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2012-03-09

TRUCKERS HEALTH * USA

* Industry asleep at the wheel on costs of obesity to the bottom line

(Photo by Khampha Bouaphanh / The New York Times: Oran Clay, a truck driver, tried jumping rope during driver appreciation day at Texas Star Express, a company he works for, in October)
Kissimmee,FLA,USA -Truck News (CAN), by Lou Smyrlis -Mar 7, 2012:  --  When 86% of truck drivers are overweight or obese, what is that costing the industry? ...  The answer, unfortunately, is unknown. As Linda Moran, director of business development at the Lindora Clinic pointed out to carrier executives gathered at the Truckload Carriers Association convention, “You know what your fuel and maintenance costs are but you are not tracking your healthcare costs as closely and know where your dollars are going” ...  Yet the overweight and obesity rate of 86% in trucking is much higher than the national average in the US which itself is a shocking 66%. There are 3.5 million obese truckers in the US and being overweight and obese is linked to more than 60 medical disorders, including 12 types of cancer. For example, more than 90% of the obese have Type 2 diabetes. Drivers taken off the road due to high blood pressure issues could be off work for 4-6 weeks before they get their condition back in check. Obese women spend $4,879 more on medical costs than average while obese men spend $2,646 more (mainly because men are less likely to visit a doctor) ...

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TRUCK COSTS * USA

* Truck dealers: EPA drastically underestimated emissions costs

(Photo: A Kenworth hybrid truck)
Washington, D.C.,USA -Land Line, by Charlie Morasch -8 March 2012: -- The Environmental Protection Agency underestimated how environmental rules from 2004 through 2010 affected new truck prices, according to a new study... Not only did the regulations turn off new truck buyers, but the resistance proved to be counterproductive to the EPA’s agenda of cutting NOx and diesel particulate emissions when truck owners held onto older trucks or used alternatives like glider kits... The National Automobile Dealers Association and American Truck Dealers announced the study’s findings during a teleconference Thursday... EPA underestimated regulation compliance costs by two to five times, adding thousands to new truck prices and leading to the unintended effect of depressed new truck sales, and increased truck emissions, the study says... U.S. retail sales of heavy duty trucks neared 500,000 in 2005, but fell to around 200,000 in 2009, the study says...

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RULES & REGULATIONS * Europe

* Belgium - Commissioner, Siim Kallas, will allow ecocombis border

Brussels,Belgium -Truck and Business, by Claude Yvens -28 Feb 2012: -- Siim Kallas, European Commissioner for Transport, will allow ecocombis to cross borders. Currently, ecocombis used in the Netherlands can not cross the German border, and they could not cross the Belgian border as soon as the Belgian regions have officially launched the testing of eco-combis. According to our German colleagues in the Verkehrs Rundschau, Kallas will send a letter Wednesday to the 27 member states for a new interpretation of European regulations. Cross-border traffic would be allowed only between member states that allow ecocombis their territory, and any member would retain the freedom not to allow the movement of ecocombis...

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ALTERNATIVE FUELS / LNG * Europe

* Spain - NGVA Europe is developing a network of stations on major LNG

Madrid,Spain -Truck and Business, by Claude Yvens -4 March 2012: -- In long distance transport, liquefied natural gas (LNG) emerges as a viable alternative to diesel. The distribution of this fuel, however, is poorly developed, consisting mainly of a few local initiatives. NGVA Europe, an association whose members include Volvo Trucks, intends to develop a network of LNG stations located in several areas of international transport (called 'blue corridors') and meet the needs of major international carriers...

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TRUCK DRIVING STRIKE * Brazil

* Sao Paulo - Strike draining gas out of

(AP Photo/Andre Penner: Customers wait in line to fuel their vehicles in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Wednesday March 7, 2012. Truck drivers in South America's largest city will be voting on whether to continue a strike that has depleted supplies at gas stations across Sao Paulo, union officials said Wednesday)
Sao Paulo,Brazil -Green Bay Press Gazette, Associated Press, by Stan Lehman -Mar. 7, 2012: -- Striking truck drivers refused to make deliveries of gas and ethanol to any of Sao Paulo's 2,000 gas stations Wednesday, deepening a standoff with the mayor that is threatening to create major fuel shortages in South America's largest city... There were hopes the drivers, who are upset over restrictions on when and where they can drive their rigs, would end the strike that began on Monday...  The truckers are defying a state court judge's ruling Tuesday that said unions would be fined $565,000 a day if the strike continues... The Sao Paulo metropolitan area, with 20 million people, is one of the world's most congested urban centers and is infamous for its clogged roads. The city has a fleet of more than 7 million cars and more than 5 million people use the public bus system -- all in danger of grinding to a halt if the work stoppage persists... Despite most gas stations in Sao Paulo running extremely low or completely dry of gas and ethanol by Wednesday night, traffic remained heavy and there was no noticeable decrease in the amount of people using cars...

