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4.7.09

TRUCKERS' PROTEST * Dominicana Rep. - Protesting confiscations, truckers shutter major Dominican ports

“Abuse"... The trucks were retained in West Haina Port by DGA agents

Santo Domingo,Dominican Rep. -Dominican Today -3 July 2009: -- The truckers’ union Fenatrado Thursday afternoon halted transport in five of the country’s ports, to protest the Customs Agency’s (DGA) confiscation of four of its trucks... The trucks were retained in West Haina Port after DGA agents found a load of coal which hadn’t paid the import taxes... The stoppage, staged from 1 p.m. till after 5 p.m., affected the East Haina, Haina Occidental, San Pedro, Puerto Plata and Caucedo ports... The truckers lifted the blockade after Dominican Port Authority director Sigfrido Pared ordered the release of the trucks, but after leaving the coal in a Customs warehouse... Said Fenatrado president Blas Peralta, this action is common in the country’s ports, as Customs, instead of penalizing the companies which own the freight reacts against truck drivers. “When a businessman doesn’t pay the taxes then they want us to pay.”... (Photo elnuevodiario.com.do: The truckers parked their rigs)

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posted by truckbus @ 7:51 AM  0 comments links to this post

TRUCKMAKERS' NEWS * Europe

* Germany - MAN Chief Is ‘Positive’ on Growth as Truck Market Bottoms Out

Munich,Germany -Bloomberg, by Aaron Kirchfeld & Andreas Cremer -July 3, 2009: -- MAN SE’s truckmaking business, Europe’s third-biggest, probably broke even in the second quarter as the market for commercial vehicles showed signs of recovery, Chief Executive Officer Hakan Samuelsson said... “We have reached the bottom” of the recession’s effects on truck sales, Samuelsson said in an interview in Berlin. “We are quite sure and positive on long-time transport demand”... The truckmaking division’s second-quarter earnings will about match the break-even result of the first three months of the year, Samuelsson said, reiterating earlier comments. Munich-based MAN’s diesel-engine and turbine units are likely to report a “good year,” he said... (Photo from cache.daylife)


* Germany - Truckmaker Exports to Stabilize in Second Half, VDA Says

Frankfurt,Germany -Bloomberg, by Cornelius Rahn -July 2 , 2009: -- German truckmakers are facing a “dramatic” market decline, as heavy-vehicle exports dropped 69 percent and slid 33 percent domestically, the country’s main carmakers trade group said... Truck markets abroad are likely to stabilize at a “low level,” Matthias Wissmann, president of the German carmakers association, or VDA, said today at a Frankfurt news conference...


* Turkey - Anadolu Isuzu Will Halt Vehicle Production Citing Lack of Demand

Istanbul,Turkey -Bloomberg, by Seda Sezer -July 3, 2009: -- Anadolu Isuzu Otomotiv Sanayi & Ticaret AS, the maker of trucks and buses for Isuzu Motors Ltd., will halt production at its factory in Turkey... Production will be suspended between July 6 and July 20 due to lack of demand, Anadolu said in a filing with the Istanbul Stock Exchange today... (Photo by kurumsalhaberler: Anadolu Isuzu BusWorld)

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posted by truckbus @ 7:41 AM  0 comments links to this post

Trucks Inspection * USA - Trucking Into The Future

Bay St.Louis,MISS,USA -AP/WKRG TV News 5 -2 July 2009: -- A large construction project that's been catching the notice of motorists on Interstate 10 in Hancock County will be a futuristic new truck inspection and weigh station. ... Officials hope it will expedite the flow of giant trucks through South Mississippi and simultaneously ease highway-traffic dangers... The site now holds a new office building for MDOT officials and a tall barn to be used in weighing and inspecting long-distance trucking rigs. The barn includes a pit that MDOT enforcement officers can use to get beneath trucks to conduct brake, undercarriage and other safety inspections, as well as contraband searches... "Trucks will be able to move through the scales quicker," Kelly Castleberry, an engineer for the Mississippi Department of Transportation said...

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posted by truckbus @ 7:12 AM  0 comments links to this post

Freight Costs * Australia - 'Could rise' under truck plan

Darwin,NT,Australia-ABC News -Jul 3, 2009: -- The Australian Trucking Association has welcomed a decision to set up a national trucking regulatory body, but it is concerned it could mean increased freight costs... The Council of Australian Governments yesterday announced it would create a national organisation to regulate heavy vehicle trucks to oversee inspections and take responsibility for registration and safety... The trucking association's Louise Belato says Territory operators will be forced to pass on operational costs to customers . "There are charges that are going to be similar to what other states have currently, what we might see is an increase in charges"...

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posted by truckbus @ 6:58 AM  0 comments links to this post

3.7.09

Passion for old truck * Canada - How the Mack came back

Ontario man with a passion for old trucks spent a decade lovingly restoring a ravaged icon of heavy hauling

Toronto,ONT,CAN -The Globe & Mail, by BOB ENGLISH -July 3, 2009: -- The 1935 Mack BM truck owned by Garry Mack spent its early hard-working years hauling gasoline to Toronto service stations for the British American Oil Co., and was then employed by Canadian Pacific Railways in Western Canada. It was saved from a likely fate on the scrapheap by one truck enthusiast, then reconceived and immaculately reborn in the hands of another... It's always amazed me how the minds of old-vehicle enthusiasts function. It's hard to imagine how their mind's eye can take the reality of something like the derelict old Mack workhorse that was found decaying in a CP warehouse that was being torn down in Calgary and envision it becoming a fully restored reminder of a bygone era... Mack did virtually all the work on the truck himself, with a little help here and there from friends McBride and Milt Fredsburgh. The paint was donated by DuPont, which Mack had spent 35 years working for before retiring seven years ago... As trucks were usually painted in company livery, originality didn't matter and this Mack's colour scheme was chosen to make it unique. Mack says on visits to truck shows he'd overlook the field from a high point and soon determined most were painted red, black, grey or green. "I wanted something that would make it stand out," he says... And the two-tone blue Mack certainly does, but not just for its paint scheme or even Mack's painstaking restoration efforts - its one of only about a dozen survivors of its type and one of only three in Canada... (Pictures by Vob English / Globe & Mail - This 1935 Mack BM, sporting a unique two-tone blue colour scheme, is one of only about a dozen survivors. An Ontario man with a passion for old trucks spent a decade lovingly restoring a ravaged icon of heavy hauling)

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posted by truckbus @ 11:26 AM  0 comments links to this post

TECHNO-NEWS * UK - TruScene updates accident prevention camera

Vehicle Camera System designed to help prove liability in the event of an accident

London,UK -Logistics Manager -3 July 2009: -- TruScene has launched the next generation of its Vehicle Camera System Limited (VCSL) for commercial vehicles, which is designed to help prove liability in the event of an accident... Ceva Logistics, which trialled the system, achieved a 68 per cent reduction in blameworthy collisions, a 33 per cent reduction in non-blameworthy collisions and got a return on investment within three months... VCSL records the last 25 seconds before an incident and five seconds after on a continuous memory loop, which when subjected to a sufficiently strong impact will automatically save the 30 second of evidence... The camera is attached to the top of a vehicle’s windscreen and is connected to the ignition, but following an incident it can be removed for manual recording of damage outside the vehicle...

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posted by truckbus @ 10:57 AM  0 comments links to this post

TRUCKING INDUSTRY * UK - Brain brews £12m deal with Tradeteam

Cardiff,Wales,UK -Logistics Manager -2 July 2009: -- Welsh Brewer SA Brain and Co has signed an eight-year contract with Tradeteam, worth an estimated £12 million... Under the agreement, Tradeteam will be responsible for delivering products to “on trade” outlets throughout Wales and the South West... Tradeteam, part of DHL, will also be responsible for managing all of SA Brain’s stock levels across the network, dealing directly with the brewer’s suppliers and its Cardiff-based brewery...


