Trucks World News: May 2005

PRODUCTION - IRAN - To set up MBE900 engines production line

TABRIZ,East Azarbaijan –MehrNews.com -29/05/2005: -- The production of Mercedes-Benz 900 series engines will start in Iranian Diesel Engine Manufacturing Company by 2nd of July...

PRODUCTION - NA - Weekly estimated production: Cars & trucks

SOUTHFIELD,Mich.,USA -PRNewswire/http://WardsAuto.com -May 27 2005: -- Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 304,125 units, down 9.2 percent from the 334,930 cars and trucks built last week, according to WardsAuto's Report...

FUTURE - USA - ATA economist sees strong freight for years

USA -eTrucker,by Max Heine -25/05/2005: -- Expect plenty of freight in the coming years, but no relief from costly fuel or the driver shortage, a top trucking economist said May 24... For-hire truck tonnage grew 5.7 percent in 2004, the biggest increase since 1998, and for-hire fleets are proving to be more efficient than private fleets, Costello said. “They haul 52 percent of the tonnage with 40 percent of the trucks,” Costello said. “There’s a lot of opportunity there"... Less-than-truckload has seen the strongest increase in freight volumes, 16.4 percent, based on year-to-date figures through March versus a year ago. Reefer is next highest, followed by flatbed... During the same period there have been “unprecedented increases in average revenue per mile,” Costello said. Truckload revenue per mile is up 13.3 percent. LTL revenue per ton is up 7.7 percent...

RUSH DELAYS - USA - Delays have tripled since 1982

USA -eTrucker,by Jill Dunn -26/05/2005: -- A study of U.S. urban areas indicates the annual delay from rush hour traffic has nearly tripled since 1982... The cost of delays is valued at $72.65 per truck hour, $13.75 per person hour... The Texas Transportation Institute’s 2005 Urban Mobility Report measures traffic congestion trends from 1982 to 2003. The annual delay per rush hour traveler increased from 16 hours to 47 hours from 1982 to 2003...

HEARING LOSS - USA - Study demonstrates truckers' risk

USA -eTrucker,by Jill Dunn -26/05/2005: -- New research indicates chronic exposure to noise and workplace carbon monoxide induces hearing loss, and truckers are among those most at risk... A connection between carbon monoxide exposure and hearing loss had been established in animal studies but not in humans...

JOBS - USA - Pay raises won’t fix recruiting woes, panelists say

USA -eTrucker, by Lance Orr -26/05/2005: -- Raising driver pay won’t solve the recruitment and retention problems that plague the industry, panelists agreed at Symposium in Tuscaloosa, Ala... “There is a lot more to it than money"... Mentoring programs and personal attention help companies retain drivers: “People want to know they are important, and not just a number"... Wooster, -Wooster Motor Ways-, gives drivers one day off every quarter to spend with their families, provides a $500 savings bond for their kids, and pays for drivers’ cell phones so they can stay in touch with their loved ones, also holds a four-day orientation to fully explain to new drivers the business of trucking...

ALTERNATIVE FUEL - SWEDEN - Volvo unveils truck

STOCKHOLM, Sweden -Today's Trucking/USA -May 27 2005: -- The Volvo Group has rolled out a truck equipped with a DME-powered engine. DME (dimethylether) is an LPG-like fuel that can be produced from biomass and residual products from paper pulp production...

PRODUCTION - JAPAN - April vehicle production rises 2.8 pct year-on-year

TOKYO,Japan -AFX News Limited -05.27.2005: -- Production in Japan of cars, trucks and buses, including mini-vehicles, jumped 2.8 pct in April from a year earlier to 870,967 vehicles, the fourth straight monthly increase, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) said...

PRODUCTION - USA - KENWORTH Plant in Chillicothe, Ohio, Celebrates Historic 250,000th Truck

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio,usa -Layover -05/25/2005: -- Kenworth Truck Company's manufacturing plant in Chillicothe, Ohio, recently celebrated the production of its historic 250,000th truck, a new 2006 Model Kenworth T600 with a new cab interior featuring world-class quality, ergonomics and durability...

SURVEY - USA - Fuel Management Most Crucial Issue for U.S. Trucking

FORT LAUDERDALE,Fla,USA -PRNewswire -May 24 2005: -- Controlling escalating fuel
costs for America's private truck fleets is the top trucking industry concern,
according to industry leaders in a survey commissioned by First Fleet
Corporation, a subsidiary of PHH Arval and a national provider of asset
management through financial, operational, and information technology support
to our nation's private truck fleets...

COMMENTS - USA - Commercial Trucks Adopt Fuel-Saving Technology

Washington DC,USA -VOA,by Art Chimes -24 May 2005: -- The higher the cost of fuel, the more vehicle operators pay attention to fuel efficiency. It's true for Americans filling up the family car. And it's true for operators of big trucks and buses. So manufacturers are using new technologies to get more work out of every liter of fuel that goes into those heavy-duty vehicles...

PROFIT FALLS - JAPAN - ISUZU sees profit falling 17% on higher steel prices

TOKYO,Japan -Malaysia Star/Petaling Jaya,Malaysia -May 24 2005: -- Isuzu Motors Ltd, Japan’s biggest maker of trucks and commercial vehicles, said profit will fall 17% this fiscal year as a stronger yen erodes the value of exports and it pays more for steel...

TEARING HIGHWAYS - USA - Heavier Trucks Mean Heavier Repair Burden For Taxpayers

RALEIGH,Charlotte,NC,USA -WSOCtv.com -May 23 2005: -- More than two years ago, state legislators put the Highway Patrol in charge of policing overweight trucks... Acording to a newspaper report, the result has been more overweight trucks tearing up the state's highways...

COMMENTS - USA - Trucking still positive, but fuel concerns linger

USA -Fleet Owner(subscription), by Terrence Nguyen -May 23 2005: -- Current market trend of slow freight expansion have remained unchanged, while fuel prices have remained relatively tame, paving the way for favorable conditions for rates and surcharge recovery, according to an Eaton Corp. analyst...

DEALS - USA - USF Shareholders OK Yellow Roadway Deal

USA -Forbes/Associated Press -05.23.2005: -- Trucking company USF Corp. said Monday that a majority of its shareholders approved selling the company to Yellow Roadway Corp. for $1.37 billion in cash and stock... The deal is expected to be closed on Tuesday, USF said in a news release...

"Whistleblowers" - JAPAN - Gain Respect in

TOKYO,Japan -Newsday/Long Island,NY,USA/Associated Press,by YURI KAGEYAMA -May 23 2005: -- For much of his 30-year career, Hiroaki Kushioka's office was a closet-like room. A college graduate, he would pass the time gardening or shoveling snow. His bosses denied him promotion and repeatedly pressured him to quit... His offense? Being a whistleblower, in a nation where corporate loyalty is so highly valued that employees who report managerial misdoing are shunned as traitors... That's why the battle this 59-year-old waged to expose price-rigging in the trucking company that employed him has been solitary and has gone largely unnoticed until recently... "If I hadn't done it, I would have regretted it," he said in an interview... Japan recently passed its first law to protect whistleblowers from workplace retribution... The law, taking effect next April, is a response to a spate of scandals that have hit Japan Inc. over the last several years -- the cover-up of auto defects at Mitsubishi Motors Corp., mislabeling of meat at Snow Brand Foods Co., hiding of bad debts at UFJ Bank... They argue that talking to the company won't work because a management gone bad is apt to squelch a whistleblower rather than respond in good faith...

ECOLOGY - CANADA - For-hire carrier takes natural gas-powered trucks on the road

CAMBRIDGE,Ont,CAN -Today's Trucking -May 25, 2005: -- Southern Ontario trucking giant Challenger Motor Freight will begin operating five new trucks powered with liquefied natural gas... The small fleet of Volvo trucks are equipped with 450-hp Cummins ISX engines using Vancouver-based Westport's High-Pressure Direct-Injection (HPDI) technology. The trucks are running along Hwy. 401, between Michigan and Ontario -- an autoparts-heavy lane that's now dubbed by the project partners as "The Clean Air Corridor"...

JOBS - USA - Trucking industry needs 20,000 drivers now

ALEXANDRIA,Va.,CAN - Today's Trucking -May 26 2005: -- The American Trucking Associations says that the long-haul, heavy-duty trucking industry in the U.S. is experiencing a national shortage of 20,000 drivers... the finding is part of its newly released U.S. Truck Driver Shortage: Analysis and Forecasts. It reports on the present and future of the long-haul truck driver pool that predicts the shortage will increase to 111,000 by 2014 if current demographic trends hold and if the overall labour force continues to grow at a slower pace...

PRICES - USA - Truck price hikes briefly stall orders

But sales will keep gaining in '05

NEW YORK,NY,USA -Todays'Trucking -May 23 2005: -- Preliminary Class 8 net new truck orders reported were down 23 percent this past March from February and 25 percent from March '04 -- the first year/year decline since May '03, says Bear Stearns analysts... Downtick could be due to price increases by some OEMs, modestly decelerating freight rate increases and modest softening of tonnage growth. Demand typically goes up when freight growth is accelerating and rolls over when freight growth is decelerating, the analysts note.

ECOLOGY - MEXICO - Mexico City Retrofit Pilot Reduces PM 90%; Full Implementation Delayed by Lack of ULSD

USA - Green Car Congress -May 26 2005: -- A year-long joint US-Mexico demonstration project is reducing PM emissions in a test fleet of 20 Mexico City buses by 90% and NOx emissions by 10%. More widespread implementation of the technology may be hampered by a lack of Ultra Low-Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel, however...

REFINERY - VIETNAM - $1.5B Refinery for. Its First.

USA -Green Car Congress -May 26 2005: -- A consortium comprising JGC Corporation (Japan), Technip of France, Technip Geoproduction of Malaysia and Tecnicas Reunidas of Spain has been awarded the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract by Vietnam Oil and Gas Corporation (Petro Vietnam) for the Dung Quat oil refinery to be constructed in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam. The contract value is approximately US$1.5 billion, and completion is scheduled for the first quarter of 2009...

TECHNECOLOGY - USA - California Rolls out $54M Hydrogen Highway Plan

USA - Green Car Congress -May 26 2005: -- The California Environmental Protection Agency formally released the California Hydrogen Highway Network Blueprint Plan (CA H2 Net)—a blueprint that calls for the development of a network of hydrogen stations throughout California to help accelerate the transition to a sustainable hydrogen economy...

