Traffic World articles from September 2004

Traffic World archives from September 2004

Shifting shapes.(Editorial)(Editorial)
September 27, 2004... The question from the LTL executive was delivered in about as lighthearted and jocular manner as could be. "How come you don't write this story?" he said with a grin." We have an expedited service that will match the airlines' service and it...

Shippers' fourth quarter concerns.(Commentary)
September 27, 2004... September 15, 2004 Mr. John Doe Company Address City State ZIP Dear John: When I wrote an article, "The Perfect Storm" several months ago, it wasn't about the recent Hurricane activity. The point of the article...

Swift sweats recovery: leading truckload carrier projects earnings drop; performance baffles analysts, concerns shippers.(Cover Story)
September 27, 2004... The trucking industry's steep climb upward in a growing economy is stopping short at one of the country's top truckload carriers. Swift Transportation threw cold water onto an overheating truckload market when the company issued an...

End of the highway? Prospects dim for new six-year highway bill, TEA-21 extension likely in lame-duck session.(Washington)
September 27, 2004... Transportation stakeholders are waiting anxiously for Congress to decide whether it will pass a long-term extension of the highway reauthorization bill or finish work this year on a new six-year measure. Political prognostication is a...

Avoiding 'teething' pains: shortsighted planning, software glitches prove costly as shippers roll out new supply chain, systems.(Logistics & Technology)
September 27, 2004... Supply chain mishaps that cost companies millions of dollars in lost revenue can happen to anyone and aren't as rare as shippers might like. Cases in point: British grocer Sainsbury's and British furniture manufacturer MFI. Both...

Sirva exits logistics: specialized transportation business is sold, company will focus on relocation, network units.(Logistics & Technology)
September 27, 2004... Global relocation services provider Sirva is exiting the logistics business. The company is selling its Specialized Transportation business in North America to a group of its North American Van Lines agents. Its European Specialized...

The UPS Store.(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... The UPS Store expanded to 5,000 locations in more than 40 countries and territories. The parcel delivery and business services franchise operation is adding more than 200 locations a year.

GE's security business is field-testing an electronic maritime container security system.(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... GE's security business is field-testing an electronic maritime container security system. The technology detects unauthorized access to a container and monitors the container in transit for signs of intrusion. "As one of the world's leading...

LoraFret.(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... LoraFret, a French third-party logistics provider, is leasing a 276,580-square-foot distribution facility outside Marseille from ProLogis. The facility will be developed at ProLogis Park Clesud and is LoraFret's first facility leased with the...

Monterrey, Mexico-based CEMEX.(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... Monterrey, Mexico-based CEMEX, cement and concrete producer, is using GeoLogistics for global logistics services. The three-year contract includes purchase order and freight management services from CEMEX suppliers in 70 countries and...

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha.(Jiangsu Shagang Group)(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha signed a 10-year contract with Jiangsu Shagang Group, based in Zhangjiagang City, Jiangsu Province, China, to transport Australian and South African iron ore to China. The contract starts in the first quarter of next...

The Defence Logistics Agency.(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... The Defense Logistics Agency is using Hewlett Packard to create its technology infrastructure for the agency. The five-year contract for its Enterprise Data Center Program will help DLA better manage its logistics supply chain and serve its...

Ocean View Publishing.(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... Ocean View Publishing will use Richmond, Va.-based Riverside Logistics to provide storage and distribution of its publications.

Ports' top priorities: while maritime ports are trying to find funding for needed security programs, only a few have stepped up with surcharges on their carriers.(Special report: ports update)
September 27, 2004... Ports, shippers and shipping lines are bracing for Congress--before it adjourns this year--to make its third attempt to impose a new container tax or other fee on maritime cargo as a means of funding post-September 11 port security upgrades....

Top line logistics.
September 27, 2004... The world's manufacturers, retailers and distributors put huge demands on their logistics providers in recent years and there is no doubt that the logistics world responded. The cost of managing the flow of goods in the manufacturing...