* Pall-Ex set to launch in Benelux

Ellistown,Leicestershire,England,UK -Logistics Manager -2 July 2009: -- Pall-Ex is set to expand further into mainland Europe with plans to trade in Benelux... The company is now looking for logistics companies interested in becoming either a principal national partner or network member... Pall-Ex recently launched into the Italian market with Pall-Ex Italia...


* Norfolkline expands chilled trailer fleet

Dover,UK -Norfolkline -3 July 2009: -- Norfolkline is expanding its refrigerated trailer fleet, to support its growing chilled and frozen distribution service, with a number of new trailers from Schmitz Cargobull... The trailers will work out of Norfolkline’s Belfast site and will service several large food retail customers on routes throughout the UK and Ireland... The logistics provider required a trailer design that could increase load capacity while reducing environmental impact...


* HDNL wins Ideal contract

Liverpool,UK -Logistics Manager -3 July 2009: -- Home Delivery Network Limited (HDNL) has won a major delivery contract with home shopping specialist Ideal Shopping Direct, which will see it transport more than a million parcels annually... HDNL will provide a premium carrier service, offering an improved customer experience on their previous three to five-day offering...


* Strong growth at Bibby

Essex,UK -Logistics Manager -3 July 2009: -- Bibby Distribution has reported “strong growth” in its 2008 annual results, with a 3.3 per cent rise in sales and a four per cent increase in operating profit compared to 2007... This puts the company’s average annual growth at 12 per cent per year for the last five years...

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posted by truckbus @ 9:58 AM  0 comments links to this post

16K Fine * USA - Trucker gets socked with

"I never heard of anything so strange"

Chicago,Ill,USA -WLS/TV, by Paul Meincke -July 2, 2009: -- We've all seen them on the roads, big rigs hauling heavy, oversized loads. The operators of those trucks need permits, or they're subject to fines. Just ask truck driver Bill Carlson. He got hit with a fine that'll take your breath away... Truckers pay significant fees for oversize loads. It's a system meant to protect our roads, and if truckers don't have the proper permits, they can get whacked with some pretty significant fines... The fine structure, based largely on truck weight, is complicated stuff. But for Bill Carlson, it went beyond complicated when he got an overweight ticket for $16,965... "What was your reaction when the officer told you how much this ticket was for? Ha, I thought the driver was joking. I never heard of anything so strange," said Bill Carlson, trucking company owner... (See Video)

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posted by truckbus @ 6:43 AM  0 comments links to this post

Truckers Boycott * USA - They say higher tolls may lead to

Montgomery,VA,USA -The Register Herald, by Mannix Porterfield -July 2, 2009: -- Trucking companies locked into contracts that keep them from raising delivery fees might look for alternate routes to avoid higher fares on the West Virginia Turnpike, the president of the West Virginia Motor Truck Association says... Most of the 170 members of the group use the turnpike, and as of Aug. 1, the toll for commercial rigs is jumping from $4.25 per barrier to $6.75, although discounts are allowed with E-Z Pass transponders... In advance of Wednesday’s historic toll increase, talk began to accelerate about the prospects of truckers boycotting the 88-mile road to keep from paying tolls, and the association’s president, Janet Vineyard, agreed that was a strong prospect... (Photo from gribblenation: toi-64-77, by the West Virginia Turnpike)

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posted by truckbus @ 6:26 AM  0 comments links to this post

TRUCKERS' STRIKE * Pakistan - Transporters threaten strike against POL price hike

Lahore,Pakistan -The News, by Jawwad Rizvi -July 3, 2009: -- Following the recent hike in prices of petroleum products transporters have decided to go on strike from July 08 if the government does not withdraw increase in diesel and petrol prices while the truck drivers have endorsed the transporters and also announced full support... The Pakistan Goods Transporters Association and All Pakistan Truck Drivers Union called a meeting to evolve a strategy and ask the government to withdraw decision of increase in petroleum products prices... It was decided in the meeting that both the transporters and truck drivers will observe a token strike on July 04 in Lahore and if the government will not bring down prices then countrywide strike would be observed from July 08 for indefinite period... (Photo from wikimedia.org: Traditional Pakistani truck)

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posted by truckbus @ 5:57 AM  0 comments links to this post

Fatality Rate * USA - Truck-Involved ones, Declines 12 Percent in 2008

Arlington,VA,USA -PRNewswire/USNewswire -July 2, 2009: -- Figures released today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicate that the truck-involved fatality rate in 2008 declined 12 percent, dropping from 4,822 in 2007 to 4,229... Bill Graves, President and CEO of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) said, "The trucking industry remains committed to safety and ATA will continue to advance its aggressive safety agenda in an effort to further this outstanding trend"... In addition to a 12 percent reduction in crash fatalities involving large trucks, the number of truck occupant deaths decreased 16 percent in 2008, from 805 in 2007 to 677. The overall number of people killed in motor vehicle crashes in the United States decreased 9.7 percent from 41,259 in 2007 to 37,261 in 2008, the lowest level since 1961... Programs dedicated to increasing the use of safety belts, coupled with new hours-of-service regulations, which took effect in 2005, have greatly improved highway safety. The truck-involved fatality rate is now at its lowest since the U.S. Department of Transportation began keeping those statistics in 1975...

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posted by truckbus @ 5:40 AM  0 comments links to this post

TRUCKING INDUSTRY * USA

* MG Trucklines add GPS Tracking to Fleet

St. George,UT,USA -PRWEB -July 1, 2009 -- MG Trucklines, a division of Miller Gordon, LLC, announced Wednesday that the entire fleet of trucks has been updated to provide on board communications and tracking for its entire fleet... The company has been known to implement technology to improve service to customers worldwide... The upgrade to GPS tracking and onboard communications is just the beginning of MG Trucklines' enhancement plans. The company announced that it plans to provide web access to all customer shipments by this fall, enhancing communications even further...


* Amerijet buys majority stake in Nations Express trucking company

Fort Lauderdale,FL,USA -The Sun-Sentinel, by Doreen Hemlock -July 2, 2009: -- Cargo airline Amerijet International said it bought a majority stake in trucker Nations Express of Charlotte, N.C., to expand its logistics network... Nations Express operates a fleet of about 200 trucks in a charter service across the United States...


* Allied Systems Holdings Inc. laying off truck drivers

Flint Township,Mich,USA -Truck Drivers News —2 July 2009: -- A Georgia-based company that hauls medium-duty trucks built at a doomed General Motors Corp. plant is laying off 115 to 120 workers... Most of those Allied Systems Holdings Inc. is laying off are drivers. Secretary-Treasurer, Fred Ortiz of Teamsters Local says the company is laying off about 10 others... Ortiz tells The Flint Journal the drivers are owner-operators who have invested as much as $150,000 in their vehicles... Allied Systems is based in Atlanta. Its Flint-area operations are in Genesee County’s Flint Township...

