo from bigrigdriving: Magicfields tc)

* Canada - Deregulation was cause

Vancouver,BC,CAN -The Province, by Shawn Storey -May 26, 2011: -- I have been in the trucking industry for close to 30 years and Jon Ferry is bang on regarding truck safety, but he does not understand who is at fault...  The industry can do better, but the main problem for these types of drivers on the road is the B.C. government. When they introduced deregulation so trucks didn't need motor carrier plates around 17 years ago, it enabled anybody that had a truck to open their own company whether they had skill or not and many did...  When motor carrier plates were required, these drivers not only had to pass a school course and a road exam, but companies in town also would retest drivers, as some still do...  (Picture from nwwone.org: DCP-custom Peterbilt-379 stretched frame)

TRUCKING INDUSTRY * USA - Battling Fuel Prices: YRC Worldwide Inc. and Knight Transportation Inc.

Higher fuel costs are adversely affecting the trucking industry

Johannesburg,South Africa -Marketwire/StockCall - May 24, 2011:  ...  Trucking companies have been raising prices and tacking on fuel surcharges. Costs of switching to digital logs also hurt revenues in the beginning of the year... Higher diesel prices were partially responsible for the 19.5% decline in first quarter profits of Knight Transportation Inc.  Stronger demand, however, was the key for the company improving revenues by 12.5%. Lessening the impact of fuel costs will be key for the remainder of the year... To combat fuel costs, some companies are taking steps to improve fuel efficiency. YRC Worldwide recently began a year long process of converting its fleet to 5W motor oil. The change is expected to save the company about 100,000 gallons of fuel and lessen oil waste by nearly 30,000 gallons annually... (Photo from teamsters: YRC's trucks partner Yellow)

TRUCKING INDUSTRY * USA - Con-way Truckload Recovering From Tornado Hit

* Missouri - Deadly storm missed headquarters of carrier that employs 500 in Joplin

Joplin,Missouri,USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by William B. Cassidy -May 23, 2011: -- Major highways around Joplin were open Monday following a deadly tornado that killed at least 90 people and left a large section of the Missouri city in ruins...  The tornado that struck Sunday evening destroyed more than 2,000 buildings, damaging about a third of the city, and a trucking hub in southwestern Missouri...  Roads into many heavily damaged areas were blocked Monday, according to news reports, as rescuers searched through the wreckage for injured survivors...  Con-way Truckload’s headquarters, which were on the edge of the tornado’s path, were damaged but functioning Monday. The company employs 500 people in Joplin...  Other motor carriers and truck stops in the area weren’t in the storm’s path and avoided damage. One carrier, R&R Trucking, is helping relief efforts...  (Image from a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net:    Tornado damaging a Flying J truckstop and Con-way Truckload's headquarters)

* Ohio - YRC, Con-way make cost-cutting strides. As the trucking industry picks up steam, trucking companies are going to greater lengths to offset higher fuel costs

Dayton,OH,USA -The Dayton Business Journal, by Joe Cogliano -May 19, 2011: ... A new Bedford Report says YRC Worldwide Inc. has started a yearlong process of switching its trucks to 5W, full-synthetic motor oil... YRC officials expect the switch to save about 100,000 gallons of fuel a year companywide and reduce waste oil disposal by 28,000 gallons. Earlier this month YRC said it lost $102 million, or $2.14 per share, in the most recent quarter, an improvement from a year earlier when it lost $274 million, or $13.15 per share... In addition to YRC, the report said Con-way Inc. also has made strides in reducing fuel costs... As such, Con-way posted first quarter revenues well above analyst estimates, the Bedford Report says... The Dayton region has long been a hub for trucking companies because of its central Midwest location and the intersection of Interstates 75 and 70...