Making logistics "lean": shippers are trying to cut fat from extended supply chains, but it's often easier said than done when you've gone global.(Lean logistics)
September 27, 2004... As international companies shift more of their production to China and the Far East, they are realizing enormous is savings by lowering their production costs in a process called lean manufacturing. But the shift hasn't always brought the...

Mallory Alexander International Logistics: confidence worldwide.(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... Mallory Alexander International Logistics has been serving the transportation, shipping and logistics industries for more than 75 years. What started as a modest enterprise with 200,000 square feet on Florida Street in Memphis has grown into...

The leader in intermodal transportation.(Hub Group)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
September 27, 2004... With more than 30 years of experience, Hub Group has steadily expanded its core expertise in intermodal transportation to become a leading North American third-party logistics provider with a broad range of customer-focused transportation...

Stacked up logistics: carriers and terminal operators are investing in ships and infrastructure, but even the best logistics planning has to wait in line at dock.(Investment)
September 27, 2004... Name a major seaport that is heavily engaged in trade with Asia, and chances are that port or the inland transportation infrastructure that serves the port is encountering cargo backups. Exports from Asia, especially China, have increased...

Atlas Traffic saves more than $8 million annually for shippers.(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... Atlas Traffic Consultants Corp. is the freight bill post-auditing company that makes a simple promise to all clients: "It will never cost you a cent out of pocket far our service." Atlas Traffic can keep that promise because it works on a...

TSi Logistics.(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
September 27, 2004... TSi Logistics is a global transportation and logistics services company. Our vision for the past 12 years has been to be the best at what we do, to provide more information than others in the industry, to increase freight bill payment...

Growing through technology: shippers continue to emphasize cost when discussing software options, but they're also considering top-line benefits.(Technology)
September 27, 2004... Logistics is often spoken of as a "competitive weapon" used by companies to fatten their profit margins by cutting excess cost and positioning goods when and where the consumer wants them. But the reality does not rise to this visionary...

Precision software limited: you only need ONE system!(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... Want to manage your growing volume of domestic and international shipments better? Battling with multiple parcel manifesting systems? Need to alleviate the headache of ever-changing compliance regulations? Get visibility, flexibility and...

Outsourcing's strategic ROI: cutting costs is one way of measuring logistics outsourcing, but looking at the strategic value may show the real return on investment.(return on investment)
September 27, 2004... For Thomas Carpenter, director of corporate logistics at Sonoco, outsourcing logistics is not simply about cutting costs. It's a way for the packaging and manufacturing services company to achieve overall strategic goals. Carpenter said...

OIA Global Logistics.(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... In 1988, OIA Global Logistics entered the complex international airfreight forwarding business moving perishable-food cargo. We succeeded then, and have continued to excel and grow our business to include a complete range of logistics...

EGL Eagle Global Logistics.(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... EGL Eagle Global Logistics is recognized as a leading global provider of supply-chain solutions, demonstrating, core competencies in transportation services, logistics management and information technology. EGL utilizes its expertise and...

Next step to security: logistics providers are being asked to invest in security, but will the government repay them by building flexibility into the standards?(Security)
September 27, 2004... Andy Pujol doesn't need to be told how high the stakes are in transport security. He was one of the first volunteers to reach the World Trade Center in Manhattan after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Three years later, he still is...

Manhattan Associates offers fresh, new perspective on the supply chain.(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... Could a new approach to your supply chain be the competitive advantage you need? Whether you are a manufacturer, supplier, distributor, logistics provider or retailer, you can streamline your supply chain with our integrated, yet modular,...

nVision Global.(Advertisement)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
September 27, 2004... nVision Global is an industry leader in the development of software tailored to meet customer-specific, logistics-management technology requirements. This is achieved through iVelocity[TM], a Web-enabled, fully integrated software application...

