Traffic World articles from March 2004

Traffic World archives from March 2004

Shipper voices.(Editorial)(Editorial)
March 29, 2004... Annette Sandberg, the head of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, told shippers something seemingly simple but really quite remarkable and important last week. Speaking at the National Industrial Transportation League's...

Battle of the docks.(Commentary)
March 29, 2004... The fallout from the new truck driver hours of service Regulations may be found at the back door to your Operations--the shipping dock. Recently, I received an e-mail that read as follows: "The new hours of service regulations have...

Kerry's transport question: transportation interests find scant record, see spending, security as Democrat's concerns in presidential bid.(Cover Story)
March 29, 2004... When Sen. John Kerry spoke before a group of West Virginia firefighters this month, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee pushed one new topic into the election-year political debate. "Cargo in our airports and seaports," Kerry...

DOT readies "roadability" rule: expect new rules by year's end on responsibility for intermodal chassis safety--but not liability.(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Federal regulators say they expect to issue new standards for intermodal chassis safety and maintenance by the end of the year that will put most of the onus for so-called "roadability" on those who provide intermodal equipment. But the...

Fueling for highways: House tax-writing committee would add to highway trust fund by changing the way ethanol is subsidized.(Washington)
March 29, 2004... The House Ways and Means Committee may have paved the way for a compromise six-year, $275 billion highway bill. A bill the tax-writing panel approved would shuffle money from the U.S. Treasury's general fund to the highway trust fund, the...

HOS facing "tweaks": two different views of new HOS rules--one from regulators, one from shippers--spark NITL forum.(Washington)
March 29, 2004... Federal highway regulators are looking at some "minor tweaks" to the trucking industry's new hours of service rules but a flood of criticism from shippers suggests those on the loading docks want a full overhaul. Shippers at a...

Senators seek rail security funds: senators call for stepped up rail security, more funding; Hutchinson defends aviation focus.(Washington)
March 29, 2004... A top federal transportation official says the threat of a terrorist attack still is greater for airlines than for U.S. railroads despite the March 11 commuter train bombings that killed 190 people in Spain. "Our information is that Al...

NVO decision this year: chairman says FMC won't delay action on petition to allow NVOs to negotiate confidential contracts.(Washington)
March 29, 2004... With prominent parts of the government backing expanded confidential contracting in maritime transport, the chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission says he expects the commission to rule this year on the issue that has divided the ocean...

How safe is it? Air cargo security progress to be evaluated in General Accounting Office investigation.(Washington)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Congress wants concrete answers on lingering air cargo security issues and has turned to the General Accounting Office--its audit, evaluation, and investigative arm--to provide them. The probe was requested by leaders of the House...

The new collaborators: changing retail, wholesale sales strategies spur supply chain collaboration, new logistics tactics.(Logistics)
March 29, 2004... Moen knows getting bath and kitchen products to consumers is not as simple as turning on a faucet. Distribution pipelines are changing for the North Olmstead, Ohio-based manufacturer of residential and commercial plumbing products. "The...

Home grown remedies: tight focus, global processes help drug maker Wyeth BioPharma reduce product time in transit.(Logistics)
March 29, 2004... How do you improve demand management in an industry that has to manage extremely complex supply chains but is still struggling with the basics? Wyeth BioPharma took matters into its own hands by developing a planning tool that ties supply...

Cheaper, faster, better: shipper demand for "global visibility" in freight flow encourages transport technology acquisitions.(Technology)
March 29, 2004... You don't need to be Wal-Mart or the Department of Defense to get global visibility (although it probably helps). Today's technology vendors are acquiring smaller, less financially stable companies that will give shippers an around-the-world...

SAP and Coca-Cola Enterprises.(joint ventures)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... SAP and Coca-Cola Enterprises will jointly develop solutions to improve direct store delivery, full-service vending and equipment service for the beverage and other consumer products industries. The new developments will include mobile...

