Traffic World articles from May 2008

Traffic World archives from May 2008

First 777 Freighter Leaves Factory.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... The first Boeing 777 Freighter moved out of the factory in Everett, Wash. Tuesday night. The next phase of work will prepare the plane for a flight test this summer. The 777 Freighter will fly farther and provide more capacity than any...

Factory Work Declines in April.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Economic activity in the manufacturing sector contracted for the third consecutive month in April, according to a survey of the nation's supply executives. Even as the overall economy grew for the 78th...

Teamsters, Purolator in Pact.(International Brotherhood of Teamsters)(Purolator Courier Ltd.)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Purolator Courier and the Teamsters union reached agreement this week on a contract covering package handlers, company drivers and owner-operators for the Canadian parcel company. Purolator said its unionized work force will vote on...

Alexander & Baldwin Profit Surges.(Financial report)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Alexander & Baldwin improved net income 70 percent in the first quarter even as its ocean transportation segment faced a challenging economic climate in Hawaii and elsewhere. While subsidiary Matson...

FreightCar Net Nearly Disappears.(FreightCar America)(Financial report)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd FreightCar America, one of the nation's railcar builders suffering through a slump in demand, saw profit shrivel to just $1.1 million in the first quarter from $23 million a year ago, as the company's sales plunged...

Aloha Cargo May Reopen.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Amid rumors that a potential buyer may be renegotiating the purchase of Aloha Cargo, employees who were abruptly laid off on Monday returned to work on Thursday to help keep cargo moving for their customers. ...

Cummins Earnings Surge.(Financial report)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Diesel engine and component maker Cummins earned a solid $190 million in the first quarter, up 33 percent from a year ago, on strong global demand. The manufacturer's four business segments all produced...

Intermodal Slumps 4.4 Percent.
May 1, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Sharp gains in loadings of coal and grain were large enough to offset drops in metallic ores, automotive traffic and lumber and produce a small gain in carload freight on the nation's railroads during the week...

Farmers Hit Rail Rates.(Antitrust Enforcement Act)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... BYLINE: Ari Natter Farmers took to the Hill Thursday, telling a House panel that non-competitive rail rates and poor rail service are driving up food prices. "Many times and in many locations, an ever-consolidating rail system has...

Duvall to Speak at Transportation Table.(Tyler Duvall will speak May 30 at the Transportation Table )(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Tyler Duvall, the senior official at the Department of Transportation overseeing the department's efforts on congestion and infrastructure, will speak May 30 at the Transportation Table luncheon series hosted by Traffic World. Duvall has...

ABF Named Best in Claims-Loss Prevention for a Record Fourth Time.
May 1, 2008... (FORT SMITH, Ark., April 30, 2008) - For a record fourth time, ABF Freight System, Inc.[R],  has been recognized by the American Trucking Associations (ATA) as the benchmark for claims/loss prevention. The ATA presented ABF with the...

Daimler Profits Fall.(Financial report)
May 1, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Lower truck sales contributed to a 32 percent decline in profits for Daimler, the company reported Tuesday. Net income dropped to $2.07 billion on revenue which increased less than one percent to $36.6...

Trinity Net Grows 10 Percent.(Trinity Industries Inc. financial news)(Financial report)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd Trinity Industries managed to keep its league-leading railcar manufacturing revenue nearly even with last year's first quarter, but it more than offset the tough car market with sharp gains from wind energy towers,...

ILWU Action Shuts Down West Coast Ports.(International Longshore and Warehouse Union )
May 1, 2008... BYLINE: Bill Mongelluzzo LONG BEACH, calif. -- Cargo handling at West Coast ports ground to a halt during Thursday's day shift as members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union made good on their promise to shut the ports down...

Lockheed to Acquire Eagle.(Lockheed Martin Corp.)(Eagle Group International LLC)(Brief article)
May 2, 2008... Lockheed Martin Corp. this week entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Atlanta-based Eagle Group International LLC, which provides logistics, information technology, training and health care services to the Department of Defense. ...

Trans-Pacific Fuel Surcharges Jump.(Brief article)
May 2, 2008... BYLINE: William Armbruster Recommended fuel surcharges taking effect Thursday in the trans-Pacific liner trades are up sharply from April rates, with more increases set for June 1. The Trans-Pacific Stabilization Agreement, which...