* Ohio - Report: U.S. freight economy expected to grow, led by acceleration in the trucking industry, according to a new forecast

Dayton,OH,USA -The Dayton Business Journal -May 20, 2011: -- The U.S. freight economy is expected to grow significantly during the next decade, led by acceleration in the trucking industry, according to a forecast by American Trucking Associations...  The trade association’s "  U.S. Freight Transportation Forecast to 2022"    predicts that freight tonnage will grow 24 percent by 2022, with revenue ticking up even more -66 percent...  By 2022, trucking will have a 70 percent share of freight and an 81.4 percent share of revenue, up slightly from the current 81.2 percent...  The Dayton region has long been a hub for trucking companies because of its central Midwest location and the intersection of Interstates 75 and 70...  The American Trucking Associations worked with IHS Global Insight and Martin Labbe Associates to compile the forecast...

* Pennsylvania - New Regulatory Requirements Impact Hazmat Transportation

Philadelphia,PENN,USA -Business Wire/CNBC -May 19, 2011:  --  ACE Westchester, the U.S.-based wholesale-focused insurance operation of the ACE Group, today announced the availability of its latest report...   "What Does CSA Mean for Commercial Trucking Companies?" The new ACE Progress Report(SM), discusses key regulations likely to impact professional truck drivers and trucking company owners - including those hauling commodities deemed hazardous by the Federal Department of Transportation (DOT)...  The report, authored by Roger Murphy, Assistant Vice President, ACE Westchester Environmental, discusses the important aspects of new timetables for Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) -- particularly how new regulatory requirements for hazardous waste transporters may impact driver retention, and the overall impact on the trucking industry. The basic premise of CSA is simple: driver infractions, incidents, accidents, inspections -- while on duty --will be aggregated and attributed to the motor carrier the driver worked for at the time of the incident. As a result, a motor carrier's rating will be reflective of the drivers they employ...

* New York - UPS delivers strong results despite fuel costs, and  backs carbon tax, with conditions

New York,NY,USA -FT, by Jeremy Lemer -May 22, 2011: -- United Parcel Service, the package delivery company, would throw its weight behind a carbon tax to help tackle global warming – but only if the proceeds were tied to infrastructure improvement projects...  Scott Davis, chief executive officer of UPS, said his company would back a federal tax on carbon as part of a broad sweep of measures to restore America’s creaking infrastructure...  A tax on carbon would effectively raise the price of using energy for businesses and individuals, encouraging them to reduce their consumption, but as a result it has been heavily opposed by some politicians and interest groups...  Mr Davis comments added an influential voice to efforts to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide that have been linked to a rise in global temperatures...  UPS runs a fleet of about 100,000 cars and trucks and about 230 aircraft. In 2010 UPS spent almost $3bn on fuel, although much of the cost was passed on to customers through surcharges...  Mr Davis estimates that if UPS’s US truck and package car fleet spends just five minutes a day stuck idling in traffic it costs the company $100m a year...

TRUCKING INDUSTRY * USA - USPS Says Cash Shortfall Would Hit Operations

* DC - Postal Service wants relief from pension payment due this fall

Washington,DC,USA -The Journal of Commerce Online -May 17, 2011: --  The U.S. Postal Service is putting new urgency on its bid for financial relief from Congress, saying its operations will be hit if the USPS runs out of cash this fall as predicted...  Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe, was asking Congress to change the requirement that the USPS prefund retiree health benefits, a mandate that would mean a payment of $5.5 billion to $5.8 billion dollars to fund the Retiree Health Benefit Trust fund through 2016...  The postmaster told the Federal Financial Management Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs that the relief would help the Postal Service become profitable once again...   The USPS has struggled financially after losing huge volume to the greater use of e-mail and e-commerce. The Postal Service has a $15 billion line of credit with the U.S. Treasury. However, only $2.5 billion of that money remains...  According to the USPS, it has overpaid billions of dollars to the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employee System... 