A German maker of "smart cards".(Muhlbauer)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... A German maker of "smart cards" is developing a biometric identification card that could be used by business or government for applications as diverse as security IDs for harbor truckers and "e-passports." Boding, Germany-based Muhlbauer's ID...

Supply-chain software.(Arzoon new product)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Supply-chain software provider Arzoon released version 4.0 of its Vigilance Event Management software. The alert management software now includes support for radio frequency identification technology and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, said Bill...

Third-party logistics provider.(C.H. Robinson Worldwide contracts)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Third-party logistics provider C.H. Robinson Worldwide is using wireless communication technology from Qualcomm. The 3PL will use Qualcomm's OmniOne system as its wireless workforce solution to improve its logistics operations. Contract...

Technology integrator Magic Software Enterprises.(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Technology integrator Magic Software Enterprises now offers radio frequency identification technology through its integration suite, iBOLT. "iBOLT was designed from the beginning to adapt to new technologies and RFID is no exception," said...

Military and special purpose.(AM General and WhereNet contract)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Military and special purpose vehicle producer AM General is using wireless tracking technology from Santa Clara, Calif.-based WhereNet at its Hummer H2 factory in Mishawaka, Ind. The company is using one WhereNet-based application to...

Siemens Procurement & Logistics Services.(using CombineNet's Decision-Guidance Systems)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Siemens Procurement & Logistics Services, a subsidiary of Siemens, will use CombineNet's Decision-Guidance Systems to improve purchasing decisions and lower costs. "Siemens has been using online sourcing technology since the mid '90s and...

Penske Truck Leasing.(launches Precision Plus, a fleet management tool)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Penske Truck Leasing introduced its fleet management tool, Precision Plus. Precision Plus includes Fleet I.Q., a Web-based fleet management system accessed through Penske's extranet. Information available on Fleet I.Q. includes vehicle...

Eye in the sky: shippers' 'need to know' location, status of freight drives development of satellite communications technology.(Special report: trucking technology)
March 29, 2004... When you absolutely, positively must know where your freight is, you'll probably use satellite technology to find it. Although cellular technology has rapidly gained popularity in recent years as a platform for mobile computing, it hasn't...

Not going swiftly: HOS, weather, rising fuel costs take toll on nation's top public truckload carrier.(Trucking)
March 29, 2004... One major truckload carrier is suffering from "March Sadness" but the malaise does not appear to be affecting the truckload sector at large. Swift Transportation, the nation's largest public truckload carrier, predicts first quarter...

SMC3, Peachtree City, Ga.(Public Notice)
March 29, 2004... SMC3, Peachtree City, Ga., will hold its general rate committee meeting from 1:30-4:30 pm on April 14 at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Airport Hotel. The meeting will be conducted as a public forum and is open to carriers and shippers. The meeting...

The National Tank Truck Carriers.(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... The National Tank Truck Carriers conference will hold a pair of national meetings for its Tank Truck Cleaning and Tank Truck Safety Councils April 12-15. The meetings will take place at the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville, Tenn. The Tank Truck...

Mid-States Express.(buys terminal)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Mid-States Express, a Chicago-based Midwestern regional LTL carrier, bought a 49-door terminal in Toledo, Ohio, with more than 22,000 square feet of space. Mid-States has served the Toledo area since 1994 with a 26door facility. "We have...

Performance Logistics Group.(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Performance Logistics Group, Wayne, Mich., and Penske Truck Leasing, Reading, Pa., agreed to the terms of a transaction whereby PLG will acquire 100 percent of the stock of LAC Holding Corp., the holding company for Penske's interest in the...

Trucking's day in court: Supreme Court sets April 21 date to hear Mexican access arguments.(Trucking)
March 29, 2004... Trucking gets its day at the U.S. Supreme Court when the court hears oral arguments April 21 in the decades-old issue of allowing Mexican-domiciled trucks full access to this country. The hour-long arguments are scheduled for 11 a.m. At...

