Trucks World News: July 2005

Freights - USA - Tonnage dropped 0.2% in June

USA -Fleet Owner (subscription) -Jul 28, 2005: -- Tonnage fell 0.2% in June after a revised 0.7% jump in May, according to the Truck Tonnage Index published by the American Trucking Assns. (ATA). June 2005 data marks a 0.3% improvement over the same month last year...

CAFTA - USA - ATA Sees Opportunities for Trucking in Trade Agreement

ALEXANDRIA, Va., USA -U.S. Newswire (press release)/Washington,DC -7/28/2005: -- The American Trucking Associations and the Agricultural and Food Transporters Conference, an ATA affiliate, today congratulated the House of Representatives for passing the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), citing its potential to increase domestic and international economic opportunities for the United States and for ATA's member motor carriers...

Insurance - USA - For Terrorism Gains Support

NY, USA - The New York Times, by JOSEPH B. TREASTER -July 28, 2005: -- Republicans and Democrats in Congress expressed support yesterday for continuing a federal program that pays most of the insurance losses in a terrorist attack, but increasing the share covered by insurance companies...

SALES - CHINA - Nissan May Export Dongfeng Trucks Made in China

USA - Bloomberg -July 28 2005: -- Nissan Motor Co., Japan's second- largest carmaker, said it may export trucks made with Dongfeng Motor Corp., the first time it's making vehicles in China for overseas markets... The two companies will probably export light commercial vehicles and mid-sized trucks and buses to emerging markets such as South East Asia, South America and Africa... The venture expects to sell a total of 620,000 units of cars and trucks in 2007, Nissan said...

TROUBLES - CHINA - Trucking in China a nightmare for freight forwarders

Shanghai,China -Cargonews Asia/Hong Kong, by Michael Mackey -27 July 2005: -- Statistics unveiled at a recent Shanghai conference reveal how fragmented the distribution of goods by the trucking sector is. At the same conference, organised by eye-for-transport, a provider of logistics and transportation information and services, companies also unveiled the difficulties of doing business because of government regulations, particularly those relating to licences... The four key issues, according to Michael Hejazi, general manager, sales and marketing North Asia for UPS Supply Chain Solutions, are a fragmented market, government regulations, an underdeveloped infrastructure, and lack of expertise and technology...

DISPUTE - CANADA - Key trade associations call for provincial government action

In BC truck dispute
MONTREAL, Canada -NewsWire (press release) -July 27 2005: -- A number of key industry associations, including the Shipping Federation of Canada, the Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia, the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association, and the Canadian Industrial Transportation Association, are calling on the British Columbia government to bring in legislation to restore order in the Vancouver trucking dispute, which has now dragged on for a full month and is seriously damaging trade.

STORY - USA - Driver Blows Whistle On Trucking Company

Charlotte,NC,USA -WSOCtv.com -July 27, 2005: -- A former worker blew the whistle on his one-time company. He said he crashed a company car that didn't have insurance. He also said that wasn't the only problem with the company... George Aiken's frustrations began with a crash on Interstate 85 last April. He was driving a truck for Ace Cargo Express, a delivery company in west Charlotte. He hit a car on the side of the road, which caused a chain reaction crash involving five cars...

MARKETS - RUSSIA - GM-AvtoVAZ 16th

Bromsgrove, Worcs, UK -Just-Auto.com, by Dave Leggett's -July 2005: -- The Russian car market is advancing strongly this year (the economy still bouyed by high energy prices) and there are a number of significant projects involving international carmakers that are taking off. Ford is ramping up its Russian Focus production capacity and Toyota has broken ground on a plant in St Petersburg (20,000 Camrys a year by 2007). GM's joint venture with local giant AvtoVAZ has also added the Chevy Viva saloon (based on the last generation Opel Astra) to the venerable Niva SUV...

SCANDALS - GERMANY - BMW manager arrested for bribery

Santa Monica,CAL,USA -Autoblog, by John Neff -July 28, 2005: -- We don’t know what’s in the water they’re drinking over there in Germany, but apparently it makes you do illegal things. Following a number of corporate scandals involving many of Germany’s largest companies, BMW announced on Wednesday that one of its purchasing managers had been arrested on bribery charges. The manager is accused of accepting a total of $100,000 in bribes from a supplier expecting preferential treatment for his company’s products. The chief prosecutor in the case has noted that the investigation so far has found this to be an isolated incident.

SPENDS ? - USA - GM providing US$15M in VIAGRA

Detroit, Mich, USA - The Auto Prophet -July 26, 2005: -- ... Paul W. Smith was interviewing The Car Connection's Paul Eisenstein. According to Eisenstein, who has it from a reliable source, GM spends about $15,000,000 a year providing Viagra to its active and retired healthcare beneficiaries. When the ship is in danger of sinking, I think it is wise to give up on medical treatments which are in the cosmetic or "quality of life" category. Let the retirees (... and actives..??, too!!!) pay for their own Viagra... and GM would have to leave the erectivos for itself, and if their sales go for above, doubles VIAGRAS for everybody...

HACKERING II - USA - GM too, furious over Escalade/Tahoe spy shots

Santa Mónica,CAL,USA -Autoblog,by John Neff -Jul 25, 2005: -- Remember those spy photos of the next generation Cadillac Escalade and Chevy Tahoe? Turns out that GM is pretty ticked off they were taken and published on the Internet. The photos could potentially weaken interest in GM’s current crop of large SUVs and offer its competitor’s insight into the company’s plans for its highly profitable replacements...

SHEDS - USA - GMAC to shed $55 billion in loans

Santa Monica,CAL,USA -Autoblog, by Eric Bryant -Jul 27, 2005: -- GMAC, the lending unit of GM that’s keeping the company afloat right now, will sell off $55B in loans to Bank of America over the next five years. Short-term, this will mean little to car buyers - even those that use GMAC, as they will still service the loans - but will hopefully allow GM to significantly reduce its debt load and maybe even put a little cash in its pockets...

HACKERING - BRAZIL - FORD attacked by hackers

Santa Monica, CAL, USA -Autoblog, by John Neff -July 28, 2005: -- Security breaches continue to plague the automakers as Ford Brazil was recently attacked by a group of computer hackers who stole plans regarding a new car to be sold in that country. The hackers got photos, design details, production and market analysis data, though no one knows their motives or what they plan to do with the information they’ve boosted...

Truckload Rates - USA - Average Fuel Surcharge Per Mile Now Available

Re: Fuel Surcharge Now Available
Richardson, Texas, USA - from: j...@truckloadrate.com/Google Groups -26 jul 2005: -- Just Added Feature to Fuel Surcharge per mile for each lane query that you lookup... now includes these fields: -Average Rate per mile -Fuel Surcharge per mile -Total Charge -Min Rate Per Mile -Max Rate Per Mile -Spread .... The site, http://www.truckloadrate.com/, provides an industry index or "market rate" on any given lane. This is based on actual current freight bills and is designed to help truckload carriers or anyone needing pricing for truckload freight across the United State and Canada... Features: -Gain instant knowledge of market rates to command fair rates -Easily identify candidate lanes ready for a rate increase -Negotiate better rates -Quote rates with competitive intelligence -Analyze new lanes and move into new markets -Reallocate resources to more profitable lanes...

PRODUCTION - INDIA - Commercial Vehicles firms eye foreign Joint Ventures

To stay ahead in race
MUMBAI, India -Economic Times/TIMES NEWS NETWORK, by LIJEE PHILIP, JULY 26, 2005: -- Increasing competition in the marketplace has got home-grown commercial vehicle (CV) majors eyeing international joint ventures. Mahindra & Mahindra has tied up with the US-based International Truck and Engine Corporation. Swaraj Mazda with Isuzu. Force Motors has tied up with MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG of Germany. Ashok Leyland has a tie-up with Iveco. Tata Motors has acquired Korean truck company Daewoo Commercial Vehicle to launch heavy duty trucks... Analysts indicate that these global tie-ups are more for heavy duty trucks, a segment where domestic CV majors are not strong, analysts added...

ANTI PierPass - USA - Anti-congestion plan irks truckers

USA -Fleet Owner (subscription), by Terrence Nguyen, Jul 21, 2005: -- Individual truckers and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters are both rallying against the PierPass program being implemented at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles on the assertion that it will force truckers to work longer shifts into nights and weekends...

HYBRID - USA - EATON orders more hybrid systems

USA -Fleet Owner (subscription) -Jul 26, 2005: -- Eaton Corp.’s Truck Component business unit has placed an order with UQM Technologies for additional permanent magnet motor and controller systems for integration into its hybrid electric propulsion systems for heavy-duty trucks...

REVENUES - USA - Commercial Vehicle Group Reports Second-Quarter 2005 Results

NEW ALBANY, Ohio, USA - PRNewswire/FirstCall -July 26 2005: -- Commercial Vehicle Group, Inc., today reported revenues of $196.1 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2005, up 107% compared to $94.5 million in the prior-year period... is a leading supplier of fully integrated system solutions for the global commercial vehicle market, including the heavy-duty truck market, the construction and agriculture market and the specialty and military transportation markets...

