Traffic World articles from February 2008

Traffic World archives from February 2008

Truckers Urge Oil Policy Reforms.(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher In a letter to President Bush, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association urged specific policy reforms that would boost domestic oil supply and reduce the soaring cost of fuel for the trucking industry....

Poultry Exporter to Stay in New Orleans.
February 1, 2008... The Port of New Orleans Dock Board has approved an engineering contract covering development of a new facility for longtime tenant New Orleans Cold Storage. The exporter of frozen poultry has been operating at a site on the Industrial...

Congressmen Request Screening Review.(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Two prominent House members asked this week for an official review of the 100 percent cargo screening law enacted a year ago. Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, D-Miss., and...

Manufacturing Activity Picks Up.(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in January after a contraction at the end of the year, according to the latest Manufacturing ISM Report on Business. A surge in production pushed a 2...

"K" Line Profits Rocket.(Financial report)
February 1, 2008... BYLINE: Hisane Masaki TOKYO -- Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. ("K" Line) on Thursday reported consolidated operating income surged 153.5 percent in April-December, 2007 from the previous year, to 100.69 billion yen (US$950 million). ...

Bulk Powers MOL Earnings.(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... BYLINE: Hisane Masaki TOKYO -- Japanese carrier MOL on Thursday credited the booming dry bulk market for helping it increase consolidated operating income 82.8 percent in the nine-month period to Dec.31, 2007, to 219.9 billion yen (US$2.07...

British Airways Earnings Surge.(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher British Airways profit surged 22 percent in the nine months ended Dec. 31 as its cargo performance slowly improved. Strong volumes from the Americas, UK and Middle East South Asia resulted in a 1.6 percent...

Ryder Earnings Push Upward.
February 1, 2008... Logistics and transport giant Ryder System shrugged aside all signs of a downturn in the fourth quarter, turning in a $71.9 million net profit that was 9 percent better than the year before. Excluding a tax benefit of $3.6 million in...

ICAT Acquires Right Way.(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... BYLINE: William Hoffman ICAT Logistics extended its reach from its home base in Elkridge, Md., to the U.S. Midwest with its acquisition of Columbus, Ohio-based Right Way Logistics. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Founded in...

Flat Earnings at Horizon.(Horizon Lines L.L.C.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Horizon Lines increased revenue in the fourth quarter but only maintained its year-earlier level of income. The nation's leading domestic ocean shipping company faced a decline in demand in one of its chief...

Commission Pushes Vehicle Miles System.(Brief article)
February 3, 2008... BYLINE: Ari Natter A second U.S. Commission of infrastructure policy and financing was scheduled to release an interim report late Friday, that would recommend exploring the use of tolling, public private partnerships, and a vehicle miles...

Training Day.
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Paul Page At a particular state Department of Motor Vehicles site a few years ago, the road-testing portion for a basic driver''s license included one especially devious trap. It was a stop sign placed at a maddeningly random...

Matt Rose and the Long View.(Column)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd In the ongoing tug-of-war between railroads and trucking for freight supremacy in the United States, it''s a delicious irony that the man seen as perhaps the leading spokesman for the U.S. rail industry got his start...

Hoping for Another Round.(Column)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Ari Natter A second economic stimulus package may be the best hope for those who want transportation infrastructure investment included in such a deal, after House leaders said the Bush Administration refused to consider the idea....

Breaking Gridlock.
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: William B. Cassidy States frustrated by logjams at federal agencies are looking to tighten their own trucking rules, and that could lead to conflicting - and tougher - laws and regulations across the country. "States are...

Court Keeps HOS Unchanged.(Hours of service)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... Hours of service will remain the same - at least for now. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Jan. 24 denied a request by safety watchdog group Public Citizen to vacate the recent interim final rule that allows...

Act Would Make Shippers Pay.(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... Should shippers be the ones paying to smooth the flow of traffic near ports, airports, border crossings and other areas clogged with freight congestion? Two congressman from California and Illinois seem to think so. Rep. Ken S....

RFID: Play or Pay.(Radio Frequency Identification Technology)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: William Hoffman Wal-Mart is turning up the heat on its suppliers to speed their adoption of radio frequency identification technology. Starting Feb. 1, the world''s largest retailer will charge suppliers $2 for each pallet sent...