Coal's costly switch: shippers fear UP's new coal pricing strategy will prove costly; railroad cites higher fuel, operating costs.(Rail & Intermodal)
March 29, 2004... Higher fuel costs are pushing railroads carrying western coal toward pricing strategies that coal shippers and electric utilities fear could sharply raise costs. Union Pacific Railroad introduces a new Powder River Basin coal pricing...

Bombardier cuts rail workforce: massive layoffs aren't seen as issue in North American rail freight market; impact greater in Europe.(Rail & Intermodal)
March 29, 2004... Montreal-based Bombardier, the world's largest manufacturer of locomotives and railcars, is finally catching up with its south-of-the-border rail equipment manufacturer neighbors--in downsizing. The U.S. industry went through that phase over...

Tilting toward cabotage: both the EU and U.S. want to end air cargo barriers but disagree on doing it piecemeal or all at once.(Air & Express)
March 29, 2004... When you ship cargo by air within the United States, do you want the opportunity to use a non-U.S. airline? Will that help keep prices down while improving service? Would the market be more competitive if foreign interests were allowed to own...

Virgin Atlantic.(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Virgin Atlantic added routes between London's Heathrow Airport and Boston, New York and Washington, D.C. The routes will be effective during the summer season from June 1 through Oct. 30. Virgin will add three flights per week to Boston and...

China Cargo Airlines.
March 29, 2004... China Cargo Airlines is the newest customer at AMB Property's cargo handling center at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The airline, a division of China Eastern Airlines, now flies MD-11 freighter service three times a week between...

AirNet Systems.(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... AirNet Systems reported improved financial results for the fourth quarter of 2003 and the full year. The Columbus, Ohio-based carrier, whose main source of business is transporting checks, saw that business decline as more financial...

Lufthansa Cargo.(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Lufthansa Cargo plans to launch its second around-the-world freighter service April 3. The eastbound route flown with an MD-11 freighter capable of carrying 85 tons will begin at Lufthansa's Frankfurt hub. The twice-weekly fright will stop at...

Cargo Portal Services.(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Cargo Portal Services processed its first system-to-system freight booking, allowing for quicker information exchanges between freight forwarders and air carriers. Seattle-based Expeditors International received confirmation via CPS of its...

Nextjet Technologies.(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Nextjet Technologies enhanced its Transportation Optimization and Execution Management software. Version 6.0 allows users to configure end-to-end, multilegged consolidated shipments through its shipment routing capability. The Dallas-based...

Kitty Hawk Cargo.(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Kitty Hawk Cargo added San Juan, RR., to the list of cities it serves with scheduled, overnight service. Dallas-based Kitty Hawk said it acted in response to demand from forwarders in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.

China Southern Airlines.(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... China Southern Airlines plans to expand its cargo operations in 2004 coinciding with the opening of China's Baiyun International Airport in June. China Southern has operated freighter service to the United States and Europe since early this...

ViaSafe.(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... ViaSafe and the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association launched a subscription-based web portal to help forwarders with Canada's new Advanced Commercial Information reporting requirements. CIFFA added a section to its website...

Menzies Aviation.
March 29, 2004... Menzies Aviation won a three-year contract to handle freight for Aerolineas Argentinas in Sydney, Australia. The contract begins in April and extends Menzies' reach in the region. In December Menzies began handling the airline's freight in...

Menlo Worldwide.(receives Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism certification)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Menlo Worldwide Forwarding received CTPAT certification in the air consolidator, NVOCC and ocean transport intermediary categories. Menlo Worldwide Trade Services, which operates under Redwood City, Calif.-based Menlo Worldwide, already is...

Emirates plans.(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Emirates plans to add nonstop flights between Dubai and Melbourne to its route structure. The Dubai-based carrier began nonstop flights between Dubai and Sydney in December. The Melbourne service will start June 10 as a three-times-per-week...