Manufacturing moving closer: customization and globalization are blending manufacturing and logistics, but tight capacity raises new challenges for finely balanced networks.(Manufacturing)
September 27, 2004... The dividing line between logistics and manufacturing used to be clearly drawn at the factory door, but lately it's been scuffed by departing workers as jobs are shipped overseas. The "offshoring" of production is one factor pressuring...

Caterpillar Logistics Services Inc.(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... Few factors can impact the success of your company as much as the performance of your supply chain. No matter what industry or region of the world you do business in, your supply chain is as integral to your success as your products, your...

Assets or not? Carrier-led logistics units are blurring the lines between transport operators and logistics companies, providing new opportunities and new questions.(Carrier)
September 27, 2004... It's the dividing line between the two wings of the logistics world, the line that to many defines the border between transportation and logistics, between strategy and executive and between the roles played by the providers that keep the...

Ryder System Inc.(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... For over 70 years, Ryder has provided a complete array of leading-edge supply-chain, logistics and transportation solutions for multiple industry sectors in North America, Europe and Asia. Optimizing and managing the flow of products,...

Capacity crunch? Xpress Direct has all the right answers!(U.S. Xpress Inc.)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
September 27, 2004... Xpress Direct has rapidly built a highly respected reputation by continually opening new windows in the world of expedited transportation solutions. Xpress Direct has established a track record of success in working with time-sensitive...

Hardly at their prime: with interest rates rising, logistics experts say the real costs of logistics may be beyond shipper's control.(Money)
September 27, 2004... Back in 1994, when Rosalyn Wilson and the late Bob Delaney prepared the fifth annual State of Logistics Report, they reported that the bar for measuring logistics service was rising. "I was proud that we had gone from measuring service in...

Data2Logistics recovers, controls and reduces transportation costs through Business Intelligence.(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
September 27, 2004... As the nation's largest freight bill processor, Data2Logistics understands the challenges that companies face as they strive to improve the effectiveness of their transportation operations. Data2Logistics offers a total solution that...

Directory of logistics providers.(Directory)(Illustration)
September 27, 2004... DIRECTORY OF LOGISTIC PROVIDERS Armstrong & Associates Richard D. Armstrong (608) 873-8929 armstrong@3plogistics.com http://www.3plogistics.com PROVIDER PHONE WEBSITE A.N....

Back for quality: Quality Distribution to stress 'core' chemical hauling business, drop food venture, after second quarter loss.(Trucking)
September 27, 2004... Hammered by legal fees and environmental charges, a second quarter loss that defies industry trends and the departure of its CFO, Quality Distribution is placing renewed emphasis on its core chemical-hauling business. As part of a...

Storm wracked shipping: hurricane damage stings Southeast shippers, truckers forced to reroute freight around Florida Panhandle.(Trucking)
September 27, 2004... Truckers in the Southeast are used to handling hurricanes and tropical storms, but enough is enough. "This is unprecedented," said Mike Schuster, executive vice president of Boca Raton, Fla.-based Super Transport, a regional carrier. "In...

Ontario's long road: Southern California's enticing alternate airport finds bumps on the highway to new freighters.(Air & Express)
September 27, 2004... It's a long way from LAX to Ontario, Calif. The geographical distance between the two airports is a mere 70 miles, but moving a cargo operation from crowded Los Angeles International Airport to its sister in the "Inland Empire" is taking...

Northwest pulls Seattle freighter stop.(Air & Express)(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... Seattle shippers lost air freight capacity s a gain for shippers out of Chicago and Los Angeles. Citing increased demand in the region on its passenger aircraft, Northwest Airlines pulled its three weekly freighter stops from...

Airocean to create express courier: forwarder will use stake in budget airline as base for ambitious venture for full China coverage.(Air & Express)
September 27, 2004... Never shy about pushing the limits of freight forwarding, Singapore-based Airocean Group is stretching its business model even further in its bid to set up an air express operation in China. The company took a 19 percent stake in a...