MARKET SHARE - USA - Mack's truck deliveries run full throttle

It shipped 3,479 vehicles in June, a 45 percent increase over last year.
Allentown,PA,USA -Allentown Morning Call, by Dan Shope -July 26, 2005 -- Mack Trucks continued running hot during June, delivering a record number of trucks since at least the late 1990s... In the United States, Freightliner led heavy-duty truck sales in May with 30.94 percent of the market, followed by International at 19.5 percent, Peterbilt at 11.21 percent, Mack was fourth with 10.56 percent, with Volvo at 10.36 percent, Kenworth at 9.85 percent, Sterling at 6.17 percent and Western Star at 1.21 percent...

STUDY - Points to Economic Edge for Heavy-Duty Natural Gas Vehicles

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA,CAN -CCNMatthews/Toronto,ON -July 26, 2005: -- Westport Innovations Inc., reports that a U.S. study released today shows that heavy-duty natural gas vehicles (NGVs) with 2010 technology will be cost-competitive with their diesel counterparts and markedly more affordable if crude oil prices remain high... The study, "Comparative Costs of 2010 Heavy-Duty Diesel and Natural Gas Technologies", indicates natural gas vehicles in refuse hauler, transit bus, and short-haul truck applications may have a significant advantage in life cycle costs over diesel counterparts if oil prices remain high. The study by TIAX LLC states that the expected slightly higher capital costs of NGVs will be offset by lower fueling costs over the life cycles of these vehicles...

SHOPPERS - USA - Car makers accommodating online shoppers

Auto makers are playing matchmaker.
Pittsburgh,PA,USA -Pittsburgh Post Gazette/The Wall Street Journal, by Jennifer Saranow -July 25, 2005: -- With the Internet increasingly influencing what people buy and how they buy it, the auto industry is revving up online efforts to help consumers pick that perfect new ride -- and in the process, they hope, boost sales and customer satisfaction... The focus on matching people with products comes as the majority of car buyers now do some or all of their research on the Web... According to J.D. Power, more than 60 percent of consumers use the Internet in the car-shopping process. And Internet users spend, on average, 4.9 hours online shopping for a new vehicle and visit seven sites...

PROCEDURES - LEBANON - Customs regime threatens trade, leaves drivers stranded

BEIRUT,LEBANON -IRIN/Reuters AlertNet: London,UK -26 July 2005: -- Stringent new Syrian customs procedures have left hundreds of truck drivers in Lebanon waiting at the border with dwindling resources since the start of the month. The move is seen as a growing threat to Lebanon's agricultural exports... Painstaking inspection procedures by the Syrians are only allowing a few trucks through each day, forcing drivers to wait in harsh conditions, given the hot sun and dwindling food and money, while they wait with their cargo, much of it perishable...

LOSSES - USA - GM: Breaking The Rebate Dependency

USA -Forbes, by Jerry Flint -07.26.05: -- General Motors turned in disappointing second-quarter results—a loss of $318 million—excluding special items. While GM's auto business was profitable outside the U.S., GM North America posted a $1.2 billion loss in the second quarter... The good news: In June, General Motors did a terrific job at slashing its inventories. In all, GM's July 1 inventories were down to 1,018,000 vehicles versus 1,367,000 at the same time last year...

LOSSES - FRANCE - PEUGEOT Posts 21 Percent Profit Slide

USA -Forber/Associated Press -07.26.2005: -- Peugeot SA, said Tuesday its net profit fell 21 percent in the first half of 2005 as new models failed to offset a surge in raw material costs and price competition in sluggish European markets...

PROFITS - USA - PACCAR 2nd. Quarter Profit Edges Up on Revenue

USA -Forbes/Associated Press -07.26.2005: -- PACCAR Inc., the world's second-largest manufacturer of big rig trucks, on Tuesday said its second-quarter profit edged up 2 percent, bolstered by strong revenue growth...

MARKETS - CHINA - Takes bigger cut of U.S. trailer imports

TORONTO,CAN -Today's Trucking News/USA -July 25, 2005: -- The foreign supplier landscape for the U.S. trailer industry changed dramatically last year, with Canada and Mexico losing ground to Asia... Economic analyst firm Global Insight's Ken Kremar says U.S. trailer sales were approx. $6 billion in 2004, while imports were $619 million... "Historically, Canada and Mexico have dominated the import scene, accounting for more than 90 percent of equipment and parts sources outside the U.S.," says Kremar. "Things changed in a big way last year as imports from China more than quadrupled, jumping from$16.5 million in '03 to $91.6 million." ...

RULES - USA - California Adopts On-Board Emissions System for Big Rigs

SACRAMENTO, Calif.,USA -Earthvision.net/GreenBiz.com -July 25, 2005: -- The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has adopted a regulation that reduces nitrogen oxide emissions from on-road heavy-duty trucks and buses by nearly 110 tons per day by 2020. The regulation requires engine manufacturers to install on-board diagnostic systems (OBD) on heavy duty engines beginning in 2010...

PROFITS - Sweden - Volvo reports record profit, truck unit weak

STOCKHOLM, Sweden -Reuters/USA/by Niklas Pollard -Jul 25, 2005: -- Volvo, the world second biggest maker of trucks, reported its strongest ever quarterly profit and raised its North American market outlook on Monday but its shares fell as margins and order bookings undershot...
TRUCKS ORDERS FALL
Earnings at the trucks unit, which sells under the Volvo, Mack and Renault brands, rose 46 percent to 3.4 billion crowns compared to a 53-percent rise seen by analysts. Order intake was down 14 percent in Europe and 18 percent in North America...
UPBEAT ON NORTH AMERICA
Amid a subdued overall vehicles market, heavy duty truck makers have gained from strong demand in North America, Asia and Europe over the past several quarters, propelling Volvo to its highest-ever full-year profit last year...

DEVELOPMENT - CHINA - Three to tango

Beijing,China -China Business Weekly, by LI FANGFANG -2005-07-25: -- If the nation's expressways can be likened to human arteries, what would be the healthy blood coursing through? -The answer is trucks, especially heavy-duty trucks... The country has made great strides in building a network of expressways that stretch 34,000 kilometres, and still adding at a rate of 4,000 kilometres each year... From 2001 China invested 1,000 billion yuan (US$123.3 billion) on construction, which makes the country the world's No 2 in expressway development... The figures are impressive but the utilization of the network is not optimum... Figures show that in 2004, the logistics bill in China 21.3 per cent of national GDP (Gross Domestic Product)... The lower the percentage, the better the economic performance of the country - in the United States, for example... So, "the reform of the logistics industry is extremely urgent. Heavy-duty trucks with larger capacity, higher speed and greater efficiency will be the future"... In China, the average truck trip is 61 kilometres compared with 300 kilometres in Western countries...

JOBS III - USA - Trucking industry plagued by shortage

Long-haul trucking seeks anyone with a driving ambition
Biloxi,MS,USA -The Sun Herald, by EBA HAMIDSUN HERALD -Jul. 24, 2005: -- About 1.3 million of the nationwide 3.4 million drivers are long-haul truckers. According to a recent study the driver shortage is expected to increase to 111,000 by 2014... But the need for new drivers is increasing at a faster rate. With one-fifth of all truck drivers age 55 and older, 219,000 drivers must be found to replace those who will retire, and others who leave the industry. An additional 2.2 percent average annual increase will occur with economic growth, calling for an additional 320,000 jobs in the next 10 years... To attract more drivers, Kennedy said some companies are offering $40,000 to $60,000 after the first 12 months. A high turnover rate, however, allows for only a small percentage of drivers to ever reach $60,000 because most drivers do not stay in the industry long enough...

JOBS II - USA - Companies desperately seeking truck drivers

Decatur,AL,USA -The Decatur Daily, by Jay Wilson -JULY 24, 2005: -- The trucking company promised weekends off, but you left home on Saturday afternoon . . . again. The boss said this was an eight-day stretch, so next weekend is shot, too... That's eight straight days of all-day driving, sleeping in a 5-by-4-foot compartment, eating at a glorified convenience store and showering in a big, musty room with strangers... Your best friend works construction for $40 per week more, and she's home every night. You wonder why you don't do the same...

JOBS - USA - Low pay and demanding hours fuel truck driver shortage.

'It's not for everyone'

South Bend,IN,USA -The Indianapolis Star, by JAIME MALARKEY -July 24, 2005: -- The transient lifestyle of the country's 3 million long-haul truckers is one reason behind a 20,000 driver shortage that could increase to more than five times that by 2014, according to Global Insight, a Massachusetts-based economic consulting firm that this year studied the problem for the American Trucking Associations. And that's on top of 54,000 trucking jobs the economy will create each of the next 10 years...

