Traffic World articles from June 2004

Traffic World archives from June 2004

Monuments.(Editorial)
June 7, 2004... They dedicated a new monument to the veterans of World War II in Washington the other day, but we're sad to note that a monument to one of the great logistics accomplishments of that era is closing. The word came from Germany a few weeks...

Priced to move? Rising costs, surging demand lead to long-term price increases across transport modes, regions.(Cover Story)
June 7, 2004... The pricing bar is moving up. In a dramatic shift across modes and regions, a surging demand for freight with less equipment to move the goods is causing a fundamental shift upward in the price paid for transportation. Many operators are...

Delivery by the case: Supreme Court to decide on wine shipping cases, reconciling state bars against interstate transport.(Washington)
June 7, 2004... What wine goes well with a Supreme Court decision on interstate commerce? Small wine shippers are hoping for a victory toast when the Supreme Court hears a wine shipping case later this year. In a case that could bring robust new shipping...

Who's liable now? Liability dispute between NS, Kirby Engineering reflects complexity of modern supply chains.(Washington)
June 7, 2004... A cargo liability lawsuit that could have far-reaching implications for nonvessel operating common carriers moved a step closer to the U.S. Supreme Court last week as attorneys for Kirby Engineering filed briefs in Norfolk Southern vs. Kirby....

Home bound logistics: shippers finding that taking 3PLs to the door for home delivery adds outsourcing value.(Logistics & Technology)
June 7, 2004... When Cardinal Logistics Management went looking for new lines of business a few years ago, it went where most logistics companies fear to go: it went home. Now, home delivery makes up an important part of Cardinal's outsourced logistics...

Scoring logistics points: transport director Irwin translates Unilever experience into online logistics venture linking shippers, carriers.(Logistics & Technology)
June 7, 2004... As director of transportation, Chuck Irwin helped consumer goods giant Unilever redesign its distribution network and save millions of dollars in transportation costs. Now he's starting his own business to help other shippers do the same. ...

Optum buys WorldChain: software company extends range of supply chain offerings, says focus remains rapid, high-volume ship-.(Logistics & Technology)
June 7, 2004... Supply chain execution software company Optum purchased Fremont, Calif.-based WorldChain, bringing supply chain planning under its service umbrella. David J. Simbari, Optum's chairman and CEO, said Optum is keeping "all customers,...

Exel won a three-year contract.
June 7, 2004... Exel won a three-year contract to handle the warehousing and distribution of service parts for military vehicles for ProcureNet, an Internet-based procurement service serving industry and government. The British-based logistics provider will...

Elcoteq.
June 7, 2004... Elcoteq, a Finland-based outsourcing telecommunications manufacturer, will use Tradeport Hong Kong's facility at the Hong Kong International Airport as a distribution center for China and some other Asia markets. Elcoteq makes components for...

James Hardie Building Products.
June 7, 2004... James Hardie Building Products, an Australian company with headquarters in the Netherlands and operations around the globe, is using demand and supply chain software from Manugistics Group to help grow its business in North America. The company...

Plano, Texas-based Terion.
June 7, 2004... Plane, Texas-based Terion released Tractor ID to enhance its FleetView trailer management system. The new software and equipment helps companies prevent theft or misdirected loads by identifying tractors hooked to FleetView-equipped trailers.

United Supermarkets.
June 7, 2004... United Supermarkets, Lubbock, Texas, renewed its contract with logistics provider Tibbett & Britten. Tibbett & Britten Americas has been the exclusive logistics provider to United Supermarkets since 1999, when it was appointed to design, build...

Schwan Food.
June 7, 2004... Schwan Food, the largest branded frozen-food company in the United States with annual sales in excess of $3 billion, signed a three-year procurement services contract with ICG Commerce. Schwan will use ICG to lower costs by supporting strategic...

Stonepath Logistics, Philadelphia.
June 7, 2004... Stonepath Logistics, Philadelphia, won a multi-year contract from The Home Depot to manage the non-retail logistics and distribution activities supporting the retailer's store modernization program. Stonepath Logistics is a subsidiary of...

