Traffic World articles from March 2004

Traffic World archives from March 2004

Leading levels.(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... For several months, transport industry watchers have been looking to the nation's transportation and logistics companies for signs of an improving national economy. They may be looking in the wrong place. Although some like to see logistics...

Tolls can bridge funding gap.(Commentary)
March 1, 2004... Few things are more important to the economic vitality of our country than the core components of our national infrastructure. Without question, the most visible of these components is the vast network of roads and highways linking communities...

A little history.(Letters To TW)(Union Pacific Corp)
March 1, 2004... John D. Schulz's very fine article in the Feb. 2 issue on the implications of Overnite Transportation's separation from Union Pacific Corp. and his cogent observation that the spin-off marked the end of carriers' reaching across modal lines in...

Defying the veto: 'full speed ahead' say transport interests seeking $300 billion or more in highway bill.(Cover Story)
March 1, 2004... Two veto threats from the Bush administration failed to turn transport interests from the goal of winning at least $318 billion in transportation funding in the next highway bill. That's the level set by a bill passed by the Senate last month....

Next CEO at CNF? Internal jockeying, external hunt starts in search for replacement of Quesnel.(CNF Transportation Inc.)(Quesnel, Gregory L)
March 1, 2004... Who will replace retiring CNF executive Gregory L. Quesnel and lead the $5.1 billion transportation giant? The short answer is no one knows but financial analysts and other trucking industry observers are watching CNF closely for clues to its...

Express delivery's NIMBY: U.S. express delivery companies back a more competitive postal service but not in their yards.(Washington)
March 1, 2004... Lining up against postal plans pushed by mailers, the nation's largest express delivery carriers are asking Congress to limit efforts to modernize the U.S. Postal Service so reforms don't create new competition for private delivery companies....

Battle for the middle: reports of their death were greatly exaggerated but wholesale distributors are still under siege.(Logistics)
March 1, 2004... Caught between business-hungry manufacturers, confrontational buyers and growing competition from 3PLs, wholesale distribution is under siege. But savvy companies are fighting back by discarding traditional practices and taking up new...

Menlo expands in China: the postal service of Guangdong province inks pact for joint Southern China operation.(Logistic)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Menlo Worldwide increased its reach in China, signing a letter of intent to cooperate jointly on logistics projects in the region and globally with Guangdong Postal Logistics, a company owned by the Guangdong Postal Bureau, the postal service...

Avnet opts for FedEx: integrator to deliver components, equipment for business-to-business technology distributor.(Logistics)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Distributor of electronic products Avnet teamed with FedEx to handle most of Avnet's domestic and international shipments of electronic components and equipment to industrial customers in 68 countries. Avnet is an authorized...

Odyssey Logistics & Technology.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Odyssey Logistics & Technology acquired bulk trucking services company Omni Logistics. The acquisition makes the Danbury, Conn.-based 3PL the largest nonasset bulk trucking company in the country, Odyssey said. Omni's infrastructure will be...

Mallory Distribution.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Mallory Distribution, a Memphis, Tenn.-based provider of integrated distribution and warehousing services, joined forces with logistics and forwarding company Alexander International to form Mallory Alexander International Logistics. The new...

The transportation services.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The transportation services business unit of supply-chain management group Exel is providing inbound transportation services for Carl's Jr., a wholly owned subsidiary of CKE Restaurants, as part of a two-year agreement. The contract involves...

Menlo Worldwide.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Menlo Worldwide launched a customized radio frequency identification package that enables companies to comply with government and retail industry radio frequency identification requirements. The Redwood City, Calif.-based supply chain...

Keystone Dedicated Logistics.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Keystone Dedicated Logistics will manage international and domestic transportation for lighting fixture manufacturer Bartco Lighting. The 3PL will manage Bartco's inbound and outbound ocean, LTL, truckload and small package freight movements....

Zeeland, Mich.-based.(Athens Packaging)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Zeeland, Mich.-based Total Logistic Control acquired Athens Packaging, Statham, Ga., from Keebler, a Kellogg subsidiary. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Athens Packaging provides packaging design, packaging operations, logistics...

IWLA.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... IWLA, The Association for Logistics Outsourcing, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration agreed to work together to foster safer and healthier warehouses. Under the two-year agreement, the two will work on initiatives that...

The Supply Chain Council.(PRT Corporation of America)(Performance Measurement Group)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Supply Chain Council and management consulting firm PRTM entered into a nonexclusive partnership to provide benchmarking services through PRTM subsidiary, The Performance Measurement Group. The services will be offered to the SCC's members....