JOBS - USA - Truck drivers

A CALL OF ATTENTION FOR ALL the INDUSTRY
USA - Posted by Anonymous to TRUCKS WORLD NEWS at 7/23/2005: -- WE NEED MORE GOOD DRIVERS. THIS INDUSTRY IS GOING DOWN HILL WITH THE LOSS OF DRIVERS RETIRING, QUITTING BECAUSE OF TOO MUCH TIME AWAY FROM HOME, THE PARTICULAR LIFESTYLE IN GENERAL. THIS INDUSTRY ISN'T FOR THE WEAK HEARTED. YOU HAVE TO INVEST ALL YOU HAVE TO GIVE, OR LOSE ALL YOU GOT...

OPPORTUNITIES - USA - Graves' trucking group backs CAFTA

Kansas City,MO,USA -Kansas City Business Journal -23 July 2005: -- The American Trucking Associations, led by former Kansas Gov. Bill Graves, has endorsed the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), citing its potential to increase both domestic and international economic opportunities for the United States and for ATA's member motor carriers...

RECALLS - USA - A Wider Inquiry on Fires in Ford Trucks

DETROIT,Mi,USA -New York Times, by JEREMY W. PETERS -July 23, 2005: -- As Ford Motor faces numerous lawsuits and tries to determine why hundreds of its trucks have burst into flames, federal authorities have widened their investigation into whether a faulty cruise control switch is causing the fires... The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has also stepped up pressure on Ford, expanding its investigation to include more than 3.7 million Lincoln Navigators, Ford Expeditions and F-150 pickup trucks, the nation's best-selling vehicle...

PROFIT - USA - CUMMINS profit rises 72%

NEW YORK,NY,USA -MarketWatch, by Padraic Cassidy -July 22, 2005: -- Engine maker Cummins Inc. posted a large jump in second-quarter profit Friday, raising its earnings target on the strength of shipments to the heavy-duty and medium-duty truck market... Cummins said second-quarter earnings climbed 72% to $141 million...

PRODUCTS - USA - Cushman Unveils ‘Super Truck’ and ‘Super Van’ Off-Road Vehicles

AUGUSTA, GA,USA -Industrial News Room/New York,NY -21 Jul 2005: -- Cushman announced the availability of two new heavy-duty vehicles: The all-new Super Truck utility truck and the Super Van passenger vehicle... Designed by Mitsubishi, feature the most power in their class. These vehicles offer a 71-horsepower fuel injected 4-cylinder overhead can engine for all the muscle to carry cargo and transport passengers in comfort...

PRODUCTION - RUSSIA - SCANIA to build bus and trucks factories in Russia

SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia -FORBES/USA/AFX News Limited -07.20.2005: -- Scania AB is planning to build a bus factory near St Petersburg in the Leningrad region, and is also considering building a truck factory, the local government of the Leningrad region said... The bus factory would initially have production capacity of 400 buses per year, which could rise to 600... The truck factory, which Scania Russia is planning to build in the Lomonossov region, would have production capacity of 10,000 vehicles per year, according to the same source...

RECALL - JAPAN - Toyota to Recall Sienna Minivans

USA -FORBES/Associated Press -07.20.2005: -- Toyota Motor Co. said Wednesday it would recall 345,000 Sienna minivans because the seat belt in some seating positions may become difficult to retract when unbuckled... The company said there was a possibility the shoulder portion of the seat belt in the middle row seats may get stuck in a plastic piece that the belt glides through, binding it up and making it difficult to put it on or take it off...

LOSSES - USA - GM Posts Another Huge Quarterly Loss

USA -FORBES/Associated Press -07.20.2005: -- General Motors Corp. reported another huge quarterly loss Wednesday, intensifying pressure on CEO Rick Wagoner to speed up the overhaul of North American operations that produced a $1.2 billion torrent of red ink in the second quarter... A surge of U.S. vehicle sales in June when GM extended its employee discount plan to all customers helped the company reduce bloated inventories, but it added little to the bottom line... That highlights the challenge Wagoner faces as the world's largest automaker tries to come up with new hit models while cutting costs in a way that doesn't trigger open warfare with unions...

PRODUCTION - UKRAINE - ISUZU to start producing trucks in Ukraine in 2006

TOKYO,Japan -Forbes/USA/AFX News Limited/Nihon Keizai Shimbun -07.19.2005: -- Isuzu Motors Ltd, an affiliate of General Motors Corp, plans to begin manufacturing trucks in Ukraine around 2006... It will set up a joint venture there with Holding Bogdan, a local bus maker based in Kiev, to assemble auto parts exported from Japan... the joint venture will be the first production base to be created by a Japanese automaker in the former Soviet bloc, the paper said... Starting with an annual output of several thousand units...

OVER LOADING - INDIA - Govt for checking trucks on highway

Srinigar,India -GreaterKashmir.com (press release) -July 20, 2005: -- The Government has initiated a series of measures to curb the menace of over-loading of trucks on the Highway and Srinagar-Leh road besides realization of toll-tax on twin roads from the transporters, an official statement said...

OIL - USA - Crude logs loss on storm recovery

Supply data mixed; IEA cuts '05 demand growth estimate
SAN FRANCISCO,CA,USA -MarketWatch, by Myra P. Saefong -July 13, 2005: -- Crude futures closed with a 1% loss Wednesday, suffering the bulk of their hit after a key report showed a significant recovery in oil and natural-gas production in the Gulf of Mexico following Hurricane Dennis... A weaker oil demand, estimate from the International Energy Agency, and a significant climb in last week's U.S. distillate inventories, contributed to oil's decline....

PRODUCTION - RUSSIA - Oldest automobile plant set to assemble Chinese trucks

Moscow,Russia -RIA Novosti -19 July 2005: -- ... With help from major Chinese automobile manufacturer FAW, ZIL will produce buses and 3.5-ton trucks, although so far no big investments are expected...

ECOLOGY - USA - TIAX Awarded Contract from Gateway Cities Clean Air Program

CAMBRIDGE, Mass,USA -BUSINESS WIRE -July 19, 2005: -- TIAX, a leading collaborative product and technology development firm, today announced that it has been awarded a new contract from the Gateway Cities Clean Air Program to continue overseeing the replacement of heavy-duty trucks in the Los Angeles area with newer, lower-emission vehicles. Since 2002, TIAX has been responsible for coordinating the replacement of approximately 350 trucks with newer vehicles that feature cleaner, more efficient engines... The long-term goal of the Clean Air Program is to replace 3,000 existing heavy-duty vehicles, which represent approximately a third of the pre-1987 truck fleet in Los Angeles County...

JOB STORIES - USA - Facing a serious shortage

Cleveland,OH,USA -WKYC-TV -July 19, 2005: -- Pat Meyer is going to school to become a truck driver. Would he mind taking a job as a long-haul trucker, an occupation that can keep you away from home for weeks at a time? - Not a problem, he says... -“Whatever they got. I’m taking the whole ball of wax. Long-hauling is fine,” said Meyer, 57, of Berkeley, N.J., who retired from a job at Verizon Communications in 2003 and is attending Shore Tractor Trailer Training. “I’m single; the kids are grown up. I am all by myself.” ... This is music to the trucking industry’s ears. Chances are he’ll get a job...

JOBS - USA - No Monsters Here! : Just "Truck People"

AMBLER, Pa.,USA -PRNewswire -July 19 2005: -- Truckjobs.com, Truck Industry Personnel Services' ("T.I.P.S.") remodeled web site, states, "There are NO monsters here, just Truck People" - a nod to the huge all-inclusive job board of the same name. Trucks job board service is unique, because it is "industry specific," designed to reach the maximum number of interested truck- oriented job seekers searching the Internet...

SALES - CZECH - Army decides to buy Tatra off-road trucks

Prague,Czech Republic -Prague Daily Monitor -18 July 2005: -- The army has decided to buy off-road trucks made by Tatra, Defence Minister Karel Kuehnl told journalists Friday... An army analysis confirmed that the purchase of the vehicles without a tender is consistent with Czech and European law because it the trucks are strategic military materiel... A rival company has criticised the prospect that the contract for Tatras will be given without a tender. The holding company Policske strojirny-DaimlerChrysler...

FUEL - USA - Gas Prices Hold Steady as Crude Oil is Mostly Stable

USA -Consumer Affairs -July 19, 2005: -- Relatively calm crude-oil markets are producing stable prices at the gasoline pump. The average cost for a gallon of unleaded gasoline has decline a penny to $2.31, according to AAA. Drivers are paying an average of $2.46 a gallon for diesel fuel and that is the highest price ever recorded by AAA...

RULES - USA - NHTSA Planning New Fuel Standards for Light Trucks

USA -Consumer Affairs -July 18, 2005: -- Federal regulators with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will propose a fuel economy rule that divides light trucks into five classes by size rather than weight...