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TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * WORLDWIDE

* USA - Navistar Reports 1Q Loss

(Photo: Navistar's Aero Silver LoneStar truck)
Downers Grove,ILL,USA -Transport Topics-8 March 2012: -- Navistar International Corp. Thursday reported a loss for its fiscal first quarter, citing warranty costs and a brake manufacturer’s recall of a part that affected nearly 20,000 of its trucks...  The maker of International brand trucks lost $152 million, or $2.19 per share, a bigger loss than $6 million, or 8 cents per share, from a year ago... After adjustments, the company said it lost $140 million, or $2.08 per share. Sales for the quarter ended Jan. 31 rose 11%, to $3.05 billion... Navistar said last month it would post a loss for the quarter due in part to a recall of more than 19,000 trucks and buses due to a faulty brake part made by Bendix Commercial Brake Systems that could leak in cold temperatures...

* California / USA - Navistar given go-ahead to sell engines in CA

Sacramento,CAL,USA -Penton Media/Fleet Owner, by Deborah Whistler -Mar. 8, 2012: -- Navistar International Corp. will be allowed to sell new heavy-duty truck engines in California as long as the company has pollution credits to offset its engines’ lack of compliance with the federal standard for engine exhaust, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal... In January, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) prohibited the sale of Navistar’s heavy-duty engines in California and nine other states that adopted California’s air-quality regulations beginning in February. However, in a decision last week, CARB will now allow Navistar to sell engines in California “as long as they have credits,” Annette Hebert, chief of CARB’s mobile source operations division told the Journal. “But once they’re out of credits, they can’t” ...


* South Korea - MAN Truck sees Korea as strategic market

(Photo: The new MAN TGX truck)
Seoul,S.Korea -The Korea Times, by Kim Tae-Jong -7 March 2012: -- MAN Truck and Bus, a leading international manufacturer of commercial vehicles, said it will develop Korea into an important strategic market for its globalization Wednesday in line with the launch of a new model here... The new TGX EfficientLine, one of MAN's flagship truck series, was first introduced in Europe last year and became a hit with about 7,000 sold...

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TRUCKING INDUSTRY * WORLDWIDE

* USA / DC - USPS to Lose $83.2 Billion by 2016 Unless Congress Acts

Washington,DC,USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by Mark Szakonyi -Mar 8, 2012: -- Agency says it can return to profitabilty if Congress allows it to undertake reforms... The U.S. Postal Service, upping the pressure on Congress to allow it to overhaul operations, said Thursday that it will lose $83.2 billion by 2016 if it doesn't receive support for reforms needed to become profitable again... The USPS wants to reduce annual costs by at least $20 billion by 2015 through the cutting of some 120,000 workers, breaking labor agreements, closing thousands of post offices, privatizing health care programs, ending Saturday delivery and stopping next-day first-class delivery.  The USPS lost $3.3 billion in its first fiscal quarter, as overall mail volume dropped 6 percent and the agency had to pre-pay nearly $3.7 billion in retiree health benefits...


* Germany - DHL Drives Deutsche Post Growth


(Photo: DHL Express new van fleet)
Bonn,Germany -The Journal of Commerce Online, BY Bruce Barnard -Mar 8, 2012: -- Profit surges at express unit as German forwarder sees strong 2012... Germany’s Deutsche Post DHL, coming off a year in which net profit fell by half because of a one time charge related to the sale of its Postbank banking unit, forecast higher revenue and profit for 2012... Revenue in 2011 increased 2.8 percent — 5.9 percent when adjusted for currency fluctuations — to $69 billion and operating earnings of $3.1 billion were up almost a third... Excluding the charges related to the Postbank sale, net profit increased more than 50 percent from 2010... DHL continued to drive earnings growth, with the express unit’s operating profit surging 55 percent to $2.2 billion, outpacing the freight and supply chain businesses...


* Belgium - The UBOT-FGTB announces an action against the 'mailboxes'

Brussels,Belgium -Truck and Business, by Claude Yvens -29 Feb 2012: -- The union UBOT-FGTB announcement tomorrow at Zeebrugge action against the 'mailbox companies'. The UBOT-FGTB intends to protest against the relocation of transport activities in low-wage countries, a movement that believes the union caused by 'the search for quick profits'. Until recognizing that all European transport companies with a license may properly carry out international transport, the union sought to stigmatize particular the exercise of unrestricted cabotage which these subsidiaries 'mailbox' would engage. Frank Moreels, Federal Secretary UBOT-FGTB, considers that the restriction to three cabotage operations over a period of 7 days is the 'pure theory'...

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TAX POLICIES * WORLDWIDE

* DC - Obama Proposes Tax Credit for Natural Gas, Electric Trucks

(Photo by Bruce Harmon/Trans Pixs)
Mt. Holly,NC,USA -Transport Topics —7 Mar 2012: -- President Obama has proposed a new federal tax credit to encourage truck fleets to purchase vehicles powered by natural gas or electricity...  Obama said he would fight to permit tax credits that would equal half of the added cost of alternatively powered commercial vehicles...  DTNA officials said a Class 8 tractor powered by compressed natural gas currently costs about $40,000 more than a similar diesel-powered model...  While CNG is notably cheaper to buy than diesel, OEMs say it’s difficult to make up the acquisition cost differential in a reasonable time, which has slowed sales of the alternative fuel models...