DHL hitting the ground: express carrier opening regional sort centers, ground hubs meant to match networks of leaders.(Air & Express)(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... DHL's ground network is taking shape and with it the strategy the express carrier will use to take on FedEx and UPS for a bigger share of the U.S. expedited delivery market. The express carrier this month began rolling out seven regional...

'A lot of corn': shippers fear higher rail rates when big grain harvest hits railroads laboring under fall peak capacity demand.(Rail & Intermodal)
September 27, 2004... The next challenge for the railroads will be their ability to handle a record grain crop without sacrificing service already pushed to the limits by the strongest demand for intermodal capacity in a decade. Based on the U.S. Department of...

Rail's taxing forecast: freight study says government incentives can help push more freight off the highways and onto rails.(Rail & Intermodal)
September 27, 2004... Railroads are pushing for government support to help them pull more freight through the capacity crunch expected within the next 20 years. An Association of American Railroads-financed study of 49 major cities concluded that if 25 percent...

Charging hard at port: California intermodal drivers battle uphill for relief from charges levied at terminals.(Rail & Intermodal)
September 27, 2004... Intermodal truckers in California have only faint hopes that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will sign a bill this week that could save them millions of dollars in charges imposed by port terminal operators. Prospects for the measure,...

Bad, and getting worse: widespread dissatisfaction found among truckers over Los Angeles-Long Beach terminal operations.(Maritime)
September 27, 2004... John Drewes, president of Devine Intermodal, says the backups in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach remind him of the harbor after West Coast ports were shut down for more than 10 days during the waterfront contract negotiations of 2002....

Savannah adds gate: expanded interchange to speed truck traffic, improve container management at Georgia port.(Maritime)(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... A new gate complex at the Port of Savannah opened to truck traffic Sept. 9. The Georgia Ports Authority said the improved Gate 3 interchange will increase total gate capacity at the port by more than 50 percent. "This project will not...

The National Transportation Safety Board.(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... The National Transportation Safety Board wants the Coast Guard to study special alert systems on barges following an investigation that showed a 2002 accident, in which a barge rammed and collapsed a part of a bridge, happened when the...

The Port of Houston Authority.(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... The Port of Houston Authority will receive $1.5 million from the Department of Homeland Security to strengthen security systems, far less than the $18.7 million in port security funding it requested. The port security grant will be used to...

The Alabama State Port Authority and five associations representing the navigable river systems in Alabama and surrounding states formed the Coalition of Alabama Waterway Associations to promote port and inland waterways projects.(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... The Alabama State Port Authority and five associations representing the navigable river systems in Alabama and surrounding states formed the Coalition of Alabama Waterway Associations to promote port and inland waterways projects. The...

KLLM Transport Services.(People Watch)(appointments)(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... KLLM Transport Services appointed Jack Liles chairman of the board. Liles joined KLLM in 1974 and served in a variety of senior management positions, including president and CEO, and vice president of sales and marketing. K. William Grothe...

TNT Logistics North America.(People Watch)(Stan Czeczotka appointed )(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... TNT Logistics North America appointed Stan Czeczotka manager of business development. Czeczotka, a 15-year veteran of engineering, program management and operations management, will be responsible for business development for logistics...

RUAN Transportation Management Systems.(People Watch)(appointments)(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... RUAN Transportation Management Systems named Joe Monroe vice president of sales, responsible for growth and development of logistics supply chain business in its southeastern region, including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina,...

Institute for Supply Management.(People Watch)(appointments at Logistics and Transportation Group )(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... The Institute for Supply Management announced the new elected officers of its Logistics and Transportation Group led by chair. Gregory E. Bunn, senior commodity manager for KeyMRO of America; first vice chair, Michael A. Regan, chief...

C&S Wholesale Grocers.(People Watch)(appointments)(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... C&S Wholesale Grocers appointed Richard Burgess senior vice president of human resources. For the past eight years Burgess served as vice president of human resources and information technology at Tower Automotive. Before that he held...