PRODUCTION - JAPAN - Hungry dealers whet appetite for ISUZU

Newport News,VA,USA -Daily Press, by STEVEN COLE SMITH/THE ORLANDO SENTINEL -July 18 2005: -- Exactly what went wrong with Isuzu is difficult to understand, even more difficult to explain... Back in Japan, Isuzu is concentrating on what it knows best: Mid- and heavy-duty trucks with diesel engines. Isuzu has been building diesels since 1936. It's a bit confounding that GM hasn't been able to take more and better advantage of that expertise and production capacity beyond the Duramax truck diesels, in the way that Jeep is using European-built diesels in its Liberty...

STORIES - Kenya, Africa - Risky Spots Where Robbers Lie in Wait

Nairobi,Kenya,Africa -The Nation, by Kamau Mutunga -July 18 2005: -- Understaffed police stations are mainly to blame for the rise in highway robberies, says Kenya Long Distance Truck Drivers Association national chairman Nicholas Mbugua... Long distance driver Mbetela Mbetela. "If our people carry arms and kill, it is a crime. If they don't, they are murdered. We try our best, but it's a no-win situation. Only the government can help us" ...

REPORT - USA - DIESEL guilty

Diesel fallout cited as hazard along busy route Residents near parkway face health dangers
San Francisco,CA,USA -San Francisco Chronicle, by Erin Hallissy -July 18, 2005: -- Big rigs that rumble through North Richmond neighborhoods, freight trains that idle for hours on train tracks and in rail yards, and cargo ships delivering thousands of foreign cars to Richmond's port are spewing so much diesel exhaust that nearby residents could face serious health problems, according to a report released today... The report, produced by the Pacific Institute, an environmental policy group in Oakland, says that average diesel emissions near the Richmond Parkway, which cuts from Interstate 80 to Interstate 580 and is near several rail lines, are 40 times higher than average in California...

SHOW - USA - 8 OEMs to be at "The Great American Trucking Show"

DALLAS,TX,USA -The Trucker -July 2005: -- Eight original equipment manufacturers will be at this year’s The Great American Trucking Show... They include Western Star, Mack Truck, Volvo Trucks North America, International Truck & Engine Corp., Peterbilt Trucks, Kenworth, Freightliner and Ford...

CLAIMS - CANADA - Trucking firm fined $198K for 401 crash

TORONTO,ONT,CANADA -Canadian Press -July 18, 2005: -- An Ontario court has ordered a trucking company to pay $198,000 following a horrific crash on Highway 401 almost six years ago that claimed eight lives... Two trucks belonging to Schneider National Carriers based in Green Bay, Wisc., were among the 71 vehicles involved...

STORIES - USA - The trucking industry is short 20,000 drivers.

But: Low pay, and long hours fuel trucker shortage
Fort Wayne,IN,USA -Fort Wayne Journal Gazette/Associated Press -Jul 17 2005: -- The Mr. Fuel truck stop on South Harding Street in Indianapolis is Sylvester Palascios’ home away from home... Pulling in after a long day at work, he dines on plastic-wrapped snacks and showers in a public washroom before settling in for a nap in the cab of his 18-wheeler... The father of four girls – the youngest is 9 – and his tractor-trailer rig pass through the Indianapolis truck stop every two weeks before returning to his “real” San Antonio home for just as many days. Then, he is on the road again... “You have to spend a lot of time (away) from home and your family. The pay is not really good, for the day is tiring,” he said, referring to the average trucker salary of $45,000, significantly less than the average construction worker...

PRODUCTION - POLAND - MAN to build 40 mln eur truck plant

FRANKFURT,Germany -Forbes/AFX News/USA -07.17.2005 -- MAN AG has made a preliminary decision to build its new 40 mln eur truck plant in Krakau, Poland, citing no sources... An expert group at the company voted in favour of building the plant in Krakau rather than in Kosice, Slovakia, which was also being considered, the newspaper said... Krakau was deemed most suitable to serve the new eastern European markets, which promise high growth rates, the newspaper said, adding that MAN is targeting an annual output of 15,000 heavy-duty trucks in its new plant...

STORIES - SYRIA - Border delays: caused by needed security checks?

DAMASCUS,Syria - Boston Globe,by Rhonda Roumani/Boston,MA,USA -July 17, 2005: -- Syria's crackdown on commercial traffic at the Lebanese border has created a logjam of trucks backed up for miles and is threatening to worsen already tense relations between the two countries... Hundreds of trucks carrying fruits, vegetables, and other perishable goods have been double-parked bumper-to-bumper at two border crossings for almost a week. Drivers who say they could usually cross in less than an hour have been moving only inches per day, and many have had to spend countless nights sleeping behind the wheel... Lebanese farmers say that the delays have caused their produce to rot and that losses have reached up to $2 million so far... Since Syria pulled troops from Lebanon in April, relations between the countries have been strained. The border, normally bustling with travelers in the summer, has been relatively empty, as fewer Syrians and Lebanese make the two-hour trip to each other's capitals...

INFRAESTRUCTURE - CHINA - Yangtze Highway

One widely overlooked impact of the Three Gorges dam is a new route to central China.
USA -Newsweek International,by Craig Simons -July Aug 2005: -- The Three Gorges dam wasn't built to create a river highway, and indeed none of the controversy and little of the debate that surrounded planning for the world's largest dam had anything to do with transportation... Many multinationals are now eyeing the Yangtze as a possible solution to the logistical nightmares of shipping inside China. Even though the length of China's highway network has doubled since 1980, it remains sparse, according to World Bank transportation specialist Michel Bellier. The problem is most acute in western China, where trucks must share local roads with bicycles and pigs, and must often pay high tolls to corrupt officials, says Christopher Torrens, director of the Shanghai office of the consulting firm Access Asia. Rail lines are worse: during the first half of last year they could meet only 35 percent of all freight requests, and companies complain that goods often arrive late or damaged...

EARNINGS - USA - Trucking talks 2Q earnings

USA -Fleet Owner (subscription) -Jul 14 2005: -- The first round of quarterly earning releases from motor carriers indicates mixed results, with some carriers indicating weaker freight volumes than the same period last year but others able to capitalize...

VoIP - USA - Gaining trucking’s interest

USA -Fleet Owner (subscription), by Sean Kilcarr -Jul 15 2005: -- Eric Pell will tell you that switching from a traditional phone system setup to one based on computer lines and the Internet came down to a simple, two-word reason: saving money...

CONGRATULATIONS - USA's Truck Drivers are Great!

From British: BigRigJobs have been delving into the safety records for American truck drivers. Here's what they discovered.
UK -Transport News Network -July 15 2005: -- I ran across some interesting stats today. It seems that the trucking industry is actually playing by the rules a little bit better than the rest of the population. The large truck fatal crash rate has dropped by 29% over the past decade. It is now sitting at a record low of 1.9 fatal crashes per 100,000,000 miles travelled. All of this while the total vehicle miles has increased by 42% over that same decade... When considering fatigue, an amazing 92.2% of fatigue related crashes involved passenger vehicles. While only 3%-6% of fatigue related crashes involved truck drivers. That is an especially amazing statistic when one considers that an over-the-road driver's average run is nearly 500 miles...

NIGHTING - USA - PierPASS Outreach Effort Targets Industry, Community and Media

LONG BEACH, Calif,USA -BUSINESS WIRE -July 13 2005: -- PierPASS Inc. today detailed the aggressive outreach it has conducted in preparation for the July 23 launch of the OffPeak program at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach... also announced that more than 3,400 port users have registered for the program, which will reduce port and highway congestion by shifting cargo traffic out of peak commuting hours to new night and Saturday shifts...

REGULATIONS - AUSTRALIA - 26m B-Double agreement 'great step forward'

Australia -Supply Chain Review -14 July 2005: -- The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has hailed an agreement on implementing 26-metre B-Doubles as a great step forward for the road transport industry... Transport ministers signed off on the 26-metre B-Double regulatory proposal under a number of conditions, including a maximum trailer length of 20.6m, cab strength standards, use of Front Underrun Protective Systems (FUPS) and no load carrying capacity over the prime mover...

DEBATE - USA - What trucks will be allowed?

EAST HANOVER,NJ,USA -Hanover Eagle, by JAMES LENT Editor -07/13/2005: -- A new ordinance designed to keep property owners from despoiling their properties has only one potential snag: the prohibition of certain trucks being parked in driveways... Attorney Donald McHugh, an East Hanover resident representing several commercial business owners in the township, said the provision that trucks in excess of 8,000 pounds would not be allowed to park in driveways would eliminate too many trucks...

TECHNOLOGY - USA - California mulls emissions plan for big trucks

SAN FRANCISCO ,CA,USA -San Diego Union Tribune, by Leonard Anderson/REUTERS -July 13 2005: – California air-quality regulators are considering a requirement that big-rig trucks install computer systems to pinpoint on-the-road emissions problems, a move that could spur a change in federal rules...

TOLLS - SLOVAKIA - Highway tolls: Large trucks to pay almost Sk$6 per kilometre

Bratislava,Slovakia -Slovak Spectator/Pravda - Jule 11/17, 2005: -- IN EXACTLY one year, electronic tolls should be fully implemented in Slovakia, the daily wrote... The electronic tolls will only be levied against trucks and commercial vehicles. An owner of a small truck, for example, would pay around Sk$400 (€10.3) to Sk$480 (€12) one way from Žilina to Bratislava. A larger truck would have to pay Sk$800 to 1,100 for the same distance...