* Italy - Car power to be taxed in

Rome,Italy -Fleet Europe (Belgium), by Tim Harrup -24 Feb 2012: -- Business travel is one of the areas to suffer under the austerity measures introduced by the new Italian premier. The package, entitled ‘Salva Italia’ (save Italy) includes increased taxation on cars and on business aviation. A new ‘luxury’ tax of 20 Euros per kilowatt of power over 185 kilowatts has been introduced for cars, with this applying proportionally at 60%, 30% and 15% for cars which are respectively 5, 10 and 15 years old. The tax no longer applies when cars reach the age of 20 years. The programme also hits business trips in limousines or business aircraft. German newsletter DMM reports that this measure is set to make premium German models more expensive in Italy...

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TRUCK SALES * WORLDWIDE

* Europe - Commercial Vehicles: Registrations up 16.8% in February

Brussels,Belgium -ACEA (PR) -29 Mar 2011: -- In February, new commercial vehicle registrations amounted to 141,914 units in the EU, or 16.8% more than in the same month last year. All segments posted growth, except buses and coaches. The month counted on average the same number of working days across the region compared to February 2010. From January to February, new registrations increased by 18.5%, compared with the same period a year ago, totaling 290,695 units. Growth occurred across categories...
 * New Light Commercial Vehicles up to 3.5t – “vans”: Demand for new vans was up 12.3% in February, with 118,040 vehicles** registered...
 * New Heavy Commercial Vehicles over 16t (excluding Buses and Coaches) – “heavy trucks”:  The segment of heavy trucks posted the strongest growth in February (+74.4%) with 16,397 new registrations...
 * New Commercial Vehicles over 3.5t (excluding Buses & Coaches) – “trucks”:  February results in the truck segment showed a 53.9% increase in the EU, which totaled 21,815 units...

* Belgium - Renault Trucks wants to recover 10% of the Belgian market


Brussels,Belgium -Truck and Business, by Claude Yvens -24 Feb 2012: -- 2011 after a year marked by a certain increase its market share, Renault Trucks will continue to rise in 2012 to find an overall market share of 10%. More than new 'products' outstanding (Kerax 8x8, Maxity Euro 5, with Magnum Legend Optiroll, but especially Midlum Optifuel, see elsewhere), it is on its virtues of low power that the trademark will base its marketing offensive...  The balance between sales of tractors and rigids is considered 'normal', 2011 after a year marked by massive purchases more from the carriers, but Gatineau and his team primarily expect an improvement in market conditions in the second half...


* USA - Class 8 Truck Orders Drop 11 Percent


Nashville,IN,USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by William B. Cassidy -Mar 5, 2012: -- FTR Associates reports February fall-off following truck-buying surge in 2011... Net orders for new Class 8 trucks dropped 11 percent in February from January, the second straight month of decline, according to research firm FTR Associates... Preliminary data released by FTR on Monday indicate total Class 8 tractor orders reached 22,243 units in February. Final data will be released later in March... The slide in order numbers doesn’t necessarily indicate slackening demand or an economic slowdown, said Jonathan Starks, director of transportation analysis...


* Brazil - Anfavea: February Auto Sales Fall 8.9% On Year

(Photo: A Truck stop in South America)
Sao Paulo,Brazil -Dow Jones/The WSJ, by Paulo Winterstein -6 Mar 2012:  --  Brazil auto sales in February dropped 8.9% from the year-earlier period as a lingering global economic crisis crimps Brazilian consumer confidence, auto maker association Anfavea said Tuesday... Sales of cars and light commercial vehicles totaled 235,834 units in February, down from 258,803 in the 2011 period and also down 6.7% from January sales... Vehicle sales during the first two months of the year totaled 488,493, flat when compared with the same period last year... Brazilian auto makers exported $1.26 billion during the month of February, up from $1.15 billion in January and climbing from $1.17 billion in February 2011...

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TRUCKING STATISTICS * USA

* USA - LTL Trucking Grew 11.6 Percent in 2011

Pittsburgh,PA,USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by William B. Cassidy -Mar 6, 2012: -- Revenue topped $30 billion as carriers reorganized and demand and pricing rose... The less-than-truckload transportation industry grew 11.6 percent in 2011, pushing total U.S. LTL revenue past $30 billion for the first time since the recession... Total LTL trucking revenue in the U.S. rose from $27.5 billion in 2010 to $30.6 billion last year, according to a study by SJ Consulting Group in Pittsburgh... LTL companies in 2011 reorganized networks as rising freight demand reduced excess capacity, creating opportunities for higher pricing and yield...