Missing link found: internet, wireless communications play major role linking remote locations under one system, data set.(Technology)
March 1, 2004... New advances in information networks are giving transport operators the chance to centralize computer systems that once were as far-flung as the trucks and shipments they manage and to deliver data and freight faster for shippers. Before...

East Bay story: as San Francisco area battles more congested competitors for cargo, East Bay becomes intermodal hub.(Logistics hubs: San Francisco)
March 1, 2004... IT'S A TWO-WAY STREET. Manufacturing orders stream to China and goods find their way back to the United States via the West Coast. Increasingly, as congestion around Los Angeles worsens, the San Francisco Bay area is increasing its prominence...

Out-of-date data? FMCSA's "SafeStat" system shows flaws in assessing truck fleet safety records.(Trucking)(Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)
March 1, 2004... Is "garbage in, garbage out" the government's method of determining which trucking fleets are safe? According to the Department of Transportation's top cop it may be. Kenneth Mead, the DOT inspector general, is raising concerns about the...

Park those emissions: EPA, truckers, shippers aim for cleaner air, engine efficiency in new "SmartWay" program.(Trucking)
March 1, 2004... The Environmental Protection Agency wants truckers not only to use the freeway but also the SmartWay to save fuel. EPA unveiled one of the transportation industry's most ambitious goals for fuel efficiency last month in its "SmartWay...

No Haliburton here: Celadon Group may be first U.S. trucking company to win contract in U.S. $87 billion effort to rebuild Iraq.
March 1, 2004... Indianapolis-based Celadon Group, a major north-south truckload carrier that made its mark hauling in and out of Mexico, is aiming to help rebuild war-torn Iraq. Celadon says it will manage a trucking operation based in Kuwait formed to...

Central Transport.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Central Transport, Warren, Mich., opened customer service centers in Olympia, Seattle and Tacoma, Wash. The new terminals will allow Central Transport to enhance service in the Pacific Northwest while providing shippers in the region with an...

Salt Lake City-based C.R.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Salt Lake City-based C.R. England's diversified division is launching England Intermodal. It will offer refrigerated service on selected routes. Burlington Northern Santa Fe will be its chief rail provider though England Intermodal is in...

CN's strike slowdown: wary shippers in first week of CAW strike forced to consider more costly alternatives.(Rail & Intermodal)(Canadian Auto Workers union strike affects Canadian National Railway)
March 1, 2004... Shippers on both sides of the Canadian border were waiting longer for railcars and spending more to move freight as a result of the strike against Canadian National Railway. Many were seeking alternative ways to ship goods as the strike...

CP's trailer cut: Canadian Pacific drops trailer business but not everyone is happy with the decision.(Rail & Intermodal)
March 1, 2004... Canadian Pacific Railway formally exits the traditional trailer-on-flatcar business March 1 to concentrate on its more lucrative container business, a move that will require some customers to readjust their transportation options. The move...

Hub cuts to prosperity: cost reductions helped IMC turn corner last year, will spur growth, Hub says.(Rail & Intermodal)
March 1, 2004... Hub Group profits increased by 87.6 percent in the fourth quarter 2003 as compared with the same period in 2002--a sign that the intermodal marketer is turning the corner as much as that the intermodal business continues to thrive. In...

EU-U.S. talks advance: U.S. offers to increase foreign ownership limits in domestic airlines, seeks 'fifth freedom' rights.(Air & Express)
March 1, 2004... U.S. officials in bilateral aviation talks signaled they will try again to raise foreign ownership limits in U.S. airlines, despite failure to win such change in Congress last year. The offer came during bilateral aviation talks between the...

EGL Eagle Global Logistics.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... EGL Eagle Global Logistics reported a strong fourth quarter and full year for 2003. The Houston-based forwarder reported a 154 percent increase in profit for the year to $23.9 million. International forwarding led the way for EGL, while...

British Airways World Cargo.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... British Airways World Cargo increased its cargo volume during its third quarter. The airline reported a 9.9 percent year-over-year increase in cargo ton kilometers. It credited the increase to the August expansion of its freighter fleet. As a...

FedEx Express transported.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... FedEx Express transported a dolphin named Cupid from the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network in Galveston, Texas to Vallejo, Calif., his new home. The dolphin, named Cupid because he was rescued on Valentine's Day 2003, now lives at a Six...