Supply management software provider SupplyWorks released SupplyWorks MAX version 5.0, the latest version of its supply chain visibility, procurement and planning software.
June 7, 2004... Supply management software provider SupplyWorks released SupplyWorks MAX version 5.0, the latest version of its supply chain visibility, procurement and planning software. New features include enhanced support of "lean" manufacturing and...

Third-party logistics provider J.D. Smith and Sons, Toronto, is upgrading its software to Delfour's SmartEnterprise 2.
June 7, 2004... Third-party logistics provider J.D. Smith and Sons, Toronto, is upgrading its software to Delfour's SmartEnterprise 2. The new software, which runs under the Linux operating system, will be more economical and flexible, said Cameron Arntsen,...

Maptuit, Burlington, Mass.
June 7, 2004... Maptuit, Burlington, Mass., released FleetNav 3.5, its latest transportation optimization software. The new version includes better information on toll location and cost data for more than 16,000 toll roads and expanded coverage of the North...

Northeast's pricing power: in the wake of Red Star's shutdown, LTL carriers in Northeast have 'pricing power,' shipper says.(Trucking)
June 7, 2004... The sudden shutdown of USF Red Star has shippers and carriers in the Northeast playing musical chairs--and the last one left standing will pay the most to ship freight. Rival carriers say they are willing to haul for ex-Red Star shippers,...

All for one, more cheaply: overnite's Suggs to LTL shippers: 'lane density' is bargaining key.(Trucking)
June 7, 2004... Smaller volume shippers can gain pricing leverage by consolidating shorthaul and longer-haul traffic with one carrier rather than using several niche carriers, a top trucking executive says. "It's a way for some shippers to gain some...

Dayton Freight Lines.
June 7, 2004... Dayton Freight Lines, Vandalia, Ohio, opened a company-owned 48-door cross-dock facility in St. Louis. It is close to the central part of the city at 7301 Hall St. The company said it was opening the terminal in response to great freight demand...

Motorcycle retailer KTM North America.
June 7, 2004... Motorcycle retailer KTM North America named Con-Way Transportation Services its exclusive logistics provider in the United States. This will include Con-Way receiving crated motorcycles delivered by ocean and then warehousing and shipping them...

PartsRiver.
June 7, 2004... PartsRiver, a provider of data quality and analytics services for the transportation equipment industry, renewed a contract for parts data quality services with Ryder System, Miami. "Utilizing PartsRiver data services has enabled us to obtain...

The American Trucking Associations.
June 7, 2004... The American Trucking Associations signed a $19.3 million cooperative agreement with the federal Transportation Security Administration to expand a program that trains truck drivers, other highway professionals and even shippers to identify and...

In a continuing effort to speed up its network, Watkins Motor Lines created two-day service standards on over 1,500 lanes across its nationwide network.
June 7, 2004... In a continuing effort to speed up its network, Watkins Motor Lines created two-day service standards on over 1,500 lanes across its nationwide network. This change affects hundreds of thousands of ZIP codes and more than 90 million ZIP-to-ZIP...

Midwest Motor Express.
June 7, 2004... Midwest Motor Express, Bismarck, N.D., elected John T. Roswick chairman and CEO and Marlin Kling president and COO. Through marketing partnerships and industry alliances, Midwest Motor Express provides seamless shipping and customs brokerage...

Intermodal's switching perceptions: ruling new cooperation, technology and equipment improvements, intermodalism's biggest backers say greater growth is in the cars.(Special report: intermodal shipping)
June 7, 2004... It's not often you see a new mode added to the transportation sector, but advocates for intermodal operations say that is essentially what is happening. Intermodal business was the single largest customer group of North American railroads last...