* Texas: Nears passage of uniform speeds all day

Austin,TX,USA -Land Line Magazine, by Keith Goble -16 May 2011: -- A Texas' bill would allow truckers and other drivers to travel at the same speed, night and day. Texas law now authorizes drivers to travel 70 mph during the day along most rural highways. The speed limit drops to 65 mph at night. Trucks are slowed to 60 mph on farm-to-market roads...  Sections of Interstate 10 and Interstate 20 in west Texas are posted at 80 mph during the day for motorists while trucks are limited to 70 mph. Speeds for all vehicles are lowered to 65 mph at night...  The Senate Transportation Committee voted, to advance a bill to the Senate floor that would increase the speed limit on most rural highways to 75 mph day and night – as long as state studies deem it safe. In addition, any speed differential between cars and trucks would be eliminated...  The 80 mph speed limit in West Texas would also apply to all vehicles 24 hours a day...  (Photo from t0.gstatic: Interstate 10 in Texas)

* Oregon - Bills on the move cover emissions, indemnification

Salem,ORE,USA -Land Line Magazine, by Keith Goble -May 16, 2011: -- Two bills winding their way through the Oregon Legislature cover trucking issues that address emissions rules and indemnification... Intended to crack down on unnecessary idling of trucks, the bill would prohibit commercial vehicles from idling for more than five minutes each hour on property open to the public... Examples of circumstances that would warrant additional idling are to operate defrosting, heating or air conditioners – or installing equipment necessary to comply with manufacturers’ operating requirements, specifications and warranties, or with federal, state or local safety regulations... An exception would also be made for air conditioning or heating during a rest or sleep period when the outside temperature is below 50 degrees or above 75 degrees... (Image from fhwa.dot.gov: Portland, Oregon overview. Trucks in Congested Traffic)

* Utah - C. R. England to Lease Kenworth LNG Tractors

Salt Lake City,UT,USA -Transport Topics -19 May 2011: -- Truck and engine manufacturer Paccar Inc. said it has reached agreement to lease new Kenworth T800 day cab tractors with 15-liter liquefied natural gas engines to a division of truckload carrier C.R. England Inc... C.R. England dedicated will operate the trucks on existing routes between Ontario, Calif., and Las Vegas, Nev., and expects to put them into service this summer, Paccar said Tuesday... C.R. England operates 2,900 of its own tractors and works with 1,100 owner-operators, and the carrier said its dedicated division has 1,200 trucks... Original equipment manufacturer Paccar, which owns both Kenworth Truck Co. and Peterbilt Motors Co., manufactures Paccar MX heavy-duty diesel engines... Westport Innovations, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, builds the 450-horsepower GX 15-liter LNG engine that will power the Kenworth day cabs... (Image from hankstruckpictures, by Paul Kane: CR England's Freightliner truck in Utah)

BILLS & DRAFTS * USA - Limiting tax authority of out-of-state truckers pursued on Capitol Hill

“Business Activity Tax Simplification Act of 2011”

Washington,DC,USA -Land Line Magazine, by Jami Jones -4 May 2011: -- More and more states, as well as cities, are cashing in on out-of-state truckers doing business in the area. That patchwork of tax laws is the target of a new bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The “Business Activity Tax Simplification Act of 2011,” was introduced by Rep. Robert Goodlatte, R-VA, in the House on April 8. It addresses such taxes as corporate taxes, franchise taxes, income taxes and business activity taxes...  The bill seeks to establish a national standard on these taxes so they can only apply to businesses located in a city or state...  The bill would allow the taxes on businesses that are physically located in the state or local jurisdiction. That means businesses with employees, a building, etc. The bill seeks to prevent taxes on “transient business activity,” for example trucks picking up and delivering freight...

* USA - HOS : Safety advisory committee focuses on trucker detention time

Washington,DC,USA -Land Line Magazine, by David Tanner -4 May 2011: -- Time squandered at the shipping docks is an issue of trucker safety and hours-of-service compliance, according to a federally appointed committee that has taken up the issue of detention time...  The Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee, is urging FMCSA to seek the authority to address the issue and hold shippers and others more accountable...  When a trucker is needlessly detained at the docks without consideration or compensation for time spent, that trucker’s ability to comply with hours-of-service rules is compromised, committee members said...