DHL opened a new regional office in Singapore.
March 1, 2004... DHL opened a new regional office in Singapore. The four story office combines the offices of DHL Express and DHL Danzas Air and Ocean's regional teams. The office, with 320 employees, also houses DHL's new Asia Pacific Quality Control Center,...

Aquarius Shipping Colombia.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Aquarius Shipping Colombia joined the Worldwide Project Consortium, a project forwarding company. Aquarius is a subsidiary of TBS Shipping Services, based in New York.

Kuehne & Nagel.
March 1, 2004... Kuehne & Nagel acquired an equity stake in Global Freight Exchange. Kuehne & Nagel has been a member of GF-X since it began in 2000. The forwarder also extended for four years its agreement to use GF-X as its preferred reservation system....

Pilot Air Freight.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Pilot Air Freight received certification from the Technology Asset Protection Association for working to prevent cargo theft. Lima, Pa.-based Pilot passed the association's freight security requirements for technology goods. TAPA created its...

DHL joined the Environmental Protection Agency's SmartWay Transport Partnership.
March 1, 2004... DHL joined the Environmental Protection Agency's SmartWay Transport Partnership. The voluntary program is aimed at increasing energy efficiency and energy security while reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emission in the United States....

Seko Worldwide.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Seko Worldwide converted its branch office at New York's JFK International Airport to a "strategic partner" office that acts as an independent contractor to Seko's global network. Seko's JFK operation also increased its staff size to 15 by...

TPG NV's Cendris.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... TPG NV's Cendris subsidiary now has 100 percent ownership of the DIMAR group, a Czech direct marketing company. Amsterdam-based TPG already owned 60 percent of DIMAR shares. No financial details were disclosed.

UPS Mail Innovations.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... UPS Mail Innovations opened a new facility in Hartford, Conn., its second new facility in four months after Chicago. The division of Atlanta-based UPS now has 11 processing facilities. With more facilities, UPS can handle more mail volume and...

Acuitive Solutions.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Acuitive Solutions released new software to help air freight shippers better compare service offerings. The Charlotte, N.C.-based company released CubeCentral Version 2.0, which has improved bid/tender management and analysis capabilities over...

Boeing completed.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Boeing completed half the design work for its 777-200LR plane, a passenger plane that will feature 17 percent more cargo volume than an A340-500. The new plane will be able to fly farther than any other commercial jet, Boeing said. Boeing plans...

South Africa Minister of Transport.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... South Africa Minister of Transport Abdulah Mohamed Omar is scheduled to give the welcoming address for the International Air Cargo Association's annual general meeting and executive conference in Johannesburg in April. Some 250 top airline...

FedEx Custom Critical.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... FedEx Custom Critical has a new product for time-critical temperature-sensitive shipments. Called TEMP-ASSURE Validated, the service sets standard operating procedures for shipping temperature-sensitive goods. Akron, Ohio-based FedEx Custom...

Phoenix International.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Pheenix International Freight Services formed an alliance with Geodis to move shipments between France and the United States. Phoenix is a forwarder based in Wood Dale, Ill., while Geodis is a large logistics operator based in France. Combined,...

Roll on, Columbia: six ports, including Portland, would benefit from $148.4 million Columbia River dredging project.(Maritime)
March 1, 2004... After years of planning, funding battles and regulatory hoops, the proponents of the Columbia River channel-deepening project are finally poised to do what they set out to do 14 years ago--deepen the river's lower navigation channel. The...

Oregon's freight Corridor: the Columbia Intermodal Corridor is a smaller-scale, Portland version of Washington, California corridors.(Maritime)
March 1, 2004... If California and Washington can have their intermodal transportation corridors--Alameda and FAST, respectively--can Oregon be far behind? The answer is no--and yes. Oregon is working on its own truck-rail intermodal freight-mobility...

Dayton Freight Lines.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Dayton Freight Lines named Jim Courtwright service center manager at its Peoria, Ill. service center. Courtwright has more than 15 years of experience in the LTL industry in sales and operations. Scott Allender was named service center manager...

Kuehne & Nagel.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Kuehne & Nagel added David M. Janzow to its global key account team as manager of pharmaceuticals and healthcare. Janzow brings more than 18 years of experience in operations, sales and marketing management and temperature-controlled transport...

Kansas City Southern Railway.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Kansas City Southern Railway appointed Mark Osterberg vice president and comptroller. Osterberg will oversee the financial reporting and accounting functions of the holding company, KCS, and its subsidiaries. He has 15 years of transportation...