TECHNECOLOGY - JAPAN & BRAZIL Cooperating to Promote Ethanol Use

USA - Green Car Congress/Bloomberg -May 26 2005: -- Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva agreed on the need for more non-governmental cooperation to promote ethanol use... Japan is turning to ethanol as a fuel additive as one measure to help it meet its goal for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases under the Kyoto Protocol. Brazil wants to increase its ethanol exports by boosting sales to Japan, the world’s second-largest gasoline market after the U.S... Japan expects to introduce more vehicle fuels containing ethanol, and will pursue ongoing talks with Brazil...

EARNINGS - USA - CUMMINS Diesel Engine Business Buoyed by China;

Plans to Expand Joint Venture
USA - Green Car Congress -May 22 2005: -- Cummins, helped by demand in China and the success of its Dongfeng Cummins joint venture, reported its best financial year ever in 2004 with earnings of some $350 million on sales of $8 billion...

TECHNOLOGY - USA - New Vehicle Intelligence System Tracks Truck Locations

Washington DC,USA -Homeland Response,by Sandy Smith -05/27/2005: -- International Truck and Engine Corp. unveiled the International Aware Vehicle Intelligence system to track trucks anywhere in the country... With the theft-deterrent system, a truck can be started, but the access code must be entered within seven seconds or the engine will shut down. The seven-second delay is a safety feature for drivers who may have to move a truck a short distance in an emergency situation. If the code is entered incorrectly too many times, it can be programmed to send an alert to the cell phone of a fleet manager or other official...

STEEP GRADES - USA - State may act to curb steep descent by trucks

GREEN BROOK,Bridgewater,NJ,USA -Bridgewater Courier News,by LARRY HIGGS -May 22 2005: -- Drivers of overweight trucks face the possibility of getting hit with fines as high as $5,000 to discourage them from descending steep grades such as Warrenville Road... Under new legislation being considered, truck drivers would face expensive fines if caught driving on steep grades...

OPINION - WORLD MARKET - CHINA's car exports: From far-fetched to inevitable?

SHANGHAI,CHINA -DetNews.com/Autos Insider,by Michael J. Dunne/Detroit,MI,USA -May 20, 2005: -- When it comes to car exports today, there is little reason to fear the Chinese... In 2004, China exported just 10,116 cars. That's less than one percent of the 2.4 million cars built in the Middle Kingdom last year. The cars that do find their way overseas are early 1990s-era subcompacts (like the old Daihatsu Charade) priced around $5,000... "We started to import Chinese cars 4 months ago, we imported Geely cars. They're bad quality. Doors closing problems, problems with electric parts and others...." Chinese cars aren't even allowed to cross the border into developed markets like Japan, Europe or the US because they can't meet even the most basic emission standards... That's today!!! ... But peer down the road a few years and the picture may shift dramatically. Honda will export 50,000 China-built small cars to Europe beginning this year. Chery declares ambitions to export 250,000 cars a year to the United States, starting in 2007. There are even rumors that Chrysler will build a compact cars in China for shipment back to the US market... China-built cars for export will climb faster than anyone cares to think about. Chinese makers will push exports because they want to be globally competitive. Global automakers will resign themselves to exporting simply to survive in the China market...

OFFER - CHINA - ISUZU Aims to Triple Qingling Motors Stake, Pay HK$624 Million

USA -Bloomberg -May 21 2005: -- Isuzu Motors Ltd., Japan's biggest maker of trucks and buses, plans to triple its stake in China's Qingling Motors Co. by offering HK$624 million ($80 million) to acquire about 325 million shares from independent shareholders... Isuzu is seeking to raise its stake to 20 percent from about 7 percent by offering HK$1.92 for each share...

PRODUCTION - MALAYSIA - Si Khiong Industries To Launch Mini Bus, Trucks In August

SIBU,Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia -Bernama -May 21 2005: -- Si Khiong Industries Sdn Bhd is to launch a mini bus and two light 16-ton series trucks in August soon... As for the coming models, he said they were the Mitsubishi Fuso turbocharged with intercooler cargo truck and the 4-stroke water-cooled direct injection diesel engine tipper truck.

RESTRICTIONS - JAPAN - Overnight freight service taking off

KAWASOE,Saga Prefecture,Tokyo,Japan -Asahi Shimbun -05/21/2005: -- Reined in by speeding restrictions imposed on their truck fleets, transport companies are turning to midnight air freight services... The new air deliveries are not cheap: Sending a package from the southernmost main island of Kyushu to Tokyo or its neighboring prefectures can cost between 30-100 percent more than conventional land transport...

SECURITY - USA - Trucking industry vulnerable to terrorists

CHARLOTTE COUNTY/Ft. Myers,FL,USA -WBBH,by Kathryn Simmons -May 20 2005: -- An NBC2 investigation into homeland security gaps found Southwest Floridians could be sharing the road with dangerous cargo. Experts warn terrorist could recruit truck drivers to scope out targets or trucks could be used to carry hazardous cargo...

INVESTIGATION - USA - Government investigating engine stalling in Dodge trucks, SUVs

WASHINGTON DF, USA -Canadian Press,by Ken Thomas/AP/Canada.com -May 20 2005: -- The U.S. government is investigating complaints of engines stalling in Dodge trucks and sport utility vehicles, officials said Friday... The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it has received two dozen complaints about engines stalling in the 2004-2005 model years of the Dodge Ram 1500 trucks and Dodge Durango SUVs...

SALES - USA - MACK ships 2,618 vehicles in April

Deliveries are down from March, but up 35 % from last year.

Allentown,PA,USA -Allentown Morning Call,by Dan Shope -May 20 2005: -- Mack Trucks continued its hot streak, shipping 35 percent more trucks in April than during the same month a year ago... Mack delivered 2,618 trucks last month, the Allentown company reported Thursday... The subsidiary of A.B. Volvo upped it share to 10.5 percent of U.S. heavy-duty truck sales in April, up from 9.9 percent a year ago...

OPINION - USA - Hybrids constitute an Expensive, Bankrupt Technology

San Francisco,CA,USA -wdzeller on AlterNet -May 23 2005: -- All of this vaunted new hybrid technology will soon be seen as boondoogle just as the Wankel Engine Technology was viewed by the mid 1970's. Unfortunately, this view will not prevail until after hundreds of thousands actually go out and buy these horrid things... How so, one may ask?... Well, for starters, each and every hybrid car requires a highly specialized battery pack. A VERY expensive battery pack, I must mention. Once one has driven their hybrid car for 100,000 miles, the warranty on that battery typically expires and any battery failure replacement costs will come out of the owner's pocket to the tune of no less that $7,000!

INVESTMENTS - CHINA - VOLKSWAGEN to Focus Future Vehicle

FRANKFURT,Germany —Edmunds.com,Inside Line/Santa Monica,CA,USA -05-18-2005: -- Volkswagen will focus the lion's share of its future investments in China on development of new models — including smaller, cheaper vehicles — to meet the challenge from such low-priced competitors as the Chery QQ, according to Bernd Leissner...

BOTTLENECK - CHINA - Waiting for its Ship to Come In -and Pick Up Vehicles

BEIJING, China -Edmunds.com/Inside Line/Santa Monica,CA,USA -05-18-2005: -- A shortage of cargo space on the global shipping market poses a serious obstacle to China's car exporting plans. Despite the substantial expansion of the Chinese car manufacturing industry and increasing demand for Chinese-made cars, the country exported only 9,335 vehicles last year... What this means: It pays to be aware of all aspects of the supply line when you're gearing up to sell your wares. The big companies are getting around the shipping dilemma by building assembly plants where they want to sell vehicles. This will make your chances of getting a Chinese car a bit less likely unless changes are made...

ECOLOGY - USA - Hybrid-Happy?

San Francisco,CA,USA -AlterNet/Christian Science Monitor,by Mark Clayton -May 19 2005: -- America's surprising enthusiasm for hybrid cars has a hidden, but very real, benefit: it could decrease our dependence on foreign oil... For proponents of energy independence in the United States, the current level of dependency is worrisome. Last year, 56 percent of the nation's oil -- some 11 million barrels a day -- came from abroad. That's far more than the one-third share imported during the first oil crisis of the 1970s. And it's halfway to the two-thirds share projected for 2025, if nothing changes... To reduce that dependence will require a massive modernization of America's transportation fleet, especially more efficient passenger cars and light trucks. So are hybrids up to the task?

BAD CHECKS - USA - Man Gets Prison Term for Bad Checks

He also must pay more than $120,000 in restitution and gets 12 years' probation.

BARTOW,Lakeland,FL,USA -The Ledger,by Jason Geary -May 19 2005: -- A 32-year-old Lakeland man was sentenced Wednesday to 31/2 years in prison and ordered to pay more than $120,000 in restitution for stealing trucks and passing bad checks to maintain his trucking business... Polk Judge Dick Prince also sentenced Juan Roberto Ramirez to 12 years' probation...

ADVICES - CANADA - Molson Offers Canadians Sharing the Road with Trucks Driving Tips

Toronto, Ontario,CAN. -PR Direct -May 19 2005: -- As we officially kick off the summer with May 24 weekend, Ontario's roads will meet an influx of vehicles including passenger cars, motorcycles and trucks. What many drivers don't know is that commercial vehicles can weigh 40 times more than an average car and require at least twice the distance to stop. Keeping this in mind, Molson Canada offers the following tips on sharing the road with large trucks and commercial vehicles as we head outdoors for the weekend: 1. Keep your distance: Tailgating is dangerous -- leave a gap of at least three seconds between your vehicle and the truck in front of you. 2. Avoid cutting in front of trucks or braking suddenly in front of them... (follows)...

TOP QUALITY - USA - Toyota, GM top quality survey of cars, trucks

Tacoma,WA,USA -The News Tribune -May 19, 2005: -- The most feared automaker in Detroit – Toyota Motor Corp. – dominated the annual quality survey of new cars and trucks by J.D. Power and Associates, taking 10 of the 18 top model awards and knocking a variety of automakers right out of the running... The only automakers besides Toyota and General Motors with a top car or truck were Ford, with two pickups (F-150 and Explorer Sport Trac), and Nissan, with one...

AMENDMENTS - NA - CVSA includes language barriers in OOS criteria

Lost In Translation

Washington,USA - Todays' Trucking/CANADA -May 23 2005: -- The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has amended its out-of-service criteria, requiring carriers ensure their drivers can properly communicate in the country or jurisdiction they're operating in... Other amendments include: If a driver has a log falsification he/she will be placed out of service even if that falsification occurred prior to the current 60 hour or 70 hour rule period... Additionally, a vehicle will be placed OOS if it is carrying dangerous goods for which an ERAP is required and is absent...