* Obama Draft Plan Eyes VMT, Interstate Tolling

Washington,DC,USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by John D. Boyd -May 5, 2011: -- Informal working document for highway bill also would set up a freight office at the DOT... The Obama administration has been floating draft language for surface transportation legislation that could lead to a tax on vehicle miles traveled, allow states to impose tolls on some existing interstate highways and set up an Office of Freight Policy inside the Department of Transportation... DOT officials will not confirm that the “Transportation Opportunities Act” is their work. But industry groups are taking it seriously as a first sign of what the administration is considering in detail, while committees in Congress prepare to write their own versions of a six-year surface transportation bill to replace programs that will expire in September... Washington sources say the document now getting attention was first distributed in March to a small group of transportation specialists. The administration sent out the draft for their comments to help shape a future plan, sources say, with the understanding they would not discuss it...

TRUCKING INDUSTRY * USA - Truck Driver Pay Rising

Surveys note recent increases; Schneider boosts owner-operator pay

Independence,OH,USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by William B. Cassidy -Apr 18, 2011: -- Truck driver pay is heading up, with a 2.2 percent increase in February from January and a 4.6 percent increase year-over-year, according to Longbow Research... The 4.6 percent year-over-year increase in average hourly earnings is the largest jump in driver pay since early 2003, as the economy emerged from a downturn... Both figures represent dramatic increases over previous months, and indicate carriers are putting more money on the table to attract drivers as demand rises... The institute ranks trucking companies according to driver pay and benefits and publishes and annual survey on driver wages among 35,000 for-hire carriers... The 5-cent increase brings owner-operator pay to 95 cents a mile, or up to $1.65 per mile with short-haul premiums, the Green Bay, Wis., trucking company said...

TRUCKING INDUSTRY * USA - Top Trucking Companies Expand 9.4 Percent in 2010

Study shows 50 largest U.S. for-hire carriers increased revenue to $85.4 billion 

NJ,USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by William B. Cassidy -Apr 11, 2011:  --  Combined revenue for the 50 largest U.S. motor carriers rose 9.4 percent to $85.4 billion in 2010, after shrinking 17.7 percent during the recession in 2009, according to The Journal of Commerce's list of the Top 50 Trucking Companies of 2010...  Truckload carriers outpaced other companies among the top 50, growing 11.1 percent on average last year. Parcel and same-day carriers increased revenue an average on 9.3 percent, while less-than-truckload carriers grew 6.4 percent...  It was the best performance by the companies on the list since 2004, when the for-hire carrier group increased its revenue 11.9 percent after the 2001-2003 recession. The carriers reversed four straight years of slower growth or declining revenue...  That $85.4 billion in revenue was still 10 percent lower than the group's 2008 peak revenue of $94.9 billion, a sign trucking's economic recovery is far from complete. The carriers recovered only 44 percent of a $16.8 billion revenue shortfall in 2009...  The recovery was widespread, with 42 of the Top 50 carriers increasing revenue anywhere from 1.2 percent to 28.9 percent, for an average of 12.1 percent. Mercer Transportation and Roadrunner Transportation were the fastest growing carriers...  The eight carriers that saw revenue drop last year saw their top line fall 4.3 percent on average. Revenue declined 11 percent at YRC Worldwide, the third-largest trucking operator, to $4.3 billion, according to SJ Consulting Group estimates...  (Photo from hankstruckpictures)

* Biggest Trucking Companies Get Bigger. Billion-dollar truckers outgrew smaller competitors in 2010, study shows