* USA - Trucking conditions worsen in January

(Photo: Crossing the Yukon river)
Nashville,IND,USA -Truck News (CAN) -Mar 5, 2012: -- Trucking conditions worsened slightly in January, according to FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index. In spite of the lower index to start the year (with a reading of 6.1), FTR is forecasting a slow climb to strongly positive territory for trucking throughout 2012, with volumes and profits sufficient for investment for growth by year’s end... The Trucking Conditions Index is a compilation of factors affecting trucking companies. Any reading above zero indicates an adequate trucking environment with readings above 10 a sign that volumes, prices and margin are in a good range for trucking companies...


* USA - Cass Freight Index Improves in February

Bridgeton,MO,USA -Transport Topics -7 Mar 2012: -- February freight volumes grew modestly but revenue rose strongly, according to the latest freight index report from Cass Information Systems... The monthly Cass freight index said February shipment levels grew 3.5% over the same month last year, while shipper expenditures climbed 9.8%... The index covers all modes of freight transportation...

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TRUCKING PRICES * USA

* USA - Truck Pricing Forecast to Climb 3 to 5 Percent

Atlanta,GA,USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by William B. Cassidy -Mar 1, 2012: --  Truck pricing is expected to rise by low to mid-single digit percentages over the next year, as shippers, brokers and carriers deal with tight capacity and rising costs... Speakers on a Journal of Commerce webcast Thursday said the truckload and less-than-truckload markets are balanced in early 2012, but they could soon tighten... Truckload and LTL markets will tighten over the course of the year, “but I don’t see any macroeconomic factors that would lead to super-tightening,” Girotti said... Larkin and Girotti told an audience of shippers, freight brokers and truckers they will have to cooperate more closely to keep a lid on rising transport costs... Multi-year contracts and attempts to guarantee capacity at higher prices aren’t the best solution for shippers concerned about rising truck pricing, he said...

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AUTOMAKERS NEWS * WORLDWIDE

OPINION * Europe puts off inevitable

(Photo from Centigrade via Bloomberg: Lamborghini Aventador all-wheel-drive cars are driven on an ice track outside of Cortina, Italy, to teach people how to drive on icy roads. The car sells for $400,000)
Wiesbaden, Germany -The Detroit News (USA), by Daniel Howes -March 9, 2012: -- The lessons of Detroit's comparatively swift reckoning have their limits, and they begin at the shores of the Atlantic Ocean... As much as Europe's sovereign debt-turned-budget crisis is dampening consumer sales and increasing pressure on volume automakers here to respond swiftly, expectations of an "inevitable" industry restructuring among investors and the news media fail to account for three things: speed, a sense of entitlement to rival Detroit's own, and the highly charged politics of plant closings... Executives publicly concede they have too many people building too few cars in too many plants and something needs to be done about it. Like the guy who says he needs to lose 50 pounds, they'll get started later... As long as the automakers who know they have problems that cannot be wished away wait for someone else to make the first move, things will only get worse. We've seen this movie before in Detroit, folks, and we know how it ends. The only question is whether the remake will be dubbed in French, Italian or German...

Briefing News

* Toyota issue major recalls
- Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it is recalling almost 700,000 vehicles in the United States to fix potentially faulty air bags and replace a faulty brake light switch... Read more

* Chrysler paid CEO nothing for 2011
- Chrysler Group LLC CEO, Sergio Marchionne, received no compensation from the Auburn Hills automaker last year, according to the company's annual report. But Marchionne, who also is chairman and CEO of Chrysler's parent company, Fiat SpA. Fiat has not yet released his compensation for 2011... Read more

* Volvo offers performance, power upgrades
- Automaker's racing partner helps provide enchancements for nonracing vehicles. Polestar has showcased its potential to become to Volvo what AMG is to Mercedes-Benz or M is to BMW with the Volvo C30 Polestar concept car. That car features a Volvo all-wheel-drive setup, Brembo brakes, Ohlins shocks and 19-inch wheels, as well as a racing-style interior and exterior, and some engine hardware upgrades that help the Polestar software produce more than 450 horsepower. Read more

* BMW says profit up 50 percent in 2011
- Germany luxury automaker BMW says its profits jumped by 51 percent last year to (euro) 4.9 billion ($6.43 billion). The result compares to (euro) 3.24 billion from the year before. Sales rose 14 percent to (euro) 68.82 billion. Read more

* Ford to give senior workers temporary layoffs to train new ones
- Ford Motor Co. is offering temporary layoffs at its Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne to allow newer workers to train. The move will allow new workers to train on the line for several weeks before the plant adds a third shift in May. Read more

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2012-03-08

GREEN TRUCKS * USA

* North Caroline - Barack Obama pushes for $1bn green tax credits

(Photo by John W Adkisson/Getty Images: US president Barack Obama in Mount Holly, North Carolina)
Mount Holly,NC,USA -The Guardian (UK), by Suzanne Goldenberg -7 March 2012: -- President pushes energy-efficient auto agenda in North Carolina truck factory...  Barack Obama stopped by a North Carolina to announce $1bn in tax credits and grants for alternative-energy cars and trucks...  The Obama's factory tour was intended to spur the development of a new generation of clean, fuel-neutral cars: electric, natural gas, and alternative fuels...  The Daimler plant is working to produce 18-wheeler trucks that use only half as much gas as current models. Long-haul trucks make up just 4% of all vehicles on the roads, according to the White House, but suck up 20% of all transport fuel in the country... The factory also makes hydrogen-powered trucks...  Obama is also asking Congress to expand the tax credit for advanced vehicles to $10,000 from $7,500, and to all fuels – including natural gas, which is not covered under the programme...