ECOLOGY - USA - Texas Petroleum Refinery Begins Blending B20

USA - Gree3n Car Congress -May 21 2005: -- AGE Refining, an independent petroleum refinery based in San Antonio, TX is blending its own B20 (20% biodiesel) biodiesel product for sale to distributors... The B20 blend combines soybean-based biodiesel provided by Houston-based Gulf Hydrocarbon, and AGE’s own diesel product...

ENERGY - INDONESIA - Going Nuclear by 2017

Indonesia -Green Car Congress/USA-Xinhua/CHINA -May 21 2005: -- Indonesia the fourth most populous country in the world. State Minister for Research and Technology Kusmayanto Kadiman said that the government would develop nuclear technology by 2017 for various peaceful purposes, including power generation... International automakers are expanding their production capacity in Indonesia (adding to the demand for electricity), as new car sales are rapidly increasing...

ECOLOGY - UK - Royal Society Calls for Carbon Tax

London, UK -Green Congress Car/USA -May 22, 2005: -- The Royal Society —the UK’s national academy of science— is calling for the government to implement a carbon tax on all emissions of carbon dioxide from all sectors including industrial, domestic and transport in light of the failure of current policy to reduce CO2 emissions... There are some tough political decisions to be made, in this parliament, about how the UK manages its seemingly insatiable appetite for energy at a time when cutting emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide is imperative. This is underlined by the fact that, at the current rate, even the Governments revised assessment of how much carbon dioxide the UK will cut is frankly unrealistic...

TECHNECOLOGY - USA - "AMMONIA CRACKER" for Alkaline Fuel Cell Car

USA -Green Congress Car -May 23 2005: -- ZAP and its technology partner Apollo Energy Systems announced the successful demonstration of an on-board ammonia reformer—the“Ammonia Cracker”—to produce hydrogen for use in a ZAP-Apollo alkaline fuel cell (AFC)-powered vehicle... "Apollo’s fuel cell technology can jump start the hydrogen economy. The easiest and least expensive way to move Hydrogen from Point A to Point B is to use ammonia. Seventy-five percent of ammonia (NH3) is hydrogen. Ammonia can be added inexpensively as a component of today’s gas stations, without costly hydrogen extractors, allowing the refueling of fuel cell cars today, years ahead of other hydrogen solutions"...

TECHNECOLOGY - GERMANY - MERCEDES New Diesel V8: More Power, Fewer Emissions, Comparable Fuel Consumption

Germany -Green Car Congress/USA -May 23 2005: -- DaimlerChrysler continues down its diesel engine development path of delivering more power and torque with equivalent or slightly reduced fuel consumption and lower emissions with the introduction of its newest 4-liter V8. The new engine enters production this fall in the new E420 CDI...

ECOLOGY - NORWAY - Funds its Hydrogen Road

Norway -Green Car Congress -May 20, 2005: -- Norway is allocating NOK 48.6 million (US$7.5 million, €6.0 million) for testing alternative fuels and environmentally friendly technology. Of that, 62%—NOK 30.2 million (US$4.6 million, €3.7 million)—will go to the HyNor project, which wants to build a hydrogen highway between the cities of Oslo and Stavanger...

ECOLOGY - SWEDEN - Volvo Introduces DME-Powered Truck

SWEDEN -Green Confress Car/USA -May 19 2005: -- The Volvo Group has unveiled its first truck equipped with a DME (dimethyl ether) engine... This represents Volvo’s second-generation heavy-duty DME vehicle. Volvo Truck Corporation and Volvo Bus Corporation built an earlier (1996–1998) prototype DME bus for testing and demonstration of the low-emissions and high-efficiency capabilities of the fuel...

PRODUCTS - USA - KENWORTH Adds Virtual Tour, Brochure For New 2006 Models

KIRKLAND,Wash.,USA -Layover/Akron,PA -05/19/2005: -- Kenworth Truck Company has introduced a 360-degree virtual tour to showcase the interior of its new 2006 Model T600, T800, W900 and C500 Class 8 trucks featuring world-class quality, ergonomics and durability in a stylish and functional package... Available on Kenworth's website (www.kenworth.com), visitors can conduct their own 360-degree virtual tour from ceiling to floor, cab to sleeper, and driver's side to passenger's side while also utilizing the zoom in-and-out feature for an even closer look...

ADVISES - USA / CANADA -Lock 'Em Up

CANADA - Todays' Trucking,by Rolf Lockwood - May 2005: -- Lately we've been hearing an awful lot about identity theft, and there's no doubt that it's a big and growing problem. It has nasty financial implications but there's a continental security angle to it as well... a kingpin lock can be very useful in preventing someone from waltzing away with your trailer... No lock of any kind represents sure-fire theft prevention, but if the bad guys have several trailers to choose from in, they'll go for the one that presents the least difficulty... make sure your drivers understand the virtue of silence. Urge them not to discuss their cargo on the CB, on a cell phone, or at a truckstop. Nor should they leave manifests and freight bills and the like where they can easily be seen...

NOISE - USA - E-A-R authors paper on vehicle noise for truck designers

INDIANAPOLIS,Ind,USA -Todays' Trucking -May 20 2005: -- Damping; isolation; absorption; barrier materials: Those are the four tools of noise and vibration control for commercial trucks, says a whitepaper authored by E-A-R Specialty Composites... a world leader in composite/elastomer engineering and product development for handling noise, vibration, comfort, thermal requirements and shock... provides truck designers a systematic and concise tutorial on how to build cost-effective noise and vibration controls into their products...

TECHNOLOGY - CANADA - Online weight calculator for transports

CALGARY,AL,CANADA -Todays'Trucking -May 19 2005: -- Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation's web site now includes a weight calculator to help carriers and their clients determine the maximum allowable vehicle weight in each category.
The calculator is found on the AIT website under Commercial Operations, Road Restrictions/Bans and then Regulation Summary. (www.trans.gov.ab.ca/Content/docType281/Production/Tra_semi.htm)

TECHNOLOGY - USA - CUMMINS move towards high-efficiency engine

COLUMBUS,Ind.,USA -Today's Trucking -May 19 2005: -- Cummins recently announced significant progress toward meeting engine efficiency and emissions targets... has demonstrated an ISX heavy-duty truck engine with an increased Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE) of 45 percent while reducing emissions to levels associated with the future introduction of 2007 technology... Particulate Matter emissions were reduced to 0.01 gram/hp-hr...

INVESTMENTS - CHINA - Yellow wants to be first NA. trucking carrier in red China

KANSAS, USA -Today's Trucking/The Financial Times of London -May 17 2005: -- LTL giant Yellow Roadway Corp. is attempting to roll into China, becoming the first North American trucking company to operate in the semi-communist country... reported this week that Yellow Roadway is in talks with Chinese officials about either acquiring or partnering with Chinese carriers...

LAY OFFS - ITALY - FIAT plans temporary lay-offs at two plants due to truckers strike

MILAN,ITALY -Forbes/USA/AFX News Limited/Ansa news agency -05.17.2005: -- Fiat SpA plans to temporarily lay off workers at its plants in Mirafiori, Turin and Cassino, near Naples because of a truckers strike, without citing sources... The decision involves the first shift of workers tomorrow, affecting 1,950 workers at Mirafiori and 950 at Cassino...

PROFITS - FRANCE - Renault Trucks is contributing to rise in Volvo profits

Paris,France -Forbes/AFX News Limited/USA -05.18.2005: -- AB Volvo chief executive Leif Johansson said that its Renault Trucks unit is contributing to the rise of Volvo's profits... But he added that the unit's profitability will need to be improved further to insure it against any decline in the market... He also told that the Volvo is always interested in growth possibilities through acquisition, but not in the European heavy truck sector or in North America because of antitrust considerations...

ECOLOGY - USA - New Diesel Truck Technology to Reduce Emissions, Save Fuel

Washington DC,USA -Kansas City/infoZine/Kansas City,MO, by Ieesha L. McKinzie -May 18 2005: -- Federal officials Tuesday showcased new hybrid and fuel-efficient commercial diesel-powered trucks they said will save fuel and improve air quality... At a news conference and display of six new trucks, a minivan and a bus, Jeffrey Holmstead, Environmental Protection Agency assistant administrator, said the new vehicles will mean "black puffs of smoke we see from trucks will be a thing of the past."...

PRODUCTS - USA - GE Earns Telematics Industry Award For Remote Diagnostic Device

DETROIT,Mich,USA -BUSINESS WIRE -May 17 2005: -- An innovative handheld diagnostic tool, developed by GE for its VeriWise Asset Intelligence product, has earned the 2005 award for "Best Telematics Portable / Handheld Product" from a leading telematics industry group. VeriWise is also one of the GE "Imagination Breakthrough" projects described in this year's annual report... Telematics is a term used to describe the integration of wireless communications with vehicle sensor-based monitoring systems and location devices...

SECURITY - USA - DHS' Customs & Border Protection Division Unveils Fact Sheet on Securing Borders

Arlington Heights,IL,USA -SecurityInfoWatch (press release) - May 17th, 2005: -- On May 5, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security published a fact sheet detailing its use of technologies in the protection of borders and port entries. The fact sheet (published below) details such implemented technologies as radiation isotope identification, video surveillance, gamma and X-ray systems, and more. The fact sheet, though not overly detailed, provides a snapshot view of what's being rolled out currently along the U.S. borders, ports and airports...

PROBLEMS - USA - Idling Trucks Causing Problems for Local Residents

New York,NY,USA -7Online.com/Eyewitness News',by Carolina Tarazona -5/17/2005 -- Protestors are out in force in the Bronx. They're angry about big diesel trucks that sit idling in a parking lot spewing waste into the air and to make matters worse, that lot sits next door to a school...

RECALLS - USA - TOYOTA recalling 750,000 trucks, SUVs

WASHINGTON DC,USA -Newsday/Long Island,NY/AP -May 17, 2005: -- Toyota Motor Corp., in one of its largest safety recalls ever, said Tuesday it is recalling more than 750,000 pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles because of problems with the front suspension that could hinder steering.. In 1992, Toyota recalled about 550,000 Camrys from the 1987-1990 models because of the potential for power door locks to malfunction and lock passengers out of or inside the vehicles... In 2002, the company recalled nearly 400,000 subcompact and minicar vehicles exported to the United States, Europe and Canada because of improperly designed brake fluid pipes...

TECHNOLOGY - UK - The future of Dualmode?