Sewickley,Pittsburgh,PA,USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by William B. Cassidy -Apr 11, 2011: -- The select group of trucking companies with more than a billion dollars in annual revenue expanded last year, as three carriers shot past the revenue threshold... That left 16 motor carriers in trucking's billion-dollar club, according to a list of the Top 50 Trucking Companies ranked by revenue prepared by SJ Consulting Group... The billion-dollar club had combined revenue of $66.5 billion, 77.9 percent of the total revenue for the top 50 carriers. That was a 14.1 percent increase from 2009... The billion-dollar carriers outpaced the list as a whole, which increased revenue 9.4 percent last year, as the biggest carriers benefited from the recovery... The Top 50 were led by UPS and FedEx, which were the only two companies in the group with revenue exceeding $10 billion, according to SJ Consulting... The consulting firm counted only trucking revenue at the transportation giants, leaving out revenue from logistics, supply chain and air express units... In addition to UPS and FedEx, the billion-dollar club included truckload carriers, less-than-truckload carriers and an asset-light dedicated truckload operator... (Photo from assets.paragonrouting: USA truck fleet)

TRUCKING INDUSTRY * USA & Canada

* Missouri / USA - Con-way Truckload now has 71% of fleet using e-logs

Joplin,MO,USA -Fleet Owner -Apr 5, 2011:  --  Con-way Truckload has announced that 71% of its fleets is now using electronic logs (e-logs) with full integration fleet-wide expected to be completed by June. The truckload carrier began testing e-logs in February 2010...  The company began a fleet-wide rollout in November and currently 2,145 of its drivers are using the devices with 75 more transitioning to the system each week...  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is expected to mandate the use of e-logs by 2014, Con-way Truckload noted...(Photo from cms.ukintpress: Con-way trucks)

* Texas / USA  -  Hub Group Buys Exel Transportation - Acquisition extends Hubs reach into trucking brokerage business

Dallas,TX,USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by William B. Cassidy -Apr 4, 2011: -- Intermodal transportation giant Hub Group acquired Exel Transportation Services, a $717 million third-party logistics company, from Deutsche Post subsidiary Exel... The $83 million acquisition extends Hub Group's reach across transportation modes and deeper into truckload, less-than-truckload and refrigerated transportation... The acquisition boosts Hub Group's annual revenue above $2.5 billion... The former Exel subsidiary will operate as Mode Transportation, a wholly owned subsidiary of $1.83 billion Hub Group, with headquarters in Dallas... Hub's purchase is the latest in a series of logistics acquisitions that herald an improving economy. It's one of the largest deals since the $512.6 million acquisition of ATC by Genco Supply Chain Solutions last year...

*Washington / USA -  Saltchuk Resources Inc. to acquire Interstate Distributor Co.

Seattle, WA,USA -Land Line Magazine,by Clarissa Kell-Holland -4 April 2011: -- Drivers for Interstate Distributor Co., based in Tacoma, WA, say they have been hearing rumors about the company’s future for a while now. But a Qualcomm message sent out to them on Thursday, March 31, has now put those rumors to rest... On Thursday, approximately 2,000 IDC drivers received a message and also a letter from IDC, announcing that the 78-year-old trucking company owned by the McLean family has “agreed to be acquired by Saltchuk Resources Inc., based in Seattle, WA” ... According to Saltchuk’s website, they have more than 5,000 employees in 20 different operating companies in the transportation, real estate and energy industries...

* Florida / USA  -  Ryder has acquired the lease, rental and maintenance portfolio of B.I.T. Leasing

Miami,FL,USA -Transport Intelligence (UK) _6 Apr 2011: -- Ryder System, Inc. has announced it has completed the acquisition of the lease, rental and maintenance portfolio of B.I.T. Leasing Inc., a privately owned, full service truck leasing and fleet services company headquartered in Hayward, California...  The acquisition is expected to add approximately $9m in annualised operating revenue to Ryder's Fleet Management Solutions business segment and be accretive to earnings in 2011...  Ryder acquired BIT's fleet of approximately 364 full service lease, 121 rental, and 72 contract maintenance units serving 131 contract customers from BIT's service locations in Rohnert Park, Hayward, San Jose, and Watsonville...  BIT's existing dealership business will continue to operate as Bayshore International Trucks, Inc... (Photo from refrigeratedtrans: Ryder, Gator  Leasing merger)