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ELECTRIC TRUCKS * Japan

* Electric Delivery Trucks Hit the Streets of Japan

Chiyoda Ward,Tokyo,Japan -Green Economy -6 March 2012: -- Automotive research and development company Tokyo R and D, is demonstrating its commitment to electric vehicles. Practical tests of electric delivery trucks are starting this week in Tsukuba City... The project started with a number of partners - ITOCHU, Tokyo's Institute of Applied Sciences, Supermarket giant Kasumi, are also still on board... All the trucks used in the practical evaluation have been modified from traditional gas-powered vehicles to pure electric, using special conversion kits (which yes, you can buy for your own truck); the evaluation will be testing the feasibility of the kits just as much as it tests how well EVs work in the delivery business...

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GREEN TRUCKS * WORLDWIDE

* England / UK - Coca-Cola puts the fizz into biogas trucks

London,EN,UK -Business Green, by Jessica Shankleman -6 Mar 2012: -- Coca-Cola Enterprises is set to launch 14 new gas-powered delivery trucks from its North London depot, after a 12-month trial found renewable biogas could cut help greenhouse gas fleet emissions by more than 60 per cent... The Centre of Excellence for Low Carbon and Fuel Cell Technologies (Cenex) today revealed the drinks giant has invested in 14 gas-powered Iveco Stralis vehicles and a biogas refuelling station, which is expected to be commissioned at its Enfield depot in June this year...


* UK - Car makers continue to drive down emissions. Eight brands and seven nations already below 2015 target of 130g of CO2 per kilometre

(Photo: Ssangyong Korando Green Truck)
Harrow, Middlesex, Great Britain -Business Green, by Will Nichols -6 Mar 2012: -- Emissions from new cars sold in the EU dropped 3.4 per cent last year to 136.1g of CO2 per kilometre, just ahead of the UK average of 138g/km, research published yesterday by analysts JATO Dynamics has revealed... Europe's fleet averaged 140.9g/km in 2010, but reductions across almost all manufacturers and in 21 European countries monitored helped the bloc to stay well on course to achieve the 130g/km EU target by 2015... The figures are bound to add more fuel to green groups' claims that manufacturers have overestimated the impact of the emissions standards on costs and could move even faster to enhance fuel efficiency... JATO's interim report found eight of Europe's largest brands have already achieved the 130g/km EU target for 2015, while cars with emissions between 101g/km and 120g/km accounted from almost 30 per cent of overall sales...

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FREIGHT CRIME * WORLDWIDE

* UK - Cobra UK to exhibit unique solution to Commercial Vehicle Freight Crime

London,EN,UK -Commercial Motor -28 February 2012: -- Telematics, safety and security supplier, Cobra UK will be showcasing Global Live, wich offers HGV and van operators a unique solution to combat the ever increasing incidence of load interception and theft, while protecting drivers and passengers. The new CCTV-based telematics system allows operators to literally watch over their vehicles 24/7 whether they’re out on the road or parked, and should an event occur, enables businesses to react immediately and intervene in real time... In-vehicle cameras monitor the cabin and load areas 24/7, audibly and visually. External cameras protect the vehicle and its load from thieves, can be used to monitor driving standards, and crucially the footage is admissible as evidence in court in the event of an incident...


* USA - New fuel theft detection solution introduced


Kissimmee,FL,USA -Fleet Owner, by Wendy Leavitt -Mar. 6, 2012: -- PeopleNet and Vusion, part of Trimble’s International Transportation and Logistics Division, announce that they are nearing completion of a fuel theft detection solution... With Vusion’s new fuel theft detection capability and a PeopleNet onboard computer connected to the vehicle’s J1939 bus, fleets will be able to track pre- and post-transaction fuel tank levels without the cost of additional hardware. The tank data is integrated with fuel purchase data for verification that the entire fuel purchase was pumped into the authorized truck’s tanks...