UK -Transport News Network: -- Called the "Bladerunner" this latest concept in road/rail Dualmode transport is the result of years of effort by the engineering consultancy Silvertip Design based in Richmond, North Yorkshire. The project obviously looks as though it has potential as it has received funding from the freight trailer and body builder Don Bur... It is as applicable to freight as to passenger transport... http://www.tnn.co.uk/Technology/plonearticle.2004-12-10.5362161808

GLOBAL GAINS - USA - TOYOTA to capture worldwide sales lead

USA -AutoWeek -17/05/05: -- Toyota Motor Corp. last year took a big bite out of General Motors' lead as the world's No. 1 automaker. Toyota gained by nearly 600,000 vehicles on GM to close to within 1.38 million sales in 2004... That puts Toyota on a path to catch GM within two or three years if the trend holds... http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102246

PRODUCTION - KOREA - GM has global plans for new Aveo

Hopes to sell Korean-built model in 120 markets
SHANGHAI,China -AutoWeek/Automotive News,by ALYSHA WEBB/USA -4/25/05: -- General Motors bills the next-generation Chevrolet Aveo compact as a world car. But initially it will be a Korean car...http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102246

TRADES - RUSSIA - Prohibitive duties on imported trucks to be discussed

MOSCOW,Russia -RIA Novosti -May 16 2005: -- The interdepartmental commission on protective foreign trade measures will discuss prohibitive duties on imported trucks in June-July... The source recalled that the government had twice introduced nine-month temporary prohibitive duties on imported second-hand trucks that are more than seven years old. The current import duty is...http://en.rian.ru/business/20050516/40361419.html

INVESTMENTS - CANADA - Ontario supports innovation, skilled jobs in truck manufacturing industry

TORONTO,Canada -Canada NewsWire -May 16 2005: -- Ontario is making strategic investments of up to US$32 million to support skills training for workers at the International Truck and Engine Corporation Canada plant in Chatham and to support the establishment of a new R&D Centre for Advanced Heavy Duty Truck Manufacturing in Windsor... This Centre will undertake specific projects focused on diesel engine technologies that reduce emissions, help build the critical mass of innovation activity that the Chatham heavy-duty truck plant will rely on for years to come...http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2005/16/c9705.html

TECHNOLOGY - USA - Train stowaways detected at border by high-tech device

BUFFALO,NY,USA -Newsday -May 16 2005: -- Border agents using gamma-imaging technology on an incoming freight train apprehended two Brazilian nationals trying to enter the United States illegally, authorities said Monday...http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny-brf--stowawayscaug0516may16,0,529075.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork

ECOLOGY - USA - Don’t Crush TOYOTA's RAV4 !

USA -DontCrush.com -May 10 2005: -- The Campaign to Save Electric Cars, whose international protests against the crushing of electric cars by General Motors and Ford made front-page headlines, changed Ford’s policies and saved hundreds of electric cars, today went public with details of a similar campaign directed at Toyota... http://www.dontcrush.com/press.shtml

TECHNOECOLOGY - JAPAN - MITSUBISHI Goes Electric: New EVs in 2010

Tokyo,Japan -MM/Press Release -May 11, 2005: -- Mitsubishi will build its EVs with in-wheel motors and lithium-ion batteries, both of which the company has been working on for several years. Mitsubishi forsees using the Mitsubishi In-wheel motor Electric Vehicle (MIEV) concept in hybrids and fuel cell vehicles as well...http://media.mitsubishi-motors.com/pressrelease/e/corporate/detail1269.html

TECHNOECOLOGY - INDIA - Delhi Considering Fleet of Solar/Electric Buses

INDIA -webindia123 -May 13 2005: -- The Delhi government is studying a proposal to introduce a fleet of solar-powered battery electric buses in the city prior to hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2010. Reva Electric Car Company is developing a 16-seat prototype... The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has offered to fund further research for developing 20- and 32-seat bus prototypes, as well as a prototype for three-wheelers... http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=82023&cat=Business

TECHNOECOLOGY - JAPAN - TOYOTA New Hydrogen Tanks Offer More Capacity, Longer Life

Japan - Green Car Congress -May 16 2005: -- Toyota has developed two new high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks featuring greater capacity and longer operational life for its fuel cell vehicles. The tanks offer 35 megapascal (350 bar or 5,000 psi) storage and 70 megapascal (700 bar or 10,000 psi) storage...http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005/05/new_toyota_hydr.html

ECOLOGY - USA - NREL: Rethinking Biodiesel and NOx

USA -Green Car Congress -May 16, 2005: -- ... a report that a current NREL research project indicates that biodiesel may not increase NOx emissions compared to petroleum diesel... On a technical session panel reported that after extended dynamometer testing, NOx emissions from two 40-foot urban transit buses burning B20 were comparable to the buses’ NOx emissions when burning conventional diesel...http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005/05/nrel_rethinking.html

ECOLOGY - UK - Scottish Development Agency Funds $7.7 M in Battery Research

Scotland,UK -Green Car Congress/USA -May 16 2005: -- Scotland’s Intermediary Technology Institute for Energy is investing £4.2 million (US$7.7 million, €6.1 million) to develop a next generation of batteries that could be used in electric/hybrid electric vehicles (EV/HEVs) as well as smaller, mobile applications such as phones and laptops...http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005/05/scottish_develo.html

ECOLOGY - JAPAN - TOYOTA Announces Next Environmental Plan

Focus on CO2 Reduction and Fuel Efficiency
USA -WorldChanging -May 13 2005: -- High on the agenda are a 20% worldwide reduction in production-related CO2 emissions from 2001 levels per sales unit. Toyota is also committing to achieveing the best fuel efficiency performance in each country and region with the goal of CO2 reduction... There's some market relativism in that approach. While in Europe, the corporate commitment is to brining CO2 emissions down to 140g/km by 2009, in North America the goal is simply to achieve the best fuel efficiency among competing vehicles of the same class... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005/05/toyota_announce.html

PRODUCTION - INDIA - Hyundai to roll out trucks in India

SEOUL,Korea -India Times -MAY 16 2005: -- South Korean Hyundai Motor is on a roll in India. Having established itself as second largest car maker in India, it is ready to drive deeper in Indian automobile industry with plans to roll out commercial vehicles besides setting up an R&D centre for compact cars...http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1111143.cms

SAFETY - USA - Unsafe trucks go uninspected

Birmingham,AL,USA -Birmingham News,by GINNY MacDONALD and BRETT J. BLACKLEDGE -May 15 2005: -- Thousands of big trucks travel Alabama's highways with bad brakes, bad tires and bad drivers, according to a Birmingham News analysis of federal inspection records. Many of those dangerous trucks in recent years have been involved in accidents that have killed hundreds, injured thousands and cost millions in highway repairs...

PRODUCTS - GREECE - WABCO Supplying More Than 500 IVTM Systems for Public Bus

THESSALONIKI,GREECE - ASC NEWS RELEASES/BRUSSELS, BELGIUM -APRIL 2005 - OASTH, the public bus transportation operator in Thessaloniki, the capital of Macedonia and second largest city in Greece, will equip more than 500 of its buses with WABCO Integrated Vehicle Tire Pressure Monitoring (IVTM) systems...http://www.wabco.info/intl/pdf/820/000/341/8200003413.pdf

JOB REQUESTEDS - USA & CANADA

* Service Writer/Parts Person: Handle shipping and receiving of parts, parts invoicing, and parts inquiries... http://www.lacrossetribune.com/marketplace/showjob.php?id=7078

* Service Technicians: Maintenance and repairs on medium and heavy-duty trucks and semi-trailers... http://www.lacrossetribune.com/marketplace/showjob.php?id=7078

* FOREIGN TRUCK DRIVERS: which would make it easier for foreign truckers to immigrate and work as truck drivers in Ontario... http://www.todaystrucking.com/displayarticle.cfm?ID=4016

*TRUCK DRIVERS: "The reality is that the shortage of truck drivers is only going to get worse for the foreseeable future"... http://www.todaystrucking.com/displayarticle.cfm?ID=4018

TECHNOLOGY - USA - Communications trucks will soon blanket the state

CHILLICOTHE,OH,USA -Akron Beacon Journal/Akron,OH/AP -May 14 2005: --Within the next month, the first of 11 mobile communications trucks will be stationed around Ohio to assist law enforcement agencies during emergencies... The vehicles are expected to help police and other officials communicate and better respond to flooding, ice storms, tornadoes, major crashes, terrorist attacks or other disasters...http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/11647927.html

STATISTICS - CANADA - Truck numbers drop, study says

Figures go against the perception trucks are more prevalent now.

TORONTO,CAN -London Free Press,by MEGAN THOMAS -2005-05-14: -- Despite the public perception of more truck traffic than ever on some of Canada's busiest highways, the number of trucks on Canadian roads declined slightly between 2000 and 2003, says a Statistics Canada study released yesterday...

GOOD NEWS - USA - For trucking industry in 2005

USA -Fleet Owner (subscription),by Jim Mele -May 13 2005: --
Although there were differences in the details for truckload and less-than-truckload carriers, top executives from both segments told the financial community in New York City that 2005 will be a strong year for freight, rates, revenues and profits. Analysts and others following the trucking industry heard the generally good news at a “global transportation conference” organized by investment banker Bear Stearns...

TOLL - USA - Truck-Only Toll Road Bill

SACRAMENTO,Cal.,USA -BUSINESS WIRE -May 12 2005: -- Pointing to a recently released study showing the Los Angeles area continues to endure the nation's worst traffic, Assemblymen Chuck DeVore (R-Irvine) and Joe Canciamilla (D-Martinez) announced today they are scheduling a local hearing of the Assembly Select Committee on Growth and Infrastructure on a project that will significantly alleviate a major part of the problem... http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20050512005901&newsLang=en

JOIN VENTURE - INDIA - M&M in JV talks with US auto firm ITEC

Mumbai,INdia -TIMES NEWS NETWORK - MAY 13 2005: -- Utility and farm equipment major, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) is believed to be entering into a join venture with International Truck and Engine Corporation (ITEC), a leading producer of mid-range diesel engines, medium trucks, heavy trucks, service vehicles and parts...http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1108356.cms

NEW SITE - USA - TruckerToTrucker.com Launches Newly Improved

Ferndale,WA,USA -Emediawire(press release)- 12 May 2005: -- TruckerToTrucker.com, a Web site that allows users to buy, advertise and sell trucks, trailers and parts online, announces the launch of its newly improved Web site. The improved site includes many new features and benefits for users... http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2005/5/emw239578.htm

CONTROLS - AUSTRALIA - 1 in 6 trucks found defective

Australia -NEWS.com.au/AAP -May 12, 2005: -- ONE in six trucks pulled over by Victorian police in a national road safety operation this month were defective... Of 672 trucks checked this month, 112 were issued with defect notices, while 87 drivers were nabbed for log book offences and a further 21 for exceeding permitted driving hours...http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,15261190-29277,00.html

INCENTIVES - USA - Fleet modernization added to energy bill

USA -Fleet Owner (subscription)-May 13 2005: An amendment was added to the U.S. House version of the Federal Energy Policy Act that would set aside a total of $100 million nationally for fleet modernization and diesel retrofits from 2005 through 2007 plus “such sums as are necessary” for 2008 and 2009... the amendment requires proposals that will achieve the greatest reductions in emissions of non-methane hydrocarbons, oxides of nitrogen and/or particulate matter... Other requirements... http://fleetowner.com/news/retrofit_truck_100_million_energy_bill_051305/

PRODUCTION - USA - CUMMINS: Sales of diesel trucks could double U.S. sales volumes

Indianapolis,IN,USA -Indianapolis Star,by Ted Evanoff -May 10 2005: -- Columbus engine maker Cummins Inc. said today it will invest about $74 million in its Dongfeng Cummins venture in China over the next three years to meet surging demand for diesels... Sales of diesel trucks in the industrializing Asian nation could double U.S. sales volumes in the next few years...