JOINT VENTURE - CHINA - Federal Signal forms joint venture to build refuse trucks in China

Akron,OH,USA -Waste News -July 12 2005: -- Federal Signal Corp., of Oak Brook, Ill., has signed a joint venture agreement establishing a new China-based company, Federal Signal Environmental and Sanitary Vehicle Company Ltd., based near Shanghai... The company will build compact refuse trucks for the Asian market, with production to ramp up through mid-2006...

PURCHASES - USA - Mesilla Valley Trendsetters Make Major Purchase of Utility's 4000D-X

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif.,USA - BUSINESS WIRE -July 11 2005: -- Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company -- a leading manufacturer of dry freight vans, flatbeds, refrigerated vans, and Tautliner(R) curtainsided trailers -- is pleased to announce that Mesilla Valley has purchased more than 300 4000D-X(TM) 100 trailers with the single tire Wide Track System...

ALERT - USA - Is for mass transit, but truckers still vigilant

USA -eTrucker, by Jill Dunn -July 2005: -- President Bush raised the terror alert one level after the July 7 London terrorist attacks, but this time, the increased alert was only for mass transit... Security experts say truckers cannot afford to relax their vigilance, however. The American Trucking Associations’ Highway Watch program will provide anti-terrorism and safety training to all transportation professionals...

COSTS - AUSTRALIA - Higher truck rego fees would have wide impact: ATA

Australia -ABC Online -13/07/2005: -- The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) says any rise in registration fees for trucks will be passed straight on to farmers and consumers... The National Transport Commission is assessing what heavy vehicles pay to get on the road, to ensure the trucking industry contributes a fair share of wear and tear costs...

TRIP - CHINA - RENAULTS trucks from Lyon to Beiging

Renault Trucks eyes its year in China
China -China Daily -2005-07-11: -- A triumphant convoy of Renault Trucks has completed an arduous 20,000-kilometre trip from Lyon to Beijing, but the French company has set its sights further: It wants to manufacture its trucks in China...

DRIVERS - USA - Your Mileage Will Vary

Why the sticker shock doesn’t always end with the price.

USA -The Carconnection, by Jim Gorzelany -2005-07-11: -- Drivers are complaining that their real-world fuel economy doesn't match up with the official estimate given by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)... So why doesn't the car or truck you drive to and from work every day get the same fuel economy the government, the manufacturer, and us trusted legions of automotive journalists seem to promise it will?... The answer is as simple as it is ultimately complex. New vehicles, as tested for their energy consumption, are never actually driven anywhere, much less to and from work, and their fuel economy ratings are not ultimately based on how much fuel they consume...

DEVELOPMENT - USA - Hybrid-hydraulic powertrain generates worldwide interest

Company develops technology it claims is more efficient than electric hybrids.
DEERFIELD,Mich,USA -Associated Press/Detroit News -June 29, 2005: -- James O'Brien, owner Hybra-Drive Systems, is attracting the attention of onlookers not only in Michigan but from around the world, from Canada to Taiwan... During the past three years, has developed a full hydraulic-hybrid system and is rushing to install it in a delivery truck belonging to Arrow Uniform. Working with Arrow and Kettering University in Flint, known for vehicle engineering expertise, the business plans to have its first hybrid vehicle operating by the end of the year, O'Brien said... "This new powertrain is more efficient than electric hybrid powertrains being used in such cars as Toyota Prius and Ford Escape", ... and predicts vehicles that will have his system in place will achieve a 65 percent to 75 percent improvement in fuel economy. Most vehicles are expected to reach around 50 miles per gallon, he said.

AUTOMAKERS - USA - Top performers in vehicle dependability survey

GM, Ford, Toyota amidst
DETROIT,MICH,USA -The Detroit News Autos Insider,By Dee -Ann Durbin/AP-June 29, 2005: -- Almost every automaker made significant strides in vehicle dependability in a new survey, but General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., and Toyota Motor Co., were among the top performers, said J.D. Power report... The closely watched survey, measures dependability by questioning owners of three-year-old vehicles about problems they're experiencing, such as wind noise or excessive brake wear. This year's survey questioned 50,635 owners of 2002 model-year cars and trucks... Lexus, Toyota's luxury nameplate, was the top-performing brand with 139 problems per 100 vehicles, while Kia was the worst performer with 397 problems. Hyundai Motor Co. showed the most improvement, with 260 problems per vehicle compared with 375 problems in the 2001 model year... The industry average was 237 problems per 100 vehicles this year, compared with 269 problems per 100 vehicles in 2004...

RECALLS - USA - FORD & TOYOTA Recall Trucks

Houston,TX,USA -Truckblog -7/9/2005: -- According to MSNBC, "NHTSA said Ford Motor Co. is recalling 10,061 Expedition and Navigator sport utility vehicles from the 2006 model year, because tires on the driver's side may be damaged, which could lead to a tread separation and crash."
In addition, Toyota is recalling 11,592 2005-model year Tacoma pickup trucks due to defective seat belt buckle sensors...

COMMENTS - USA - Shift Work

Automated trannies can make life easy. Is it time to make the switch?
USA -Today's Trucking News,by Rolf Lockwood -July 2005: -- When they were first introduced, automated transmissions didn't work quite as well as you might have wanted them to. Early versions of the Eaton Fuller AutoShift, for example, sometimes seemed to upshift too late and downshift too early for our taste. So like some other drivers, when we were testing the early models, we tended to prefer our own gear selections to those chosen by the transmission. But that was then...

STUDY - USA - Owner-ops pay most for maintenance: HDMA study

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.,USA -Today's Trucking News -July 8, 2005: -- As a heavy truck category, U.S. owner-operators pay the highest per mile maintenance costs according to a study from the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA)... says, owner-operators average 25 cents per mile for maintenance. "It is apparent that the owner-operator is not able to garner the economies of scale available to larger operations," said Frank Hampshire, HDMA director of research...

ECOLOGY . USA - Proposal would toughen vehicle emission standards

State regulation on track to start in 2009
ALBANY,Binghamton,NY,USA -Press & Sun-Bulletin, by AMANDA ERICKSON -9/JUL/2005: -- Customers looking to purchase motor vehicles starting in 2009 may find many more environmentally-friendly options, if a regulation proposed by the Department of Environmental Conservation is approved... The department held a hearing Friday on a measure that would require companies to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted from cars and trucks they sell...

SECURITY - CANADA - Trucking Experts Urge Security Review

USA -Fleet Owner -07/08/2005: -- The deadly terrorist attack on London's mass transit system yesterday should serve as a wake-up call for U.S. trucking companies to review and update their security plans, contend industry experts... Highway Watch ISAC (Information Sharing and Analysis Center), a Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS)-funded program run by the American Trucking Assns. that deputizes highway transportation workers to report potential terrorist activity, has responded to the attacks in England by intensely communicating with its members, especially those in public transit...

SPEEDING - CANADA - OTA Endorses Mandatory Speed Limiters for Trucks

Ontario Trucking Association, seeking improved safety, reduced fuel consumption, level competitive playing field, less pressure on drivers
Toronto,CANADA -Layover.com/Akron,PA,USA -July 7, 2005: -- Compared to car drivers, truck drivers are less likely to be speeding. Nevertheless, the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) wants to eliminate any speeding by trucks... Recently, the OTA Board of Directors endorsed the principle that speed limiters on trucks should become mandatory...

TECHNOLOGY - UK - Snow free roads to heat houses

UK -Transport News Network -09/05/2005: -- A revolutionary new British invention that uses the surfaces of major roads and motorways to collect and store energy begins a Highways Agency trial on the M1 in June... The new technology called Inter-seasonal Heat Transfer (IHTTM) is a low-cost, low-maintenance process that uses roads to collect and store solar energy...

REPORT - UK - HGV speeding report

UK -Transport News Network -19/05/2005: -- The Office of National Statistics has released figures showing that almost 78% of Heavy Goods Vehicles exceed the speed limit on roads that have a 40mph ceiling. The statistics, which cover 2004, relate to the speeds at which drivers choose to drive across the road network...

OIL - UK - Profits and Petrol Price

UK -Transport News Network, by Gerald Woodgate - 22/06/2005: -- With the fuel protests still going on up and down the country, Shell has published its first quarter figures... The company makes a staggering £1.6 million profit every hour and its income has risen by 42% to £3.5bn in the period... The company were quick to point out that they had made a loss on petrol sales in the first quarter due to the higher cost of buying crude oil on the open market. However they refused to give figures...

CONGESTION - UK - London Congestion Charge Increase

£80 Million Cost To Industry
UK -Transport News Network, by Gerald Woodgate -04/07/2005: -- Today's increase in the London congestion charge for commercial vehicles using the fleet scheme, from £5 to £7 per day, increases costs to London business from £40 million per year to £48 million... And, on top of that, industry has to pay a further £1 per vehicle for non-fleet scheme operators, massive fines for penalty charges, and the whole process of administration. Altogether this raises the costs of the scheme to industry to £80 million per year...