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FUEL ECONOMY * USA

* Illinois - Average New Car Fuel Economy Hits Record High

Ann Arbor,ILL,USA -Motor Trend, by Ben Timmins -February 14 2012: -- The University of Michigan has some good news if you’re a fan of fuel economy: cars sold in the U.S. in 2011 averaged 22.5 miles per gallon, the highest it’s ever been... Researchers from the UM Transportation Research Institute in Ann Arbor found that this number it’s weighted to reflect sales proportions, and second, it’s not the same as the Corporate Average Fuel Economy figure that’s used by the government. CAFE, you might remember, takes into account certain adjustments for larger vehicles and advanced technologies. This measure doesn’t...That it’s definitely a step in the right direction for cars sold here. U.S. average economy (by U of M’s measurement) has increased, on average, by about 0.5 mpg every year. This might sound like an insignificant change, but considering that Americans have bought about 12 million cars per year over the past few years, that 0.5 mpg translates to about 200 million fewer gallons of gas burned every year...

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2012-03-07

RECALLS * USA

* Michigan - 2004-2005 Jeep Liberty Recalled Over Corrosion Fears

(Photo: 2005 Jeep Liberty Renegade)
Auburn Hills,MICH,USA -The Car Connection, by Richard Read -Mar 7, 2012: -- Chrysler is recalling over 209,000 Jeep Liberty vehicles from the 2004 and 2005 model years over concerns of corrosion in the vehicles' suspension system... The recall, however, doesn't affect all Liberty models, only those originally sold or registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, in other words, the "salt belt" states that use salts to de-ice roadways in winter...  According to a bulletin from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, those vehicles may suffer from corrosion in the rear lower control arms associated with the vehicles' rear suspension system. In extreme cases, that corrosion can lead to a fracture of the control arm. That, in turn, can result in driver losing control of the vehicle...



* DC - Daimler Trucks Recalls

Washington,DC,USA -Reuters -Mar 6, 2012: -- Germany's Daimler, the world biggest truck maker, will recall more than 103,000 trucks in North America due to potentially faulty fuel lines, the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said late on Monday...

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TRUCK BODIES MAKERS * USA

* Indiana - Maker of truck bodies plans to add up to 350 jobs in Goshen

(Photo: Supreme's Armored van)
Goshen,IND,USA -IBJ Bussiness Journal -March 6, 2012: -- Supreme Industries, Inc., a manufacturer of customized truck bodies, said Tuesday that it plans to add up to 350 jobs in its headquarters city of Goshen by 2015... The publicly traded company, which has manufacturing operations in five states, said it will invest nearly $8 million to refurbish and equip facilities on its 100 acre-campus in Elkhart County... Supreme, which currently employs 630 in Goshen and more than 1,600 nationwide, will begin hiring manufacturing workers later this year... The company, founded 33 years ago, builds and distributes commercial truck bodies and buses, including armored trucks, dry-freight and insulated cargo vans, service vans, shuttle buses and trolleys...

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ALTERNATIVE FUELS * USA

* Pennsylvania - Natural Gas to Power Pickups

(Photo: Ford F150 pickup) 

Philadelphia,PA,USA -North Central PA, by JEFF BENNETT -March 5, 2012: -- U.S. auto makers are introducing pickup trucks powered by natural gas as they look to catch the growing wave of interest in the fuel as an alternative to gasoline... On Tuesday, Chrysler Group LLC plans to disclose it will build the first production-line pickup truck powered by natural gas. The auto maker is promising to build at least 2,000 heavy-duty Ram bi-fuel trucks that run on a combination of compressed natural gas and gasoline starting in June... General Motors Co. on Monday plans to disclose it will offer bi-fuel Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500 pickups in the fourth quarter. The trucks will be built by GM and sent to a supplier that will retrofit them to use compressed natural-gas tanks... In 2009, the American Gas Association and America’s Natural Gas Alliance met with a variety of auto makers to urge them to build complete CNG-powered pickups at the factory... Honda Motor Co. has been selling its CNG-powered Civic NG passenger car in the U.S. since 1998... Ford Motor Co. has been offering CNG prep kits for about a half-dozen vehicles, including the Transit Connect, since 2009. It will expand the offering to its large Ford 650 pickup truck in the third quarter...


* Colorado - NGV: High Gas Prices Provide Push

Aurora,CO,USA -Energy Biz, by Ken Silverstein -Mar 6, 2012: -- It’s no secret that natural gas is driving American energy policy. But the fuel has a long way to go if it is to actually drive the country’s transportation policy... With gasoline prices nearing $4 a gallon, people are clamoring for relief. More drilling is one answer. But so too is shifting over to natural gas to move cars and trucks. There’s plenty of it in the ground, especially with newer drilling technologies that can access the once hard-to-get shale gas. While that obstacle has been overcome, others remain standing: The lack of fueling stations and the relative high cost of a natural gas vehicle compared with a conventional one... Proponents of the idea say that compressed natural gas used for cars, buses and light trucks is about one-third the cost of gasoline. Right now there are about 110,000 natural gas vehicles on the road in the United States, nearly all of which are part of fleets... Natural gas vehicles have a long road ahead of them. But if they are to find favor in the market, now is the time...

