Traffic World articles from July 2005

Traffic World archives from July 2005

Altered states what's the state of logistics? More and more, that depends on where you stand. Are you a buyer or a seller?(markets)(Editorial)
July 4, 2005... From Scott McWilliam's perspective, the state of logistics is pretty good. The Ozburn-Hessey Logistics CEO was seen smiling ear-to-ear at a logistics summit in Atlanta last week, and with good reason. He just signed a major financing deal with...

U.S. diesel prices.(markets)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... U.S. diesel prices hit a new record, jumping on continued strong demand and record oil prices, which topped $60 a barrel. The Energy Information Administration said average diesel prices for the week ended June 27 hit $2.336 a gallon,...

Duke Power last week said it reached a settlement with CSX Transportation.(railroad transportation rate case)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Duke Power last week said it reached a settlement with CSX Transportation to resolve a 2001 railroad transportation rate case. The settlement includes a multiyear rail transport contract at rates comparable to tariff rates the company has...

Durable gains.(durable goods market)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The economy got a slight boost last month when new orders for durable goods increased a surprising 5.5 percent in May, the biggest increase in 14 months, the Census Bureau said. However, economists were quick to downplay the impact of the...

The United States imported more than $5.2 million in U.S. flags in 2004, mostly from China.(This Week)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Shippers may be seeing more red, white and blue this Fourth of July, with groups seeing brisk sales and increased shipments of fireworks and American flags. The American Pyrotechnics Association said Americans are buying mere fireworks for...

End of an era? Shipper attempts to drive cost of logistics down may have hit bottom as logistics, transportation, inventory costs rise.(business logistics costs )(Cover Story)
July 4, 2005... U.S. businesses held logistics costs to an all-time low percentage of Gross Domestic Product last year, despite across-the-board increases in transportation expenses and rising inventory carrying costs. Logistics represented 8.6 percent of U.S....

Carrier insurance rollback? FMCSA proposes eliminating BMC-32 insurance rule; shippers fear exposure to greater cargo liability.(Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)
July 4, 2005... Shippers fear they would bear more of the brunt for lost or damaged goods if a federal requirement for motor carrier insurance coverage is lifted. Buried in a proposed change to the federal truck registration system is a section that would...

WCO standards approved: new job for WCO becomes implementation, wider acceptance of international security framework.(World Customs Organization)
July 4, 2005... Nearly 90 countries say they intend to meet the new international cargo security standards that the World Customs Organization approved in late June. However, some of the world's largest manufacturing countries--including major cargo...

TSA nominee closer to vote.(Transportation Security Administration, Edmund "Kip" Hawley)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The Bush Administration's nominee for transportation security administrator, with a wealth of freight transportation experience, moved closer to taking over the Transportation Security Administration. The Senate Commerce Committee last...

CDL crackdown uncovers illegals: investigation finds Illinois DOT issued hazmat endorsements to illegal immigrants.(Government & Regulation)(Department of Transportation)
July 4, 2005... A multi-agency investigation revealed that the Illinois Department of Transportation issued commercial drivers' licenses with hazardous materials endorsements to at least seven illegal immigrants in recent years. Following a tip from a...

Senate to take up postal reform.(Government & Regulation)(Susan Collins, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... A postal reform effort reached the full Senate as the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved a postal reform package sponsored by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. The committee also approved the long-sought measure...

CRS to study cargo security overseas.(Government & Regulation)(Congressional Research Service)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The investigative arm of Congress is taking a comprehensive look at international cargo security. According to the National Industrial Transportation League, the Congressional Research Service plans to release a study by Sept. 1 on what...

Fighting for frequencies.(Government & Regulation)(FedEx Express, Polar Air Cargo and UPS Airlines' services between Seoul and Hong Kong)
July 4, 2005... When two airlines abandoned their valuable routes to Hong Kong, their competitors seized on the chance to score the scarce frequencies. FedEx Express, polar Air Cargo and UPS all told the U.S. Department of Transportation that they would be...

Publisher's letter.(Transport & Logistics Products & Services Showcase)
July 4, 2005... Whether you're shipping goods "down under" or just down the road, and whether it's done by air, land or sea, one thing is certain--those goods are delivered by way of a vast selection of products and services that make the process efficient and...