Trailer Bridge Suspends Possible Sale.(Brief article)
May 2, 2008... BYLINE: Peter T. Leach Trailer Bridge, nearly five months after forming a committee to "explore strategic alternatives," including the possibility of an outright sale, announced on Thursday that it is suspending its active review in light...

Oberstar Rips Administration on WRDA.(James Oberstar)(Water Resources Development Act)
May 2, 2008... BYLINE: R. G. Edmonson WASHINGTON -- Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, on Wednesday excoriated the Bush administration for ignoring the 2007 Water Resources Development Act in...

Teamsters Ratify DHL Pact.(DHL Express)(International Brotherhood of Teamsters)(Brief article)
May 2, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Teamsters working at DHL Express ratified on May 1 their first national agreement. The labor contract was approved by 82 percent of the more than 7,000 union members who voted. It is the union's second new...

Nondurable Goods Gain in March.(Brief article)
May 2, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher New orders and shipments of nondurable goods increased at a strong pace in March while orders and shipments of durable goods showed weakness, according to a report released Friday by the U.S. Census Bureau. ...

FAA Bill Stalls.(United States. Federal Aviation Administration)(Brief article)
May 2, 2008... BYLINE: Ari Natter Legislation to fund the Federal Aviation Administration stalled in the Senate amid Republican objections to non-aviation related provisions, including money for the Highway Trust Fund and tax bonds for rail...

McCain Remarks Bring Heat.(Brief article)
May 2, 2008... BYLINE: Ari Natter WASHINGTON - Rep. James L. Oberstar, D-Minn., the powerful chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, took aim this week at presumed Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. ...

Saltchuk Agrees to Buy Aloha.(Saltchuk Resources acquired with Aloha Cargo)(Brief article)
May 2, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Seattle-based Saltchuk Resources said Thursday it had reached an agreement with Aloha Cargo's chief creditor GMAC Commercial Finance to buy the cargo operations of Hawaii's bankrupt inter-island carrier. The...

Deutsche Post in Labor Pact.(Brief article)
May 2, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher German mail and logistics group Deutsche Post reached a wage agreement with German trade union Verdi. The agreement came in time to avert a strike, the union and the company said Wednesday. Deutsche Post...

Rails Push STB on Cost Rules.(Brief article)
May 2, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd Even though the Surface Transportation Board adopted a major change earlier this year in how it calculates railroad costs to support their freight rates, the carriers are already back requesting a major overhaul. ...

DHS Extends TWIC Deadline.(Department of Homeland Security)(Transportation Worker Identification Credential Card)(Brief article)
May 2, 2008... BYLINE: Ari Natter The Department of Homeland Security is pushing back the date mariners and other port and waterway workers need to have their Transportation Worker Identification Credential Card, granting a seven-month extension from the...

Fuel Follies.
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: Paul Page The fumes from gasoline can make anyone a little bit dizzy, and maybe even cause some odd behavior. How else to explain the unusual and ill-conceived actions that are springing up in the political world as fuel...

Trucking''s Perfect Storm.
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: Joe White There is a perfect storm headed for the trucking industry and the impact of that storm might forever shift the focus of U.S. shippers and logistics providers from "Transportation Spend" to "Transportation Assurance." ...

Not Much in Common.
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd There are times when a regulatory hearing cuts through jargon and procedure to go straight to the heart of a matter, exposing raw feelings and revealing deep rifts across an industry. The Surface Transportation...

Oregon''s Short Line Showdown.
May 5, 2008... The Surface Transportation Board hearing provided a forum for loud complaints by members of Congress and some shippers about the continued embargo or shutdown of a rail line segment in Oregon after concerns arose that some tunnels could...

DOJ Sues NS Over Graniteville Spill.
May 5, 2008... The U.S. Department of Justice is suing Norfolk Southern Railway over environmental damages stemming from the January 2005 Graniteville, S.C., train crash. That accident released chlorine gas, killing nine people, injuring about 250 and...

High Prices Fuel Debate.
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: Ari Natter As fuel and oil prices hit new highs almost daily, members of Congress are looking for a route to relief for motorists and transportation operators. "It''s a very, very serious concern," Sen. Majority Leader Harry...