The Worldwide Project Consortium.(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... The Worldwide Project Consortium plans to become publicly traded. The consortium has offices in more than 70 countries and annual revenue of more than $2.5 billion. WWPC plans to issue shares to its member companies and to outside investors.

Shippers in deep freeze: bans on U.S. beef, poultry overseas hurt meat exporters, shipping lines handling high-value cargo.(Maritime)
March 29, 2004... This was shaping up as a good year for U.S. exporters of beef and poultry. The softening dollar and strengthening economies of Asia and Europe whetted their expectations of strong sales. Then bad news hit. The discovery of mad cow disease in...

Shrinking the haystack: Sen. Murray seeks expansion of Operation Safe Commerce, test of container-tracking technologies.(Maritime)
March 29, 2004... Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., traveled to a drafty warehouse at the Port of Tacoma's Terminal 7 on March 15 to inspect examples of the latest container-tracking technology and to make a pointed critique of the Bush administration's approach to...

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway appointed Fritz Draper vice president of business development. Draper, a 24-year railroad veteran, most recently was vice president of business unit operations and support. In addition, Steve Bobb was...

Voxware.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Voxware, a voice-based warehouse technology provider, named Donald H. Noble vice president of delivery services. He has held senior management positions with EXE Technologies where he was instrumental in building EXE's product and solution...

Boeing.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Boeing named Kevin Brown vice president of its Air Traffic Management business effective April 1. Brown is Boeing ATM's vice president for strategy and deputy to ATM President John Hayjurst, who will retire. Boeing also announced that ATM...

Transportation Security Administration.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... The Transportation Security Administration named Michael D. Robinson federal security director at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. Robinson most recently served as the assistant administrator for aviation operations for the...

ADT Security Services.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... ADT Security Services, a business unit of Tyco Fire & Security, a provider of security and tracking solutions for the retail industry, named Randy Dunn director of sales and marketing for its radio frequency identification line of solutions....

Contract Freighters.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Contract Freighters announced the addition of Ed Archer, Jeremy Wilson and David Painter as regional sales managers. Archer, a 22-year veteran in the transportation industry, will cover Michigan and northern Indiana. Wilson has eight years of...

Ryder System.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Ryder System named Christopher Maccio to the new position of director of sales at Ryder's Dedicated Contract Carriage business unit. Prior to joining Ryder, Maccio served as director of business development for Caterpillar Logistics. Prior to...

TNT Logistics.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... TNT Logistics appointed Karl Mackey operations director in China. Mackey will have full operational responsibility for ANJI-TNT Automotive Logistics, TNT Logistics' joint venture arrangement with Anji. He is a transportation and logistics...

Watkins Motor Lines.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Watkins Motor Lines announced several new hires and promotions led by the promotion of Steve Olander to terminal manager at its San Jose, Calif., facility. Olander most recently was manager of the Colorado Springs terminal. John Hickey was...

Southwest Airlines.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Southwest Airlines named Jan Atwood and Dave Hinderland senior cargo sales managers based at the airline's headquarters in Dallas. Atwood and Hinderland bring more than 20 years of cargo sales experience to these positions. Also, day...

Insight.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... Insight, an international provider of supply-chain planning solutions, promoted Robert d. (Bob) Belshaw to chief operating officer from vice president. Belshaw will continue to serve on the company's board of directors. He is a 25-year...

Calendar.(Calendar)
March 29, 2004... MARCH 28-31. Transportation Sales & Marketing Association Annual Conference, Phoenix. (800) 845-8090 ext. 5892 or www.tsmaonline.com. 29-31. 2nd Annual RFID Journal Live Conference, Chicago. (510) 832-1501 or www.rfidjournallive.com....

Logistics seminars and courses.(Calendar)
March 29, 2004... MARCH 29-30. Motor Carrier and LSP Assessment, Selection and Management (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Madison, Wis (800) 292-8964 or www.uwexeced.com/transportation 31-Apr. 1. Contracting and Managing Motor Carrier and Logistics...