OHL gains equity partner: Welsh Carson buys majority stake in distribution operator; investment will fund more acquisitions.(Logistics & Technology)(Ozburn-Hessey Logistics acquired by Welsh, Carson, Anderson and Stowe)
July 4, 2005... Ozburn-Hessey Logistics, one of the nation's largest private third-party logistics providers, plans to get larger faster with financial backing from a new stakeholder. New York-based equity investor Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe last week...

Avoiding logistics disasters: Fritz Institute calls for logistics talent pool, technology to bolster disaster relief efforts.(Logistics & Technology)
July 4, 2005... As money and aid flooded into nations devastated by last December's Indian Ocean tsunami in the first months of this year, a European ambassador told aid donors, "We don't need a donor's conference, we need a logistics conference." A...

Lucent logistics chief joins developer's board.(Lucent Technologies Inc.'s Jose A. Mejia, Liberty Property Trust)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Lucent Technologies' chief supply chain executive, Jose A. Mejia, joined the board of directors of commercial real estate developer Liberty Property Trust. Mejia is president of Lucent's supply chain networks and oversees all aspects of...

Mallory scoops up Quast.(Logistics & Technology)(Mallory Alexander International acquires Quast and Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Mallory Alexander International gained new facilities at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport with its purchase of Quast & Co. Terms of the deal between the two privately held companies were not disclosed. "In addition to new...

Managing miles: as the economy cools down, reducing entry miles remains a hot topic for refrigerated carriers.(Special Report: TRUCKING: COOL CARGO)
July 4, 2005... Empty miles melt profits for carriers operating costly refrigerated equipment. That's why backhauls are almost as important as fronthauls to carriers hauling temperature-controlled freight--especially when a hot economy starts to cool down. ...

Cool drivers in hot demand.(Special Report: TRUCKING: COOL CARGO)(FFE Transportation Services Inc. plans to hire truck drivers)
July 4, 2005... Finding backhauls is easier when you have the drivers to handle them. Refrigerated carriers face the same driver shortage as their dry van counterparts. "We're doing a lot of good things to get good drivers and keep more of them," said...

Daunting driver dilemma: larger carriers say raises help them retain drivers, but better pay doesn't always attract new truckers.(Transportation: Trucking)
July 4, 2005... The driver shortage appears to be slackening at the nation s largest truckload carriers, but trucking companies of all sizes, especially smaller fleets, are still struggling to find drivers. More pay isn't always the answer. Major truckload...

B.C. Port truckers strike: independents at Port of Vancouver seek higher wages, help with fuel costs; containerized cargo slowed.(Transportation: Trucking)(British Columbia)
July 4, 2005... Truck drivers at Canada's Port of Vancouver stopped work June 27, threatening the flow of industrial and consumer goods as shippers prepare for the peak shipping season. According to the Vancouver Port Authority, the job action immobilized...

ATA Tonnage Index rises.(Transportation: Trucking)(American Trucking Associations)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The American Trucking Associations' Truck Tonnage Index jumped 0.7 percent in May, as modest economic growth boosted volumes during the month. The index reversed a 0.9 percent decrease in April to post its first sequential rise in tonnage...

Estes eyes expansion.(Transportation: Trucking)(Estes Express Lines Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The expanding reach of trucking industry giants is not going unnoticed by their smaller competitors. "In today's economy, a transportation company has to be a solutions provider," said Pat Martin, director of field sales for Richmond, Va.-based...

Drive to organize: union dissidents want strong Teamsters response to UPS, Yellow Roadway nonunion acquisitions.(Transportation: Trucking)
July 4, 2005... Where some see lost jobs, dissident ]1 Teamsters see opportunity. Yellow Roadway's decision to I! shut down USF Dugan and UPS's pending acquisition of nonunion Overnite Transportation stirred labor activists at Teamsters for a Democratic...

Getting up to speed: UP, BNSF revise PRB maintenance plans as result of May derailments in Wyoming.(Transportation: Rail & Intermodal)(Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., Union Pacific Railroad Co., Powder River Basin)
July 4, 2005... BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad are fine-tuning their track maintenance plans after two coal train derailments in Wyoming caused service delays that shippers worry could hamper their ability to meet peak season demands. The two...