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ELECTRIC TRUCKMAKER * USA - ZAP Expands Fleet Shipments

Initial Deliveries of Its Unique Zaptruck XL/Payload Shell

Santa Rosa,CAL,USA -Marketwire/PR-inside-2 July 2009: -- Electric vehicle pioneer ZAP announced today they have shipped a fleet of their Zaptruck XLs, a versatile 100% plug-in electric LSV, equipped with a Payload drop-in shell to Bexar County, San Antonio, Texas... The vehicles will be used by a variety of county departments as they expand their "green initiative"... Each truck is equipped with one of ZAP's newest options -- the versatile Payload shell providing a weatherproof, fully enclosed and lockable storage compartment... (Photo from zapworld: xl model with bed assist custom)

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TRUCKMAKERS' NEWS * WORLDWIDE

* Sweden - Volvo tackles long-haul truck piracy

Stockholm,Sweden -Logistics Manager (London,UK) -1 July 2009: -- Volvo Trucks has launched a security service system in a move to curb theft to long-haul trucks in Europe, which has been escalating over the past decade... Volvo teamed up with Securitas Security Services to develop the service, which acts as a supplement to the Dynafleet transport information system in Europe... It is designed to safeguard goods, featuring an alarm button which drivers can activate if in trouble, to alert the police or Securitas personnel... The truck manufacturer is now developing a lockable fifth wheel whic h can be remotely controlled, to prevent trailers from being separated from the truck and disappearing... The next stage in the security system provides protection from theft of the whole rig. With the help of a manual alarm, or a system that triggers an alert as soon as the truck passes a predetermined geographic perimeter, it will be possible to either prevent the truck from starting (via remote control) or gradually restrict its speed until it comes to a complete halt...


* Sweden - Volvo to invest £15.7m in fuel cells

Gothenburg,Sweden -Logistics Manager -3 July 2009: -- Volvo Group, in partnership with international organisations Midroc and OCAS and the Swedish Energy Agency, is investing £15.7 million in the development of fuel cell technology... A fuel cell resembles a small battery. It is charged with hydrogen gas and converts this into electricity, water and carbon dioxide through a chemical reaction. The areas of use can be power supply units for households, trucks, boats, radio masts in remote locations and electric hybrid vehicles... Compared with normal diesel or gas-powered engines, fuel cells produce significantly less carbon dioxide and no emissions at all of particulates and nitrogen oxides. In addition, they are more efficient, smaller and lighter... The fuel converter produces hydrogen gas from bio fuels such as ethanol, DME (Dimethyl ether), biogas, methanol and biodiesel, but also from regular diesel or gasoline. The PEM fuel cell then converts the hydrogen gas into electricity...


* USA - Volvo Trucks takes 2010 message on the road

Greensboro,N.C.,USA -Truck News (Canada) -30 June 2009: -- Volvo continues to get a good jump on 2010 and is now taking its EPA2010-compliant trucks on the road to visit customers at dealers across North America... The company is touting its selective catalytic reduction (SCR) solution, which allows the diesel particulate filter (DPF) to regenerate passively 100% of the time in on-highway applications. Therefore, Volvo is dubbing its road show the ‘No Regen Engine Tour' ... More than 1,000 customers have already seen Volvo’s EPA2010 solution in person, the truck maker says, through 26 such events. But it will be touring Canadian and US dealerships to further spread the word... (Image from aeolus-online: Selective Catalytic Reduction -SCR)


* Canada - Navistar's Chatham truck plant closed indefinitely

Windsor,Ont,CAN -Canwest News Service/Financial Post, by Ellen Van Wageningen -July 2, 2009: -- Navistar International Corp.'s Chatham, Ont., truck plant is shut down indefinitely and contentious talks between the company and union over dramatic staff cuts are on hold for at least two weeks... The remaining 370 workers at the Chatham plant, which received $63-million in government aid in 2003, were laid off Tuesday and contract talks with the Canadian Auto Workers have broken off. Whether they will return to work after a regular two-week summer shutdown depends on what happens at the bargaining table, Navistar spokesman, Roy Wiley, said Thursday...


EVENT * UK - Fleet Van Awards 2009

London,UK -Fleet News -3 July 2009: -- Entries are now open for the 2009 Fleet Van Awards as part of the annual search to find the best fleet managers, service companies and manufacturers in the industry... The hunt is now on for the winners in 24 categories ranging from the best fleet managers in a range of industry categories to Britain’s greenest van fleet manager... The environment will also be a key factor in the awards for the best vans on the market, with a new award for Best Green Van, alongside traditional categories covering the key weight ranges in the sector... Fleet Van will also be searching for worthy winners of its headline awards, covering Van Fleet of the Year, Van Fleet Service Company of the Year, Van of the Year and Van Manufacturer of the Year. Fleet Van will also be announcing the winner of the prestigious Editor’s Award... Full details of the entry criteria for each award are available on the dedicated event website, which can be found at www.fleetvanevent.com...

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2.7.09

Stability Control * Australia - To be mandatory from 2011

Canberra.ACT,Australia -ATN -24 June 2009: -- As part of an ongoing bid to make vehicles safer, the latest amendment to Australian Design Rules will see Electronic Stability Control (ESC) compulsory in new model passenger cars from November 2011... Following on from this is a requirement that all new passenger cars be fitted with ESC from November 2013, regardless of when they were introduced... While the initial regulation covers only passenger vehicles, a spokesman for Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Anthony Albanese, says commercial vehicles will be next in line... (Photo thanks to biglorryblog: ... so you don't end like these guys in Sumatra)

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posted by truckbus @ 11:43 AM  0 comments links to this post

Road User Charge * Australia - Government has it wrong on charges, industry says

Sydney,NSW,AUST -ATN, by Brad Gardner -2 July 2009: -- Opposition continues to grow over the Federal Government’s decision to increase heavy vehicle charges, with claims the process has left businesses in jeopardy... Although saying it supports the 3.2 percent increase in the road user charge from July 1, the Victorian Transport Association (VTA) has criticised the introduction date... Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Anthony Albanese, only gave notice of a 0.7 cent rise in the road user charge on June 26, prompting the VTA to claim businesses cannot pass on costs because the short notice did not give them enough time to factor it into their budgets... (Photo from abc.net.au)

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posted by truckbus @ 10:57 AM  0 comments links to this post

TRUCKING INDUSTRY NEWS * USA - Monson Trucking to close at summer's end

Duluth,MN,USA -The Duluth News Tribune -July 1, 2009: -- The economic downturn, decline of the paper industry and the bankruptcy of two major customers prompted the decision to close the 94-year-old trucking business... Monson Trucking, headquartered in Duluth, is closing its operations on Aug. 31, putting 200 people out of work... Monson said the economic downturn, decline of the paper industry and the bankruptcy of two major customers prompted the decision to close the 94-year-old trucking business... (Photo: Monson Trucking of Duluth will cease operations after Aug. 31, company officials said)


* Landstar Buys Two Supply Chain Companies

Jacksonville,FL,USA -Transport Topics -2 July 2009: -- Landstar System said Thursday it has purchased two Michigan-based supply chain transportation firms that focus on transportation technology systems... Detroit-based Premier Logistics provides freight management services through its proprietary Web-based software... A3 Integration, Ann Arbor, Mich., provides Web-based transportation and supply chain management technologies to optimize the complete order-to-cash process, Landstar said... (Photo by Larry Smith/Trans Pixs)


* NAFTA Surface Trade Declines Again

Washington,DC,USA -Transport Topics -1 July 2009: -- Surface transportation trade among the United States, Canada and Mexico fell 33.1% in April from a year earlier, the Department of Transportation said Wednesday... The downturn was the fourth consecutive year-over-year monthly decline of at least 27% between the North American Free Trade Agreement partners... Month-to-month, trade fell 2.6% in April from March, DOT’s Bureau of Trade Statistics said in its monthly report...

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posted by truckbus @ 10:36 AM  0 comments links to this post

Traffic Jam * USA - Seeking an End to the Era

IBM Long Island executive, James Houlihan, writes that Long Islanders are resigned to traffic jams ...