OOIDA''s Surcharge Charge.(Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association)
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: Ari Natter Will the third time be the charm for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association? After it failed to get fuel surcharge legislation through Congress in 2001 and 2005, OOIDA is trying again. But this time,...

Democrats Might Supplement Funding.(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... Meeting a number of roadblocks in previous attempts to fund transportation infrastructure, senior Senate Democrats are trying a different approach - adding it onto the president''s $108 billion request for more war funding. "When this...

U.S. Chamber''s Donohue: ''Raise Fuel Tax''.(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... Add a new name to the growing list of people calling for an increase in the federal fuel tax: Thomas J. Donohue, the head of the largest business organization in the country. Donohue, the president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce,...

Fueling Hunger.
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: William Hoffman Escalating food prices that prompted rice rationing at large U.S. retailers and restrictions on agricultural exports by several countries could lead to significant changes in supply networks if the global crisis...

Robinson''s Rising Fortunes.(C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc.)(Financial report)
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: William Hoffman As truck brokers and third-party logistics providers fight the economic headwinds slowing the freight economy, C.H. Robinson Worldwide''s first-quarter results indicate some 3PLs may be better equipped to survive...

ProLogis Builds in Japan.(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... Commercial real estate developer ProLogis began construction on what will be its largest industrial park in Japan. ProLogis Park Zama I will start with a five-story, 1.2 million-square foot facility in the city of Zama, 25 miles from...

''Make it Stolen''.
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: William B. Cassidy Few people have the work ethic of cargo thieves. They work nights. They work weekends. They''re on the job when you''re not. They''ll even travel halfway across the country for a trailer full of high-value...

Security Tips from CTIP:.(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... -- Verify carrier identity, location -- Upgrade, maintain security systems -- Set protocols for security guards -- Inventory equipment daily -- Photograph equipment; maintain a database with ID and license numbers --...

Securing Cargo Beyond U.S. Borders.(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... U.S. companies riding the export boom can''t afford to be innocents abroad. Cargo theft is a global problem, and U.S. businesses venturing into new markets may be particularly vulnerable, said Elena Melanich, CEO of Moscow-based Siltech. ...

Airport Tail-Gaters.
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: Michael Fabey When the defense contractor team of European Aeronautic Defence and Space and Northrop Grumman targeted Alabama as a site for the new Airbus freighter assembly plant in its bid for a $35 billion U.S. Air Force tanker...

Swift''s Burden of Debt.(Swift Transportation Company Inc.)
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: John Gallagher Fifteen months after buying back and taking private the company he started in 1966, Jerry Moyes may have truckload giant Swift Transportation headed toward a major overhaul. The same freight market that''s...

Tale of Two LTLs.
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: John Gallagher A day after ABF Freight System announced a first quarter profit of $8.5 million, YRC Worldwide rang up a $45.9 million loss - a bold underscore to the recent fortunes of two of the nation''s biggest LTL players. ...

New Business for New Century.(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... Trucking companies not only chase freight, they''ll even relocate for it. New Century Transportation is moving its truckload operation from Martinsville, W. Va., to Chambersburg, Pa., to take advantage of increasing business in that area. ...

Oak Harbor Expands in Southwest.(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... LTL operator Oak Harbor Freight Lines is expanding from the forests of the Pacific Northwest to the land of the Petrified Forest: Arizona. The Auburn, Wash.-based carrier this week will launch next-day service from Los Angeles and Fontana,...

Trucking''s Lost Profit.(Financial report)
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: John Gallagher The debate over whether or not there''s a driver shortage has taken a backseat to the damage caused by surging fuel costs as the big concern at major truckload carriers. Covenant Transportation reported a loss of...

FedEx Freight Follows the Sun.
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: William B. Cassidy FedEx Freight threw the switch on its first solar-powered truck terminal April 22, and plans to have a second terminal up and running on solar power soon. It''s part of a broad plan to move the LTL carrier...

FRA, Hedge Funds Press CSX.
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd Even as it prepares for new challenges from activist hedge funds, CSX Transportation is facing tough accusations from federal regulators who say the railroad sought to suppress injury reports by rail workers. The...

Rail Profits Roll In.(Financial report)
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd Cheerleading rail analysts like to call it a renaissance, shippers call it lack of competition and railroad executives say they finally have pricing power. Whatever it is, the formula keeps boosting profits for major...