CN, up a notch: ambitious five-year growth plan gets approval from Wall Street, concern from shippers.(Rail & Intermodal)
June 7, 2004... North America's best-run railroad wants to get still better, but customers hope financial improvement doesn't come at the expense of service. Canadian National Railway, which boasts an industry lead operating ratio of 72.5 percent, wants...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
June 7, 2004... Titles for charts used in the May 31 story "Railing Over Rates" were transposed; the correct titles are below. [GRAPHIC OMITTED]

Rail shipper forum, part II: new concerns about CSX rail service prompts shipper meeting heading into peak season.(Rail & Intermodal)
June 7, 2004... First it was Union Pacific Railroad, next it will be CSX. Shippers hope that's where the National Industrial Transportation League-sponsored customer service forum circuit will end and the railroads will get their acts together by the time peak...

Postal's parcel problems: shipper group says private carriers could cause havoc with USPS pricing under reform plan.(Air & Express)
June 7, 2004... Parcels appear to be clogging up Congress' ability to deliver promised reform of the United States Postal Service. Competition over parcels, the real growth area of the air express business these days, has become a major sticking point on a...

Expanding to the East: cargo carriers look to grow in new EU countries; Dragonair, others advance carefully to East.(Air & Express)
June 7, 2004... The race to expand air service in Europe is on even if most of the cargo action is on the ground rather than in the air. Hong Kong-based Dragonair's appointment of a cargo general sales agent in Eastern Europe was a sign of the careful...

Atlas Air in debt settlement: freighter operator hopes to exit bankruptcy as air cargo growth raises market prospects.(Air & Express)
June 7, 2004... Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings hopes to emerge from bankruptcy by July 29 now that the parent of freighter airlines Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo has reached a settlement with attorneys for the company's unsecured creditors. Atlas and its...

Dollar drag in Europe: currency slip weighs down results for airlines in Europe as capacity, traffic grows.(Air & Express)
June 7, 2004... The weakening U.S. dollar is dragging down the cargo returns of European airlines. British Airways World Cargo saw its cargo revenue slip 2.1 percent, taking into account the fall of the dollar, to $829.1 million in the fiscal year ending...

Singapore Airlines Cargo.
June 7, 2004... Singapore Airlines Cargo joined Cargo 2000, the interest group of airlines and forwarders pushing for better standards for air cargo processes. Cargo 2000 said the addition of the large Asia-Pacific carrier gives forwarders more reason to join...

Nippon Cargo Airlines.
June 7, 2004... Nippon Cargo Airlines plans to add 747-400 freighters to its fleet. The purchase makes the Japanese airline Boeing's second announced customer for the 747-400 freighter conversion program launched this year. NCA plans to replace older 747...

Lufthansa Cargo.
June 7, 2004... Lufthansa Cargo named a 747-200 freighter after Klaus-Michael Kuehne, a major partner in global forwarder Kuehne & Nagel. The German airline says it named the aircraft the Klaus-Michael Kuehne" in honor of one of the company's global partners...

Cargolux Airlines.
June 7, 2004... Cargolux Airlines plans to introduce a twice-weekly 747-400 service between Asia and Spain, the first direct all-cargo flights connecting the Iberian peninsula and Asia. The Luxembourg-based carrier beginning June 9 will fly directly between...

DHL added Ho Chi Minh City to its air network, bringing the number of cities it serves in the Asia Pacific region to 25.
June 7, 2004... DHL added Ho Chi Minh City to its air network, bringing the number of cities it serves in the Asia Pacific region to 25. The Ho Chi Minh City service flies from Bangkok. The four-times-per-week service flies on a 737-200 freighter with a...

Etihad Airways.
June 7, 2004... Etihad Airways, the new national carrier of Abu Dhabi, appointed RTW Air Services as its cargo general sales agent in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. RTW is the Swiss members of the EGSAC consortium of general sales agents. Beginning this month,...

Lufthansa Cargo transported a young rhinoceros cow from Frankfurt, where she was born in a zoo, back to her ancestral African homeland.
June 7, 2004... Lufthansa Cargo transported a young rhinoceros cow from Frankfurt, where she was born in a zoo, back to her ancestral African homeland. The animal named Hama flew free in a Lufthansa Cargo freighter to South Africa. She flew in a special...