New York,NY,USA -Newsday, by James Houlihan -18 June 2009: -- ... This is a mistake, considering the vast sums of money traffic adds up to in lost revenue and increased operating costs for businesses, as indicated in one report... He points to the intersection of digital and physical infrastructures as a critical step toward solving the traffic crisis... Houlihan notes that Singaporean highway officials gather traffic data from global positioning system devices in taxis and from tiny sensors incorporated in the roadway, and use this data to anticipate traffic jams and reroute the flow of vehicles. Meanwhile, city planners in Kyoto simulate large-scale traffic scenarios and analyze their impact, and the system can optimize traffic signals to reduce jams and more accurately predict how community traffic will be affected by a new shopping mall or traffic regulation. Houlihan mentions Long Island's INFORM highway traffic monitoring system, which supplies motorists on major roads information about current traffic conditions. "INFORM could serve as the foundation of a system with true predictive capabilities--one that enables authorities to notify drivers in advance of likely tie-ups," he writes. "The system could even suggest alternate routes tailored to individual drivers"... (Photo from dreamstime: Traffic jam in Los Angeles)


* Reducing Congestion by Building Up

New York,NY,USA -The New York Times -8 June 2009: -- Most crowded U.S. urban centers still have congested roads, even with other modes of transportation available, and encouraging ideas like bicycles can sometimes exacerbate conditions by reducing existing lanes, according to a commentary from Rafael Viñoly Architects... The firm recommends building upward with an electric pod-car concept, complete with elevated track and designated stations for the one- or two-person electric vehicles. "A system of loops throughout the city serves zones where traffic density is highest," the firm writes. "The total number of passengers carried by all modes of transportation, including the subway, thus increases by approximately 18 percent; carbon emissions decrease by as much as 30 percent." (Auto Image: 1. G.P.S. audio navigational system. 2. Portal for electricity, provided by elevated track)...In addition, the elevated track, which they call the Upway, can also carry public utilities such as streetlights, telecommunication, and air filters, while providing passengers with unique city views...

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posted by truckbus @ 9:55 AM  0 comments links to this post

Stimulus Funds * USA - Only Spent One Percent of Transportation ones

Washington,DC,USA -Reuters, by Lisa Lambert -17 June 2009: -- The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) reports that only about 1 percent of the $15 billion transportation stimulus money has been spent so far, but the industry says this is not an indication of a slowdown... Associated General Contractors of America spokesman, Brian Turmail says, "The federal funds don't go out until, literally, the states hand in the receipts for the project at the time it's done, or at least an identified phase of the project is done. It's a better measure of projects completed, or phases of projects completed ... than of work under way currently."... Meanwhile, President Obama has promised to speed up the flow of money from the stimulus to state governments, although making this happen will depend largely on the states... (Photo from brownstoner: Forest City Ratner's Atlantic Yards Project, without stimulus funds)


* Federal Rules Snarl Stimulus Bids

Denver,CO,USA -The Denver Post, by Miles Moffeit -21 June 2009: -- Federal rules are complicating some states' efforts to spend stimulus money on infrastructure efforts by causing them to speed up their award processes so they can come in under stimulus deadlines... One example is a repaving project on U.S. 24 and U.S. 285 near Buena Vista, Colo., which increased nearly 50 percent in cost after low bidder Asphalt Paving Co. was awarded the project. The cost savings from Asphalt Paving's low-price quote was used by state highway engineers to pay the company to pave an additional four miles without putting it out to bid, leading critics to charge that it is not in line with the spirit of competitive bidding. State Department of Transportation officials had been seeking to put as much work as possible up for competitive bid in recent years in an effort to drive down costs, but this and other projects show how this sort of extended management process can clash with the federal stimulus rules requiring fast job creation... (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/Denver Post - Colorado Department of Transportation workers began work on resurfacing West Belleview Avenue soon after federal stimulus funds were available)

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posted by truckbus @ 9:26 AM  0 comments links to this post

Tribute * To America's Truckers



USA -Video from YouTube, by micurts -10 Oct 2007: Artist Rob Anthony wrote this tribute to America's truck drivers...

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posted by truckbus @ 5:37 AM  0 comments links to this post

Report * USA - Vehicle demand stabilizing

Nashville,IN,USA -eTrucker -30 June 2009: -- Orders for heavy-duty commercial vehicles are coming in as anticipated, according to the latest edition of FTR Associates’ North American Commercial Truck & Trailer Outlook... As a result, FTR’s forecast for 2009 calling for a decline of almost 47 percent in Class 8 truck production remains unchanged. The firm calls for a slow recovery to begin in 2010 that will regain some of the ground lost this year, but that 2010 production is still anticipated to be about 30 percent below 2008 levels...

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posted by truckbus @ 5:31 AM  0 comments links to this post

INFRASTRUCTURES * USA - Rough roads major factor in deaths

Road conditions play a pivotal role in highway deaths and accidents...

Calverton,MD,USA -eTrucker, by Todd Dills -1 July 2009: -- ... according to a study conducted by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation on behalf of the Transportation Construction Coalition... Roadway condition is a contributing factor in more than half of the 42,000 deaths that occur yearly on U.S. roadways, the study concludes, and the costs associated with roadway-condition-enabled crashes exceed $217 billion yearly... “On a Crash Course: The Dangers and Health Costs of Deficient Roadways” – full report available here – analyzes data from, among other sources, the Large Truck Crash Causation Study conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration earlier this decade. (A different study concluded that, among crashes reported in those data, 20 percent of large truck accidents were caused by road conditions)...(Photo from comps.fotosearch: usa nevada gerlach)

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posted by truckbus @ 5:17 AM  0 comments links to this post

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards * USA - EPA OKs stricter Calif. vehicle emissions

Washington,DC,USA -eTrucker -1 July 2009: -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced yesterday, June 30, it is granting California’s waiver request enabling the state to enforce its stricter greenhouse gas emissions standards for new motor vehicles, beginning with the current model year... As part of the decision, the federal government agreed to adopt California's standards as its own, and the state agreed not to toughen its standards before 2017...

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posted by truckbus @ 5:12 AM  0 comments links to this post

OPINION Consultant * USA - Overcapacity hurts trucking

The declining overall economy and freight demand both are starting to find a bottom, but overcapacity remains a major concern

Birmingham,Ala.,USA -eTrucker, by Dean Smallwood -1 July 2009: - ... Freight may be the backbone of the trucking industry, but with industrial production at its worst since the first quarter of 1975 and other significant continuing issues – including demand and overcapacity – trucking is experiencing its worst environment since the 1980s, Eric Starks, president of FTR Associates said. Many economic indicators – including the ISM Manufacturing Index, the Chicago Fed National Activity Index, employment figures, the Consumer Price Index, durable goods orders, retail sales, inventory levels and housing starts – reveal mixed signals and are near historic lows, but some of these indicate stability and the possibility of improvement in the next few business quarters, he said... Credit is available, but banks are reluctant to lend to trucking, Starks said. Another phenomenon contributing to overcapacity is what Starks called “zombie truckers” – fleets kept alive by banks that would rather keep them afloat instead of repossessing their equipment. Regarding the used market, many companies are upside down on their trucks, and replacement cycles have been extended because of better equipment and fewer miles being put on it, which Starks said will lead to no measureable prebuy of less-expensive equipment prior to Jan. 1, 2010, when tighter emissions regulations mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency go into effect...

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Speed Limit * USA - Trucks get even speed with cars in new interstate sl change

Stark County,OH,USA -CantonRep, by Lori Monsewicz -July 1, 2009: -- Trucks no longer have to go 10 mph slower than other vehicles on I-77 and other Ohio interstates... A change in the law Wednesday prompted the Ohio Department of Transportation to remove eight truck speed limit signs along the Stark County sections of the interstate... The speed limit for trucks moving through the city of Canton on the interstate remained unchanged...