PREDICTION - USA - SECRETARY of Energy Remarks for 21st Century Truck Event

USA -i.Newswire -2005-05-11: -- As many of you know, U.S. highway transportation is over 97 percent dependent on petroleum for its energy, with about one-quarter consumed by heavy-duty vehicles. Over half of our petroleum is imported, which impacts our security and balance of payments deficit. Without significant technology development, our Department is forecasting that heavy truck petroleum use will increase by 40 percent by 2020 and will double by 2050 relative to today...

ECOLOGY - PAKISTAN - Air Quality in six Cities Deteriorating

USA - Green Car Congress -May 12 2005: -- IANS. A study carried out by the environment ministry in Pakistan has found that the air quality in six major Pakistani cities is deteriorating rapidly. The number of vehicles in those cities has increased by some 300 percent in five years.

ECOLOGY - EUROPE - Automakers Not On-Track with CO2 reductions

USA -Green Car Congress/Financial Times -May 12 2005: -- Europe’s carmakers improved fuel efficiency last year at only half the rate required to meet the targets for reduced emissions of carbon dioxide promised to the European Commission... Provisional figures for CO2 emissions from new cars show the European industry produced an average efficiency of 160 grams per kilometre last year, down only 1.8 per cent on the previous year. To meet the target of 140 g/km by 2008 the carmakers need an annual rate of improvement of 3.3 per cent, suggesting they may have to accelerate the introduction of expensive new technologies to boost fuel efficiency...

ECOLOGY - INDIA - Extending the Infrastructure for Natural Gas Vehicles

USA - Green Car Congress -May 12, 2005: -- GAIL (Gas Authority of India Ltd.) and Indian Oil Corp., are forming a joint venture to supply compressed natural gas (CNG) for vehicles and piped natural gas (PNG) for homes and businesses in Agra (home of the Taj Mahal) and Lucknow...

OIL - USA - IEA Market Report, demand growth for the year by 0.1%

IEA Forecasts Small Growth in Oil Supply Outpacing Slighter Growth in Demand
USA -Green Car Congress -May 12 2005: -- In its current Oil Market Report, the IEA (Internatinal Energy Ass.), noted that demand growth for oil is easing in China, the US and Europe. This easing in pressure was offset by increased demand in Asia-Pacific countries, the Former Soviet Union, and the Middle East... Overall, the IEA nudged up its estimate of demand growth for the year by 0.1 percentage point from last month’s forecast to 2.2% from 2.1%. This rounds off to 84.3 million barrels per day...

LEARNER rider s - AUSTRALIA - DANGER ROADS

Sydney,New South Wales,Australia -Daily Telegraph -May 10 2005: -- A LEARNER rider who crashed seconds after being clocked doing 230km/h on a western Melbourne freeway was among a growing number of riders using the road as a raceway, police have warned... The 21-year-old rider, who was on a 1000cc bike despite being restricted by his learners permit to a 250, survived the crash which occurred as he rounded a bend at the end of the Western Ring Road about 10pm last night (AEST)...http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story.jsp?sectionid=1274&storyid=3101502

FREIGHTS - FINLAND - "There is enough work here in Sweden for two years"

Dozens of Finnish trucks now carrying timber in clean-up after Sweden's winter storms
Sanomat,Finland -Helsingin Sanomat,by Pyry Lapintie - 10/05/05: -- In the forested areas of Sweden that were flattened by the winter storms of early January, there is a crying shortage of trucks suitable for carrying timber...http://www.helsinginsanomat.fi/english/article/1101979447915

RECALL - USA - GM Recalling 300,000 Trucks, SUVs

Washington,DC,USA -AP/Washington Post,by KEN THOMAS -May 10 2005: -- General Motors Corp. is recalling more than 300,000 trucks and sport utility vehicles because of problems with the turn signal on some vehicles, the company said... a driver indicating an upcoming turn by moving the directional signal up or down might cause the front and rear turn lights to flash, making it appear like a hazard warning...http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/10/AR2005051000754.html

PRODUCTS - USA - WEBTECH Wireless' Full Service for the Long-Haul Trucking Market

BURNABY,BC,USA -BUSINESS WIRE/WebTech Wireless Inc -May 10 2005 -- WebTech Wireless today announced the launch of a full service offering for the long-haul trucking market. In an industry in which $97.9 billion of revenue is generated in the US alone, with an estimated net profit of 4.8%, productivity enhancement tools can provide organizations with a much needed opportunity to increase their bottom lines. WebTech's full service offering includes the following features... http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20050510005084&newsLang=en

TECHNOLOGY - USA - New wireless computers for drivers

ATLANTA,GE,USA -Todays' Trucking/CANADA -May 10, 2005: -- UPS will rollout a new generation driver computer that can "talk" with four different wireless communication systems to speed tracking information to customers... The computer known Delivery Information Acquisition Device or DIAD IV, will support some new, more customized services in the near future... it's a critical part of a broader technology shift that is allowing UPS to dramatically reduce its fuel consumption while improving route planning, vehicle loading and package delivery...http://www.todaystrucking.com/displayarticle.cfm?ID=4013

SALES - CHINA - GM's ALLISON to supply transmissions to Public Transport

SHANGHAI,China -Forbes/AFX News Limited -05.11.2005: -- General Motors Corp's wholly-owned unit Allison Transmission has signed a contract to supply 2,200 fully-automatic transmissions to Beijing Public Transport Holdings Ltd this year... http://forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2005/05/11/afx2017363.html

DRIVERS' GAP - CANADA - OTA wants immigrant driver sponsor program

TORONTO,CAN -Todays' Trucking - May 10 2005: -- The Ontario Trucking Association is calling on the government to join most other provinces across the country in launching a Provincial Nominee Immigration Program... which would make it easier for foreign truckers to immigrate and work as truck drivers in Ontario...http://www.todaystrucking.com/displayarticle.cfm?ID=4016

DRIVER GAP - CANADA - Will keep capacity crunched

TORONTO,CAN -Todays' Trucking -May 11 2005: -- Shippers should not expect a roll back in trucking rates as long as there's a shortage of driver manpower and carriers continue to grapple with rising costs like fuel, insurance, and equipment, says David Bradley, CEO of the Canadian Trucking Alliance. "The reality is that the shortage of truck drivers is only going to get worse for the foreseeable future, which will take up any slack that might occur in volumes"...http://www.todaystrucking.com/displayarticle.cfm?ID=4018

REGULATIONS - CANADA - OTA report questions relevancy of Drive Clean

TORONTO,CAN- Todays' Trucking -May 11, 2005: -- Ontario trucks under seven years of age should no longer be required to undergo Drive Clean tests based on the current pass rate for the industry, the Ontario Trucking Association... has taken its concerns with the controversial emission testing program to the government... http://www.todaystrucking.com/displayarticle.cfm?ID=4020

ANNOUNCE - CANADA - CN launches international freight forwarding subsidiary

MONTREAL, (May 10, 2005) -- Canadian National Railway announced the formation of CN WorldWide, a wholly-owned subsidiary that will offer international freight forwarding services between Europe and North America, it will be based in Rotterdam, Netherlands... It will schedule and manage the door-to-door movement of international shipments, including rail, trucking, maritime transportation and port handling, along with warehousing, customs and billing...http://www.todaystrucking.com/displayarticle.cfm?ID=4014

RULES - USA - Gear Over Truckers' Hours Behind Wheel

Washington,DC,USA -Washington Post,by Cindy Skrzycki -May 10 2005: -- There is no middle of the road on the issue of how many hours truckers should be behind the wheel. Highway safety groups want a federal rule that mandates less driving and more rest; the trucking industry wants more driving -- and more rest -- just as the latest rule allows...http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/09/AR2005050901323.html

OPINION - USA - BUY GM

NEW YORK,NY,USA - Forbes,by Richard Lehmann - 05.05.05: -- General Motors' travails are endlessly recounted in the news media these days. Deteriorating market share, clunky designs, moneylosing quarters, enormous labor costs, all contribute to the sense of dread that surrounds this onetime corporate icon... While buying GM common stock is a dubious choice, the automaker's bonds and preferreds make a lot of sense. (Here the term "preferred" encompasses not the usual variety of senior equity but minibonds that trade like shares of stock.) GM may be forced at some point to cut its common dividend, but its bond and preferred interest payments are on firmer ground... http://www.forbes.com/home/business/2005/05/05/cz_rl_0505gm.html

OPINION - USA - GM: Junk Or Collectible?

NEW YORK,NY,USA -Forbes,by Steve Kichen -05.10.05: -- It isn't easy, but General Motors is getting more bad publicity than Michael Jackson. GM's bond rating just careened down the road to junk status, while its common stock was recently trading at a ten-year low--that is, until Kirk Kerkorian rolled onto the scene... Today's investors don't care much for companies--particularly American companies--that make things out of metal...