DHL.(People Watch)(Karen M. Jones appointed at DHL Americas)(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... DHL appointed Karen M. Jones, a veteran expert in branding in the computer and technology field, to vice president of advertising, brand and promotion for DHL Americas. She had been at Hewlett Packard for the last 15 years, most recently as...

VeriFone.(People Watch)(Kevin Barry appointed )(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... VeriFone, a payment technology provider, appointed Kevin Barry vice president of global supply chain management. Barry was with Solectron, an electronic manufacturing services provider, where he held senior supply management positions.

TNT Logistics North America hired David Neumann as solutions development manager.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... TNT Logistics North America hired David Neumann as solutions development manager. He will head new project development in the company's aerospace business sector. Neumann has worked in transport and logistics for 25 years, most recently as...

Samuel Shapiro and Co.(People Watch)(MOL Logistics)(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... Samuel Shapiro and Co., Baltimore, named Nicholas J. Pappas director of regional sales. A 20-year industry veteran, Pappas most recently held a management position at MOL Logistics.

DXP Enterprises.(People Watch)(Safety-Kleen)(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... DXP Enterprises appointed Vincent Esposito vice president of supply chain management. Esposito has more than 25 years' experience in supply chain management. He previously served as director of distribution for Safety-Kleen.

First Fleet.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... First Fleet, a national provider of asset management, financial and operational support to the trucking and transportation industry, hired David Cardew for the new post of vice president, syndications. He had been with GATX for 15 years, most...

Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees.(People Watch)(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees elected Freddie N. Simpson, president and Perry K. Geller. Sr., as secretary-treasurer of the association.

Calendar.(Calendar)
September 27, 2004... SEPTEMBER 26-29. 4th Annual Global Client Forum (SSA Global), Philadelphia. (312) 474-7262 or www.ssaglobal.com/gcf2004/ 26-30. 93rd Annual Convention of the American Association of Port Authorities, Long Beach, Calif. (818) 712-0545...

Logistics seminars and courses.(Calendar)
September 27, 2004... SEPTEMBER 7-Dec. 4. Global Logistics Specialist, Module Two, Transportation/Logistics Management, (13-evenings and 3-Saturdays) (California State University), Long Beach, Calif. (562) 296-1170 or kphipps@uces.csulb.edu, 15-Oct. 27....

DOE diesel price index.(Update)(Department of Energy)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
September 27, 2004... (price per gallon) [GRAPHIC OMITTED] Source: U.S. Department of Energy National & Regional Averages: Sept. 20 United States $1.912 East Coast $1.905 Midwest $1.882 Gulf Coast $1.868 Rocky...

2003 vs. 2004 shipping costs.(Update)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
September 27, 2004... 2003 vs. 2004 Shipping Costs Average shipping prices between selected cities for class 100 1,000-lb. shipments (excluding fuel surcharges) 2003 2004 Maritetta, Ga.--Ft. Myers, Fla....

'Setoff' against freight charges.(Q & A)
September 27, 2004... Q: I just read an article in which you advised an unsatisfied claimant to "simply set off the claims against future freight charges you owe the carrier." I thought you couldn't do that unless the carrier files bankruptcy. Is this legal?...

Extreme.(The Back Page)(Television programs)(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... ABF Freight System, the Arkansas-based LTL giant, is a partner in the ABC TV series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, It's a home improvement series taking off on the Extreme Makeover show in which people are given new looks. ABF is providing...

Turnaround.(HCL Infosystems Ltd. recruiting for call center)(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... In a new offshoring twist, an Indian IT company is creating 250 call center jobs in Belfast, Northern Ireland. HCL will offer higher priced "value-added services" from Belfast. Hey, it's only a short hop from Northern Ireland to North...

Given.(The Back Page)(Truck)(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... Truck driver Steve Hester won a new Freightliner Century show truck from FFE Transportation Services at the company's Truck Give-A-Way program. We were wishing they had pulled an Oprah and given a truck to each contestant. Hester was...

