Traffic World articles from November 2008

Traffic World archives from November 2008

Overnight Gets Darker.
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: Paul Page Overnight air express traffic is in free-fall at UPS, dropping to its lowest level in some six years.  The nation's largest transportation company said the 9.8 percent decline in Next-Day Air volume in the third...

November 3, 2008.(briefs)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... Voted. For shippers, the biggest election by far this fall is down in Harris County, Texas, where former ICC Commissioner Edward Emmett is up for election as County Judge, the post equivalent to county administrator that Emmett was appointed to...

A Shipper's Guessing Game.(Column)
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: Colin Barrett  Q: A question has come up in a claims class that I teach on the issue of shipper's load and count. Is there a statutory or case law resolution of the standard for damages when a shipper's load and count...

Preemption Faces Trashing.
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: Fritz Kahn A little-noticed section of the Railroad Safety Improvement Act will whittle away at the preemption from state regulation railroads have enjoyed. The pertinent provision of the federal statute, 49 U.S.C.10501(b),...

Forecasting.
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: Paul Page Clearing out old e-mail usually is not the best way to keep up on current events, but if you're trying to make sense of the economic landscape you can find some provocative insight in the inbox.  Just look at the...

Troubles by the Gallon.
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: William Hoffman and John Gallagher After climbing to an unprecedented $147 a barrel this July, crude oil prices plummeted to less than $70 a barrel, even dipping below $60 a barrel briefly in late October.  Diesel and...

Privatization in a Crunch.
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: Ari Natter The global credit crisis and economic downturn, coupled with a sharp reduction in driving, has cut into the amount of private equity available for transportation funding - just as critics were warming to the idea. ...

Hard Times for Software.
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: William Hoffman Anyone who thought the supply chain software market could avoid the carnage the world's financial crisis caused to corporate budgets may get a rude awakening as third quarter results begin to clarify the damage. ...

Fresh Step for Short Sea.
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: R. G. Edmonson For David Host, it's all about the details: a chassis pool, contracts for maintenance, repair and insurance, data-collection systems.  Once the T's are crossed and I's dotted, T. Parker Host, the...

People.(appointments and promotions)
November 3, 2008... Exel, Westerville, Ohio, a North American supply chain solutions provider and Deutsche Post World Net subsidiary, promoted William "Bill" F. Meahl to chief operating officer of DHL Exel Supply Chain. Meahl was CEO of DHL Exel Supply Chain...

Powering a Deal.
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd California and Union Pacific Railroad are undertaking an innovative deal in which the state will help pay for 10 new cleaner-burning line-haul locomotives in return for UP keeping them inside state boundaries and...

RFID's Quiet Comeback.(radio frequency identification technology)
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: Alan Field Warehouses are being changed from the inside out as radio frequency identification technology quietly spreads throughout supply chains.  RFID for years has been hiding in plain sight. After Wal-Mart issued a...

LTL Gears Down.(Financial report)
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: John Gallagher Volatility in the financial markets was mirrored in the third quarter results at major LTL carriers. Many companies saw profits slide as the economy took a sharp turn toward recession, although some carriers managed...

Factories Cut Back.(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Manufacturing business declined steeply in October, according to an industry report. The Institute for Supply Management said the PMI, its index of manufacturing activity, fell to 38.9 in October from 43.5...

McCain Highlights Support for Shippers.(John McCain)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: Ari Natter Republican Presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is taking his case to the nation's shippers, highlighting his support for shipper friendly regulations on issues such as labor, taxes and transportation...

STB Backs Coos Bay Shippers.(Surface Transportation Board)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd RailAmerica must sell an Oregon short line they sought to abandon to the Port of Coos Bay, under a Surface Transportation Board ruling.  The order issued Friday represents a victory for lumber shippers and...

Danaos and Rickmers Add to Profits.(Danaos and Rickmers Maritime's financial news)(Financial report)
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: Bruce Barnard Leading charter container ship owners Danaos and Rickmers Maritime assured investors they can ride out the downturn in the container shipping market as they reported higher third quarter earnings and revenues. ...

RFID Market to Top $5.3B.(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... The worldwide market for Radio Frequency Identification technology will reach $5.3 billion in 2008, according to a new forecast by consultant ABI Research. Despite the slowing global economy, the annual growth rate of RFID-related business...