TECHNOLOGY - USA - Monitoring system protects Jacksonville from destructive cargo

But who is watching the nation’s highways when it comes to dangerous cargo?
Jacksonville,FL,USA -WTEV - 5/9/2005: -- 13 million cargo carrying trucks travel Florida’s highways every year. On average, 350,000 cargo containers move through Jacksonville ports every year making it one of the busiest in the nation... The mobile imaging system is known as VACIS, or the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System, is a powerful, portable x-ray machine now working the front lines in the war on terror...http://www.wtev.com/news/reports/story.aspx?content_id=4616E3A6-B420-4B4A-88F6-B511493F600D

CUESTIONS - USA - What Kerkorian Really Wants From GM

NEW YORK,NY, USA - Forbes,by Joann Muller - 05.04.05: -- Billionaire Kirk Kerkorian could care less about General Motors' new Buick LaCrosse or Hummer H3. He's got his eyes on GM's profitable mortgage and insurance business... http://www.forbes.com/home/services/2005/05/04/cz_jm_0504kerkorian.html

COMMENTS - USA - Big-rigs sales exceptionally strong

USA - Forbes,by Jerry Flint - 05.10.05: -- For the second year in a row, sales of big rigs--the over-the-road cargo haulers, also known as Class 8s--are exceptionally strong. This year, they may move into record numbers... While sales of pickups and sport utility vehicles often correlate with the price of fuel, sales of Class 8 trucks are far more dependent on the economy's need to move goods than on prices at the pump...http://www.forbes.com/columnists/2005/05/10/cz_jf_0510flint.html

BORDER ISSUES - USA - Security Dominates Border Confab

Washington DC,USA -Hispanic Business,by Patricia Guadalupe/Santa Barbara,CA,USA -May 2005: : The ninth annual U.S.-Mexico Border Issues Conference was recently held, spotlighting immigration and national security... The Secure Borders act would provide funding for an infrastructure investment fund and screen all cargo trucks crossing the border... http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?id=22688&cat=Magazine&more=/magazine/

INDUSTRY NEWS - IRAN - KHODRO is not interested in MG Rover

Teheran,Iran -Auto Industry -09/05/05: -- ... Iran-Khodro executive Eshagh Jahangiri said last weekend that MG Rover's sale to China of the rights to its 25 and 75 models meant it was no longer attractive to the state-controlled Iranian manufacturer...

PRODUCTION - CHINA - FORD ‘may build Volvos in China’

Illinois,Mich,USA - Auto Industry/UK -09/05/05: -- Ford may use Volvo Car to augment its presence in the Chinese car market, Mark Fields, the executive vice-president of Premier Automotive Group, Ford’s luxury division... said that production of Volvo models in China was a distinct possibility, but no definite decisions had been made.

COLOURS - UK - Prestige colours cars in depreciation

White prestige badge cars can cost an extra £2,500 in depreciation
Metallic black is now the best colour for strong residual values

UK - Auto Industry -10/05/05: -- Paint colour has always had a major influence over the residual value of used cars, but never has this been more true than for today's prestige-brand vehicles... According to Glass's, making an unwise colour choice when purchasing a new upper-medium prestige car (BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Mercedes C-Class, etc) could now mean it loses as much as an extra £2,500 off its trade value after one year and 12,000 miles...

PROFITS - CANADA - Oil trucking Co., help to triple revenues

Don Mills,Ontario,Canada -National Post/CALGARY (CP) - May 09 2005: -- Profits at Producers Oilfield Services Inc. soared in the first quarter as an acquisition in the oilfield trucking sector helped the Calgary company more than triple its revenues...

ECO PRODUCTS - JAPAN - ISUZU Introduces New Elf Diesel Hybrid Truck for Japanese Market

USA -Green Car Congress -May 03 2005: -- Isuzu Motors Limited has added a new diesel parallel hybrid model to its lineup of Elf low-pollution light-duty trucks. The new model will appear in the general market in mid-June 2005, although Isuzu has already begun sales to select fleets. The company has a sales goal of 600 diesel hybrids per year...

ECO PRODUCTS - KOREA - HYUNDAI Advances US Hybrids Introduction to 2006

Korea -Automotive News/Gree Car Congress -May 04 2005: -- Hyundai and Kia have moved up the schedule for introducing hybrids to the US to late 2006 from a prior target of after 2007... According to the report, the first hybrid models will be Hyundai’s Accent and Kia’s Rio—the same hybrid models Hyundai is producing for Korea in very small numbers (a few hundred).

ECOLOGY - JAPAN - Trucking Firms Implementing GPS to Help Reduce Emissions

Tokyo,Japan -Nikkei News/Gree Car Congress -May 08, 2005: -- Major Japanese trucking companies are introducing Global Positioning System (GPS) devices in their fleets to measure emissions accurately and to optimize truck routes, with the goal of reducing CO2 emissions...

ECOLOGY - INDIA - Planning Comprehensive National Biodiesel Policy

Calcutta,India -The Telegraph of Calcutta/Green Car Congress -May 08, 2005: -- The Planning Commission of the Indian government, reports that is likely to announce a comprehensive policy for the use of B20 biodiesel (20% biodiesel) in the country by August...

ECOLOGY - USA - US Biomass Could Displace 30%+ of Current Oil Consumption

The Billion-Ton Vision
USA -Green Car Congress -May 09 2005: -- A joint study by the US Departments of Agriculture and Energy (USDA and DOE) has concluded that the land resources of the US could produce a sustainable supply of biomass sufficient to displace 30% or more of the country’s present petroleum consumption....

ECOLOGY - USA - Hybrid Sales More than Triple from Year Before

USA -Green Car Congress -May 03 2005: -- Led by Toyota, which alone accounted for 13,690 units sold, combined sales of hybrids in the US reached 20,974 in April, more than triple the number sold in April 2004 (6,832)... Prius posting 11,345 units... Lexus Rx400h, racked up 2,345 units... Honda Civic Hybrid pushed sales of 3,466 units... The Accord Hybrid climbed to 2,023—its best to date... Insight climbing up to 90 units, the car’s best performance in a year... Ford’s Escape Hybrid also posted its own best performance in its 7-month sales history, with 1,705 units sold...

INVESTMENTS - SOUTH AFRICA - TATA to set up auto units in S.Africa

Bangalore - Taramani,Chennai,India -Sify -07 May 2005: -- Tata Motors, the fifth largest Automobile manufacturing company in the world, is looking for manufacturing facilities in South Africa (SA) and Latin American (LA) Countries as part of its expansion plan, Chairman Ratan N Tata said...

REPORTS - CHINA - CAAS 2005 First Quarter Results: Net Sales Up 22.7 Percent

HUBEI,China -PRIMEZONE/China Automotive Systems, Inc. -May 5 2005: -- China Automotive Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CAAS) today announced financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2005, reflecting sales strength from the heavy duty and light truck market. ... Net sales for the first quarter increased 22.7 percent to $14.0 million from $11.4 million a year earlier... increased sales to heavy duty vehicle customers Dongfeng Auto Group and Shanxi Heavy Auto Co., two of China Automotive's new heavy duty vehicle customers added in 2004, which climbed to16.1 percent and 5.5 percent in the 2005 first quarter from 10.9 percent and 2.8 percent in 2004, respectively...

OPINION - USA - Sexual Harassment

Akron,PA,USA -Layover,by Sandy Long - 05/05/05: -- At a truck stop recently, I heard a thought provoking exchange on the CB. A lady driver asked a question, a guy made a suggestive comment to her and when she didn't respond, he repeated himself. I assume she could see who was saying these things because she threatened to call his company and file a sexual harassment complaint on him. What the guy said was rude, crude and socially unacceptable, but was it sexual harassment or was he just a jerk?

WOMANS' STORY - USA - Fascinated With Trucking

Akron,PA,USA -Layover.com,by Dawn Rodriguez -06/05/05: -- If you are reading this article, you more than likely fall into one of three categories: 1)You are already a driver - 2)You are contemplating getting into the industry - 3)You are fascinated by the trucker life but cannot believe that a woman would want to do such a thing!... Do any of the above categories describe you? If so, I'm going to let you in on a secret. At one point or the other, most women truckers have been in all three of these categories. In fact, some women truckers are still fascinated by the trucker life and cannot believe that they have actually made a career out of it!...

SUTDY - USA - Maintenance cost study

USA -Fleet Owner(subscription)-May 6 2005: -- The HDMA has compiled a study that reveals heavy-duty truck owner-operators and maintenance managers for construction fleets report the highest per-mile maintenance expenses... Titled Heavy Duty Truck Maintenance in the U.S.A. 2005 said the following averages in per-mile maintenance costs were posted: 1)Owner-operators: 25 cents - 2)Construction fleets: 20 cents - 3)Comercial carriers: 16 cents - 4)Private fleets: 15 cents - 5) Agriculture/mining/forestry:14 cents - 5)Production/distribution:12 cents ...

ALTERNATIVE FUELS - SWEDEN - SAAB shows off 9-5 BioPower

SWEDEN - Auto Industry/UK -06/05/05: -- Saab’s 2.0t 9-5 BioPower has recently been launched in Sweden, where between 85 and 90 per cent of current 9-5 orders are for the bioethanol derivative, equivalent to more than 1,000 cars... Saab says the 9-5 BioPower delivers more power than its petrol equivalent, taking brake horse power from 150 up to 180bhp...

ECOLOGY - USA - GM is first EPA 'Climate Leaders' partner to reach voluntary emissions goal

USA - Auto Industry/UK - 06/05/05: -- GM says it has cut its North American stationary CO2 emissions by over 11 per cent in three years (without reference to its vehicles’ emissions), reaching its goal two years earlier than planned... GM’s North American facilities reduced their CO2 emissions by 1.3 million metric tons from 2000 to 2003; the decrease is on par with the annual emissions from the power consumed by 169,000 U.S. households...

REPPLY - USA - Ford responds to Standard & Poor's ratings downgrade

USA - Auto Industry/UK - 06/05/05: -- Don Leclair, Ford Motor Company's executive vice president and chief financial officer, responded to yesterday's announcement by Standard & Poor's saying, “We disagree with S&P's action today. We're disappointed that it discounts our considerable liquidity and our access to diverse funding sources, as well as the recent successes of our new products"...

DOWNGRADES - USA - Standard & Poors downgrades GM and Ford to ‘junk’

USA -Auto Industry/UK -06/05/05: -- Standard & Poor's Ratings Services yesterday lowered its long- and short-term corporate credit ratings on General Motors Corp. (GM), General Motors Acceptance Corp. (GMAC), and all related entities to 'BB/B-1' from 'BBB-/A-3', with a negative rating outlook... The corporate credit ratings firm lowered its long- and short-term corporate credit ratings on Ford Motor Co., Ford Motor Credit Co., and all related entities - except those of Hertz Corp. - to 'BB+/B-1' from 'BBB-/A-3'. The S&P rating outlook for Ford is also negative...

SALES - UK - April demands up, for new trucks

UK -Auto Industry -06/05/05: -- Demand for new trucks over 3.5 tonnes rose 8.2% to 5,110 units, while for the rolling year, a total of 56,697 brought year on year growth to 1.6%. Trucks up to 15t and over 15t gvw showed changes of 9.2 and 7.6% respectively on April 2004. Rigids were up 11.3 per cent for the month of April, rising by 356 units to 3,506. Rolling year rigids registrations at 37,504 were up by 0.4% on 37,412 at March 2004.