DOE diesel price index.(Update)(Department of Energy)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
March 29, 2004... [GRAPHICS OMITTED] DOE Diesel Price Index (cents per gallon) REGION 5 * 179.5 REGION 4 167.0 REGION 3 158.7 REGION 2 161.5 REGION 1 164.3 * Includes Alaska and Hawaii.

Boxes leak when rotated.(Q & A)
March 29, 2004... Q: I am vice president of operations for a domestic LTL carrier. Recently, we transported 25 skids of paint sprayers. The sprayers were enclosed in cardboard boxes strapped to wood runners and weighed about 200 pounds each. There were no...

Marshaled.(The Back Page)
March 29, 2004... Marshaled. A Chicago man was arrested after he reportedly harassed passengers on a Chicago to Washington flight by trying to guess which one was the air marshal. The man stumbled through the first class cabin shouting for the air marshal. No...

Delayed.(The Back Page)
March 29, 2004... Delayed. Members of Congress are notorious for showing up late for speeches. But when Rep. Thomas Petri kept a transport group waiting for an hour, people were fidgeting. Petri, chairman of a key House transport subcommittee, took the...

Framed.(The Back Page)
March 29, 2004... Framed. El Al's security practices were exposed when a passenger found a fake pistol in his luggage after arriving in Israel from Frankfurt. The airline admitted it puts the imposter weapons in luggage for training security workers. It got...

Broken.(The Back Page)
March 29, 2004... Broken. We loved reading the profile in The New York Times of FedEx worker Tobias Meyer, whose job at a FedEx test lab is trying to break apart packages. He gets paid to do this. We know plenty of delivery people who will do it for free.

Cleaned.(The Back Page)
March 29, 2004... Cleaned. Visitors to Frankfurt will be happy to learn of the new express laundry service at the Steigenberger Esprix Hotel, a service aimed at workers at the airport's Cargo City South. It includes special rates for regular laundry, carpets,...

Exit.(The Back Page)
March 29, 2004... Exit. Owens Corning logistics chief John Gentle welcomed everyone to a recent National Industrial Transportation League legislative forum last week by asking everyone to locate the exits, noting the tragic fires that had happened at night...

Real world.(Editorial)(Editorial)
March 22, 2004... Like much of America these days, we get our relief from workplace pressures by watching Donald Trump fire people on television. Bear with us, this will become relevant. Yes, the NBC show "The Apprentice" has become a surprise hit on...

Auditing logistics.(Shippers Tools & Tactics)
March 22, 2004... Unlike 15 or 20 years ago, those of us in logistics management no longer report to a director or vice president of logistics but typically to any number of functional managers with little or no experience on the field. More than likely we...

Teamsters' new target: Teamsters eye regional giant USF in post-Overnite organizing drive.
March 22, 2004... The Teamsters union, reloading after a failed three-year strike at Overnite Transportation, has chosen Chicago-based LTL regional giant USF as its next prime organizing target and some organizers are using sharp elbows in their drive to...

CN prepares to dig out: an end to the CAW strike doesn't necessarily mean the start of normal service for Canadian National.(Canadian National Railway)(Canadian Auto Workers)
March 22, 2004... Some shippers are skeptical that Canadian National Railway can recover quickly once striking intermodal workers return to their jobs. The railroad began preparing its recovery plan last week after reaching a tentative settlement with the...

Less now, more later: a two-year highway bill is better than an anemic six-year measure, says a key House Republican.(Washington)
March 22, 2004... Better a half a loaf--or in this case a third of a loaf---than nothing. That, in a nutshell, is the position of a key House Republican in the highway bill battle and reflects the increasing frustration in Washington over the political...

Rail security alert: Madrid commuter train bombings spur renewed interest in rail security legislation.(Washington)
March 22, 2004... The March 11 terrorist attacks in Spain galvanized efforts to protect U.S. freight and passenger railroads. The day after 10 bombs planted on commuter trains killed 200 people in Madrid, Sen. Fritz Hollings, D-S.C., reintroduced...