NS keeps trailers on track: subsidiary jumps into intermodal equipment market despite railroad's decision to exit rail-trailer management.(Transportation: Rail & Intermodal)
July 4, 2005... Norfolk Southern is getting out of rail trailer management, but a recent purchase by one of its subsidiaries shows there s still strong demand from customers who want the ability to choose between road and rail. Thoroughbred Direct...

PierPass scores early.(Transportation: Rail & Intermodal)(OffPeak servcie at ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Less than a month after registration began, more than 1,000 port users signed up for OffPeak, a new container processing system at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The program will be operated by PierPass, a non-profit company...

Slow start for KCS: trade-off between performance and need to boost capacity cited for poor service metrics.(Transportation: Rail & Intermodal)(Kansas City Southern)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Kansas City Southern is lagging well behind its larger Class 1 rivals in 2005 in key performance measurements while the railroad works to expand capacity levels along its east-west network in the southern United States. The railroad ranks...

FRA OKs container technology.(Transportation: Rail & Intermodal)(Federal Railroad Administration, Railroad equipment industry)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The Federal Railroad Administration approved new intermodal technology that links containers and chassis together for haulage over the railroads. The technology, developed by RailRunner, began operating commercially over Norfolk Southern...

FRA awards PTC grant.(Transportation: Rail & Intermodal)(Federal Railroad Administration, positive train control technology)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The Federal Railroad Administration granted $6.4 million to a research group to test positive train control technology. The grant to the Railroad Research Foundation will help fund tests of a PTC system on a 120-mile segment of track...

'Small case' resolved.(Transportation: Rail & Intermodal)(Norfolk Southern Corp. and BP PLC's freight rate case)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Parties in the first so-called "small-case" rate complaint reached a meditated settlement a little more than a month after the complaint's filing with the Surface Transportation Board. The case involved rates charged by Norfolk Southern to...

Slowing profit growth: skyrocketing fuel prices, startup costs for new flight mitigate FedEx's earnings growth.(Transportation: Air & Expedited)
July 4, 2005... Soaring fuel prices hit FedEx's bottom line in the final quarter of its fiscal year as the carrier posted sub-double digit earnings growth for the first time in more than a year. Company officials also blamed startup costs associated with...

UPS, pilots talks in recess: mediated talks in Washington between carrier, pilots end without a contract.(Transportation: Air & Expedited)(UPS Airlines and Independent Pilots Association; FedEx Corp. and Air Line Pilots Association's negotiations)
July 4, 2005... After failing to reach an agreement, UPS and Independent Pilots Association are taking a break from formal contract talks after 32 months of increasingly tough negotiations. The National Mediation Board ordered the recess in the talks June...

Bangkok Airport to use L-3 screening systems.(Transportation: Air & Expedited)(3 Communications Security & Detection Systems)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The new Bangkok International Airport ordered two X-ray cargo inspection systems from L-3 Communications Security & Detection Systems. When it opens next year, the airport, which will he called the Suvanabhumi International Airport, plans...

Fuel surcharges surging.(Transportation: Air & Expedited)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... With oil prices topping $60 a barrel, jet fuel prices are on the rise and sparking another round of fuel surcharge increases by the airlines. In the United States, NWA Cargo, the cargo subsidiary of Northwest Airlines, took the lead saying...

International expansion.(Transportation: Air & Expedited)(Cargolux)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Cargolux is pressing ahead with its efforts to expand its international operations after posting record revenue gains. The Luxembourg-based airline, the largest all-cargo carrier in Europe, increased its presence in the Middle East and...

Freight rate imbalance: space constraints, delays, even low rates squeeze westbound exports in trans-Pacific trade lanes.(Transportation: Maritime)
July 4, 2005... U.S. exporters are discovering that low ocean freight rates are a mixed blessing. Some trans-Pacific carriers are rejecting low-value cargo. They'd rather send the containers back to Asia empty so they can be quickly refilled with better-paying...

Steel surges at Texas port: Port of Brownsville doubles up on steel: slab comes in, cold-rolled coils move out.(Transportation: Maritime)
July 4, 2005... Most port executives would do backflips to handle one million or more short tons of steel in a year. Six million tons would be astonishing, but that's what the Port of Brownsville, Texas, is projecting for 2005. The southernmost port in...