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TRUCKMAKERS' NEWS * WORLDWIDE

* UK - First new Iveco’s delivered to ALC in UK’s largest ever Trakker deal

London,UK -Your Defence News -Jun 29, 2009: -- Iveco Defence Vehicles has delivered the first specialist 6x6 Trakkers to ALC, an equal partnership created between Amey and VT Land to provide the Ministry of Defence (MoD) with its ‘C’ vehicle fleet, covering its civil engineering and rough terrain mechanical handling capability... The delivery follows the signing of a significant contract with Iveco in November 2008 to supply 206 off-road Trakker chassis and marks the single largest Trakker order ever placed in the UK... It will see the 6x6 heavy trucks fitted with a range of different bodywork to support the ‘C’ vehicle fleet, which comprises all earthmoving plant, Engineer Construction Plant and field Mechanical Handling Equipment in use by the Armed Forces... The first thirty three vehicles supplied will all be Truck Mounted Loader (TML) variants, featuring a Terex rear-mounted lifting arm and Mackworth flatbed body fitted with twist locks to accept 20ft. ISO containers... (Picture from roadtransport/big-lorry-blog: Iveco Military Vehicles)


* Italy - More power and cleaner exhausts for Iveco

Turin,Italy -ATN (Australia) -3 July 2009: -- In the face of ever tougher exhaust emission regulations, Iveco has updated its European Daily light commercial range with upgraded power and torque ratings, as well as offering improved compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric motor versions... With a minimum of Euro 4 compliance, as well as Euro 5 and enhanced envirionmentally friendly vehicles (EEV) compliance on specific models, the base 2.3-litre engine now offers between 71kW and 100kw of power and 240Nm and 320Nm of torque while the larger 3.0-litre V6 engine offers between 107kW and 125kW, with torque outputs between 350Nm and 400Nm... (Photo from iveco: Iveco's Daily Best Light Truck)


* Australia - Hino dealers in court for 'price fixing' on trucks


Brisbane,QLD,Australia -ATN -2 July 2009: -- The competition watchdog is taking two Queensland truck dealers to court for alleged price fixing and market sharing of Hino vehicles... The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has begun civil proceedings in the Brisbane Federal Court against Vanderfield, Sci-Fleet Motors and three individuals for fixing prices and sharing information on truck sales... Vanderfield sells Hino trucks in Toowoomba and the Gold Coast and Sci-Fleet sells Hino trucks in Brisbane... The ACCC alleges that between about February 2005 and September 2006 Vanderfield, through its then sales managers Bavin Cherry and John McGuinn, and Sci-Fleet, through a sales manager Ross Goodwin, made and gave effect to anti-competitive agreements in relation to the sale of light and medium trucks, in contravention of section 45 of the Trade Practices Act 1974... The ACCC is seeking court orders including declarations, injunctions and pecuniary penalties against the two companies and the three individuals... (Picture from national-heavyind: toyota and hino)

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TRUCKING INDUSTRY NEWS * UK - EVENT: Truckfest celebrates 20 years in Scotland

Ingliston,Scotland,UK -Easier Motoring -30 June 2009: -- Undoubtedly the largest festival of its kind in Europe, Truckfest celebrates its 20th anniversary when it opens its doors at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd August 2009... Whether you are involved in the trucking industry or not, see all that is new, exciting and important within the road haulage industry while enjoying stunning family entertainment and celebrity guest appearances in the live arena... Featuring over 500 trucks of all sizes and colours from manufacturers such as Iveco and Mercedes Benz, Truckfest is more than a commercial vehicle exhibition with its monster trucks, stunt drivers, TV stars, and much more... (Picture: Truckfest)


* JB Kind uses new Renault fleet to promote rainforest cause

Swadlincote,Derbyshire,UK -Easier -1 July 2009: -- Independent high quality door distributor, JB Kind, has taken delivery of three new Renault Midlum 220.14 trucks with Hatcher semi sky cabs; one Renault Midlum 7.5 tonne truck and a Renault Premium 280.18... The trucks are replacement vehicles on a 13-strong mixed fleet, nine of which are now Renaults less than 18 months old... The vehicles will be used for multi-drop deliveries from the company’s three depots in Swadlincote, Leeds and Bristol, to a mixture of merchant, retail and on-site locations nationwide... (Photo: JB Kind's Renault Fleet)


* Lloyds Transport won over by Renault Trucks

Tipton,West Midlands,UK -Easier -26 June 2009: -- Freight logistics company, Lloyds Transport, has taken delivery of 10 new Renault Premium 450.25 tractor units, through Renault Trucks Midlands. The 6x2, Euro 5 trucks join a 35-strong mixed fleet, following company trials of all major manufacturers... The vehicles will undertake dedicated haulage for a number of clients, which includes FMCG, food, drink and steel products, nationwide... (Picture: Lloyds Transport's Renault Premium Trucks)


* Continental European Technology Truck arrives in the UK

Crewe,Cheshire,UK -Easier -26 June 2009: -- An impressive purpose-designed technology truck arrived in Crewe this month for the latest stage of its 2009 European tour. The Continental truck launched the new second generation regional and long distance tyres to the UK market... Over 200 commercial tyre dealers, ContiNetwork partners and fleet operators attended the truck tour event during its stay in Crewe Hall in Cheshire. It has now headed off on the next leg of its journey to Holland... (Picture: Continental's European Technology Truck)

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1.7.09

Infrastructures * USA - Lawmaker Urges Heavy Users to Pay for

Washington,DC,USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by R.G. Edmonson -Jun 30, 2009: -- Sen. Boxer asks ports, rails, trucks to join in paying for transportation... The heavy users of the transportation system should bear the burden of paying for the infrastructure, according to Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif .... The Obama administration projects that the trust fund will be out of money in August, and Congress is considering ways to replenish the fund. Last September, lawmakers approved an $8 billion shift from the general fund... Last month the administration asked Congress to extend the current highway program for 18 months to allow time to find money to replenish HTF. Boxer and a number of key senators agreed to the plan, but House members led by Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., vowed to keep pushing for a new transportation bill before the current law expires on Sept. 30...

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Prototype * USA - Reefer Container goes into service

Boston,MASS,USA -Trailer Body Builders -July 1, 2009: -- A refrigerated intermodal container that includes a range of electronic monitoring capabilities has been placed in service by SRS Intermodal Leasing LLC... The containers are equipped with a GPS that enables all functions to be monitored remotely—including temperature, refrigeration unit fuel level, and door openings. Four motion-activated cameras, along with interior and exterior microphones, provide added security. Data from the container can be downloaded up to 30 days after being generated, or it can be accessed live via the Internet. An onboard accelerometer detects shifts in cargo, sending an alert if the shift is five degrees or more. If such a shift occurs, the time and location is recorded... (Photo from bergenseatrade.no: Reefer on a truck large)

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Road Accidents * UK - Fatigue related

More than six million British motorists narrowly escaped adding to the thousands of fatigue related road accidents that occur each year, after admitting they'd fallen into a slumber while driving in the last 12 months

London,UK -HGV (Ireland) -1 July 2009: -- The research from Kwik-Fit found that 10% of motorists felt 'drowsy whilst driving' and a further 3% said they'd been on the verge of falling asleep behind the wheel... Sleepiness is proven to reduce the reaction, vigilance, alertness and concentration abilities needed to drive safely. It also impairs the speed at which information is processed and so affects the quality of decision-making. Ultimately it increases your chances of having an accident... Drowsy drivers shouldered most of the responsibility for their tiredness themselves - with 41% blaming the monotony of the journey for their stupor. Indeed according to the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University driver fatigue causes up to 20% of accidents on 'monotonous' roads. A further 39% cited a general 'lack of sleep' and 32% blamed too few breaks on their journey... Worryingly, with a scorching summer now upon us, 15% of drowsy drivers blamed 'stifling in car temperatures' for their fug. This is perhaps not surprising, given that the research also found that 89% of motorists have never had their air conditioning unit recharged. Most manufacturers recommend that - in order to cool the car efficiently - air conditioning units should be recharged every two years... (Images by jedihonor: The long and lonley road. Miles of this stuff...)