Cultivating new markets: Taiwan and China are working to increase agricultural exports--including bananas--to the United States.(Maritime update: perishables)
March 22, 2004... Think of trade with Taiwan and semiconductors and cell phones may come to mind, but what about bananas? Taiwan may be a leading source of electronics but it is a fruit grower as well, and as new members of the World Trade Organization...

Cool standards.(Maritime update: perishables)(Cool Chain Association-cargo handling)(Brief Article)
March 22, 2004... The Cool Chain Association, a trade association for companies that ship perishable products, plans to release a set of standards for moving temperature-sensitive cargoes. The standards will be launched during the organization's annual general...

Keep it moving: managing inventory in a downturn is one thing but an upturn presents new logistics risks.(Logistics)
March 22, 2004... The economy is heating up, with more freight moving farther faster than ever. Everyone should be happy, right? Tell that to the traffic manager whose docks were choked with excess inventory a few short years ago. The prospect of crates...

Border busting logistics: 4PLs set to expand share of logistics market in Europe with expansion of EU, removal of trade barriers.(Logistics)
March 22, 2004... The growth in cross-border trade expected with the expansion of the European Union creates new opportunities for fourth-party or lead logistics providers. "The 4PL market in western Europe is set to make its presence strongly felt in the...

Topsfield, Mass-based.(PetEdge opens new distribution facility in Reno)(Brief Article)
March 22, 2004... Topsfield, Mass-based pet supplies company PetEdge, opened a distribution facility in Reno, Nev., to improve service to West Coast customers. Due to open next month, the facility will help PetEdge cut delivery times from up to six days to one...

Transportation and relocation.(Atlas acquires Bekins Distribution Services)(Brief Article)
March 22, 2004... Transportation and relocation specialist Atlas World Group acquired the assets and business of St. Louis-based Bekins Distribution Services. The business will be operated as BDS Worldwide, a wholly owned subsidiary. Atlas, through its...

Nationwide express.(Ensenda signs contract to serve Home Depot in California)(Brief Article)
March 22, 2004... Nationwide express delivery company Ensenda expanded its relationship with The Home Depot. The new agreement includes same-day or next-day delivery services for the retailer's locations in Northern California, including Fresno, Sacramento,...

The logistics business.(USF Corp. opens Canadian centre)(Brief Article)
March 22, 2004... The logistics business of Chicago-based USF Corp. opened a Canadian distribution center and began transportation management operations in Canada for Samsung Electronics. Samsung has been a U.S. distribution and transportation management...

Philadelphia-based.(Barthco International expands into Norfolk, VA and Columbus, OH)(Brief Article)
March 22, 2004... Philadelphia-based customs brokerage and freight forwarding firm Barthco International opened offices in two new locations, Norfolk, Virginia and Columbus, Ohio. The Norfolk office will handle clearances for local cities and Barthco's textile...

Atlanta-based.(Chainalytics LLC and commercial real estate company Trammell Crow have partnered)(Brief Article)
March 22, 2004... Atlanta-based supply-chain consulting firm Chainalytics LLC and commercial real estate company Trammell Crow have partnered to help companies optimize supply-chain networks. In conjunction with the partnership, Trammell Crow formed a practice...

Hong-Kong-based.(3PL Worldwide Logistics)(ThreeSixty Sourcing)(Brief Article)
March 22, 2004... Hong-Kong-based 3PL Worldwide Logistics partnered with global sourcing company ThreeSixty Sourcing Hong Kong to provide logistics support to ThreeSixty's customers. The 3PL will use its international network of offices and web-based...

Hard software sell: shippers burned in dot-com bust reluctant to buy software, more willing to get tech from 3PLs.(Technology)
March 22, 2004... The economy may be heating up but shippers don't seem to be in a rush to buy the latest logistics technology that could help them capture the benefits of the upswing. Software vendors are scrambling to determine what exactly shippers want and...