Cosco expects to raise $1.65 billion with IPO.(Transportation: Maritime)
July 4, 2005... A unit of China Ocean Shipping Co. is planning to raise up to $1.65 billion in an initial public offering, according to news reports. China Cosco Holdings Ltd. set an indicative price range of about 55 cents to 75 cents a share for its...

International Shipping moves into L.A.(Transportation: Maritime)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Worldwide moving company International Shipping paid $6.6 million for a 105,605-square-foot industrial facility in Gardena, Calif., further crowding the area around the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. "We went through throe rounds of...

Panama Canal upgrades tow tracks.(Transportation: Maritime)(Panama Canal Authority)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The Panama Canal Authority plans to rehabilitate the locomotive tow tracks that run alongside the northeast lane of the Gatun Locks. Both lanes will remain in service during the project, and no transit time delays are foreseen. The...

China to double TEU traffic.(Transportation: Maritime)(twenty-foot equivalent units)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... As all roads once led to Rome, all containers go to China. The volume of cargo passing through China s ports is expected to rise more than 50 percent in the next five years, to 6.1 billion tons by 2010, Zhang Chunxian, the nation's...

Tacoma endows maritime center.(Transportation: Maritime)(University of Washington-Tacoma's contract with Port of Tacoma )(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The Port of Tacoma is accelerating its 1 million pledge to the University of Washington-Tacoma for a Port of Tacoma Endowed Chair, paying the full amount this year rather than spreading payment over several years. That will help the...

Sold: Port of Liverpool.(Transportation: Maritime)(Mersey Docks and Harbour Co. acquires Peel Ports )(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Mersey Docks and Harbour Co., the UK's second-largest ports group and operator of the Port of Liverpool, agreed tea cash takeover offer from smaller rival Peel Ports for $1.4 billion. The acquisition includes Mersey's two smaller ports,...

Sony of Canada.(People)(Paul Kirkpatrick promoted in Sony Canada)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Sony of Canada promoted Paul Kirkpatrick to vice president of its supply chain group.

The Transportation Intermediaries Association.(People)(Jeffrey G. Tucker appointed )(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The Transportation Intermediaries Association named Jeffrey G. Tucker, CEO of Tucker Co., to its board of directors. Tucker's father, William, was one of the cofounders of the TIA predecessor organization in 1978.

SunPower.(People)(Jon Whiteman appointed)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... SunPower, a Sunnyvale, Calif., subsidiary of Cypress Semiconductor, appointed Jon Whiteman vice president of strategic supply. Whiteman has experience in supply chain management and logistics with companies including National Semiconductor,...

John S. Connor.(People)(Laura Reddington appointed)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... John S. Connor, Glen Burnie, Md., named Laura Reddington marketing manager. Formerly a consultant with Rainmakers International, she has an extensive marketing background, most recently as marketing coordinator for a Baltimore law firm.

E*Fill America.(People)(Thomas Weiss appointed)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... E*Fill America, Mission Viejo, Calif., named Thomas Weiss vice president for business development at its East Coast base in Englishtown, N.J. Weiss was most recently with FedEx Supply Chain Services.

Pilot Air Freight.(People)(John Kelemen promoted)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Pilot Air Freight promoted John Kelemen to vice president of its special services division. Kelemen has served with Pilot for 11 years and formerly was director of Pilot's Home Delivery. He will be responsible for the business and program...

Miami-Dade County.(People)(Jose Abreu appointed to Miami-Dade County's Aviation Department)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Miami-Dade County appointed Jose Abreu director of Miami-Dade County's Aviation Department. Abreu has 20 years experience in the public sector with the Florida Department of Transportation, most recently as FDOT Secretary for the state where he...

Watkins Motor Lines.(People)(Fernando Vasquez promoted; Mike Rizo and Susan Marcum appointed )(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Watkins Motor Lines, Lakeland, Fla., promoted Fernando Vasquez to line-haul manager in El Paso, Texas. Vasquez has worked for Watkins since 198 l, and had been the operations manager. Mike Rizo joined as a terminal manager in Worcester, Mass....

Chapman Freeborn.(People)(Global Project Logistics Network's contract)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Chapman Freeborn, a U.K.-based air cargo chartering company joined forces with the ever-growing global project group Global Project Logistics Network. The GPLN is one of the larger networks of independent project logistics companies in the...