Detention dilemma: truckers complain of Port Newark delays, but PNCT says it's acting to reduce congestion, speed traffic.(Maritime)
June 7, 2004... The trucks start lining up outside Port Newark Container Terminal as early as 4 a.m. many weekdays. They are loaded with containers both full and empty that bear the logos of the various liner companies that call at the terminal--APL, CMA CGM,...

TACA faces critical period: the next half year will be a time of anxious waiting for trans-Atlantic carriers on EU antitrust decision.(Maritime)
June 7, 2004... The next five to six months "will be critical" for the Trans-Atlantic Conference Agreement and other ocean carrier rate groups seeking to retain their exemption from European Union antitrust law. "The EU authorities have stated that they...

SeaSecure.
June 7, 2004... SeaSecure, a Florida-based maritime security company, recently provided security and counter-terror training to Turk Loydu, the Turkish government organization specializing in port and ship security. Governments and maritime groups are...

Ocean World Lines.
June 7, 2004... Ocean World Lines, the ocean freight-forwarding subsidiary of Pacer International, will automate its pricing operations through the Rate Explorer tariff and contract management software from Management Dynamics. "Rate Explorer is the first...

Lykes Lines.
June 7, 2004... Lykes Lines launched service every two weeks between U.S. Gulf ports and the eastern coast of South America. The Tampa-based subsidiary of CP Ships said what it calls its US Gulf-Brazil service will use three ships with about 1,700 TEUs of...

U.S. Customs and Border Protection.(People Watch)
June 7, 2004... U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Robert C. Bonner named Gary M. Shiffman chief of staff. Shiffman most recently served as the director of governmental affairs in Greenberg Traurig's Washington office.

Estes Express Lines.(People Watch)
June 7, 2004... Estes Express Lines promoted M. Lewis Mustian to vice president of national accounts. Mustian has served with Estes since 1996, most recently as director of Estes' integrated solutions.

Exel Direct.(People Watch)
June 7, 2004... Exel Direct, a division of global logistics giant Exel, said Dan Rowers has joined the company as president. Flowers, a 27-year industry veteran, had been vice president and general manager of UPS Supply Chain Solutions.

Real Time Solutions.(People Watch)
June 7, 2004... Real Time Solutions, an FKI Logistex company, named Jeff Runnion Midwest regional sales manager. A material handling industry veteran with more than 22 years of experience, Runnion will manage real time solutions sales in Wisconsin, Iowa,...

Menlo Worldwide.(People Watch)
June 7, 2004... Menlo Worldwide appointed James Hsu managing director of Menlo Worldwide Logistics, Asia Pacific region, based in Singapore. Prior to joining Menlo, he was deputy director of Singapore's Economic Development Board. A 12-year logistics industry...

Watkins Motor Lines.(People Watch)
June 7, 2004... Watkins Motor Lines promoted Brent Maddin to assistant terminal manager at its Atlanta break bulk terminal. Maddin previously was the terminal manager of the Portland, Ore., terminal for over four years. Jeff Karnes became line haul manager at...

LINPAC Materials Handling.(People Watch)
June 7, 2004... LINPAC Materials Handling, a provider of reusable bulk containers and totes, hired Patrick M. Huesing as beverage specialist in the food and beverage sales group. Previously, Huesing held the position of regional sales manager for the Rehirg...

Port Everglades.(People Watch)
June 7, 2004... Port Everglades named Conrad Strong, an 18-year veteran, chief harbormaster. Strong has led the Florida port's harbormaster's office since January. He started his Port Everglades career in 1986 as a linehandler, became a duty harbormaster in...

The Messenger Courier Association of the Americas.(People Watch)
June 7, 2004... The Messenger Courier Association of the Americas named Rob Howard, founder of delivery management specialist Ensenda, to its board of directors. Ensenda designs and manages "last mile" delivery operations for business-to-business delivery...

SAS Cargo.(People Watch)
June 7, 2004... SAS Cargo named Klaus Glendorf vice president of global handling as part of a restructuring of the Swedish airline's handling operations. He replaces Anders Skantz, who will be managing director of a separate company operating SAS Cargo's...