* Ontario / Canada - Bison meet Britton: Canadian carrier expands to US

Winnipeg,ONT,CAN -Todays Trucking -6 April 2011: -- Bison Transport looked to the other side of the Canada-U.S. border and liked what it saw in Britton Transport...  The Winnipeg-based truckload powerhouse acquired Britton Transport of Grand Forks, N.D., a provider of van, flatbed, step deck and bulk hopper truckload services... The transaction will provide Bison with a US base of operations in close proximity to the border...  (Photo from fleetsmart.nrcan.gc)

* Wiscosin / USA - Marten Transport increases contractor rates

Mondovi,WIS,USA -Truck Net, by dgehman -4 April 2011: -- Marten Transport, continues to lead the trucking industry as a premium partner for contractors by offering rate increases as high as four cents per mile. These new rates are effective May 1...  These new rate increases, along with many other advantages Marten offers, allow contractors to boost their earnings significantly...  In addition to maintaining rates during the economic downturn, Marten never reduced the purchasing power the company offers to contractors. Programs for lower fuel costs, paid plates and permits and tolls paid continue to support contractor partners...   (Photo from farm4.static.flickr: A Marten transport truck, on I-70 Eagle Canyon Bridge,Utah)

* Mississippi / USA - JUST ARRIVING! 2012 Volvo & International trucks

Gulfport,MS,USA -Truck Net, by dgehman -6 April 2011:Photo from hankstruckpictures: Knight Transportation Volvo truck) -- Knight Transportation is excited about the 1,400 (2012) tractors that are being delivered to their service centers now! Drivers are raving about the bright and shiny Volvo VN670s and International ProStars, equipped with best-of-breed technology and systems...  These beauties have the whole package! Awesome features include increased cab space, electronic roll stability systems, high tech features to improve driving sight-lines, high fuel efficient engines and chassis, diesel-fired cab heaters, integrated Qualcomm communications systems and one heck of a ride for the driver! ...  With an average tractor age of just 2 years, Knight Transportation continues to heavily invest in their fleet of tractors to keep it fresh... (

* Tenneesee / USA - Western Express increases driver pay

Nashville,TENN,USA -Truck Net, by dgehman –6 April 2011: -- Western Express, Inc., a leading flatbed and dry van carrier, just increased its starting pay for both flatbed and dry van fleets by an additional two cents per mile. In addition to this increase, Western Express continues to set itself apart from other companies in the trucking industry with its state-of-the-art equipment, the latest in technology and a substantial array of driver benefits...  The company recently finished replacing 1,500 of its 2,400 tractors with 2011 Internationals, Volvos and Freightliners and also switched to electronic logs for its drivers, allowing for more efficient drive and down time. Additionally, Western Express offers drivers a 3-cent-per-mile performance bonus each quarter, based on certain mileage numbers, on-time delivery percentage and other factors, as well as a $500 sign-on bonus for flatbed drivers. Western Express also provides a daily class to educate its drivers about CSA 2010 and gives them the tools they need to be safe on the road..  (Image from trucktrend: Western Truck's Freightliner Cascadia truck front view)

* Florida / USA - Integrated Freight Buys Cross Creek Trucking

Sarasota, FL,USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by William B. Cassidy -Apr 6, 2011: -- Long-haul and regional trucking operator Integrated Freight acquired Cross Creek Trucking of Medford, Ore., extending its reach to the Pacific Northwest... Cross Creek is the latest in a series of acquisitions by Integrated Freight, a holding company that is building a national network of regional truckload carriers... Integrated Freight owns Morris Transportation, Hamburg, Ark.; Smith Systems Transport, Scott's Bluff, Neb.; and Triple C Transport, Doniphan, Neb... Cross Creek, founded in 1986, is a 115-tractor refrigerated and dry van carrier that specializes in less-than-truckload produce and general freight...

TRUCKING INDUSTRY * USA - ABF says relationship with Teamsters largely beneficial...