TRACKING - NEW ZEALAND - Trucking in real-time

Auckland,New Zealand -New Zealand Herald -July 2005: -- With more than 70 trucks traveling an estimated 9 million kilometres a year throughout the North Island, up-to-the-minute information about vehicle location is key to efficient fleet management for haulage company Smith and Davies... The answer was Telecom Locate+ which combines GPS vehicle tracking technology with Telecom’s national 027 mobile network. “We trialled other options but Telecom’s Locate +, which includes Navman Fleet Manager software, was the best solution because it’s providing us with real-time rather than historical information”...

REPORT - USA - Trucking industry needs more Spanish-language recruiting efforts

San Antonio,TX,USA -San Antonio Business Journal -July 7 2005: -- A white paper released by S&C Advertising & Public Relations shows that Hispanics are helping to fill the nation's shortage of truck drivers... However, unless the industry responds with more English and Spanish language trucking news and information, it could make recruiting more difficult. Currently, there are about 480,000 Hispanic truck drivers, according to the San Antonio-based advertising and public relations firm...

ENERGY BILL - USA - Too Little Too Late

ALEXANDRIA, Va.,USA -U.S. Newswire, by Bill Graves * -July 7 2005: -- Even if Congress manages to pass the Energy bill this year, when it comes to rising fuel costs and their impact on the nation's economy, H.R.6 will be, in some respects, too little too late... Few industries feel the impact of rising fuel costs more directly than trucking... In recent months, motor carriers have, like many businesses, reported that rising fuel costs hit their bottom line, impacting quarterly profits. The trucking industry will spend at least $72 billion on fuel in 2005 – a $10 billion increase over 2004 figures. That follows a $10 billion increase over 2003. But if prices continue skyward, the impact will be far more reaching than just how much it costs to fill up at the pump...
* Bill Graves: President and CEO of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and former two-term Governor of Kansas

BORDER - MEX/USA - Mexican border city's new police chief takes over

One month after last one was killed
NUEVO LAREDO, Mexico -San Diego Union Tribune,by Olga R. Rodriguez/ San Diego,CA,USA /ASSOCIATED PRESS - July 7 2005: -- Shadowed by four armed city officers serving as his bodyguards, newly appointed Nuevo Laredo police chief Omar Pimentel took control of this embattled border city Thursday by meeting with city officials about his plan to return peace to Nuevo Laredo... Five hours after he was sworn in Wednesday, assailants ambushed three officers, killing a police commander. The attack echoed the slaying of the city's last police chief, Alejandro Dominguez, who was gunned down last month hours after taking office...

DROWSINESS - AUSTRALIA - Aussie truckers test new anti fatigue technology

Australia -Transport News Network/UK -Jun 2005: -- Long haul truck drivers from Australia have volunteered to take part in the testing of new anti-fatigue technology, which could have a huge impact on road safety... The truck drivers who work for Australian transport and logistics operator, Linfox, have volunteered to participate in the testing of new drowsiness detection technology, which alerts both the driver and the depot, when the driver is experiencing drowsiness... The technology know as Optalert, has been developed over the last decade and comprises a pair of glasses fitted with tiny infra-red sensors, which monitor all eye and eyelid movements...

BLIND SPOT - IRISH - Callely under pressure over blind spot mirrors

UK -Transport News Network - Jul 2005: -- Irish Junior Transport Minister, Ivor Callely, is coming under increasing pressure to bring forward legislation to force transport operators to fit so-called blind spot mirrors on their vehicles... The call comes following the inquest of a 54 year-old Co. Meath woman who died when she stepped in front of a truck in February of this year... Garda John Walsh told Coroner John Lacey last week that Doreen Gillic, from Kells Co. Meath had died due to the "blind spot" on the truck that struck her...

WOMEN - UK - Special event: Women in the Transport Industry

UK -Transport News Network -Jul7y 2005: -- The Freight Transport Association and Skills for Logistics are pleased to be sponsoring Women in the Transport Industry, a free half-day event to be held at Ardencote Manor Hotel, Warwick, on September 6, 2005...

STATISTICS - UK - Britain's truckers waste 2.2 Billion Kms Every Year

UK -Transport News Network -July 2005: -- Britain's 426,000 trucks clock up an amazing 28.5 billion kms every year, but 2.2 billion kms (8%) are totally unproductive, a logistics efficiency consultant has claimed... Key3 Partners say that an 8% efficiency saving across the whole freight transport industry could be made if companies involved in logistics were to examine their operating procedures and use technology to remove wasted kilometres...

STUDY - UK - Hauliers' Ability to Recover Fuel Price Increases

UK -Transport News Network -July 2005: -- Since January 2004, the average price of diesel fuel in the EU has risen by 25%. As fuel accounts for a substantial proportion of truck operating costs, fuel price increases of this magnitude can seriously erode profit margins... Many carriers undertaking long distance haulage on a contractual basis can recover the additional fuel costs, fully or in part, from their clients...

PLANS - IRISH - Truckers take Greens to task over Dublin HGV management plan

IRISH -Transport News Network/UK -7 Jul 2005: -- The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) has launched a blistering attack on the Green Party following its criticism of Dublin City Council's proposed HGV traffic management plan, which is due to be implemented when the Dublin Port Tunnel opens next year...

TESTS - GERMANY - BGL declares MAUT toll system ineffective

GERMANY -Transport News Network/UK -08/07/2005: -- According to recent tests by the German transport body Bundesverband Güterkraftverkehr Logistik und Entsorgung (BGL), the German road-tolling system (MAUT) is failing miserably to enforce road tolls... The BGL step up their own test of the MAUT system... Where vehicles participating in the test were equipped with on-board units, these were switched off, i.e. placed in "manual mode". The control system would have therefore have registered these journeys as 'unpaid'... The result was, that of the 145 journeys completed, only 5 were caught as non-payers, the rest of the journeys were effectively free of charge...

PRODUCTS - UK - AMC Heavy Haulage Create First 10x4 In The UK With A Volvo FH16

UK -Transport News Network - Jul 7 2005: -- AMC Heavy Haulage, based near Exeter, is the first company in the UK to put a five-axle 10x4 tractor unit into service... Purchased from Volvo Dealer Hartshorne Motor Services in Stoke, the converted Volvo FH16 was designed and engineered in-house by AMC...

DEVELOPMENT - JAPAN - Two Daimler truck brands to share vehicle platform

TOKYO,Japan -Reuters -July 7 2005: -- DaimlerChrysler AG, said on Thursday, two of its commercial vehicle brands would share a new truck platform in a move that would save development costs and boost its presence in North America... Sterling, a unit of its Freightliner LLC North American truck unit, will launch in mid-2006 a light-duty truck built on an original equipment manufacturing (OEM) basis by Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corp., the Japanese truck unit of DaimlerChrysler... The project is the first under the new "Global Excellence" programme which aims to expand sales and achieve economies of scale, largely through the development of common components and vehicle platforms across its truck brands...

DEVELOPMENT - USA - VOLVO & CVG agreement

NEW ALBANY, Ohio,USA -PRNewswire-FirstCall/Yahoo News (press release) -July 7 2005: -- Commercial Vehicle Group, Inc., an innovative supplier to the heavy truck, construction, agriculture and marine industries, recently announced a groundbreaking partnership with Volvo 3P, the business unit within Volvo AB responsible for development and purchasing for Mack Trucks Inc, Renault V.I and Volvo Truck Corporation... The partnership was created in an effort to design and develop a world- class global modular seating platform for medium and heavy duty trucks...

SECURITY - WORLDWIDE - Boosted on transport after London attacks

USA -FORBES/AFX News Limited -07.08.2005: -- Following the bombings in London, all over the world and, specially, on capital and main cities, the highest level of alert, with extra police and security guards, have been deployed... And "extraordinary" steps to increase security on the public transport system, took...

BOMBS - UK - London police say nothing to suggest London bombings were suicide attacks

LONDON, UK -FORBES/AFX News Limited/USA -07.08.2005: -- Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ian Blair said there is nothing to suggest that suicide bombers were involved in yesterday's attacks but that this cannot be ruled out... More than 50 people died in the bombings, while 700 were injured, of which 22 are in critical condition, he said at a news conference this morning...

COMMENTS - UK - What We Know And What We Don't

LONDON,UK - FORBES/USA,by Steve McGookin -07.08.05: -- The most priceless commodity in times of crisis is trustworthy information. And so it proved on Thursday in London, as the city lurched from Wednesday's euphoria over winning the Olympics to the chaos and confusion wrought by deadly, coordinated terrorist attacks... This was the most serious terrorist attack in Europe since the bombing of the Madrid rail network last March, and--just as in Madrid--alongside the actual, terrible death toll comes an inevitable fear among the wider population as we realize the sheer vulnerability of something as fundamental as our transportation system... The media's treatment of the latest terrorist event reflected the general state of confusion which covered the city like a blanket...