Concentrek.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Concentrek, a provider of advanced transportation management and supply-chain solutions, hired Mark Crelly as manager of implementation and engineering services. Crelly also will manage Concentrek's in-house supply-chain engineering team. He...

Symbol Technologies.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Symbol Technologies appointed Lou Steinberg chief technology officer and vice president of the Symbol Mobility Solutions Group. Steinberg, a 20-year industry veteran, most recently was an entrepreneur-in-residence at Warburg Pincus where he...

Prosero.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Mark Montanari joined Prosero, formerly FacilityPro, as executive vice president of operations. Montanari, who has more than 20 years of experience, has led numerous supply-chain integration and business transformation projects at Cap Gemini...

John Menzies plc.(People Watch)
March 1, 2004... John Menzies plc, the international support services group of Menzies Distribution and Menzies Aviation, named Craig Smyth, managing director of Menzies Aviation. Smyth succeeds Peter Smith, who retires in April 2004. Smyth joined the group in...

AIT Worldwide Logistics.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... AIT Worldwide Logistics opened a facility in Huntsville, Ala., that will be managed by Greg Sollie. Sollie brings 20 years of transportation experience with focus of the trade show industry to AIT.

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey named Christopher Trucillo chief of its police department. Trucillo replaced Joseph Morris, who retired early this month. He most recently commanded port authority police at Newark Liberty...

XTRA.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... XTRA, an equipment leasing company, promoted Mark Backman to regional sales manager for the Midwest. Backman had been the branch manager of XTRA's St. Paul, Minn., branch since 1997. He joined XTRA Lease in 1991 as the assistant operations...

P&O Cold Logistics.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... P&O Cold Logistics, a member of the P&O Group, appointed Bill Thompson sales manager and named Barry Davidson business development manager, both for the western region. Thompson, a 23-year industry veteran in logistics, transportation, cold...

Menzies Aviation Group.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Menzies Aviation Group named Ross Marino managing director of its operations in Australia, based in Sydney. Prior to his appointment Marino was the company's general manager in Sydney.

Humboldt Storage and Moving.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Humboldt Storage and Moving hired Suzanne Schmedlein as a national account relocation coordinator. Schmedlein has over 20 years of customer service experience.

Saia Motor Freight.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Saia Motor Freight promoted Bob Canty to region operations and sales manager for Los Angeles. Canty, a 17-year transportation industry veteran who has been a terminal manager for 12 years, most recently served as terminal manager at Saia's Los...

Savi Technology.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Savi Technology named Jerry Beckwith chief operating officer. Beckwith, who has more than 25 years of management experience, most recently served as president of the wireless systems division for Qualcomm. He also oversaw the Qualcomm's...

Allied Holdings.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Allied Holdings announced the resignation of Daniel H. Popky, senior vice president and CFO of the company. He will be succeeded by David A. Rawden, senior vice president of business process engineering. Rawden joined Allied in 2002 and...

Phoenix International Freight Services.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Phoenix International Freight Services promoted Laura Peacock from Asia route development manager to the director of global accounts.

Calendar.(transportation industry)(Calendar)
March 1, 2004... MARCH 1-3. Take It Back WEST 2004. Recycling Policy and the Supply Chain (Raymond Communications and Foresite Systems), San Francisco. (301) 345-4237 or www.raymond.com. 2-4. TOC2004 Asia Conference and Exhibition (Informa Maritime &...

Logistics seminars and courses.(Calendar)
March 1, 2004... MARCH 2-June 1. Global Logistics Specialist, Module Two: Transportation/Logistics Management (California State University), Long Beach, Calif. (562) 296-1170 or kphipps@uces.csulb.odu. 1-3. Material Handling Short Course (Logistics...

Update.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... DOE Diesel Price Index (cents per gallon) REGION 5 * 178.8 REGION 4 156.6 REGION 3 153.6 REGION 2 155.5 REGION 1 161.6 National Average--159.5 February 23, 2004 Regional Prices for Monday,...

E-bills of lading.(Q&A)
March 1, 2004... Q: We are a railroad shipper of a commodity that was administratively exempted from regulation by the former Interstate Commerce Commission. We recently received notice from one of our major railroads stating that, effective just a few days...

This week's Back Page.(The Back Page)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... This week's Back Page is celebrating the opening of the trucking industry's golf season by working on our "customer golf."