Union Chief Helped Plan Suit.(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd The fight for control of the largest U.S. rail labor group opened another front, as United Transportation Union International President Malcolm B. Futhey said he helped dissidents plan their legal strategy to block an...

Air Freight Fright.
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: Michael Fabey The roller-coaster ride for air cargo companies zipped into high-G forces in the first quarter as many major industry players saw steep declines in profit despite higher revenue. Carriers, express companies and...

Minding The Fleet.
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: Michael Fabey Freighter operator Atlas Air will pay a $95,000 fine to the Federal Aviation Administration over a maintenance issue, according to documents filed in a New York court. The maintenance issue involved - an exhaust...

ABX Execs Get Security.(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... Just months after staving off a takeover bid, senior executives at ABX Air have new job security. The cargo airline recently signed agreements with CEO Joe Hete and four other senior officers that provide for their continued employment for...

Striking a Balance.
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: Paul T. Rosynsky The slumbering U.S. economy might bring bad news to manufacturers dependent on domestic markets, but a weak dollar is reaping rewards for those who sell products overseas. In particular, makers of heavy...

Marad ''Paving'' Marine Highways.(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... The advent of a container-on-barge service between Hampton Roads and the Port of Richmond, Va., is the kind of project that will help the Maritime Administration demonstrate the value of "marine highways" to the U.S. transportation system,...

NY/NJ Port Chief Shorris Resigns.
May 5, 2008... The executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Anthony Shorris, resigned unexpectedly April 17. Shorris'' decision to resign was reportedly hastened by New York Gov. David Paterson, who has been determined to shake...

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Launches Americas Service.(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics is offering ocean transportation to automakers in its North America-South America trade. Starting April 28, WWL added two Pure Car Truck Carriers to its existing roll-on/roll-off service between the Americas....

Container Crane Arrives at Portland.(Port of Portland)(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... The Port of Portland, Ore., received its fourth post-Panamax container crane at its Terminal 6 container facility. Zhenhua Port Machinery of Shanghai completed construction of the crane earlier this year, and the heavy-lift vessel Zhenhua...

AARC''s Ebeling Seeks Bigger U.S. Flag Fleet.(American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier )(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... The Maritime Security Program, which subsidizes U.S.-flag vessels that are available for military sealift, has proven a good investment and should be expanded, the president of American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier told the International Propeller...

People.(appointments)(brief)
May 5, 2008... Allied Waste Industries, Phoenix, elected David P. Abney, COO of UPS, to its board of directors. He will serve on the Governance Committee. Melton Truck Lines, Tulsa, Okla., promoted Angie Buchanan to vice president of safety. Buchanan has...

Trucking Executive Jon Shevell, 50.(death of)(Obituary)(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... Jon Shevell, the vice chairman of New England Motor Freight, died recently, the company announced. Shevell, who died in Los Angeles last month, was 50. The New Jersey native was a member of the family that runs Elizabeth, N.J.-based NEMF...

South of the Border Shortage.
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: Colin Barrett Q: My question pertains to truckload shipments originating in Mexico and delivered into the United States under shipping terms F.O.B. origin. Our company had several shipments deliver short to destination, yet...

The Back Page.(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... Expensive. Shippers and transporters alike are aghast at the rapid rise in energy costs this year. The only time costs rise so far so fast, a shipper tells us, is during a war, after a natural disaster and after you have kids. Fueled. With...

May 5, 2008.(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... Expensive. Shippers and transporters alike are aghast at the rapid rise in energy costs this year. The only time costs rise so far so fast, a shipper tells us, is during a war, after a natural disaster and after you have kids. Fueled. With...

South of the Border Shortage.
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: Colin Barrett Q: My question pertains to truckload shipments originating in Mexico and delivered into the United States under shipping terms F.O.B. origin. Our company had several shipments deliver short to destination, yet...

Trucking's Perfect Storm.
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: Joe White There is a perfect storm headed for the trucking industry and the impact of that storm might forever shift the focus of U.S. shippers and logistics providers from "Transportation Spend" to "Transportation...

Not Much in Common.
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd Related Stories: * Oregon's Short Line Showdown * DOJ Sues NS Over Graniteville Spill There are times when a regulatory hearing cuts through jargon and procedure to go straight to the heart of a matter, exposing...