MOL Opens S. Amer. Service.(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... Japanese carrier MOL announced plans to launch an independent liner service between Asia and the East Coast of South America, effective in January, 2009. The move follows the termination of the carrier's existing joint service on the...

CN Acquires QRC Subsidiaries.(Canadian National Railway Co. acquired with Quebec Railway Corp.)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher CN acquired the three principal railway subsidiaries of the Quebec Railway Corp. and a QRC rail-freight ferry operation for approximately US$41.9 million. The rail units, which belonged to CN in the 1990s,...

Penske Opens Minn. Leasing Facility.(Penske Truck Leasing Company L.P. opens a new facility)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Penske Truck Leasing opened a 6,000-square-foot facility in Faribault, Minn., offering full-service truck leasing and contract maintenance services.  The one-story building on two acres maintains nearly...

Boeing Machinists Return to Work.(International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers contract with Boeing Co.)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Machinists at Boeing returned to work over the weekend with the third shift Nov. 2. Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers voted to ratify a new 4-year contract with...

C.H. Robinson Names Board Member.(C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. appoints James B. Stake as Director)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher C.H. Robinson Worldwide appointed a new director, James B. Stake, effective January 1. Stake, 55, recently retired from 3M, after 34 years, serving most recently as executive vice president of Enterprise...

Genesee & Wyoming Net Improves.(Genesee and Wyoming Inc. financial news)(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Despite the global economic slowdown, recent acquisitions and higher rates produced solid gains for short line railroad operator Genesee & Wyoming. Net income in the third quarter was $21.2 million, up 31...

NYK Shuts Panama Units.(Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line), Japan's largest shipping line in terms of group sales, has decided to dissolve four of its wholly owned vessel-owning subsidiaries in Panama. At a board meeting on Thursday, NYK decided to dissolve...

Marad Halts Short Sea Invites.(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: R. G. Edmonson The Maritime Administration has rescinded its invitation to companies that might want to participate in the marine highways program. Marad's notice in the Federal Register said that in the current financial...

Income Falls at Evergreen.(Evergreen Marine Corporation Ltd. financial news)(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... Evergreen Marine Corp. said net income dropped to $1.5 billion New Taiwan dollars ($45.6 million) through the first nine months of the year from $200 million in 2007. The Taiwan-listed arm of Evergreen Group reported operating income...

Diesel Dives 20 Cents to $3.088.(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Retail diesel dived 20 cents this week to an average of $3.088 per gallon, according to a report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In a sixteen week slide driven by the bursting of the oil...

Drop by Drop Savings.
November 3, 2008... Escalating fuel prices over the last year led to leaner business practices that still are driving carrier and shipper operations even as fuel costs fall. The largest fuel buyers, including airlines, tried to hedge their costs by...

Funding on Two Wheels.
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: Ari Natter The bicyclists'' lobby has wheels. An increase in the two-wheeled mode''s popularity, brought on by high gas prices and thickening urban congestion, as well as health adn environmental concerns, has emboldened the...

Point of No Returns.
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: William Hoffman The world''s biggest retailer is setting an ambitious goal of eliminating virtually all defective product returns from its supply chains by 2012. Wal-Mart also ratcheted up its sustainability expectations for its...

RFID''s Quiet Comeback.
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: Alan Field inventory management Copyright 2008, Traffic World, Inc. Warehouses are being changed from the inside out as radio frequency identification technology quietly spreads throughout supply chains. RFID for years...

Vendors, Shippers Upgrading WMS.(Warehouse management software)(Survey)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... Companies are moving ahead with plans to upgrade or purchase warehouse technology despite the weakening economy, a new study from Aberdeen Group suggests. More than half the companies surveyed by the research and consulting firm said they...

Staying Above Water.
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: John Gallagher A month-long strike by the Teamsters union against Oak Harbor Freight Lines could end as early as this week, depending a decision by the National Labor Relations Board and the willingness of labor and management to...

Profits Up at Marten Transport.(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... Marten Transport increased profits 97 percent in the third quarter by cutting costs and focusing on regional trucking and intermodal - and falling diesel prices didn''t hurt either. Net income was $6.1 million in the quarter compared with...

Southeastern Freight Expands in Mexico.(Southeastern Freight Lines Inc.)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... Southeastern Freight Lines expanded service into Mexico to take advantage of new trucking business resulting from multinational companies relocating there from Asia. "More companies doing business in Asia are again considering...