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Driver CPC * Europe - New road safety laws for truck drivers

From 10th September 2009, all trucks drivers who drive for a living will be required to have a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC)

Brussels,Belgium -HGV (Ireland) -28 June 2009: -- New EU Regulations to promote road safety for truck drivers will come into force on Thursday 10th September 2009. The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has responsibility for introducing these changes to the way professional drivers of trucks are licensed in Ireland... Any drivers holding a valid full licence in the truck licence category on or before 9th September 2009 are automatically entitled to the new Driver CPC... A driver applying for a truck licence on or after 10th September 2009 will now be required to pass a further theory and practical driving test in addition to the ordinary truck driving test if they wish to become a professional truck driver... All drivers who hold a Driver CPC, whether by sitting the new tests or by acquired rights will be required to complete a 35 hour training programme during the following five years in order to retain the Driver CPC. This will consist of a one-day training programme per year over the five years... (Image from 16seater.co.uk: CPC2)

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Parking in * UK - Truckers face lay-by ban

Irish haulage companies have been advised of a new lay-by ban that is set to come into force in parts of Cumbria

Cumbria,England,UK -HGV (Ireland) -28 June 2009: -- Truck drivers are being banned from parking in lay-bys in parts of Cumbria for more than two hours at a time because of the amount of litter they leave in their slip stream... Cumbria Council Council has confirmed that it is poised to post warning signs around Carlisle on the back of complaints from locals and escalating clean up costs. The ban applies to parts of the A6, A595, A689 and A7... A spokesman said the Council had been coming under increasing pressure to take action against the litter laden truckers. The spokesman also confirmed that the Council had consulted with the Freight Transport Association and the Road Haulage Association... The spokesman warned that drivers who flout the restrictions could face a fine.. (Photo from hankstruckpictures/len rogers: Donnell and Ellis, an Irish heavy haulage company)

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CV registrations * Europe - Continue decline

For the 13th consecutive month, new registrations of commercial vehicles declined in Europe

Brussels,Belgium -HGV (Ireland) -28 June 2009: -- Commercial vehicle registrations in Europe totaled 138,830 units in May a decrease of 39 per cent on the corresponding period in 2008... Five months into 2009, the downturn is 37.6 per cent and affects all countries across all vehicle categories... New heavy truck registrations halved in May compared with the same month last year, with total registrations stalling at 13,342 units... In Western Europe, the downturn ranged from 38.8 per cent in France to 39.9 per cent in Germany, 51.7 per cent in the UK, 55 per cent in Italy and 79.5 per cent in Spain... In the new EU Member States, results dropped even more sharply, by 64.5 per cent in the Czech Republic, 66.2 per cent in Poland and 79.6 per cent in Romania... (Picture by norseman76/photobucket: Heavy haulage trucks fleet)

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CRISIS * UK - Haulage companies owed £720 million

Barclays Bank has reported that small and medium sized road haulage and logistics companies are owed in excess of £720 million

London,UK -HGV (Ireland) -28 June 2009: -- ... The Bank's Late Payments Report established that SME haulage and logistics companies in England and Wales are owed on average almost £3,000 on any given day... These companies have incurred losses of almost £271m over the last 12 months, an average of £1,000 per company... The report also revealed that haulage companies typically have to wait almost a two weeks after the invoice due date before they get paid... (Picture from roadtransport/big-lorry-blog: Collet small)

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Commission's Communication * EU - Transport policy document

Brussels,Belgium -HGV -24 June 2009: -- The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has welcomed the publication of the EU Commission's Communication on "The future of European Transport Policy: towards an integrated, technologically-led and user-friendly transport system", which aims to launch a genuine public debate on the main direction of the European Transport Policy (ETP) for the years 2010-2020... While sharing many of the conclusions of the Commission's analysis, especially on the recognition of transport as an "essential component of the European economy" and its contribution to EU's GDP (7%) and jobs (over 5%), the IRU also welcomes the broad objectives set by the Commission, namely, to "establish a sustainable transport system that meets society's economic, social and environmental needs, and is conducive to an inclusive society and a fully integrated and competitive Europe"... The IRU says that such ambitious objectives, including environmental friendliness or placing users and workers and their needs and rights at the centre of policy making, can only be achieved be developing sound road transport policies supported by a strong business-friendly approach, in terms of legislation, reducing red tape, implementing incentives for introduction of technical innovation and best road transport business practices, to allow the road transport industry to drive a quicker economic recovery... (Picture from roadtransport (UK)/big-lorry-blog)

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"Risk Register" * Ireland - Gardai to target rogue operators

Haulage companies that continually flout the road safety rules, are to be targeted by the Gardai, it has been confirmed

Dublin,Ireland -HGV -22 June 2009: -- ... Speaking last week at a Road Safety Conference in Dublin, Superintendent, Declan O'Brien, of the Garda Traffic Bureau said the checkpoints mounted on main roads at peak times earlier in the year had identified rogue operators who have been placed on what he termed a "risk register"... Several haulage companies had committed multiple road transport offences and would in future be targeted, he said... Under an initiative launched earlier this year, gardaí, members of the RSA, the HSA and Customs officials have been targeting commercial vehicles to ensure compliance... (Picture from heavyhaulageireland)

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Junction Roads * USA - Uncertain future for interchange

Tight, accident-prone turns at the hectic 77 and 85 interchange eyed for redesign

Charlotte,NC,USA -The Charlotte Observer. by Steve Harrison -Jun. 29, 2009: -- It's the busiest interchange in the state. It's also one of the most poorly designed. The junction of Interstate 77 and 85, built in 1976, doesn't have soaring flyover ramps found on more modern interchanges. Instead, it has a number of tight, cloverleaf turns – two of which have proved particularly accident prone... To keep trucks from tipping and to reduce accidents, the N.C. Department of Transportation has tried a number of measures to get people to slow down... It has installed a special warning sign. It installed white-and-yellow plastic markers to designate the boundaries of the ramp. And last year it installed a flashing sign that gives motorists their real-time speed, encouraging them to slow down... The interchange will likely need to be rebuilt in the next 20 or 30 years... Randy Rorie is an instructor at the Charlotte Truck Driving Training School on Hovis Road... He said some inexperienced drivers may tip over or lose loads because they are trying to keep up their speed on the ramp so they can easily merge into traffic... But it's unclear if those fixes will be enough – or if DOT will need to build a new flyover ramp to make the interchange safer... (Photo from the Charlotte Observer, by TODD SUMLIN - The ramps on I-85 to I-77 have long been a problem for truckers. This curved ramp, from northbound 85 onto northbound 77 has been the site of many overturned tractor-trailers over the years. An 18-wheeler hauling cash overturned in July and a Ryder truck overturned there Monday, December 29)

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Carbon Tax * Canada - Unpopular carbon tax jumps July 1


Ver mapa más grandeVictoria,BC,CAN -Today's Trucking -30 June 2009: -- You don't have to ask B.C. truckers, who will see the much reviled provincial carbon tax rise from 2.69 cents a liter to 4.04 cents a liter on diesel fuel on July 1 -- an increase of about $20 million for the trucking industry... The carbon tax is intended to rise annually until 2012, when it will reach a whopping 8.07 cents a liter on top of the provincial sales taxes and federal excise taxes that already exist... The B.C. Trucking Association, which is urging members to explain the increase to shippers and customers, has been lobbying for a freeze on the carbon tax, at least until the regional economy recovers... BCTA argues that carbon tax dollars could more usefully be applied to investing in fuel efficient technology that might help small fleets reduce emissions and fuel usage and save enough money to stay profitable... But so far, though, the government has been resistant to the trucking group's suggestion...