... In spite of lawsuit

Fort Smith,AK,USA -FAN, by Ethan C. Nobles -27 March 2011: -- It’s old news by now — Arkansas Best Corp. filed suit against the Teamsters union in November... What might surprise some is that Arkansas Best still regards its relationship with the Teamsters are largely beneficial. Arkansas Best is the parent company of ABF Freight System, a less-than-truckload carrier employing about 7,000 union drivers... YRC was able to negotiate some concessions that ABF couldn’t, thus putting the Fort Smith company at a disadvantage in the highly-competitive trucking industry. “This just has to do with leveling the playing field,” Humphrey said... He was quick to point out, however, that his company’s relationship with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters has been largely beneficial... Humphrey said the lawsuit is unfortunate, but said ABF is confident the productive relationship the company has had with the Teamsters will continue...

* Washington - Trucking company adds aerodynamic skirts

Seattle,WASH,USA -Land Line Magazine -March 30, 2011: -- A Seattle-area trucking company has announced plans to put aerodynamic skirts on another 2,000 of its trucks – and that’s in addition to the 2,200 it has already outfitted with skirts...  Trailer Body Builders reports that Gordon Trucking Inc. – also known as GTI – saw a .3 mile-per-gallon improvement in fuel economy during testing...  If that holds up, GTI will save more than $2 million annually in fuel costs and should be able to pay off the Freight Wing Aeroflex skirts in about 18 months... (Photo from pprc.org: freight wing belly)

TRUCKING INDUSTRY * USA - Some YRC worker pensions face cuts

Overland Park,KS,USA -The Kansas City Star, by MARK DAVIS & STEVE ROSEN -Mar. 23, 2011: -- Pensions for many of the 14,000 employees of YRC Worldwide Inc. covered by the Central States pension fund will be reduced because of the company’s financial difficulties, a bulletin to its union workers said... YRC has gotten multiple concessions from its union workers to help the company survive financially while it restructures its debts. Those include allowing the company to defer, reduce and skip various payments to the Central States Southeast and Southwest Areas Pension Fund... In total, the fund expects to receive $1.3 billion less than originally planned under the collective bargaining agreement that expires March 2015... To make up the difference, Central States has eliminated provisions that allow a worker to collect normal benefits if they’d met certain age and years of employment requirements, called “25 and out” and “30 and out” benefits... This week’s hiring spurt is good news for YRC, which is negotiating details on additional concessions from lenders and its Teamsters union workers in an effort to stay afloat and avoid bankruptcy... (Photo: YRC Headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas)

* Indiana - Trustees still sorting through Eastern Livestock’s financial collapse

New Albany,IND,USA -Land Line Magazine, by Clarissa Kell-Holland -March 24, 2011: -- Bankruptcy trustees for Eastern Livestock and East-West Trucking agree that it’s still too early to tell if truckers will be paid for loads they hauled for one of the largest cattle brokerages, which abruptly collapsed in November 2010...   Just days before the company’s shutdown, Eastern Livestock of New Albany, IN, apparently sent out $130 million in worthless checks to more than 740 cattle sellers. Truckers hauling cattle for Eastern and East-West also received bad checks from them during that same time period...  In his blog about the bankruptcy, Eastern Livestock bankruptcy trustee James Knauer that in the 90 days prior to Eastern Livestock filing for bankruptcy, Eastern issued more than $630 million to various companies, including $365 million worth of checks to Thomas Gibson...   He added that they are in the process of analyzing which checks and deposits were legitimate, but that “complicated bank fraud and check-kiting scheme employed by Eastern Livestock to defraud Fifth Third of millions of dollars” ...   Knauer said Fifth Third Bank is the senior lender with a lien on most of Eastern’s assets...   (Photo from easternlivestock: EASTERN LIVESTOCK CO's, one of the largest cattle brokerage)