March & McLennan Companies.(People Watch)
June 7, 2004... March & McLennan Companies elected Zachary W. Carter to its board of directors. Carter, 54, is a partner at the law firm of Dorsey & Whitney. Prior to joining Dorsey & Whitney in 1999, he was the U.S. Attorney for the eastern district of New...

Hellman Worldwide Logistics.(People Watch)
June 7, 2004... Hellman Worldwide Logistics named Angela Higgs vice president of global account development, based in Atlanta Higgs has 15 years of experience in the logistics arena, and previously worked for Geologistics as vice president of global sales.

Open Harbor.(People Watch)
June 7, 2004... Open Harbor, a global trade management solutions provider, appointed John T. Herlihy chief financial officer. Herlihy, a 16-year financial industry veteran, has held various financial positions with KPMG, Oracle, Adobe Systems, People-Soft and...

Sage Parts.(People Watch)
June 7, 2004... Sage Paris, a provider of replacement parts for aircraft ground support equipment, named Ewald Groenewald vice president of business development. Groenewald most recently worked for FMC Technologies as worldwide customer service manager.

United Van Lines.(People Watch)
June 7, 2004... United Van Lines named nine agent representatives to its board of directors, and also to the board of its parent company, UniGroup. Steve Komorous, King Relocation Services, Los Angeles and Barry Vaughn, Suddath Relocation Systems,...

Riverside Logistics.(People Watch)
June 7, 2004... Riverside Logistics hired Richard A. Murphy as warehouse manager at its Eastport, Va., facility. Murphy formerly was with Unisource.

Calendar.(Calendar)
June 7, 2004... JUNE 7-9. Information Technology and the Business Process Conference (Transportation Communications), Chicago. (847)462-5787 or www.truklink.com 8. Airline Night with Joe Clark, FAA special agent (Raritan Traffic Club), Edison, N.J....

Update.
June 7, 2004... National & Regional Averages: May 31 United States $1.746 East Coast $1.705 Midwest $1.684 Gulf Coast $1.661 Rocky Mountain $1.940 West Coast $2.105 Note: Table made from bar graph....

'Subject to count'.(Q & A)
June 7, 2004... Q: We are a freight forwarder. Last year we moved a two-day air shipment, delivered as a live unload per appointment on March 11 (Tuesday), and received proof of delivery for the entire consignment. The consignee, however, noted the...

Congratulations.(The BackPage)
June 7, 2004... Congratulations... to the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, proud parents of seven black Labrador puppie born at the CPB's Canine Enforcement Training Center. CPB says the mother, Uren, is a positive-response-trained dog." With...

Yellow.(The BackPage)
June 7, 2004... We were as surprised as anyone to see the former President Bush--or Bush 41, as some call him--turn up on a Today Show interview wearing a Yellow Freight jacket. We trust he had on a Roadway golf shirt but we couldn't tell.

Red Stars.(The BackPage)
June 7, 2004... USF Red Star is gone but disconsolate shippers may turn to Red Star Express for comfort--not a trucking company but an old-time/bluegrass band from Newton, Wis. The last track on Red Star's debut CD is "Keep on the Sunny Side"--you can hum...

Warned.(The BackPage)
June 7, 2004... Nigeria's National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders is telling its members to shun "sharp practices" in business. Otherwise, says Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, they may become "victims of circumstances." Any readers who want to...

FedExed.(The BackPage)
June 7, 2004... As DHL proudly showed off its new downtown Washington office to customers and employees, a FedEx delivery truck provoked consternation by sitting parked directly across the street. We knew FedEx and DHL were bitter rivals, but even we are...

Concerted.(The BackPage)
June 7, 2004... We're a little bemused to see an ad for a concert by the rock band Naked Trucker. We've never felt less like leaving the house.

Mendoza line?(The BackPage)
June 7, 2004... Congratulations to Marine Towing of Tampa, Fla., which christened a new tug for the Port of Tampa. You'll remember Marine Towing as part of the maritime holdings of the family of George Steinbrenner, who has churned up some waters as owner of...