Swift's Burden of Debt.(Company overview)
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: John Gallagher Fifteen months after buying back and taking private the company he started in 1966, Jerry Moyes may have truckload giant Swift Transportation headed toward a major overhaul. The same freight market that's...

Oregon's Short Line Showdown.
May 5, 2008... The Surface Transportation Board hearing provided a forum for loud complaints by members of Congress and some shippers about the continued embargo or shutdown of a rail line segment in Oregon after concerns arose that some tunnels could...

DOJ Sues NS Over Graniteville Spill.
May 5, 2008... The U.S. Department of Justice is suing Norfolk Southern Railway over environmental damages stemming from the January 2005 Graniteville, S.C., train crash. That accident released chlorine gas, killing nine people, injuring about 250 and...

USPS to Hike Prices.(United States. Postal Service)(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher The United States Postal Service will hike its base prices May 12, but some changes will save money for corporate accounts. Express Mail is switching to a zone-based pricing system with retail prices...

Getloaded.com announces the launch of GLWarehouses.com.(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... Midlothian, VA. (April 10, 2008) - Getloaded.com, the internet load board for the transportation industry, has expanded its services with the launch of GLWarehouses.com.  Applying the same principles that have made Getloaded.com...

NASSTRAC Announces 2008 Member of the Year Awards.(National Shippers Strategic Council)(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NASSTRAC recently announced that Mike Regan, CEO and chairman of Tranzact Technologies, has been named the 2008 "NASSTRAC Regular Member of the Year." Each year, this honor is awarded to an individual logistics executive who...

Box Lines Fight Costs.
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: Peter T. Leach The soaring cost of bunker fuel threatens the ability of ocean shipping companies to maintain their current level of container service to the United States unless they can recover the cost of fuel, the World Shipping...

ISC Profit Increases.(International Shipholding Corp.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... International Shipholding Corp. reported net income increased to $4.81 million for the three months ended March 31, 2008, up from $4.74 million a year ago. Results included net income of $4.13 million from the disposal of equipment from...

CSX Launches National Gateway.
May 5, 2008... Railroad operator CSX Corp. officially launched the National Gateway, a $700 million public-private infrastructure initiative to create a freight transportation link between Mid-Atlantic ports and the Midwest. When completed, CSX said the...

ASTAR Withdraws Fraud Suit.(Astar Air Cargo Inc.)(GA Telesis)(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher ASTAR Air Cargo on Monday dismissed with prejudice its lawsuit filed one week earlier against commercial aircraft broker GA Telesis. The dismissal includes all claims against GA Telesis and co-defendants ART...

Union to New Owners: Aloha.(Saltchuk Resources Inc.)(Aloha Airgroup Inc.)(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Over the weekend, Saltchuk Resources worked out a tentative agreement with the machinists union representing workers at newly acquired Aloha Air Cargo. Under the agreement, Aeko Kula, the new Saltchuk...

BDP Opens Special Unit.(BDP International Inc.)(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: William Hoffman Privately owned logistics provider BDP International opened a new subsidiary dedicated to taking on the big, difficult and complex logistics jobs only specialized experts can be counted on to complete. BDP...

Ward to Lead NY/NJ PA.(Christopher O. Ward)(Port Authority of New York and New Jersey)(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: Peter T. Leach Christopher O. Ward, the former chief executive of American Stevedoring, Inc. and a former executive with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, has been nominated to become the new executive director of the...

Diesel Drops 2.8 Cents to $4.149.(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher The average retail price for a gallon of diesel fuel fell 2.8 cents this week to $4149, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. As the dollar strengthened in international trading, the price...

Cargolux Hikes Fuel Fee.(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... Cargolux announced it will increase its fuel surcharge on all cargo shipments as of May 19, amid rapidly rising prices. The current level of the fuel surcharge will be adjusted to 1.05 euros per kilo. The charge is based on actual weight...

Schenker Plans Austrian Hub.(Brief article)
May 5, 2008... Schenker announced Monday it plans to construct a new freight forwarding terminal in Austria that would be the largest in its European land transport network. Schenker, a unit of Germany's Deutsche Bahn national railroad, plans to spend 21...