Good Times on Tracks.
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd Despite widespread alarm in stock markets and amid what many think is a fast-spreading recession, railroads are celebrating. The Class I North American railroads reported strong third-quarter earnings, powered by...

STB Says No to Cost Formula Change.(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd Regardless of what the eyes may see in railroad earnings reports, the U.S. rail industry has been trying to get the Surface Transportation Board to value rail costs differently, under a formula that could show carriers...

Freight Drops ''Alarming'' 7.7 Percent.(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... The International Air Transport Association calls the latest drop in global air cargo traffic "alarming," and it certainly is by historical measures. After staggering through most of 2008, air cargo demand took a steep dive downward in...

Forward Air Counting More Cash.(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... With growing profits and a strong cushion of cash, Forward Air is sitting in a strong position in the economic market and the air freight trucker knows it. "There is one side of us that says we''d like for it to be tough for the next...

Alitalia Cargo in Play.(Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A.)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... Alitalia''s cargo assets appear to be a hot commodity. The struggling Italian airline, which is being bailed out of bankruptcy by investor group CAI, has publicly disclosed its desire to sell off some of its profitable assets, including the...

Pilot Hits Revenue Record.(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... Pilot Freight Services says it is growing despite the downturn in its core U.S. domestic market. The Lima, Pa.-based forwarder says its revenue grew 16.3 percent in the three months ending Sept. 30 to a quarterly record $102.4 million. The...

Maersk Cuts Capacity.
November 3, 2008... Maersk Line, the world''s biggest ocean carrier, will temporarily suspend one of its Asia-Europe services in response to slowing cargo growth and falling freight rates. The suspension of the AE8 service Nov. 10 will cut the carrier''s...

Hurricane-Battered Galveston Reopens.(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... It may take the city of Galveston months to recover from the damage inflicted by Hurricane Ike, but the Port of Galveston is leading the way. Only nine days after Ike smashed through Galveston, the port began working cargo vessels. The...

A Shipper''s Guessing Game.
November 3, 2008... Q: A question has come up in a claims class that I teach on the issue of shipper''s load and count. Is there a statutory or case law resolution of the standard for damages when a shipper''s load and count trailer is stolen and the...

The Back Page.(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... Voted. For shippers, the biggest election by far this fall is down in Harris County, Texas, where former ICC Commissioner Edward Emmett is up for election as County Judge, the post equivalent to county administrator that Emmett was appointed to...

Ports to Collect Fee Nov. 17.
November 4, 2008... BYLINE: Bill Mongelluzzo LONG BEACH, Calif. -- The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will begin collecting a $35 per-TEU clean-truck fee on Nov. 17.      The fee is a major component of the ports' Clean Air...

Ports America Moves Tilden to Board.(Douglas Tilden)(Brief article)
November 4, 2008... Douglas Tilden has been named to the advisory board of Ports America Group. Tilden will serve as senior strategic analyst to the board, which oversees the operation of Ports America Group, the largest stevedoring and terminal operating...

DP World Volumes Gain.(Dubai Ports World)(Brief article)
November 4, 2008... Dubai-based terminal operator DP World said today that consolidated throughput at its worldwide terminals continued to grow through the third quarter of 2008. The operator said volumes for the nine months through Sept. 30 were 16 percent...

Federal Judge Extends ILA Local Oversight.(International Longshoremen's Association)
November 4, 2008... A federal judge has extended by 18 months the government supervision of a formerly mobbed-up International Longshoremen's Association local in Bayonne, N.J. Former New York City Police Commissioner Robert McGuire has overseen the affairs...

Yusen Adds Vietnam Office.(Yusen Air & Sea Service Co., Ltd.)(Brief article)
November 4, 2008... Yusen Air & Sea Service Co., Ltd., the logistics arm of NYK Line, said that its Vietnamese subsidiary, Yusen Air & Sea Service (Vietnam) Co., Ltd., has opened a new office and warehouse in the northern province of Hai Duong, near Hanoi. ...

Infrastructure Credit to Tighten.
November 4, 2008... BYLINE: Peter T. Leach The underlying credit fundamentals of infrastructure projects across the globe remain solid despite the global credit crisis, says Moody's Investors Service in a new report. The report says that credit standards...

Crowley Acquires Broker.
November 4, 2008... Crowley Holdings Inc., the newly formed holding company for Crowley Maritime Corp., announced today it has acquired Miami-based Customized Brokers, a customs clearance company specializing in refrigerated cargoes arriving by air and sea. ...