DOLLAR - USA - China & Japan "currency manipulation"

UK - Auto INDUSTRY - 09/05/05: -- US producers lobby through Congress for retaliation against Chinese and Japanese trading threat... Forty-seven members of Congress led by a Michigan representative have written to President Bush asking the US administration to target both China and Japan’s ‘currency manipulation’... The Sound Dollar Coalition, a manufacturers' group that had focused complaints in recent months on China, is also broadening its campaign by insisting that currency manipulation by other Asian trading partners must also be tackled.
DO

PRODUCTION - INDIA - VW to build Andhra Pradesh assembly plant

UK -Auto Industry/The Financial Express (India)-09/05/05: -- Volkswagen AG, is preparing a car manufacturing facility in India’s southern state, Andhra Pradesh... the VW plant would create about 10,000 jobs... VW subsidiary Skoda has already begun producing and selling cars in India...

SUITS - CHINA - GM DAEWO against CHERY

GM Daewoo files IP infringement suit against Chery in Beijing

UK - Auto Industry - 09/05/04: -- The Beijing No 1 Intermediate People's Court confirmed yesterday that the court has accepted a lawsuit filed by General Motors (GM) Daewoo against Chery Automobile Company... GM is asking for damages of 80 million yuan (US$9.6 million) in connection with Chery’s alleged infringement of the Matiz and Spark models’ design copyrights with its QQ mini... - Chery's next generation of models, which are set to compete with GM and other brands in North American and European markets in two years' time, will not be subject to the same allegations of intellectual property theft; they are to be styled by Giugiaro and Bertone respectively...

INVESTMENTS - CHINA - CHERY possibles investments in Argelia and East Europe

UK - Auto Industry -05/05/05: -- The Chinese manufacturer of Chery cars, recently announced its interest in Algeria like potential location for assemblies of vehicles... too, is considering to construct a plant to assembly in central Europe or the east, mentioning the Czech Republic, Poland or Rumania like candidates to the possible investment of Chery...

COOPERATION - USA - TOYOTA & GM discuss technology cooperation

UK - Auto Industry/Reuters - 05/05/05: -- Toyota President: Fujio Cho, may offer troubled General Motors Corp. help with safety and environmental technology at a meeting with Chairman: Rick Wagoner later this month, according to a Japanese report... GM's investment to date in environmental technology has contrasted strongly with Toyota's, focusing in part on fuel cells while Toyota's latest hybrid technology Prius is rapidly gaining ground in the US market...

INVESTMENTS - SLOVAKIA - Automotive sector accounts for biggest share

UK -Auto Industry -05/05/05: -- Foreign investment in Slovakia is expected to total about £1.5bn this year, double the amount attracted in 2004, and according to World Bank data, Slovakia had the fastest transforming business environment in the world last year...

REGULATIONS - UK - Clamping on private land banned

UK -Auto Industry -05/05/05: -- The RAC Foundation has claimed a long overdue victory for motorists as clamping on private land without a licence becomes a criminal offence. As of 3 May, anyone clamping, towing away or blocking vehicles for a fee in England and Wales needs a licence... Ruled to be "extortion and theft" in Scotland since 1992, wheel clamping on private land was banned there, but until today in England and Wales, clampers have been allowed to operate unchecked...

PROFITS - USA - GOODYEAR fourth consecutive quarterly net profit

UK -Auto Industry -05/05/05: -- The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company achieved positive net income for the fourth consecutive quarter in Q1 2005, and stronger year-on-year operating income for the sixth consecutive quarter... reported net income of us$68 million (35 cents per share) compared to a net loss of us$78 million (45 cents per share) in the first quarter of 2004...

INCENTIVES - USA - Voices support vehicle technology provisions

Auto Industry -UK -05/05/05: -- The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers yesterday urged swift passage of the Congressional energy bill to provide consumer tax incentives for advanced technology vehicles.The legislation would provide between $600 and $4,000 per vehicle in tax incentives for consumers who purchase advanced technology vehicles, depending on the vehicle...

TECHNOLOGY - UK - Study: Vehicle-to-vehicle networking options

UK -Auto Industry -05/05/05: -- Many telematics and navigation systems over the past year have moved towards using Bluetooth as a wireless link to a driver's mobile phone, which in turn offers wireless connectivity... Next-generation collision avoidance systems and even intelligent traffic systems will make use... utilizes technology to allow vehicles to broadcast in dedicated spectrum, and can be used for telemetry data, identification, commerce, and even Internet access, once the required infrastructure is in place...

COMPETITIVENESS - UK - Asian and European automotive suppliers compared

Auto Industry - UK 05/05/05: -- A new comparative study of measures for supplier plants’ operational performances suggest that emerging market suppliers in South and East Asia: India, Thailand, China and Malaysia, are making rapid progress in improving quality and delivery reliability, compared with European competitors... The headline result is that the European lead on key quality and reliability measures is much smaller than might be expected, and the SEA suppliers are an average much more flexible than their European rivals...

STAKE - USA - GM Kerkorian offers $868m to increase stake to 8.8%

UK -Auto Industry -05/05/05: -- General Motors' share price and the Dow Jones index both rose yesterday after investor Kirk Kerkorian’s Tracinda Corp. offered $868m (£457m) to increase its stake by 28m shares in General Motors, which would take it from below 4% (22m shares) to 8.8%...

SERVICES - EUROPE - RENAULT Trucks launches new service card for operators

UK -Auto Industry - 5th May 2005: -- Renault Trucks is launching a new service card package aimed at simplifying the business of operating a Renault commercial vehicle across Europe... The new service cards are protected by means of a P.I.N. number and maximum authorised spending ceilings can be set by the operator to protect against theft or misuse...

FAILS - NEW ZEALAND - Over half of trucks fail brake test

Auckland,New Zealand -New Zealand Herald -06.05.05: -- More than half the trucks tested by the Land Transport Safety Authority do not meet legal brake requirements and police need extra resources to ensure safety standards are met, Parliament was told yesterday... A plan by police to employ five additional safety officers to be equipped with mobile roller brake testing equipment...

CONTEST - USA - Trucking firm wins Superior business contest

Duluth,MN,USA -Duluth News Tribune,by SHELLEY NELSON -May. 05, 2005: -- Udeen Trucking Inc. of Superior, could soon build a new maintenance facility and hire four to five people to repair the company's equipment... Owner Robin Cich's plan for the facility was chosen from 14 entries to win the $3,500 top prize in the 11th annual Superior-Douglas County Business Plan Competition...

FATIGUE - AUSTRALIA - Truckers guilty of fatigue charges

Queensland,Australia -The Couries Mail,by Jasmin Lill -06may05: -- TRUCKING company, Geoff Richards Refrigerated Transport Pty Ltd, has been slapped with a record $165,400 fine after, a contractor and eight of its drivers pleaded guilty, hundreds of offences involving excess hours at the wheel, in the Brisbane Magistrate's Court yesterday to a total of 306 charges...

STATISTICS & TECHNOLOGY - USA - Mid-America Trucking Show

Truck shows offer place to bone up on tech trends, make business contacts

LOUISVILLE,Ky,USA -The Trucker,by Lyndon Finney -May 2005: -- Statisticians tell us there are more than 3 million truck drivers in the United States... This year, 75,650 attended the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky., March 31-April 2. There were 1,080 exhibitors. If any one of those made it to every exhibit, they should be given a special page in the Guinness Book of Records... From lighter weight refrigeration units to automatic lubrication systems to new tractors that have virtually all the comforts of home (yes, including remote controlled televisions), technology is having a profound impact on the trucking industry...

WOMEN - USA - Become driving force in auto industry

“We don’t do pink trucks”

Columbia,SC,USA -The State,by GREG SCHNEIDER/The Washington Post -May. 04 2005: -- ... Mary Sipes, who as GM’s vehicle line director overseas development said... “But we now realize these trucks are being purchased by women as well as men. And if you don’t have women involved on a daily basis... in that product design, you’re going to alienate those women who would love to buy it otherwise.”

COOPERATION - NA - ATA drafts a wish list for

USA -eTrucker,by Lance Orr -May 2005: -- The American Trucking Associations, ATA, listed seven issues that it said should be addressed by the three nations: USA, Canada and Mexico: 1)Full compliance with NAFTA's trucking provisions. 2)A comprehensive customs clearance system... 3)Speedier processing of fleets in the FAST program. 4)Coordinated security programs... 5)Compatible hours-of-service rules... 6)Compatible emission standards... 7)A common set of equipment, technology and maintenance standards...

REPORT - USA - Truck Tonnage Index fell 3.3 % in March

USA -eTrucker,by Lance Orr -4 May 2005: -- The Truck Tonnage Index fell 3.3 percent in March, the American Trucking Associations reported... The index dropped to 111.3, or 0.4 percent lower than a year earlier, the first year-over-year decrease since November 2001. This follows a revised 2.9 percent decline in February 2005...

ECOLOGY - USA - House Representatives OK to replace, upgrade older trucks

Thirty-five percent of trucks on the road are more than 10 years old

USA -eTrucker,by Jill Dunn -4 May 2005: -- The House of Representatives passed an amendment to its energy bill that would provide incentives to replace older trucks or add retrofits... The amendment would also offer incentives to train technicians in advanced diesel technology and alternate-fuel engines...

HELP TO FRONTIER TRUCK DRIVERS - USA

How to erase criminal records

Which is the serious problem on small criminal records? "
Taking 15 minutes to erase its file, no lawyer, no cut, as soon as to sign the papers that they authorize to us to act in his favor," adds Levine: "the intention of all this is to protect the conductor"

USA - Todays Trucking,by Jim Park -May 2005: -- MUCH IF YOU'RE A CARGO TRUCK DRIVER. What is going to do, the owner, when he calls from the border saying that he leaves to shutdown the load because is to him being rejected its entrance to the USA?... SURELY; HE THROWS IT!... USA prohibits to enter the people with real criminal records, and if the fingers of the drivers have been printeds, in the past the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), now makes searches of the fingerprint, even if they did not've subsequent convictions or fines or consequences whatsoever, will show a positive search, which will bring problems to them in the border... So the conductor must have the erased file before the DHS finds it... Ian Levine is the Director of the Program of Pardons, an nonlucrative federal organization depending of Human Resources and the Development of Abilities of Canada (HRSDC), to help to the population beyond its file of criminal public offenses. It can help people to rewrite his histories to assure his future. The Canadian law provides this possibility. Do disappear the file, a person does not have to admit plus her existence. The DHS will not even find it if they watch the fingerprints. "Taking 15 minutes to erase its file, no lawyer, no cut, as soon as to sign the papers that they authorize to us to act in his favor," and it needs Levine: "the intention of all this is to protect the conductor".