* North Dakota  - Lawmakers approve bills covering truck issues

Bismarck,ND,USA -Land Line Magazine, by Keith Goble -March 24, 2011: -- Two North Dakota bills that address trucking issues are nearing the governor’s desk. One bill covers medical certification requirements while another bill addresses excess size or weight vehicles...  Truckers who run interstate and are self-certified would be limited to intrastate operation only. CDL holders operating interstate must submit a copy of their medical certificate to the state DOT...  House lawmakers amended the bill to specify that once a trucker provides current medical certification a license upgrade would be made without retesting...  Also included in the bill is a provision to outlaw truckers’ use of text messaging devices while at the wheel. CB radios would be exempt from the ban...  Affected vehicles would be allowed to move from one state in the region to, or through, another state or states in the region under a single-trip permit...  (Photo from irapl.altervista.org: Dump trucks loaded with clay staged in Valley City, North Dakota)

* Illinois - Caterpillar Eyes Sale of Logistics Business

Downers Grove,ILL,USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by William B. Cassidy -Mar 23, 2011: -- Global manufacturer considers spinning off growing 3PL segment... Earthmoving equipment giant Caterpillar is looking to sell its expanding third-party logistics business, a part of $2.2 billion Caterpillar Logistics Services... The $42 billion manufacturer said it is examining a "range of strategic options" for its 3PL business, excluding its internal logistics and distribution operations... Caterpillar plans to focus on growth opportunities in its core business, said Steve Larson, chairman and president of Cat Logistics and a Caterpillar vice president... Caterpillar said its internal manufacturing logistics and transportation operations and brand parts distribution network are not part of the strategic review... (Photo from Caterpillar Logistics)

* Ohio - Biggest LTL Carriers Outpace Market in 2010. LTL's 'billionaires' increase revenue 16 percent, compared with 9.1 percent average

Wilmington,OH,USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by William B. Cassidy -Marr 24, 2011: -- The biggest less-than-truckload carriers got bigger in 2010, with the number of LTL trucking companies with more than $1 billion in revenue climbing to nine... R+L Carriers of Wilmington, Ohio, rejoined LTL's "billion-dollar club" in 2010, increasing its LTL revenue 12.2 percent, according to SJ Consulting Group estimates... R+L fell below the billion-dollar revenue mark during the 2009 recession... As a group, the billion-dollar club increased its LTL revenue 16 percent from 2009, outperforming the top 25 LTL trucking companies ranked by SJ Consulting... FedEx Freight, Con-way Freight and YRC, the national arm of YRC Worldwide, were the three largest LTL carriers, ranked in that order by LTL revenue...

* Illinois - Brandt Truck Line Shuts Down

Bloomington,Ill,USA -The Journal of Commerce Onlin, by William B. Cassidy -Mar 24, 2011: -- Midwest LTL carrier closed doors March 22 after 88 years. Brandt Truck Line, Bloomington, Ill., shut its doors March 22 after 88 years in business. The company offered no explanation for the shutdown... Brandt operated 95 tractors, according to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration records. It had a conditional safety rating as of March 2010... The trucking company's Compliance, Safety and Accountability scores were all within acceptable thresholds, according to data from FMCSA's Web site... Founded in 1923, Brandt Truck Line originally hauled kerosene using teams of mules and wagons, according to The Pantagraph newspaper in Bloomington... (Photo from hankstruckpictures, by Stanley Houghton: A Brandt's truck)

* Wiscosin - Schneider Increases Van Owner-Operator Compensation

Green Bay,WIS,USA -Truckinginfo -25 March 2011: -- Schneider National is increasing compensation for its van owner-operators by $0.05 per mile. Under the new lease, owner-operators will earn $0.95 per mile (up to $1.65/mile with short haul premiums) plus fuel surcharge. Schneider owner-operators will earn $0.92 per mile and an additional $0.03 per mile in a quarterly performance premium...  Schneider will continue to offer its van owner-operators a choice of lease options: Percent of Revenue or Mileage-Based. Owner-operators with a percent-of-revenue lease select loads directly from Schneider's freight pool, no agents involved. Access is available 24/7 and owner-operators can view available freight days in advance and pre-assign loads for enhanced trip planning. Revenue opportunities for Schneider owner-operators are $800+ per day...