High Time for Real Time.
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: William B. Cassidy Real-time data has the potential to reshape supply chains, but not unless logistics managers learn how to use it more effectively. That may require new technology and a new business "framework," say two...

Latin America Shippers See Delays.(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... Seven out of 10 small to mid-size businesses in Latin America said heightened global security measures caused more delays, costs and bureaucracy, according to a survey of business leaders'' sentiment by TNS Gallup for UPS. The poll of 580...

Wincanton Expands Box Business.(Wincanton Logistics Ltd.)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... U.K.-based supply chain services provider Wincanton expanded its capacity in container operations with its acquisition of Hanbury Davies for $48.7 million. Hanbury Davies has 21 locations, 480 vehicles and 780 employees in the United...

Distribution''s Empire Building.
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: David Biederman Stretching beyond the reach of the Southern California''s soft Pacific Ocean breezes, Interstates 210 and 215 push toward the hills through what local business leaders consider canyons of commerce. Massive...

Regionals Roil YRC.(YRC Worldwide Inc.)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: John Gallagher Three years after buying USF Corp. and rolling into the regional LTL market, YRC Worldwide is picking up the pieces of its shattered regional strategy. YRC Worldwide said it will use increased operating...

Scraping for Freight.(Financial report)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: John Gallagher The financial health of some of the nation''s largest truckload carriers is weakening in a freight economy that''s showing little sign of picking up after 18 months of slowing demand and cutthroat pricing. ...

Antitrust Lawsuits Spread.
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: William B. Cassidy Class action lawsuits that allege LTL price fixing may cost truckers millions of dollars, even if those claims eventually are shown to be without merit. A spate of anti-trust lawsuits against LTL carriers...

Earnings Slip at Con-way Freight.(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... A surge in freight couldn''t keep fourth-quarter earnings from slipping at Con-way. The regional LTL giant saw tonnage rise 6.1 percent and revenue climb 9.1 percent, but earnings at its Con-way Freight LTL operating unit fell 10 percent...

FedEx Freight Cuts Times.(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... Trying to meet growing competition in the regional LTL market, FedEx Freight is cutting cut transit times in half in several markets in the United States and Canada. The subsidiary of parcel giant FedEx said transit times were reduced from...

Rail Profits Enjoy the Ride.(Financial report)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd North American railroads may have a different perspective on how business is going, based on how they are fighting either the headwinds of a high Canadian dollar or the downdrafts of the U.S. housing and auto sectors....

UTU Goes ''Neutral''.(United Transportation Union)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd Within the space of a few days, North American railroads reached contract deals with the largest U.S. rail labor group, the United Transportation Union, and suddenly changed the outlook in Washington for rail tax...

BNSF, Utility Tap ECP Brakes.(Burlington Northern Santa Feb)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd BNSF Railway became the second big U.S. railroad to begin limited use of electronically controlled pneumatic brakes, a technology that could over time revolutionize the railroad industry. The carrier joined with...

Un-Made in the USA?(Industry overview)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Michael Fabey Deutsche Post World Net''s bid to build DHL into a major domestic express competitor in the United States appears to be reaching a critical point. Widespread reports suggested DPWN was close to dramatically...

Low Flyers Seek Lift.(Financial report)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Michael Fabey Several major U.S. airlines reported cargo gains in the fourth quarter of 2007, giving carriers some hope there might be a recovery in the air. But the gains in belly business came at the end of a year of high...

Teamsters Cancel Mass. Union Election.(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... The Teamsters voluntarily canceled an organizing election scheduled for February 1, 2008, at the FedEx Home Delivery facility in Worcester, Mass. Of course, the union and company present different versions of why. FedEx said the...

UPS Clamping Down.(nited Parcel Service of America Inc.)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Michael Fabey For freight forwarders, common carriage on UPS aircraft is getting far less common. UPS, which only last month announced a range of new wholesale air freight services, says it will reserve most of the space on its...

The East is Rising.(Industry overview)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Bruce Barnard Trans-Atlantic container carriers are cautiously confident of breaking even or possibly moving into profit in 2008 after two lean years on a route where making money on a regular basis has always been a challenge,...