Total Quality Logistics.(People)(Sean Edwards promoted)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Total Quality Logistics, Cincinnati, a third-party freight logistics provider, promoted Sean Edwards to the new position of carrier development specialist. Edwards has been with TQL since 2004, and most recently served as a logistics account...

The Allen Lund Co.(People)(Chris Chinchak promoted)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The Allen Lund Co., a third-party transportation broker, promoted Chris Chinchak to national accounts manager in Detroit. Chinchak joined the company in 2001 and has 12 years of experience in the transportation industry.

The Broward County Board.(People)(Phil Allen appointed)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The Broward County Board appointed Chief Financial Officer Phil Allen as interim Port Everglades director. Allen has served as CFO for Florida's Broward County since 1986. Debbie L. Bower, formerly Broward County's director of real property,...

The Port of Hamburg.(People)(Hendrik Lorenz appointec)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The Port of Hamburg, Germany, named Hendrik Lorenz deputy chairman at Europe's second-largest container port. Lorenz had been at the German underwriting firm Lehnkering Reederei, in charge of the seafaring staff, nautical and technical...

Gordon Trucking.(People)(Dave Gibbs appointed)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Gordon Trucking, Pacific, Wash., appointed Dave Gibbs senior vice president and general manager of Eastern operations. Gibbs previously worked for Schneider National, Celadon Group, Fox Midwest and North American Van Lines.

Panalpina.(People)(Michael Davies appointed )(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Logistics provider and forwarder Panalpina named Michael Davies head of logistics and supply chain solutions for North American. Davies has more than 30 years of logistics experience, most recently overseeing supply chain management development...

Swiss WorldCargo.(People)(Hans Nilsson, Ashwin Bhat, Jack Lampinski and Adolfo Liguori appointed)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Swiss WorldCargo the cargo division of Swiss International Air Lines, announced its new management team, led by the appointments of Hans Nilsson to vice president of regional management Europe; Ashwin Bhat to vice president of revenue...

TW calendar.(Calendar)
July 4, 2005... JULY 12-14. T[S.sup.2] Conference and Exposition (The Trade Shows Exhibitors Association and National Trade Productions), Washington. (978) 475-4441 or www.tsea.org/ts2. 19-21.12th Annual Railroad Liability Conference/ Seminar...

Logistics seminars & courses.(TW Calendar)(Calendar)
July 4, 2005... JULY 5-Aug. 25. Marine Surveyor--Cargo, Online Marine Surveying Course (SUNY Maritime College Department of Continuing Education), New York. (718) 409-7341 or www.sunymaritime.edu. 5-Aug. 25. Marine Surveyor--Commercial Hull, Online...

National & regional averages: June 27, 2005.(DOE Diesel Price Index)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... National & regional averages: June 27, 2005 United States $2.336 East Coast $2.368 Midwest $2.314 Gulf Coast $2.288 Rocky Mountain $2.288 West Coast $2.433 Note: Table Made from bar graph....

Third-party payer goes bankrupt.(Systemax Inc.)
July 4, 2005... Q: I recently received this from a friend: "Are you familiar with a company called Systemax Network? They were a third-party vendor that consolidated billings, negotiated claims, negotiated rates, etc., for customers using UPS and FedEx. I...

Invited.(The Back Page)
July 4, 2005... We appreciate the invitation to the House Conservatives Fund's speech by Rep. Ernest Istook, R-Okla. But, off the record? What fun would that be? After all, Istook is the pol who infuriated his colleagues last year by cutting off transportation...

Awww.(American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials's Jack Lettiere asks for highway bill)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... If members of Congress need another reason to pass the highway bill, they can listen to AASHTO head Jack Lettiere. He implored at a press conference, "What about the 4 million children per year who don't make it to doctor's appointments because...

Searched.(The Back Page)
July 4, 2005... We're having a hard time finding our truckload news these days. Every time we search on the Internet for "Schneider National" we pick up stories on Brian Schneider, catcher for the Washington Nationals. It's like when our Google searches kept...