Big ticket.(speeding ticket)(Brief Article)
September 27, 2004... A motorcyclist in Wabasha, Minn., is the proud owner of what appears to be the fastest speeding ticket the state has written. The driver was cited for going 140 miles per hour over the posted speed limit, which was 65 mph. That means he was...

Insecure priorities.(Editorial)
September 20, 2004... The Department of Homeland Security doled out an impressive $49.4 million in grants this month to help secure the nation's ports and that means the department has given a whopping $563 million as a barrier to global terrorism. Those...

Pushing through peak: as freight begins to stack up at West Coast ports, railroads claim they have the muscle to handle it.(Cover Story)
September 20, 2004... Shippers now have some firsthand knowledge of how crowded and bottled up their space-hungry traffic is during one of the most difficult peak shipping seasons in recent memory. As freight shipments stood by and stacked up at choke points...

Highway spending pothole: new user fees, tolls are needed to keep highway trust fund solvent, government, industry officials say.(Washington)
September 20, 2004... Whether Congress passes a new highway bill this year or simply extends the existing one, the highway trust fund that is supposed to pay for all that road construction and maintenance needs a complete overhaul, government and industry...

Brock Adams, former DOT secretary, dies.(Washington)(Obituary)
September 20, 2004... Brock Adams, who helped create some of the familiar mainstays of modern transportation and led the Department of Transportation during the birth of economic deregulation even as he fought for greater safety-related oversight of transport,...

Cost of freshness: perishables shippers see stung by fuel costs; combat hikes with customer, carrier cooperation.(Logistics & Technology)
September 20, 2004... Perishables shippers live on the sharp edge of logistics. Whether they're shipping pharmaceuticals or food, a delay of only a few hours can turn a valuable shipment into a truckload of very expensive trash. Rising fuel costs and tight...

Kuehne & Nagel buys Grifcold.(Logistics & Technology)(Brief Article)
September 20, 2004... In a bid to boost its global perishables business, Kuehne & Nagel acquired Canada's Grifcold. "It is our objective, to achieve a leadership position in the field of global reefer transportation," said Reinhard Lange, COO of sea and air...

IBM aims at logistics: buy of Maersk Data is part of IBM growth strategy to enhance transport, logistics consulting services.(International Business Machines Corp.)
September 20, 2004... With its purchase of Maersk Data from A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, IBM signaled that enhancing its transportation and logistics consulting service is still a key part of the company's future growth strategy. In addition to Maersk Data, IBM...

ERP battle resumes: federal judge oks Oracle pursuit of PeopleSoft; uncertainty could affect shipper software strategies.(Logistics & Technology)(Enterprise Resource Planning)(Vaughn Walker)(Brief Article)
September 20, 2004... Enterprise resource planning software provider Oracle has been given the green light to purchase competitor PeopleSoft by a federal judge who recently ruled that Oracle's $7.7 billion oilier for PeopleSoft was not anticompetitive. The...

TDS eyes growth after sale: investment firm acquires logistics provider, enters global automotive logistics market.(Logistics & Technology)
September 20, 2004... While the rest of the logistics world believes bigger is better, tire leadership at TDS Logistics says moving outside a multinational's umbrella will give the company room to grow. EGL Eagle Global Logistics sold its stake in TDS...

Stevens Transport.(Brief Article)
September 20, 2004... Stevens Transport is using Maptuit's FleetNav Alert software to manage its fleet. The system automatically notifies managers if a driver is off route, the driver's location and how far off route the driver is, said Randy Barnett, project...

Supply chain software.(Manhattan Associates)(Brief Article)
September 20, 2004... Supply chain software provider Manhattan Associates donated $10,000 on behalf of TNT Logistics to the United Nations World Food Program. The money will support the WFP's Global School Feeding Campaign.

Wireless Facilities.(Brief Article)
September 20, 2004... Wireless Facilities, a San Diego, Calif.-based wireless communication networks and security systems provider, acquired Defense Systems of Manassas, Va. DSI provides information technology and logistics automation services to the federal...