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TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * WORLDWIDE

* China - GM says China sales hit record high for February

(Photo by Liu Jin/AFP: A car dealership in Beijing)
Shanghai,SH,China -AFP/Google News -6 March 2012: -- US auto giant General Motors said Tuesday it sold 240,554 vehicles in China in February, a record for the month and up more than 30 percent on the year, despite an overall slowdown in the Chinese market... The number of cars and trucks that GM sold was also the third highest number for any month in the company's history in China, according to the statement... GM sold 487,208 vehicles in China in the first two months of this year, up 7.7 percent from the same period last year, the statement said...


* Germany - MAN to Adopt ‘Platform’ Strategy for Trucks,

Frankfurt,Germany -FT Deutschland Says/Bloomberg, by Richard Weiss - Mar 7, 2012: -- MAN SE, a German truckmaker controlled by Volkswagen AG, will adopt a “platform,” or modular, strategy for trucks similar to the way VW builds passenger cars...  The strategy is aimed at getting a head start over Scania AB, which may cooperate more closely with MAN once Leif Oestling, its chief executive officer, retires in 2015, the newspaper said...


* Dubai - Commercial Vehicles Middle East to open on Tuesday in

Dubai -Emirates Business -March 5, 2012: -- Commercial Vehicles Middle East, the region's only event dedicated to commercial vehicles, parts and services, open in Dubai Tuesday, bringing together the largest ever gathering of transport, fleet and logistics decision makers from across the region's road transport business... The event provides a platform for knowledge exchange, commercial partnerships, market and trend analysis, product comparison and technology updates for transport, fleet and logistics managers from regional commercial enterprises and procurement officials from the region's transportation departments... The three-day event at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre runs in tandem with the Commercial Vehicles Conference, which will see a panel of experts from leading transport organisations addressing key issues for the industry... Mercedes-Benz, Renault Trucks, Shell, Michelin, Arabian Automobiles, Isuzu, IVECO, Hino, Daimler Middle East, and Emirates Transport will all showcase their latest range of products...

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TRANSPORT & LOGISTIC NEWS * WORLDWIDE

Briefing Weekly News

(Picture: Kirby Cumberland Railroad, Pennsylvania)

* Air traffic demand fell sharply in January
- Traffic figures for the month of January, released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA), showed air freight demand fell sharply during the month, as a result of the earlier timing of the Chinese New Year holidays this year. Read more

* Manufacturing index registers slight growth in February
- The JP Morgan Global Manufacturing PMI (Purchasing Managers Index) registered 51.1 in February, indicating a small expansion in the manufacturing sector. Read more

 * Shippers and providers need to partner to monitor changing market
- Improving economic indicators for the US and Asia are raising optimism among transportation and logistics providers. Read more

* Kuehne + Nagel outgrows the market yet again
- In its 2011 annual results, Kuehne + Nagel (K+N) delivered the type of performance the market has come to expect from the Swiss-based company, namely substantial increases in sales with profits disturbed only by the rise of the Swiss franc. Read more

* UPS names new VP of International Air and Ocean Freight
- UPS has named Jeff McCorstin as Vice President of International Air and Ocean Freight Transportation services. Read more

* Hi-Tech Supply Chain Insight from Ubee Interactive, and Cisco
- Two top Hi-Tech Supply Chain Executives, Eric Martinez, SVP & General Manager of Ubee Interactive, and Johan Jemdahl VP Value Chain & Operations at Cisco, tell eyefortransport’s Haley Garner about the biggest issues facing Hi-Tech Supply Chain. Read more

* Pantos Logistics opens new logistics centre in the Netherlands
- Pantos Logistics has announced the opening of its Ssangyong Motor European Parts logistics centre (SEPC) in the Netherlands. Read more

* Raben Group merges Hungarian businesses
- Raben Group announced that it has merged its subsidiaries in Hungary to create Raben Trans European Hungary. Read more

* Schiphol rewards quieter freighters
- AirBridgeCargo is the first freighter operator this year to enjoy reduced airport charges at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, benefitting from Schiphol’s newly-introduced Cargo Sustainability Incentive Programme (CSIP). Read more

* Celebrating Sustainability Competitiveness and Innovation within the 3PL Industry
- LQ are pleased to announce that the finalists of the LQ 3PL Sustainability Study and Awards Program 2012 will be invited to share their sustainability insight at the eyefortransport’s 10th Annual 3PL Summit. Read more

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posted by truckbus @ 8:17 AM  0 comments links to this post

AUTOMAKERS NEWS * WORLDWIDE

Briefing News

(Photo by Fabrice Coffrini /AFP /Getty Images: An Opel Ampera is displayed at the German carmaker's booth at the Geneva Motor Show. Chevrolet Volt / Opel Ampera has been awarded "Car of the year 2012" during a ceremony on the eve of the Car show press day)

* Stake in Peugeot to cost GM $423M. Alliance expects $2B in eventual annual savings, filing states
- General Motors Co. plans to spend about $423 million to acquire 7 percent of PSA Peugeot Citroen, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing Monday from the automaker... Read more