Relations.(The Back Page)(Hired Truck Program's contract with family owned company)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The family of a Chicago alderman allegedly received $1.1 million from the city's scandal-ridden Hired Truck Program. "Everyone has a right to do business with the city, even if they're related," Alderman Arenda Troutman told the Chicago...

Brewed.(The Back Page)(Aan Boord Cargo's contract)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Congratulations to Belgian-owned, Vietnam-based forwarder Aan Boord Cargo, which says it has a contract from a brewer to bring Belgian beer to Vietnam. Or, as they put it, to "make beer possible."

Burnt.(The Back Page)(Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls candles)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall for some votive candles cautioning consumers that the "candles' wax can catch fire, causing a high flame. This can cause nearby combustibles to catch fire and result in burns to consumers."...

Finding fuel.
July 11, 2005... Think for a moment of a truck going down the highway as a kind of Rorschach test. If you're a shipper these days what you might see is a trailer-load of potential capacity rolling out of reach. If you're a railroad executive what you might see...

Back in session this week.(Weekly Perspective)(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... Back in session this week, Congress appears closer than it has through eight extensions to passing a six-year highway bill. With the July 19 deadline looming, Congress and the White House set $286 billion for the bill that sets surface...

A Hong Kong newspaper.(FedEx planning to establish transport hub in china)(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... A Hong Kong newspaper reported that FedEx will sign an agreement next month to establish its first transport hub in China. The newspaper said the hub will be at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, a base in China's industrial Guangdong province that...

Making for growth.(This Week)(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... A spike in new manufacturing orders in June points to the end of the industry's "soft patch," according to the Institute for Supply Management. However June's PMI index of 53.8 is still below the 12-month average of 56.5 and below levels...

Chew on this: It's the end of an era for the world's largest gum manufacturer and marketer.(Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co is closing its factory)(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... Chew on this: It's the end of an era for the world's largest gum manufacturer and marketer. Chicago-based Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co., which boasted global sales of $4 billion last year, said it is closing its oldest factory in an effort to...

Tension in the cockpit: cargo pilots threaten labor turbulence at expeditors, airlines, adding presure to transport costs, uncertainty to supply chains.(Cover Story)
July 11, 2005... Frustration is building in the cockpits of many of the world's largest all-cargo carriers as marathon contract talks between the airlines and their pilot unions stretch into the summer with no resolution on the horizon. In the past month,...

Congress Hits Water Mark: waterways backers press for modernization, critics decry 'horse-and-buggy' transport solution.(Government & Regulation)
July 11, 2005... Back from its Independence Day recess, Congress finds its most contentious transportation matter on water rather than land. With work on the highway bill still looming, the House started addressing the policies, projects and priorities for the...

Barge blues on Mississippi.(Mississippi River)(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... Shifting international trade patterns are as much to blame as outdated locks and dams for flat barge traffic on the upper Mississippi river, a congressional report claims. Increased domestic demand for U.S. grain, the primary commodity...

DOT seeks limited hazmat rule.(Department of Transportation rule for hazardous materials)(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... The Department of Transportation sought help from a federal appeals court against shippers in its bid to keep its new hazardous materials transportation rule in place. The court was expected to rule this month on a request by hazardous...

Shippers cheer senate approval of CAFTA.(Central American Free Trade Agreement)(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... Shippers whose goods move to Central America are pleased that the Senate moved ahead with a controversial free trade agreement between that region and the United States. Late last month, the Senate approved the Central American Free Trade...

Maritime security concerns: lawmakers accuse DHS, CBP of not doing enough to protect U.S. ports from terrorism.(Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection)
July 11, 2005... A year after the maritime world scrambled to meet the deadlines imposed by the Maritime Transportation Security Act, lawmakers say the federal government isn't holding up its end of the bargain, leaving the anti-terror program unfocused and...

Kaveeshwar heads RITA.(Ashok G. Kaveeshwar, Research and Innovative Technology Administration)(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... The Research and Innovative Technology Administration has its first administrator. The U.S. Senate confirmed Ashok G. Kaveeshwar to be the first head of RITA, an agency created under last year's Department of Transportation reorganization....

House doubles Amtrak funding.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... The U.S. House rejected the White House's Amtrak funding demands by restoring funding to the nation's passenger rail system In an appropriations hill in late June. The House approved $1.17 billion in Amtrak funding for the next fiscal year...