Con-way Trims Network.(Brief article)
November 4, 2008... BYLINE: John Gallagher Con-way Freight is stripping 40 terminals out of its 303-terminal LTL network in a move the company says will cut costs and speed service. The plan, which Con-way calls a "major re-engineering" of operations, is...

Factory Orders, Shipments Drop.(Brief article)
November 4, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher New orders for manufactured goods as well as shipments dropped dramatically in September even as inventories dwindled. Nondurable goods led the decline. New orders for manufactured nondurable goods decreased...

Agility Profit Falls 10 Percent.(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 4, 2008... BYLINE: William Hoffman Agility's third quarter financial results show the Middle East is no shelter from the economic storm roiling world markets. The Kuwait-based third party logistics provider's net income fell almost 10 percent,...

Privatization Under Scrutiny.(Brief article)
November 4, 2008... BYLINE: Ari Natter The credit crisis is leading some key lawmakers to question the role of public-private partnerships in transportation funding, and they are asking the Department of Transportation to ensure that future deals receive more...

Hoffa: Obama a Victory for Re-regulation.(Barack Obama)(James P. Hoffa)(Interview)(Brief article)
November 4, 2008... BYLINE: Ari Natter A victory by Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, D-Ill., could be a victory for re-regulation, at least if James P. Hoffa, the general president of the Teamsters Union has his way. Hoffa, in an interview...

Quebec Speed Limiters Due in Jan.(Brief article)
November 5, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Julie Boulet, a Member of Canada's National Assembly representing Quebec and Minister for Transport, recently decided to go forward on legislation to require all heavy-duty trucks operating in Quebec to have an...

Expeditors Profits Gain.(Expeditors International of Washington Inc.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 5, 2008... BYLINE: Jessica Binns Seattle-based logistics provider Expeditors International posted net earnings of $85 million for Q3 2008. That number is a 15% increase over the same period in 2007. Net quarterly revenue jumped 12% to $429...

Estonia Cargo Tonnage Doubles.
November 5, 2008... BYLINE: Jessica Binns Air cargo traffic is plummeting in most markets, but Estonia's Tallinn Airport reports a twofold increase in tonnage handled for January through October this year. The airport handled 36,500 tonnes of goods in the...

Air China Cargo Adds 3 Freighters.(Brief article)
November 5, 2008... BYLINE: Jessica Binns Air China Cargo plans to add three converted aircraft to its fleet, expanding the freighter count to 11. The Chinese operator will have the 747-400 planes---which were commercially operated by Air...

WABCO Earnings Gain, Outlook Drops.(WABCO Automotive Products Group )(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 5, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Truck technology provider WABCO boosted earnings in the third quarter with a little help from the tax office but revised projections for the rest of the year due to the economic slowdown. With an advanced...

Transport World Eyes Obama DOT.(United States. Department of Transportation)(Barack Obama )(Brief article)
November 5, 2008... The business world started batting around names of a potential nominees to be transportation secretary Wednesday amid reports that President-elect Barack Obama coul start lining up his Cabinet choices as early as next week. Rumors and...

Maersk Lowers Mideast Fees.(Brief article)
November 5, 2008... Maersk Line announced plans to lower bunker surcharges imposed earlier on cargo moving on its services between the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent, including Bangladesh, the Red Sea and Europe. Effective Dec. 1, the surcharges will be...

Genco Cancels Vessel Orders.(Genco Shipping & Trading Ltd.)(Brief article)
November 5, 2008... BYLINE: Peter T. Leach Dry bulk carrier Genco Shipping & Trading said it is canceling a deal to buy six new dry bulk vessels, and will take a related charge of $54 million in the fourth quarter. Genco had previously agreed to acquire...

Airfreight to Triple by 2027.(Brief article)
November 5, 2008... Aircraft maker Boeing predicts global airfreight traffic will grow 5.8 percent annually over the next 20 years -- a tripling of worldwide air-cargo traffic between now and 2027. In the short term there is some market weakness and economic...

Vancouver CEO Resigns.(Gordon Houston quits Port of Vancouver)(Brief article)
November 5, 2008... BYLINE: Courtney Tower The Port of Vancouver has begun a search to replace Capt. Gordon Houston, president and chief executive of Port Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, who is retiring. The Scottish-born Houston has served as...