* European carmaker Peugeot to sell shares at 42% discount
- PSA Peugeot Citroen, Europe's second-biggest carmaker, plans to sell shares in a 1 billion-euro ($1.32 billion) capital increase at a 42 percent discount. Shareholders, who will have the right to buy 16 shares for every 31 they already own, will pay 8.27 euros per share, the Paris-based carmaker said in an e-mailed statement Tuesday... Read more

* Ford chief Alan Mulally awarded $58.3M in company stock- Ford Motor Co. President and CEO Alan Mulally received $58.3 million in company stock this week as part of a 2009 long-term incentive pay package, the automaker disclosed Tuesday... Read more

* Automakers prepare for deeper European decline
- Ford, which is predicting a $600M loss, is stopping production on some days. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, Toyota Motor Corp. and their competitors are preparing for a deeper slump in European sales after deliveries at the beginning of the year were at the low end of their expectations... Read More

* There was some good news for GM Europe
- The Opel-Vauxhall Ampera, Europe's version of the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle, was named European Car of the Year in Geneva, the day before... Read more

* GM to suspend Volt production. More inventory than customers reason for five-week shutdown
- General Motors Co. will halt production of its plug-in Chevrolet Volt — which was to be the symbol of the cutting-edge, post-bankruptcy automaker — for five weeks starting March 19... Read more

* Sergio Marchionne doesn't mince words: "Fiat needs to take a cue from Chrysler"
- Fed up with Europe's problems, Marchionne moves more toward U.S. The deepening economic crisis across Europe, along with Fiat SpA's push to revive its eponymous and Alfa Romeo brands in the United States, could prove a boon to Chrysler Group LLC... Read more... and more

* Fiat may change Dodge Dart launch date to avoid April Fool's 'jinx'
- Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne says he may shift the date of the Dodge Dart's production launch off of April 1 to "to avoid being jinxed" by an April Fool's Day launch. The Dodge Dart is the first Chrysler model to use Fiat architecture under the nearly three-year-old alliance... Read more

* GM reports strong sales for brands in China
- General Motors Co. said Tuesday that February was its third highest month ever for sales in China, where it sold 240,554 cars and trucks last month... The automaker said the February figure was a record for that month and was up 30.4 percent from February 2011... Read more

* China to curb auto production capacity, promote new-energy cars
- China will control the increase in auto manufacturing capacity and encourage mergers and reorganizations in the industry, according to a work report that Premier Wen Jiabao delivered at the nation's legislature. The government will promote new-energy vehicles and encourage the scrapping of old vehicles to reduce pollution, according to a separate report today by the National Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic planner... Read more

* Nissan recalling 30,000 vehicles for engine, air bag problems
- Nissan Motor Co. is recalling nearly 30,000 vehicles in two separate campaigns to address air bag faults and engine stalls. One of the two recalls came under U.S. government pressure... Read more

* California bill would set rules for self-driving cars
- California lawmakers are getting ready for a new automotive erawhen the first self-driving cars hit the roads. Tech giant Google Inc., Caltech and other organizations have been working to develop such vehicles, which use radar, video cameras and lasers to navigate roads and stay safe in traffic without human assistance... Read more

* Chrysler vote set on shift rotation. Trenton workers will weigh fixed schedules based on seniority
- Workers at Chrysler Group LLC's Trenton Engine Plant are voting on whether they want to keep a controversial rotating shift schedule that the new national agreement Chrysler negotiated with the United Auto Workers last fall... Some workers say has put them in the hospital... Read more

 * Mexico's 'Vocho' bids adios
- Capital to retire the last of iconic but outdated Volkswagen Beetle taxis from streets. Today, there are only 3,500 "Vocho" taxis left, and officials said the cabs will be retired at the end of the year... Read more


* Switzerland - The Geneva Car Show: And now ... some pure fun from Rinspeed !!!

(Photo: Rinspeed is displaying its versatile Dock + Go system for electric cars in Geneva)
Geneve,Switzerland -The Detroit News, by Christine Tierney -Mar 2, 2012: -- One of the most popular attractions each year at the Geneva car show is the Rinspeed stand. Rinspeed, founded in 1979 by Swiss visionary Frank Rinderknecht, has turned out fantastic contraptions such as the underwater sQuba car and the amphibious Splash... This year’s concept is just as innovative, but much more practical. Called the Dock+Go, it addresses key concerns about electric cars: the range anxiety surrounding battery-powered vehicles, and their limited utility... Rinspeed’s display in Geneva is based on a Smart two-seater, but any electric-powered car could be adapted to the Dock+Go system. It provides attachments or extensions on a third axle to offer more storage space, for instance, or more battery power... One of the system’s most intriguing innovations is an extension that can be fitted with a supplemental battery pack, fuel cell stack or even a small internal combustion range-extender engine. It uses the third axle to drive the electric car’s rear axle and deliver a recharge to its primary on-board battery pack...

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