REVENUES - USA - Trucking freight revenue will approach 88% by 2016

ATA looks at trucking outlook to 2016

USA -Fleet Owner(subscription)-May 3 2005: -- The American Trucking Assns. (ATA) predicts that total trucking freight revenue will approach 88% in the U.S. by 2016. ATA’s U.S. Freight Transportation to 2016 report, which is produced by economic forecasting firm Global Insight, Inc., said that trucking will increase total annual tonnage to 13 billion tons, which would give it a 69.1% share of the total tonnage market by 2016...

INVESTIGATION - USA - GM trucks, Government investigating brakes on 1.2 million

WASHINGTON,DC,USA -Newsday(Long Island,NY,USA)/AP,by KEN THOMAS -May 2, 2005: -- The government has opened an investigation of more than 1.2 million General Motors Corp. pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles in Connecticut and 20 other states amid questions about the vehicles' antilock brakes... The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday that stopping distances may increase when the brakes are applied at speeds of under 10 mph because of the build up of corrosion...

RECALLS - JAPAN - Auto Recalls Rise to Record-High

USA -Forbes/Associated Press -04.05.2005: -- Auto recalls surged 71 percent to a new record high in Japan last fiscal year, as automakers used more interchangeable parts in different models and an auto defect cover-up scandal led more motorists to report cases... The number of vehicles recalled was 7,565,409 in the fiscal year ended March 31... a recent cover-up of auto defects at Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and its truck making affiliate Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp. had led motorists to be more vigilant about notifying authorities of possible defects or safety concerns...

OIL - VENEZUELA - CHAVEZ Says Oil Output Down

USA -Forbes/Associated Press -05.03.2005: -- Venezuela's oil production has unexpectedly fallen by 100,000 barrels per day, and officials are investigating whether that drop could partly be a result of sabotage... President Hugo Chavez said Tuesday, the problems arose mainly in oil fields in western Venezuela, adding that the decline is also linked to other factors, including "management errors" and a lack of maintenance on some wells...

TECHNOECOLOGY - USA - Hydrogen Gas

USA -Forbes,by Jonathan Fahey -05.09.05: -- General Motors is betting that hydrogen-powered vehicles will one day make forget about those billion-dollar losses it's racking up. In March, the same month General Motors dropped the bombshell that it might lose $850 million in the first quarter... just wanted to talk about its research efforts to store hydrogen within a solid substance onboard fuel-cell vehicles...

LOSSES - USA - GM sales fall 7.4 percent in April

DETROIT,MI,USA -Reuters -May 3 2005: -- General Motors Corp., on Tuesday posted a 7.4 percent drop in U.S. vehicle sales in April to 385,939 cars and trucks... The world's largest automaker, which last month posted a $1.1 billion loss for the first quarter, said its sales slipped from 401,451 in April last year... The results include GM's Saab brands and some medium- and heavy-duty trucks...

PROFITS - USA - OSHKOSH Truck Profit Surges 70 Percent

USA -Forbes/Associated Press -05.03.2005: -- Oshkosh Truck Corp., a maker of heavy-duty trucks, said its fiscal second-quarter profit surged nearly 70 percent... sells vehicles to the defense, fire and emergency, and commercial industries, also raised its sales and earnings forecasts for the full fiscal year... The company reported earnings of $38.2 million, or $1.04 per share, up from $22.5 million, or 62 cents per share, in the prior-year period...

BUSINESS - USA - ArvinMeritor Sales of $2.3 billion, up 14 percent

Reports Fiscal Year 2005 Second-Quarter Results and Provides Update on New Restructuring Program

TROY,Mich,USA -PRNewswire-May 3 2005: -- ArvinMeritor, Inc. today reported financial results for its second fiscal quarter... Sales of $2.3 billion, up 14 percent from the same period last year... Record Commercial Vehicle Systems (CVS) sales of $1,032 million, up 34 percent... North American heavy-duty truck volumes improved by approximately 50 percent, while trailer volumes improved 23 percent over that same period...

BUSINESS - N. KOREA - Collapse of North Korea wishful thinking?

Talks and tension at the nuclear table?

DANDONG,CHINA —Seattle Times(Seattle,WA,USA)/The Christian Science Monitor,by Robert Marquand -May 2 2005: -- That North Korea is or will soon be on the verge of collapse is a cherished hope in influential White House circles. But here at the biggest trading point between China and North Korea, few believe that will happen...

EXPLOSION - CHINA's Emergence will change the world'

WASHINGTON DC,USA -World Peace Herald/The Washington Times,by David R. Sands -May 3 2005: -- China's economic explosion is transforming Asia's political landscape, posing problems and opportunities for its neighbors and for the United States, Singaporean Foreign Minister George Yeo said in an interview yesterday...

TRADE - N. KOREA - Rapid increase in trade with China

SEOUL,N.Korea -World Peace Herald(Washington,DC,USA)/The Segye Times,by Cho Hyeon-il -May 2 2005: -- The volume of merchandise entering North Korea from China increased rapidly during the early part of this year, according to reports from Chinese and South Korean officials, as well as ethnic Korean sources in China...

TECHNOLOGY - USA - Fire trucks get new technology

Syracuse,NY,USA -News 10 Now,by Amy Ohler -5/2/2005: -- Getting to the scene of a fire can be quiet difficult at times for firefighters... For the city of Watertown that's about to change. That's because the department will soon be adding computers into their fire trucks...

PRODUCTS - USA - Trucking Industry Job Line Now Features News

Ferndale,WA,USA -Emediawire/Lisbon,IA -May 2 2005: -- 1-800-CDL-JOBS, the trucking industry’s largest telephone and Internet recruiting combination, now provides access to news, press releases, and editorial as well as event announcements from sources throughout trucking... http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2005/5/emw235350.htm

AWARD - GM's year Award to Mitsubishi

NORTHVILLE,Mich,USA -PRNewswire/Yahoo News -May 2 2005: -- For the sixth consecutive year, Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America, Inc., has received General Motors' Supplier of the Year award for its overall business performance in providing GM with world-class parts and services in 2004... http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050502/dem015.html?.v=10

INVESTMENTS - USA - AGGRESSIVENESS and persistence bring growth

Baxter,AR,USA -Baxter Bulletin -May 2 2005: -- ... There already are about 100 companies in the state that manufacture automotive products, Hino is an industry leader in Japan and has held the top position for medium-duty and heavy-duty diesel trucks in the Japanese market for three decades... didn't land that Toyota truck manufacturing plant... http://www.baxterbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050502/OPINION01/505020307/1014/NEWS01

HEALTH - USA - Environmental Health Perspectives

Nevada City,CA,USA -YubaNet -May 2, 2005: -- ... Much of that effort has focused on the Barrio Logan, a low-income Latino community plagued by poor air quality due to heavy diesel truck traffic from a major regional freeway dissecting the community, ... Armed with results of an informal community health survey that showed disturbing levels of asthma and other respiratory problems, the group convinced the California Air Resources Board to begin monitoring air quality in the community... http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/article_20418.shtml

DENIEDS - USA - Trucking business didn't have city OK

Woodland,CA,USA -Daily Democrat,by SHAWBONG FOK -May 1 2005: -- A Woodland trucking business can no longer operate in town... Christian Michael's Trucking was denied a business license in a City Council vote on April 19... http://www.dailydemocrat.com/Stories/0,1413,136~32730~2846397,00.html

BRIBES - USA - Paids jobs, trucks idle

Chicago,IL,USA - Chicago Sun-Times -May 1 2005: -- A Chicago Sun-Times investigation that began last January found private trucking companies were paid for city jobs while their trucks stood idle. So far, 27 people have been charged in the resulting federal probe, including former water chief Donald Tomczak and five others tied to a scheme in the Water Management Department to shake down trucking firms for bribes and political contributions... http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/sunday/business/stories/bu050105s1.shtml

OIL - USA - Exploding Overseas Demand Ends Era of Cheap Oil

Washington,DC,USA -Washington Post,By Warren Brown -May 1 2005: -- When it comes to discussing gasoline prices, President Bush is a lot like the doctor who refuses to give a terminally ill patient the bad news... The bottom line is that we are looking at a future of less oil and higher oil prices. That means more pain at the pump for everybody. It also means the federal government needs to get serious about exploring and developing alternative fuel sources... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/29/AR2005042901227.html

WARNS - USA - EPA warns against explosive refrigerants

USA -eTrucker,by Lance Orr -May 1 2005: -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is advising truck owners to avoid hydrocarbon refrigerants being sold as inexpensive substitutes for HFC-134a and CFC-12... The EPA said they may contain large quantities of propane, butane or other highly flammable gases... http://www.etrucker.com/apps/news/article.asp?id=47219

WORLD BUSSINESS - USA - Bright spots everywhere but on the road

Except for the automotive sector, end markets in electronics are growing strongly
San Jose,CA,USA -Reed Business Information,by James Haughey -5/1/2005: -- The bad news: World economic growth peaked in 2004. The good news: It will slow down to about 4 percent by the end of 2006, which is an average growth rate... Is there any really bad news in these numbers? Only in the automotive sector. Motor vehicles will continue to be the weakest world end market, because auto sales... http://www.reed-electronics.com/eb-mag/article/CA528394?industryid=2117

SHORTAGE of TRUCK DRIVERS - CANADA

Akron,PA,USA -Layover.com -04/29/2005 -- Alberta,CAN: .. "Perhaps nowhere in Canada is the combination of strong economic growth and a severe shortage of truck drivers straining capacity in the trucking industry more than in Alberta,"... "The trucking industry is in the midst of a perfect storm," says Bradley. "Costs of fuel, labour, insurance, border security and equipment continue to rise..."

STUDY - USA - Oil Prices and the U.S. Economy

Washington,DC,USA -Voice of America,by Paul Westpheling -29 Apr 2005: -- According to the American Petroleum Institute, every one-cent increase in the price of gasoline in the United States costs consumers an additional $1.4 billion. Higher energy prices have reduced G.D.P, i.e., gross domestic product, growth by an estimated one-half-to-one percent this year alone... http://www.voanews.com/english/NewsAnalysis/2005-04-29-voa58.cfm

ADS - USA - Mobile Billboards Herald Age of Drive-By Ads

Washington,D.C.,USA -NPR -Apr 30 2005: -- George Wilson is used to attracting attention when he climbs into his truck and drives down the street. People point as he passes by. Some wave him down and ask for a photo... What sets Wilson and his truck apart from the hordes of other commercial vehicles in the nation's capital is his cargo: a 22-by-10 foot billboard for Rice-A-Roni. ("The San Francisco Treat: Now Built for Speed," reads the ad)... http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4625487

Trucks World News

About Me

Links

Previous Posts

Archives

Favorite Links

May 31, 2005