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Tires Makers * USA - CTNA introduces HTL1 wide-base truck tire

Fort Mill,SC,USA -MTD -June 30, 2009: -- Continental Tire North America Inc. (CTNA) has rolled out its HTL1 wide-base medium truck tire for trailer positions... The tire contains 13/21-inch tread depth, which minimizes irregular wear and maximizes fuel efficiency; a six-rib design for even load distribution over the crown of the tire; a decoupler rib for "better irregular wear resistance at the shoulder;" and other features... The HTL1 is available in size 445/50R22.5. It can operate at a maximum load of 10,200 pounds at 120 psi...

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Trucks Stops * USA - Reduce idling to clear the air

$2M grant to help Tennessee meet ozone standards

Nashville,TENN,USA -The Tennessean, by Christina E. Sanchez -July 1, 2009: -- Nashville and three neighboring counties have too much pollution in the air, and the state hopes to make it cleaner by getting truck drivers to turn off their diesel engines... Davidson, Wilson, Sumner and Rutherford counties have failed initial tests to meet federal standards for ozone, a pollutant created when sunlight reacts with vehicle and industrial emissions. Diesel fuel from freight trucks, especially when they are idling, is a contributor to poor air quality... The Tennessee Department of Transportation received a $2 million grant Monday to equip six to 10 truck stops with technology that reduces diesel fuel emissions from trucks by allowing drivers to turn off their engines but stay cool during rests... Long-haul drivers, who are required by law to rest for 10 hours after each 11-hour shift, can pay to plug their trucks into a machine that offers air conditioning, heat, electricity, cable television, phone and Internet access... (Photo from cornerstone-business: Country Express)

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TRUCKMAKERS' NEWS * WORLDWIDE

* USA - Oshkosh Wins Contract for Military Truck

Chicago,Ill,USA -Dow Jones/The Wall Street Journal, by Bob Tita -June 30, 2009: -- The Pentagon on Tuesday awarded a $1.06 billion contract to Oshkosh Corp. to build armored patrol trucks for U.S. troops in Afghanistan... The contract specifies that the Wisconsin-based specialty truck maker produce 2,244 all-terrain trucks... Oshkosh said it will be able to comply with the accelerated production pace requested by the Pentagon to get the trucks into action as quickly as possible... (Photo from armyrecognition: Wheeled armoured m-atv Oshkosh mrap all terrain)


* USA - International Dealer Offers Sessions on EGR for Potential Customers

Memphis,TENN,USA -Transport Topics, by Frederick Kiel -29 June 2009: -- International Truck dealer Diamond Companies Inc. here has embarked on a two-pronged program to educate potential customers about the engine technology Navistar Inc. will offer next year. Diamond plans “lunch and learn” seminars at its dealerships and to take clients to Navistar’s new engine plant in Alabama... Navistar is the only original equipment manufacturer that decided to meet the 2010 federal mandate for drastically lower nitrogen oxide emissions by using only exhaust gas recirculation — updating a technology in use since 2004... All other truck makers will introduce selective catalytic reduction, a system used in Europe and Japan that uses a catalytic converter in the exhaust system to cut NOx... Diamond’s customer program for 2010 engines is similar in concept to those employed by dealers of trucks using SCR...


* Europe - Focus on Compressed Natural Gas

Germany & Italy -HGV (Ireland) 1 July 2009: -- Mercedes- Benz and Iveco are focusing on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) with the imminent release of CNG powered versions of the Sprinter and Daily in the UK later in the summer... The Daily, powered by a 3.0-litre diesel engine, runs on bio-methane while the Sprinter is powered bt a 1.8-litre supercharged petrol unit and will run on bio-methane or gas from the mains supply... Dealers are being urged to watch out for more developments with natural gas in the future...


* Russia - Truck maker Kamaz 2008 profit down 86 pct

Moscow,Rusaia -Reuters/The Guardian (UK) -July 1 2009: -- Russia's largest truck maker, Kamaz, in which Germany's Daimler owns a 10 percent stake, reported on Wednesday a 86 percent slump in 2008 net profit to 1.065 billion roubles ($34.32 million)... The results, to international accounting standards, were affected by a sharp drop in demand for trucks as construction firms and other major consumers cancelled projects or delayed fleet renewal as a result of the global financial crisis... The company said the fourth quarter was particularly tough, with half as many trucks sold as in the same three months of 2007 as the global slowdown took its toll on Russia... In January, Kamaz forecast a loss of $46 million in 2009 on sales of 35,000 commercial trucks. Last year it sold 47,500 trucks.
It has halted production seven times since the start of the crisis, with the latest stoppage set to end on July 6... (Photo from wikipedia: Russia Trucks on the road)


* Sweden - New Volvo Truck initiatives

Stockholm,Sweden -HGV (UK) -July 1, 2009: -- Long-haul truck operations are the lifeline of Europe. Risks on the road have increased significantly over the past decade and today annual thefts from long-haul trucks total in the region amount to £7 billiion – every single year... Now new initiatives are being taken to prevent these thefts, both by the EU and by Volvo Trucks... According to the commercial drivers’ International Road Transport Union (IRU) 17 per cent of Europe’s long-haul truck drivers have been victims of robbery during working day at some time over a five-year period... Now it is the roads that have become the workplace of organised crime, and their victims are the long-haul trucks. It is out on the road that the cargo is by far at its greatest risk of being stolen, according to Europol... However, in the wake of the sky-rocketing increase in roadside piracy and the increasingly frequent violence used against drivers, the EU is now taking the initiative... (Photo from knxv.img.entriq.net: 'wanna-be' truck thieves in action)

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OPINION * USA - Talking about economic future of industry

The Department of Labor ranks truck driving as one of the fastest growing occupations

Quincy,Ill,USA -7KHQA/Connect Tristates, by Jarod Wells -June 29, 2009: ... That's the message from Chief Economist and Vice President of the American Trucking Associations. Bob Costello... He says 70% of all US freight is moved by trucks and more than 80% of US communities depend solely on trucks to deliver goods and commodities... Costello told KHQA the trucking industry has suffered just as all other industries have in the current economy, but when things start turning around, trucking will be booming... Costello says the demand for truck drivers has never been so high...

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LNG/CNG * USA - World’s Largest Truck Fueling Station

Clean Energy Opens it At Long Beach/Los Angeles Ports Complex to Support Clean Air Goals

Seal Beach,CAL,USA -BUSINESS WIRE -June 30, 2009: -- The world’s largest natural gas truck fueling station, designed and built by Clean Energy Fuels Corp., is now open for business on a 2.9-acre site adjacent to the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles... The new public access station, configured to fuel trucks on a 24/7 basis, features two 25,000-gallon liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage tanks, six LNG dispensers, and two compressed natural gas (CNG) dispensers... The new station is the second that Clean Energy has opened in the area to serve port drayage trucks. The first, operational since December 2007, is located near the ports at Southern Counties Express, a major port-trucking firm. This station currently supplies approximately 10,000 LNG gallons of fuel on a daily basis...

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SPEED LIMITS * USA - New truck speed limits start July 1

ODOT changes road signs Weds. and Thurs.