Maersk Restructures Bunker.(Maersk Line)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Peter T. Leach Maersk Line says its new formula for its bunker adjustment factor is designed to provide more simplicity and transparency in the way the fuel surcharge is applied. The Danish carrier, which introduced the formula...

Hapag-Lloyd Parent Moves to Block Takeover.(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... TUI AG, the German tourism and transportation company, is drawing up plans to integrate Hapag-Lloyd, its ocean container shipping business, into its parent company in a bid to thwart hostile takeover bids. The move coincides with a report...

PMSA Chief Wants Port Expansion.(Pacific Merchant Shipping Association)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... Political and environmental interests are all but holding hostage many transportation infrastructure projects in Southern California, according to John McLaurin, president of the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association. McLaurin, who...

People.(Breifs)
February 4, 2008... Longistics, Raleigh, N.C., named Anthony Copeland president of its international division. Copeland, 51, had been assistant secretary of the North Carolina Department of Commerce for four years and had overseen the state''s efforts to attract...

Filing Time Limits for Concealed Damage.
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Colin Barrett Q: We are a company that manages multiple shippers. Part of our responsibilities include the filing of loss or damage claims. We have a number of clients that represent the electronics as well as appliance...

The Back Page.(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... Delivery. Is it just us, or is it a bit curious that the glossy 2008 calendar for one noted supply chain management professionals group was mailed out on Jan. 17? A little trouble with sourcing, or was it transportation management? Bowled...

February 4, 2008.
February 4, 2008... Delivery. Is it just us, or is it a bit curious that the glossy 2008 calendar for one noted supply chain management professionals group was mailed out on Jan. 17? A little trouble with sourcing, or was it transportation management? Bowled...

Distribution's Empire Building.
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: David Biederman Stretching beyond the reach of the Southern California's soft Pacific Ocean breezes, Interstates 210 and 215 push toward the hills through what local business leaders consider canyons of commerce. Massive...

Alpine Air Income Jumps 31 Percent.
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Regional cargo carrier Alpine Air Express improved efficiency and signed more profitable contracts with its customers for a 31 percent increase in operating income in fiscal 2007. Alpine's year ended Oct. 31...

Trans-Pacific Surcharges Cut.(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: William Armbruster The two groups representing container lines in the trans-Pacific trades reduced their bunker fuel surcharges, effective Feb. 1. The Transpacific Stabilization Agreement, composed of lines in the eastbound...

Comment Period for 10+2 Extended.
February 4, 2008... Customs and Border Protection has extended the comment period for the proposed 10+2 importer security filing rule. The new deadline for comments will be March 18, from the original March 3 deadline. A link to the full text of the...

ProLogis Expands with DHL in Europe.(DHL Exel Supply Chain)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher ProLogis signed lease agreements for more than 858,000 square feet of distribution space in Europe with DHL Exel Supply Chain. "DHL is ProLogis' largest global customer, and we are pleased to be further...

NS Names Corporate Secretary.(Norfolk Southern Corp. appoints Howard D. McFadden)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Norfolk Southern named Howard D. McFadden corporate secretary, effective March 1. McFadden will replace retiring Dezora M. Martin, who joined Norfolk Southern in 1972 and was named corporate secretary in...

BNSF Logistics Acquires Forwarder.(DFL)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher BNSF Logistics acquired international freight management company DFL, which includes Grapevine, Texas-based Diversified Freight Logistics and Royal Cargo Line. Specific terms of the acquisition were not...

UP to Spend $3.1B in 2008.(Union Pacific Corp.)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Union Pacific plans to invest $3.1 billion in capital projects during 2008, the company said Monday. More than half of the money, $1.6 billion, is earmarked for projects to maintain and strengthen track...

Cummins Profit Jumps.(revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Engine maker Cummins boosted sales and profits in the fourth quarter and full year despite drastic cutbacks in the truck segment. Cummins boosted sales 15 percent to $13.05 billion in the full year of 2007....

Delphi Losses Double.(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Sales fell in December and losses more than doubled prior to final approval of parts manufacturer Delphi's reorganization plan. Sales to former parent company General Motors fell by half to $338 million as...