Mob Figure Accused of ILA Extortion.(International Longshoremen's Association)
November 5, 2008... BYLINE: Joseph Bonney NEWARK, N.J. -- A Mafia figure in prison for avoiding prosecution in a 1977 mob murder has been charged in a federal indictment that accuses him of extortion and conspiracy to extort members of International...

Major Shipper Drops DHL.(Unishippers)(Brief article)
November 5, 2008... Parcel industry consolidator Unishippers became the highest-profile shipper yet to abandon DHL in the United States, announcing to its customers that it has moved to UPS. The Unishippers move follows an apparent decision by Walgreens last...

Costs Hit Trailer Bridge Profit.(Financial report)
November 6, 2008... BYLINE: Peter T. Leach Trailer Bridge today reported that its profit dropped 90.6 percent to $34,000 in he third quarter ended Sept. 30, compared to $365,000 in the year earlier period. The Jones Act carrier's revenues increased 25.4...

Seaboard Net Slides.(Financial report)
November 6, 2008... BYLINE: Rick Eyerdam Seaboard, the mid-American diversified international agribusiness and transportation company whose primary businesses are domestic pork production, commodity derivatives and cargo shipping reported higher sales but...

Loss Widens at Ceva.(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 6, 2008... BYLINE: Bill DiBenedetto Ceva, the Netherlands freight management and contract logistics company, reported a loss of 108 million euros ($139 million) during the third quarter ending Sept. 30, a slide of 83 percent from a loss of $76...

EGL Pays Kickback Fine.
November 6, 2008... Logistics provider EGL Inc., operating as Eagle Global Logistics, paid the United States a penalty of $750,000 to settle allegations that the company paid illegal gratuities to employees of KBR, the prime contractor for the U.S. Army's LOGCAP...

Osaka's U.S. Boxes Decline.(Port of Osaka)(Brief article)
November 6, 2008... BYLINE: Hisane Masaki The Port of Osaka in western Japan handled 163,901 TEUs in foreign trade in July, down 2.1 percent on-year, according to preliminary figures released by the Osaka municipal government. The port handled about 3.26...

Montreal Raises Tariffs.(Brief article)
November 6, 2008... BYLINE: Courtney Tower The Port of Montreal has given notice that it is raising its tariffs by 5 percent as of Jan. 1. Electricity service charges, however, remain unchanged unless the provincial provider, Hydro-Quebec, modifies its...

FTR Associates Slashes Railcar Forecast.(Brief article)
November 6, 2008... A major transportation research firm cut back its outlook for rail equipment purchases for the coming year, forecasting a "severe downturn" in an industry that generally has resisted the broader economic weakness. FTR Associates said third...

U.S. Chamber Urges Swift Cabinet Action.(Chamber of Commerce of the United States)(Brief article)
November 6, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher The U.S. Chamber of Commerce congratulated President-elect Barack Obama and suggested the best way to get its cooperation in the new administration. The group representing 3 million businesses and...

Transportation Workers Laud Obama.(Barack Obama)(Brief article)
November 6, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Unions in the transportation sector affirmed their long-standing support for President-elect Barack Obama and pressed for recognition of the need to create jobs. "Transportation workers were part of the...

Trinity's Profit Inches Up.(Trinity Industries Inc.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 6, 2008... BYLINE: John D. Boyd In a tough economy and amid shrinking rail volumes, leading railcar builder Trinity Industries posted a 3.6 percent profit gain to $90 million in the third quarter, as revenue jumped 14.5 percent to $1.15 billion. ...

Tank Cars Beef Up ARI Profits.(American Rail Car Industries Inc.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 6, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher American Railcar Industries increased profits through a strategic product shift in the third quarter. As demand, and pricing, for hopper cars fell due to an uncertain economy, the railcar manufacturer...

ACL Rates Produce Profit.(American Commercial Lines L.L.C.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 6, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Barge operator American Commercial Lines improved net income xx percent in the  third quarter, primarily due to healthy increases in rates. Due to two hurricanes, flooding in the inland waterway and the...

Voters Approve Transportation Funding.(Brief article)
November 6, 2008... BYLINE: Thomas L. Gallagher Across the nation on Tuesday, voters approved ballot initiatives totaling $71 billion for transportation related funding, according to an industry tabulation. In 17 states, the American Road & Transportation...

House Eyes Lame Duck Stimulus Package.(Brief article)
November 6, 2008... BYLINE: Ari Natter House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is considering spending $60 billion on infrastructure in an economic stimulus bill that may be considered during a lame duck session in Congress later this month, according to the...