OH,USA -abclocal/WTVG -June 30, 2009: -- A change in state law will allow most trucks to go 65 miles-per-hour on many of Ohio's interstates starting July 1. The change applies only to interstates - not U.S. routes, state routes or other multi-lane divided highways - where currently the speed limits are split between 65 mph and 55 mph... Ohio Department of Transportation crews will update hundreds of speed limit signs across the state... At locations where signs are already separated - one sign for 65 mph and another for 55 mph for vehicles weighing more than 4 tons empty - outdated signs and posts will be removed... (Image from imgres?imgurl: The beginning of OH 4 South)


* Truck safety advocates push to mandate speed-limiting devices

The American Truckers Assns. support the effort, and the Obama administration may be willing to consider the move. Independent truckers and conservatives are opposed

Washington,DC,USA -Los Angeles Times, by Richard Simon -July 1, 2009: -- Stephen Owings, whose 22-year-old son died when his car was rear-ended, is fighting to have the federal government require the use of speed-limiting devices on all big rigs, saying: "We're not against truckers; we're pro-highway safety."... Most often, citizen-crusaders find themselves in lonely, unequal struggles against industry groups and lobbyists. But this time, David and Goliath seem to be on the same side... Owings has drawn support from the American Trucking Assns., or ATA, in his effort to get the U.S. Department of Transportation to require the use of the speed-inhibiting devices on big trucks -- or get Congress to mandate them in a highway bill soon to be drafted... On the other side are conservatives who oppose government regulation of business as a matter of principle, truckers who own their own big rigs, and owners of smaller fleets represented by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Assn.... These include drivers such as Julia Scott, who said that from the cab of her 18-wheeler she sees passenger cars doing a lot more dangerous things than big trucks. If the government is going to require governors on trucks, she said, "they need to put speed-limiting devices in the cars."... Both proponents and opponents of such regulation defend their positions in terms of public safety... (Photo from autoevolution: the female truck drivers of the road)

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30.6.09

Heavy Truck * New Zealand - Trial a success

Otago,New Zealand -Otago Daily Times -29 Jun 2009: -- Heavier trucks could be on the road by 2010 if an amendment is passed following a successful trial, Transport Minister, Steven Joyce says... The amendment would create a permit system allowing some trucks to carry up to 50 tonnes on specified routes. The statutory limit is currently 44... A trial that ran from last year showed productivity increased between 10 and 20 percent, trip numbers reduced by 16 percent and fuel use dropped 20 percent, Mr Joyce said... Reduced freight costs would help exporters and New Zealand "grow faster out of the current global recession".. (Picture from roadtransport: anihino1)


* Truck move seen benefiting milk, logs and aggregate

Auckland,New Zealand -NZPA/The National Business Review -June 30 2009: -- Fonterra and movers of aggregate, fuel and logs are among the companies expected to chase productivity gains -- estimated to be up to 20 percent -- from using heavier trucks... Transport Minister Steven Joyce is seeking feedback on a plan to introduce a permit system allowing trucks to carry up to 50 tonnes on specific routes. The statutory limit is currently 44 tonnes... A trial that ran from last year showed productivity increased between 10 and 20 percent, trip numbers reduced by 16 percent and fuel use dropped 20 percent, Mr Joyce said... The change does not require legislation. According to officials, the permit system will ensure that the heavier trucks do not travel over roads and bridges that can't take them and councils are involved in permit approval. Trucks carrying up to 53 tonnes will be allowed... Permits could be issued from early next year. The system is expected to evolve over time... (Picture from longveld: Fonterra tanker)

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TRANSPORT INTELLIGENCE * USA - New York/New Jersey port launches second shipper incentive program

New York,USA -Progressive Railroading -29 June 2009: -- Last week, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s (PANYNJ) board of commissioners approved an incentive program aimed at encouraging shippers to transport cargo via new rail routes — the authority’s second intermodal incentive program of the year... PANYNJ will provide $25 per container to any company booking cargo on a railroad to or from a new ExpressRail origin or destination that was launched after Jan. 1. For example, Norfolk Southern Railway recently began offering service from the Port of New York and New Jersey to Harrisburg, Pa., a move traditionally handled by trucks, the authority said... In January, PANYNJ began offering shippers a $25-per-container incentive for each container transported by rail above the total volume they registered the previous year... (Photo by farm4.static.flickr: GWB Administrative Building, The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey)

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‘Speed limiter’ * Canada - Fines begin July 1 in Ontario, Quebec

Two Canadian provinces will begin handing out fines Wednesday, July 1, to truckers who do not have a speed limiter activated on their rigs

ONT & QUE,CAN -Land Line Masgazine - June 29, 2009: -- Laws in Ontario and Quebec require that all trucks 1995 and newer grossing at least 26,000 pounds have a computerized speed limiter activated at or below the maximum of 105 kilometers per hour, or 65 mph. Yes, the law affects trucks from the rest of Canada and from the U.S. that travel in Ontario or Quebec... The minimum fine according to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation is $250 for a truck found not to have a working speed limiter or if the “anti-tampering” provision has been violated. Maximum fines can reach $20,000... An Ontario commercial enforcement official told Land Line on Friday, June 26, that officers will be writing roadside tickets for $310 but a surcharge and court costs will increase the total to $390... Although implementation actually took effect Jan. 1 of this year, the provinces started with a six-month grace period to educate truckers and the public...

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Truck Stop Electrification * USA - Truckers, air to benefit from $2 million ARRA state grant

Memphis,TEN,USA -The Memphis Business Journal -June 29, 2009: -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency gave a $2 million American Reinvestment and Recovery Act discretionary grant to the Tennessee Department of Transportation to begin equipping truck stops across the state with truck stop electrification technology... Truck stop electrification systems provide heating and cooling for sleeper cab compartments and power to run electrical appliances, such as computers and microwaves... TEE systems also allow trucks outfitted with on-board equipment to plug in to operate necessary systems without idling the engine... (http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/post/2006/10images/truck_line.jpg)

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TRUCKING INDUSTRY NEWS * USA - Trucks Take Security Upgrade in Stride

Customs sees no fallout from Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative

Washington,DC,USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by John Gallagher -Jun 12, 2009: -- Trade moving by truck across the U.S.-Canadian border is so far unaffected by the start of the latest security upgrade two weeks ago... The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which took effect June 1, requires drivers entering the United States from Canada to have a valid passport or other special form of identification, such as a NEXUS or FAST card... Initial concerns of delays and diverted freight resulting from the new requirement have so far not materialized, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection...


* NJ trucking firm pays $141K in overtime lawsuit

Newark,N.J.,USA -Philly/The Associated Press -Jun. 29, 2009: -- A New Jersey trucking company has agreed to pay nearly $141,000 to more than 100 employees to settle an overtime lawsuit brought by the U.S. Labor Department... S. Cooper Brothers Trucking Inc., of Newark, provides street sweeping and garbage removal services for several cities. It was accused of failing to pay overtime and keep proper wage records for employees working more than 40 hours a week from February 2005-07... Cooper Brothers did not acknowledge guilt in the deal announced Monday... In December, the company won a $600,000 street sweeping contract from Newark...


* New Jersey’s snow-free vehicle mandate moves to governor

NJ,USA -Land Line Magazine -June 29, 2009: -- In the span of only a few hours the New Jersey Legislature overwhelmingly backed a push to get tough with drivers who fail to clear snow and ice off their vehicles. The rule would apply to commercial and noncommercial vehicles... The action at the statehouse angered the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and countless truck drivers who have long opposed what they say is legislation that sets truckers up to fail... State law now prohibits car and truck drivers from being fined for driving a snowcapped vehicle. However, if a piece of ice falls from a vehicle and causes injury or property damage, car drivers face fines between $200 and $1,000, while truck drivers could be fined $500 to $1,500... (Images from inmagine)

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posted by truckbus @ 10:09 AM  0 comments links to this post

29.6.09

EVENT * USA - Great West Truck Show 2009

Las Vegas,NV,USA -Truck Drivers News -28 June 2009: -- Well, I guess this year’s Great West Truck Show in Las Vegas, NV is winding down... Trucker Desiree, was at this year’s show in Las Vegas, from the pictures she sent it looks like she had a great time... The Great West Truck Show (formerly known as the “Truck Show Las Vegas”) ran from June 25 through June 27 of 2009... The GWTS is sponsored by the California Trucking Association and hosts both association and educational seminars... One of the attractions at GWTS this year was the Overdrive’s Pride and Polish truck beauty competition... Look at these beauties !!!







posted by truckbus @ 4:40 AM  0 comments links to this post