CONDOLENCES for the British people.

UK -uk.transport/ google groups/transport truck & bus -8 jul 2005: -- We repudiate all violence, specially to impose ideas: politicals, religious, way of life, or any thing... But, it's stranger that always these attacks be carried out: - When greater repercussion can have? Yesterday, the meeting of the G-8. Because it is then, when greater meaning take implicit the revenges! ... - Against massive transports: airplanes, ships, trains, buses, underground metros...? Where the defenselessness is almost total. And the controls are almost unpossible to apply? .... - What we can do, to travel in armored transport ones?... When one man die, all of us, the human race, begining to die too!!! - Santiago

Condolences for the British people

uk. transport -google groups - transport truck & bus - 8 jul 2005: -- We repudiate all violence, specially to impose ideas: politicals, religious, way of life, or any thing... But, it's stranger that always these attacks be carried out:... - Against massive transports: airplanes, ships, trains, buses, underground metros...? Where the defenselessness is almost total... - What we can do, to travel in armored transport ones?... When one man die, all of us begining to die too!!...

INSPECTIONS - CANADA - Ontario to check for unsafe rental trucks

Toronto,Ontario,Canadá - Globe and Mail, by MURRAY CAMPBELL -July 6 2005: -- Ontario inspectors will be visiting truck-rental agencies in six cities to check for a widespread problem with unsafe vehicles... The move by the Ministry of Transportation follows reports that nearly half of vehicles rented from U-Haul failed roadside spot checks in the Toronto area between 2002 and 2004...

LANES - USA - Move trucks to the right

Leesburg,VA,USA -Loudoun Times-Mirror -07/05/2005: -- The explosion of development in western Loudoun County, as well as the expansion elsewhere, is overloading the county's highways with trucks... Semi-trailers, dump trucks, flatbeds loaded with building materials and bulky liftrucks. All competing for blacktop space against an ever-growing cadre of commuters... There is something that can be done: No Trucks, Left Lane...

INCENTIVES - USA - Ford, Chrysler follow GM's discount lead

Automakers offer employee pricing incentives

Detroit,MI,USA -Detroit Free Press, bY JAMIE BUTTERS -July 6 2005: -- The success of General Motors Corp's. popular employee-pricing program, which boosted sales by 47% in June, is forcing rivals Ford Motor Co. and the Chrysler Group to match that offer... Ford did so Tuesday and Chrysler plans to officially do it today...

STOLEN - USA - Trucks top most stolen vehicle list for 2004

Jacksonville,TX,USA -Jacksonville Daily Progress, by Cristin Ross -July 05, 2005: -- It doesn't matter if it's built like a rock, for the road ahead or Ram tough - it's on a car theif's list... The Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDOT) reported last week the Chevrolet pickup reigns supreme as the number one vehicle stolen in Texas in 2004. And according to data complied by the Reduce Auto Theft in Texas program, the truck has been at number one for the last 10 years...

RECALLS - USA - FORD Recalls Trucks to Fix Stalling Problem

USA -Consumer Affairs -July 5 2005: -- Ford Motor Co. is recalling 180,000 trucks with 6.0-liter diesel engines for electrical repairs the company says will end a stalling problem... The trucks affected by the recall are: • 2004-05 Ford Excursions,• E-350 and E-450 vans, and• F-250 through F-550 Super Duty trucks...

BUYS - USA - NAVISTAR to buy Workhorse Custom Chassis

BusinessWeek - USA -July 5 2005: -- Heavy-duty truck maker Navistar International Corp. said Tuesday that it is buying a manufacturer of chassis for motor homes and commercial step-van vehicles in an all-cash deal... Workhorse Custom Chassis LLC of Highland Park, Ill., is a unit of the Carlyle Group investment firm...

BILL - USA - Longer trucks await Senate OK

Bill eases paperwork for shippers
Green Bay,WI,USA Green Bay Press Gazette, by Adam Wise -July 04 2005: -- A bill awaiting state Senate approval would extend the length of semitrailers and tractor-semitrailer combinations allowed without a permit on state highways... The bill, which covers only numbered highways, also allows trucks to go 15 miles off highways onto roads not designated by the Department of Transportation to reach their delivery points... The bill would allow 53-foot semitrailers and tractor-semitrailer combinations of up to 75 feet...

PURCHASES - USA - G.I. Trucking Co. is investing $24 million to upgrade its fleet

MOTOR Carriers to Enhance California's Operations
Los Angeles,CA,USA -CalTrade Report -07/04/05: -- .... Brea-headquartered G.I. Trucking Co. is investing $24 million to upgrade its fleet of trucks and inventory of freight-handling equipment... According to a company press release, the company outlines plans to purchase more than 800 Hyundai 28-foot trailers, 338 cargo dollies, and 29 forklifts... The company will also take get delivery of 338 new tractors over the next two years, half of those in 2005 with the investment bringing G.I.'s fleet to almost 900 trucks and 4,000 trailers, the release said...

MARKETS - BELARUS - Good perspectives for transport development

Tashkent,Uzbekistan -UzReport -05.07.2005: -- Transportation complex of Belarus has exclusively high importance in the life support of its multi-industrial economy and implementation of the state’s social policy. Approximately 6.8% of the country’s total workforce is engaged in the transportation complex. This segment includes 17.4% of the production funds and over 10% of all capital investments in the country are made in the development of this sphere annually... Moreover, it is the largest consumer of fuel and energy resources. It annually consumes over 5% of the total volume of consumption of electric energy, over 80% of petrol, 54% of diesel fuel, 7% of natural and 5% of liquefied gas. It contributes for over 8% of country’s GDP... The distribution of cargo turnover among several types of transportation in the country is as follows: –motor vehicles 22.6%... distribution of the total volume of freight transported is correspondingly: – 23%, motor vehicles... The share of passenger turnover is: 38.5% in motor vehicles... The stock of trucks in Belarus totals to some 250,000, of buses – to over 38,000, and cars – to over 2 million units...

COOPERATION - USA - Residents, truckers, officials, together for a new trouck route

Oakland,CA,USA -Oakland Tribune, by Cecily Burt-07/02/2005 — Margaret Gordon has watched and suffered for years as truckers pulled their diesel-spewing big rigs to a halt in front of her Willow Street home while waiting to drop off or load up cargo at the Port of Oakland... Within minutes, she said, her apartment would fill with fumes that sent her into respiratory distress... So Gordon, led by neighbor Brian Beveridge, assembled truckers, union, city and port officials, neighbors, engineers, planners and parking officers. They worked together to come up with a truck route that moves many of the 10,000 to 12,000 rigs that come through West Oakland every day...

STORIES - USA - Auburn to target trucks

AUBURN,NY,USA - The Citizen, by Anne Gleason - July 6, 2005: -- The sounds of trucks braking outside have woken up Dominic Ciampaglia in the middle of the night... But the Lake Avenue resident, one of many bothered by heavy traffic along a city truck route, said his biggest concern is not the noise. He's seen the damage heavy trucks do to the roads...

SAFETY - CANADA - Yearly Truck Inspection Blitz Shows Improvement on National Level

Ottawa,CAN -Layover -07/05/2005 : -- The results of Roadcheck 2005, the North American truck inspection blitz, have been issued by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) and show that the mechanical fitness of Canadian trucks continues to improve - in fact, by more than 3 percentage points over 2004. This positive trend in truck safety now spans a ten-year period...

BIODIESEL - USA - Texas Truckers Turn to Newfangled Fuel

FORT WORTH, Texas,USA -Layover/Associated Press -07/05/2005: -- "This is my first time," Eddie Rogers, a 36-year-old heavy-equipment mechanic, said as he reached to pump some "biodiesel" into his heavy-duty Dodge pickup one recent afternoon. "It's supposed to be good stuff. And they say it's a little cheaper" ... Sticker shock at the gas station, where the average price of gasoline has surged to $2.23 a gallon and diesel fuel to $2.39, has energy-addicted Americans looking for alternatives. Some are buying gasoline-and-electric hybrid cars. Mr. Rogers and thousands like him are taking a more tentative step. They're sticking with the big, diesel-powered trucks they love, but they're filling them up with a new-fangled fuel... The 20 percent biodiesel blend there was selling for $2.26 a gallon, between three cents and 10 cents cheaper than conventional diesel at nearby stations...

RULES - USA - NHTSA Adds Trucks to Parking-Brake

Akron,PA,USA -Layover/Fleet Owner- 07/01/2005: -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has amended its Final Rule on safety standards for parking brakes to include all trucks, buses and multipurpose passenger vehicles with GVWR greater than 10,000 lb. Previously, the rule applied only to school buses...