Million Mile Smiles.
February 4, 2008... WEST CHESTER, PA, February 1, 2008 -- Nothing makes a transportation company happier than safe drivers.  So imagine the delight of having 40 drivers reach or exceed that milestone.  A. Duie Pyle recently honored four drivers who...

U.S. Shipments Decline.(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Heavy drops in petroleum and coal during December's mild weather brought down the overall value of manufactured goods shipments for the month. Down following three consecutive monthly increases, shipments of...

Workers Strike at Volvo Plant.(Volvo Trucks North America )(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... The United Auto Workers stopped work Friday at the Volvo plant in New River Valley, Va. Volvo Trucks North America produces approximately 100 of its Volvo VT, VN and VHD trucks per day at the facility. The strike comes as negotiations...

Ryder Launches Midwest DC.(Ryder System Inc.)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: William Hoffman Ryder System is the latest supply chain company to step up operations in the Midwest, establishing a national distribution center for education company K12 in Indiana. Ryder will manage distribution and returns...

Bush Proposes Budget Cuts.(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Ari Natter President Bush proposed cutting the Department of Transportation's budget by more than 25 percent, according to the 2009 spending plan he unveiled Monday. "As we work to keep taxes low, we must do more to restrain...

Diesel Climbs 2.1 Cents to $3.28.(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher The national average retail price of a gallon of diesel fuel climbed 2.1 cents this week to reach $3.28, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Prices on the East Coast were the highest in...

Users Oppose Highway Funding Cuts.(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Highway construction backers said Monday the Bush administration's federal budget shortchanges American infrastructure needs with a proposed $2 billion in cuts in highway spending. The American Highway...

Hoffa to Address Transportation Table.
February 5, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher James P. Hoffa, General President, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, will speak Friday Feb. 8 at an event in Washington, D.C. Hoffa will address the Transportation Table luncheon at the National Press...

Defense Extends Savi Contract.(Brief article)
February 5, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Savi won an extension and an increase in value for its contract to provide Radio Frequency Identification to the U.S. Department of Defense. DoD extended the contract for a another year to Jan. 31, 2009, and...

Business Activity Contracts.(Brief article)
February 5, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Business activity in the non-manufacturing sector went from slow growth to outright contraction in January, according to a national survey of purchasing and supply executives. "Non-manufacturing business...

Matson Parent Profit Surges.(Alexander and Baldwin Inc.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 5, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Industrial real estate and transportation company Alexander & Baldwin earned $36.4 million in the fourth quarter on revenue of $435.9 million. Net income improved 35 percent over profits for the fourth quarter a...

China Growth Seen Slowing.(Brief article)
February 5, 2008... BYLINE: Alan Field The World Bank revised its growth forecast for the Chinese economy in 2008 to 9.6 percent, down from an earlier forecast of 10.8 percent, as a result of the downturn in the global economy. This is the first time in...

Global Prices Rise.
February 5, 2008... BYLINE: Alan Field The Consumer Price Index, an indicator of U.S. inflation, increased by 4.1 percent in 2007, but that was down from 4.3 percent in the year to November. Inflation in the U.S. outpaced global consumer prices in...

U.S. Air Cargo Tepid in '07.(Brief article)
February 5, 2008... Air cargo traffic for American carriers grew 1.1 percent in 2007, the weakest showing for U.S. airlines since 2003, according to figures released by the Air Transport Association. The tepid growth included a 0.1 percent decline in domestic...

Trailer Bridge Lands Costco Business.
February 5, 2008... Costco Wholesale Corp. has awarded Trailer Bridge an exclusive contract for all shipments moving in dry containers to Puerto Rico, the Jacksonville, Fla.-based carrier said Monday.   The contract represents new business for Trailer Bridge...

SIRVA Seeks Bankruptcy.
February 5, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher SIRVA, an international relocation services provider and parent of domestic carrier Allied Van Lines, agreed Feb. 5 to a Chapter 11 reorganization, which will allow it to continue to operate its business. ...