Cheesy.(The Back Page; Sargento Cheese Company Inc. software)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Cheesy. Red Prairie says Sargento, the cheese people, will use RedPrairie's DLx Warehouse supply-chain execution software in concert with Sargento's SAP enterprise resource planning solution. All that software can make you feel guilty shaking...

Insecure.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Insecure. Jay Leno on the incident in which three men apparently stowed away on a Capitol Cargo freighter: "Police in Miami have detained three men who entered the U.S. by shipping themselves in a container on a cargo flight. Don't worry, they...

Purr-fect.(The Back Page)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Purr-fect. A two-year-old cat named Bolletje became the first feline ocean container inspector in New Zealand--if not the world--when its owner registered the pet using an online training program. "My cat's pretty smart and I'm sure it could...

Routes.(The Back Page; airlines anecdotes)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Routes. A United Airlines pilot departing Tokyo Narita International last week told passengers they could listen in on their headsets "to our negotiations with the tower." This follows a recent controversy in which an American Airlines...

Hunks.(The Back Page)(Singapore Air Show)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Hunks. Local coverage of the recent Singapore Air Show included a full page on "The Hunks of Asian Aerospace," complete with photos of "Top Gun" type pilots, lust a thought for the folks at the American Trucking Associations as they are...

Unmasked.(The Back Page)(feathered carnival masks)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Unmasked. We really liked the feathered carnival masks UPS sent us to promote its ability to deliver packages worldwide. Unfortunately, not one of the masks arrived intact.

Vive le difference.(Editorial)
March 8, 2004... Freight is different. You probably already knew that but it appears that government regulators are getting the message. On opposite corners of the globe last month, the freight and logistics business pulled just a bit away from the more...

Don't count on tolls.(Commentary)
March 8, 2004... In his March 1 commentary, "Tolls Can Bridge Funding Gap," Pat Jones of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association argues for tolls as a viable high-way construction funding alternative to current fuel taxes and registration...

Tagging hits the target? Target joins Wal-Mart in mandating RFID, presses shippers, suppliers to follow.(Cover Story)
March 8, 2004... The RFID bandwagon has a huge new member in the American retail industry, putting more pressure on shippers, logistics companies and transport operators to join the drive toward new technology that may bring both dramatic gains in inventory...

Finding new 'chipnology'.(DHL Singapore Hub)
March 8, 2004... Singapore In a city where the central library has radio frequency identification tags in all its books, it makes sense that RFID would have a ready audience at sprawling air freight terminals. Loading docks at one of the main terminals...

Danger rides shotgun: Al Cayton, decorated ex-CF truck driver, killed in rebuilding effort in Iraq.
March 8, 2004... The dangers facing American civilians working in Iraq were tragically underscored last month by the death of former Consolidated Freightways driver Albert Luther "Al" Cayton. Cayton, CF's decorated driver in his 34-year driving career at...

Short-term solution? House leaders consider two-year highway measure to bridge gap with White House, secure spending.(Washington)
March 8, 2004... A two-year $90 billion interim spending measure may be introduced to break the deadlock between the White House and Congress over highway and transit funding. As President Bush signed a two-month extension of the 1997 highway funding...

Tracers of bogus drugs: there's no 'magic bullet' to secure the drug supply chain but RFID offers much promise.(Logistics)(radio frequency identification )
March 8, 2004... The Federal Drug Administration is prescribing a strong dose of electronic tagging to fight the trade in counterfeit drugs. The FDA's anti-counterfeit task force is recommending the use of radio frequency identification technology to track...

St. Valentine's Day seizure.(Logistics)(counterfeit roses)(Brief Article)
March 8, 2004... Fake products come in many shapes and sizes: watches, dollar bills, aircraft parts--even roses. The largest seizure of counterfeit roses in the United States took place just before this Valentine's Day. That may not rank as a special occasion...

Exel's opportunities: British-based Exel sees "chunky" gains in 2003, "bread and butter" outlook for 2004 even better.
March 8, 2004... On new business and old, the results from British giant Exel suggest that logistics are reaping the gains of an expanding global economy. Exel added some $1.3 billion in new business in 2003, pushing the company's overall revenue up 8...

Slam dunk: newer technologies using open architecture cost less in startup time, money for shippers.(Technology)
March 8, 2004... Is Microsoft's .NET technology a slam dunk for shippers? Logistics software providers think so. Any open architecture technology such as Java and .NET is good for shippers because it takes less time and money to implement, software providers...