Inventory index.(Editorial)(Editorial)
June 14, 2004... How low can you go? The latest State of Logistics report, this year put out by the Council of Logistics Management, certainly raises that question. Pioneered by the late Bob Delaney, this year's report measures historic new lows for...

Time for an 'adjustment': U.S. business is driving logistics costs ever lower as globalization forces shippers to adjust supply chains.(Cover Story)
June 14, 2004... If you work in the logistics business, take a bow--but don't take too long doing it. Although you were part of a record-setting national endeavor last year, the playing field already is changing. U.S. businesses last year drove down...

FDA: so far, so good: new bioterror rules for perishables start smoothly but trouble expected with August enforcement.(Washington)
June 14, 2004... The doom and gloom predicted when the Food and Drug Administration and Customs and Border Protection announced new security rules for bringing perishable goods into the country so far hasn't happened. With the first three of four phases of...

Up and running at STB: Mulvey, Buttrey join Chairman Nober at STB ending his year as the sole board member.(Washington)
June 14, 2004... Surface Transportation Board chairman Roger Nober no longer has only himself to congratulate or blame for decisions coming out of the STB. Doug Buttrey and Frank Mulvey were formally sworn in last week as STB commissioners. The two were...

Highway bill inches forward: House, Senate appoint conferees to hammer out compromise legislation, but time for action is short.(Washington)
June 14, 2004... Congress moved closer to reauthorizing a six-year highway bill with the appointment of conferees to work out differences in the House and Senate versions of the bill. But the bill has miles to go before being sent to the president who may send...

The fewer, the better? Exel finds opening in Japan, big purchases add one-stop global logistics for shippers.(Logistics & Technology)
June 14, 2004... If shippers won't cut down the number of logistics providers they use, third-party logistics appear willing to cut down the field for them. British logistics giant Exel pressed its global expansion with the purchase this month of the...

Symbol scans forward: settlement of SEC charges, lawsuits frees bar code technology giant to focus on new products.(Logistics & Technology)
June 14, 2004... Customers of Symbol Technologies breathed a sigh of relief June 3 when the bar code giant agreed to settlements with the federal government, a grand jury and shareholders, ending a two-year investigation into the company's financial practices....

Revising Descartes down: Descartes Group lost $29 million in first quarter, sagging software giant cuts valuation $18 million.(Logistics & Technology)(Descartes Systems Group Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Troubled logistics technology vendor The Descartes Systems Group followed its recent grim financial warnings with even grimmer numbers: the company says its net loss in its most recent quarter was twice its revenue. The $28.9 million loss...

Datatrac added automated vehicle location technology to its eTrac logistics network for expedited carriers and couriers.(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Datatrac added automated vehicle location technology to its eTrac logistics network for expedited carriers and couriers. With the technology, the Atlanta-based company's customers will be able to proactively manage pickups and deliveries and...

Roofing materials manufacturer and distributor Bradco Supply is using mobile tracking technology from Eagan, Minn., Gearworks to improve the productivity of its delivery fleet.(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Roofing materials manufacturer and distributor Bradco Supply is using mobile tracking technology from Eagan, Minn., Gearworks to improve the productivity of its delivery fleet. The $1 billion Avenal, N.J.-based company is using Gearworks'...

Chicago-based SSA Global introduced its new software lineup.(SSA Global Technologies Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Chicago-based SSA Global introduced its new software lineup, including demand planning, inventory planning, order planning, production planning, transportation planning and management, replenishment and warehousing programs.

Turning logistics around: reverse logistics is a big business still undiscovered by many companies.(Special report: reverse logisitcs)
June 14, 2004... There's something special about getting a box and not knowing what's inside except when you're working at a warehouse and the package is coming back from a customer. "Returns used to be like Christmas every day on loading dock," says Jonathan...

High court opens border: Teamsters, environmentalists, safety advocates lose case to keep Mexican carriers out of U.S.(Trucking)
June 14, 2004... The last gasp of a nearly 20-year movement to keep Mexican truckers off United States highways was snuffed out after organized labor, environmentalists and safety advocates lost their case at the Supreme Court. Their argument that Mexicans'...