USPS Sees Profit Despite Obstacles.(Financial report)
February 5, 2008... BYLINE: Michael Fabey Even with the Internet nipping at its heels and snapping chunks out of its first-class mail business, the U.S. Postal Service reported a preliminary fiscal first-quarter profit of $672 million. Cutting more than...

LLamasoft and Kurt Salmon Associates Announce Strategic Alliance.
February 5, 2008... ANN ARBOR, MI and ATLANTA, GA - February 4, 2008 - LLamasoft, Inc., the leading provider of supply chain network design software, and Kurt Salmon Associates (KSA), the premier solutions provider to retail, consumer products, and health care...

Oberstar Blasts Bush Budget.(Brief article)
February 5, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher The Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure blasted the Bush Administration's $3.1 trillion budget proposal for its deep cuts in funding for transportation projects. Rep. James...

Icahn Takes Greenbrier Stake.(Carl Icahn)(Brief article)
February 5, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd Investor Carl Icahn, through his American Railcar Industries, took a 9.45 percent stake in equipment maker Greenbrier and said he'd like to talk about combining the two. The railcar supply industry is facing its lowest...

STB Extends Comment Deadline for CN.(Surface Transportation Board)(Brief article)
February 5, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher The Surface Transportation Board extended the deadline for public comments on the Environmental Impact Statement concerning CN's acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway. The STB's Section of...

KCS Grows With Pricing.(Kansas City Southern)(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 5, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd Kansas City Southern, which operates the smallest of North America's top-tier railroads but has a big and growing segment in Mexico, saw fourth-quarter revenue grow 4 percent as strong pricing and the Mexico segment's...

SEKO Expands in Puerto Rico.(Brief article)
February 5, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher SEKO expanded its Puerto Rico office to meet demand in the island's growing industrial economy. The forwarder is adding staff and upgrading its IT offerings in the facility in San Juan, Puerto Rico near the...

Agility Forms Partnership in Kurdistan.(Brief article)
February 6, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Agility expanded its presence in the Middle East with a joint venture that opens up its operations in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The Dubai-based 3PL formed Agility Kurdistan with Kurdistan Capital...

MIT, Partner Create Supply Chain Center.(Massachusetts Institute of Technology's)(Brief article)
February 6, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher The Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Center for Transportation and Logistics joined LOGyCA, a logistics company based in Bogota, Colombia, to open a research and education center for supply chain and...

Heartland Express Upgrades with IDI.(Internet Data Interchange)(Brief article)
February 6, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Heartland Express upgraded its data interchange with shippers through a new system developed by EBE Technologies. EBE, which provides business process management systems for the transportation industry,...

Rail Union Merger Delayed.(Brief article)
February 6, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd The United Transportation Union, the single largest freight rail labor group, said a court has extended at least to May any decision to either allow it to merge as planned with the sheet metal union or re-work the...

Geodis Forwarding Revenue Doubles.(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 6, 2008... BYLINE: William Hoffman French logistics provider Geodis became a $7 billion company in 2007, thanks in large part to its November 2006 purchase of TNT Freight Management, formerly Wilson Logistics. "The merger is releasing tremendous...

Pa. Gov. Urges Infrastructure Stimulus.(Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell )(Brief article)
February 6, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell on Tuesday proposed to the General Assembly a massive infrastructure improvement plan dubbed "Rebuilding Pennsylvania." The plan would speed up spending already...

Radiant's Airgroup Opens KC Office.(Brief article)
February 6, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Radiant Logistics expanded the North American operations of subsidiary Airgroup with the addition of an exclusive agent in Kansas City, Mo. Radiant's strategy to build a global transportation and supply...

Boxer Chides Peters for Privatization Plan.(Mary E. Peters)(Barbara Boxer)(Brief article)
February 6, 2008... BYLINE: Ari Natter Department of Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters' call for increased tolling and privatization as a means of finding the country's highway system met heavy resistance on Capitol Hill this week. "I find your...

Schneider Signs with BNSF, CSXI.(Burlington Northern Santa Fe)(Schneider National Intermodal )(Brief article)
February 6, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Schneider National Intermodal signed new contracts with BNSF and CSXI naming them its primary rail providers. The consolidation of Schneider's intermodal network is intended to simplify its container/trailer...