INFRAESTRUCTURE - USA - Suggest Separation of Trucks & Cars on Freeways

The deterioration of roads is a growing problem
Chattanooga,TN,USA -The Chattanoogan, by Suzanne Walker -July 1 2005: -- Dr. J. Don Brock, CEO and Chairman of Astec Industries, told the Civitan Club, he has “a new vision for interstate programs in coming years. “.. He noted that many roads were not designed to support the high volume of traffic and weight handled daily. The rise in the trucking industry is one of the main causes of deterioration. Since 1957 the amount of freight moved by trucks has risen from ten percent to nearly 80 percent. He said the designers of highways could have never predicted such a large increase...

OIL - USA - Nears a record above $60 a barrel

Storms fuel supply worries ahead
SAN FRANCISCO,CAL,USA -MarketWatch -July 6, 2005: -- Oil futures neared record levels above $60 a barrel Wednesday as severe weather shut down several oil and gas rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, intensifying anxiety over whether U.S. inventories are adequate in the short run to meet strong demand... Tropical Storm Cindy forced the shut-in of 3.3% of daily oil production, representing 49,830 barrels, in the Gulf of Mexico as of Tuesday, according to the U.S. Minerals Management Service...

SALES - USA - German carmakers mixed

SAN FRANCISCO,CAL,USA -MarketWatch, by Shawn Langlois, July 1, 2005: -- * Audi of America posted a 3.8% increase in June U.S. sales to 7,209 vehicles... * Porsche Cars North America reported a 9% decline to 2,551 vehicles... * BMW of North America said sales fell 6.5% to 23,392 vehicles, with sales of the German automaker's sports utility vehicles declining 19% to 5,936...

SALES - USA - Japanese's surge

SAN FRANCISCO,CAL,USA -MarketWatch, by Shawn Langlois, July 1, 2005: -- * Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. reported a 10% jump to 194,875 vehicles. Toyota brand sales rose 10.2% to 168,832 units, while the Lexus division gained 8.6% to 26,043...
* Nissan North America said June U.S. sales surged 14.2% to 92,781 vehicles...
* American Honda said sales climbed 4.7% to 126,416 cars and trucks...

SALES - USA - Ford, DaimlerChrysler steady in June

SAN FRANCISCO,CAL,USA -MarketWatch, by Shawn Langlois, July 1, 2005: -- Ford Motor Co. sold 1% more cars and trucks for the month, bringing the total to 289,449 vehicles -- the No. 2 U.S. automaker's first sales increase of the year. Car sales rose 9%, while trucks fell 3%...
DaimlerChrysler sold 238,274 cars and trucks last month, with the Chrysler division selling 220,032, turning in a 5% jump. The luxury Mercedes-Benz division turned in a 4% rise to 18,242 vehicles... Chrysler also announced plans to offer an employee discount program that will officially kick off on July 6...
Unlike GM, these two increases were unadjusted for an extra selling day this year...

SALES - USA - GM blows poised for huge sales month

SAN FRANCISCO,CAL,USA -MarketWatch, by Shawn Langlois -July 1 2005: -- General Motors Corp. on Friday, smashed through Wall Street's lofty targets for June U.S. sales as its employee-price discount sales blitz triggered an all-time industry record for truck sales... reported a whopping 41% surge in sales to 558,092 cars and trucks, riding the success of its "You Pay What We Pay" incentive program...

PRODUCTION - MALAYSIA - Angka-Tan Machinery understand with China firm

Petaling Jaya,Malaysia -Malaysia Star -July 2 2005: -- ANGKA-TAN Machinery Sdn Bhd (ATM), a subsidiary of Warisan TC Holdings Bhd, has entered into a memorandum of understanding with China First Automobile Group Import & Export Corp (FAW Corp) to be the sole assembler and distributor of light-duty trucks and such other models and variants for FAW Corp products in Malaysia... FAW Corp is a subsidiary of China First Automobile Group Corp (FAW), one of China's top automakers...

BIODIESEL - BRAZIL - Hopes to add 3 billion litres to the alcohol exports

Brazil -ANBA -Jun 2005: -- With the increase in demand for alternative fuels, the sector is adding up the figures and believes that the country may consolidate itself as the main world supplier. Last year, foreign sales reached 2.4 billion litres, against 1.1 billion in 2003. For the first time the main product in the trade basket was fuel alcohol...

BIODIESEL - BRAZIL - Castor beans for biodiesel will receive US$ 41.6 million in financing

Recife,Brazil -Agencia Brasil (ANBA) -06/07/2005: -- The National Program to Strengthen Family Farming (Pronaf) will offer a line of credit worth US$ 41.6 million (R$ 100 million) to encourage the planting, cultivation, and harvesting of castor beans. This oil seed crop is one of the chief raw materials for use in the production of biodiesel, a non-polluting fuel that will be added to diesel oil...

DISCUSSIONS - USA - No Engine Braking vs. No Engine Brakes

Nebraska, USA -Google Group, misc.transport.trucking, byLarry Scholnick -02 Jul 2005: -- I understand why many communities forbid Engine Braking (often called Jake's Brakes, but don't let anyone from that company hear you call them by name!). But today I ran across several signs in various parts of Nebraska that outlawed Engine Brakes rather than Engine Braking. Does that mean that a trucker is obliged to dismantle his truck on the spot to remove the engine brakes?... They are simply failing to use Nebraska's state standard R42-1 sign, which reads "ENGINE BRAKING PROHIBITED - CITY ORDINANCE."..

SAFETY - UK - Police remove ten speed cameras over safety fears

London, UK -Times On Line, by Ben Webster - Jun 23 2005: -- A POLICE force is dismantling ten speed cameras and removing film from another 50 after the first official admission that badly positioned devices could undermine road safety... West Midlands Police has found after a review of all its cameras that many fail to comply with strict government rules on where they can be located. The force is expected to be the first of many to remove devices after the Government ordered a national audit of Britain’s 6,000 speed cameras...

DISCUSSIONS - UK - Re: Smog Warning!

London, UK -Google Groups: uk.transport, by "iiiiDougiiii" -23 Jun 2005: -- Traffic, mainly car, emissions are so bad in London that a smog warning has been issued this morning. People are being told not to exercise outdoors because of ground ozone caused by these vehicles. It is a terrible state of affairs when motorists wilfully impose health hazards and movement restrictions on others. I wonder how many old folk and sick people they will be killing today...

SHARE ROAD - USA - Trucking organization asks drivers to share the road

Des Moines,IA,USA -Radio Iowan, by Darwin Danielson -1 Jul 2005: -- Truckers and state safety officials are pushing a campaign they hope will make holiday travel safer. The American Trucking Association's "Share the Road" campaign seeks to get drivers of the big rigs -- and those in regular vehicles -- to co-exist on the highways throughout the Fourth of July weekend.

RESTRICTIONS - USA - ATA urges members to support toll restriction

USA -eTruckers, by Lance Orr -1 Jul 2005: -- The American Trucking Associations is urging members to ask their congressional representatives to support legislation that prohibits the creation of tolls on Interstate highways, except for one project in Virginia.

SECURITY - USA - Highway Watch trains 100,000

USA - Fleet Owner -Jun 30, 2005: -- The American Trucking Assns. (ATA) announced that Highway Watch, an intelligence- gathering program established to prevent terrorists from using large vehicles as weapons, has trained more than 100,000 people in the transportation industry to date... Transportation workers are instructed to report specific information concerning any incidents or suspicious activities to emergency responders or law enforcement officials...

OPINION - USA - "The incredible shrinking trucking industry"

North Attleboro,MA,USA -DC VELOCITY -July 2005: -- FOR SOME TRUCKERS, IT'S THE BEST OF TIMES, A GOLDEN AGE IN WHICH they find their trucks packed, their revenues solid and their profits at record levels. For others, it's the worst of times, a nightmarish period in which they scarcely emerge from one crisis before being battered by the next round of fuel price hikes or staffing shortages...

PRODUCTS -USA - Roadranger presents new drive systems

USA - eTrucker, by Andy Haraldson -1 Jul 2005: -- Roadranger, the joint marketing arm for Dana Corp. and Eaton Corp., last week introduced Class 7 and Class 8 truck components designed to operate more efficiently and, to appeal to less experienced drivers, more easily... Dana’s conceptual drive axle system eliminates drive gears from the rearmost axle on a Class 8 truck. Fewer moving parts and less lubrication simplify the drive axle system, decreasing weight and maintenance costs... Eliminating the rear differential and inter-axle drive shaft means less downtime, fewer repairs and a truck more suitable for less experienced drivers who often misuse drive axle systems in low-traction situations...

PRODUCTS - USA - Sales smooth for Freightliner anti-roll technology

SOUTH BEND, Ind,USA -Today's Trucking -Jun 30 2005: -- Roll warning and stability technology is becoming a more popular spec in heavy-duty trucks these days, the Freightliner Group says... The giant truckmaker says its has experienced significant demand for its Roll Advisor & Control safety technology in heavy-duty vehicles, installing almost 11,000 systems since beginning production approximately two years ago... Developed in cooperation with Meritor-WABCO, the system alerts the driver to a potential rollover and automatically slows the truck to reduce the risk of an accident...

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Jul 29, 2005