Trucks World News: June 2006

Purchases - UK - To Buy 2,000 More Trucks from Germany’s MAN

LONDON,UK -DefenseNews.com (USA)/REUTERS -29 June 206: -- The British government said on June 29 it would take up an option to buy 2,077 trucks, worth around 250 million pounds ($454 million), for its armed forces from MAN ERF UK Ltd... The British Ministry of Defence placed a 1.1-billion-pound ($2-billion) order for 5,000 trucks last year from MAN... Defence Procurement Minister Lord Drayson said in a statement the Ministry of Defence was now taking up an option to buy a further 2,077 trucks, which will be used to supply front-line troops...

Survey - USA - Canton-made trucks take top honors in

Nissan official expects sales to rebound when new vehicles hit showrooms

Jackson,MS,USA -The Jackson Clarion Ledger, by Jack Mazurak -June 29, 2006: -- Three Mississippi-made trucks took top category honors in a customer satisfaction survey by J.D. Power and Associates, "2006 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Study", bucking the trend for newly launched vehicles to score highest... The Nissan Armada, Titan and Infiniti QX56 are made at Nissan's plant in Canton and went on sale as 2004 models. There have been no major design changes or tweaks since...

GreenNews - Canada - Trucking group pushes plan for reducing emissions

Canada -Globe and Mail -29 June 2006: -- The Canadian Trucking Alliance will unveil a "14-point action plan" today to cut greenhouse gas emissions, including the activation of so-called speed limiters on trucks to restrict them to travelling no faster than 105 kilometres an hour... David Bradley, the alliance's chief executive officer, will urge Ottawa to endorse the use of speed limiters that electronically slow down a truck's engine... The group will also suggest the introduction of certain tax incentives and other financial programs to promote smog reduction with new technology. Other goals include boosting the installation of auxiliary power units to cut truck idling and using single, wide-base tires to improve fuel efficiencies... The alliance is a federation of provincial trucking associations, representing a cross-section of the sector, with more than 4,500 carriers, owner-operators and suppliers...

Recalls - Japan - Honda, Isuzu recalling faulty vehicles

Tokyo,Japan -Mainichi Daily News/Jiji Press -29 June 2006: -- Honda Motor Co. and Isuzu Motors Ltd. on Thursday informed the Transport Ministry of plans to recall faulty vehicles for free repairs... Honda will recall 124,322 units of the Acty truck and the VAMOS Hobio minicar manufactured between February 2002 and this month due to defective brake lamps. According to the ministry, the bulb sockets of the brake lamps were incorrectly installed... Isuzu will recall 12,129 units of the Giga heavy-duty truck produced between June 2000 and February 2006 due to defective parking brakes. Because of insufficient waterproofing, inner parts of the brakes are susceptible to rust damage, according to the ministry...

Rules - China - Police intensify efforts to dismantle vehicles

China requires that each vehicle is disposed of after a certain number of years

Shanghai,China -Shanghai Daily, by Dong Zhen -30 June 2006: -- More than 1,000 vehicles were sent to a local automobile dismantling factory yesterday for destruction as traffic police cracked down on vehicles that were beyond their legal disposal date... Police were also intensifying their efforts to remove and destroy illegal cars made from old car parts... China requires that each vehicle is disposed of after a certain number of years. Sedans, for example, need to be destroyed when they become 15 years old. China also bans cobbling cars together using collections of old parts, to build so-called black vehicles, which refers to motorbikes and four-wheelers that were produced with old or disposed car parts such as engines... Traffic police sent more than 9,200 vehicles for destruction since May 20... They said most of these illegal vehicles were brought by locals at low prices from out of the city... Such troubled vehicles were operated more commonly in the city's outskirts, engaging in cargo transport or underground taxi service, police said, and add: these vehicles are involved in deadly road mishaps every year, often because of their poor condition...

EcoNews - USA - Sweeping air pollution plan proposed for LA/Long Beach ports

LOS ANGELES.CAL,USA -San Jose Mercury News/Associated Press -Jun. 29, 2006: -- Truck, ship and cargo-handling equipment pollutants would be reduced 50 percent in five years under a clear air proposal for the Long Beach and Los Angeles harbors... Cleaner vehicles and shore-side electrical outlets so vessels can shut down diesel engines while dockside are key elements of the plan unveiled Wednesday... Proposals also include retrofitting and replacing cargo-handling equipment and locomotives... The Port of Los Angeles committed $177 million and Long Beach $181 million to put the anti-pollution measures into place. The regional South Coast Air Quality Management District pledged $36 million for the conversion of older diesel trucks... But $1.6 billion is still needed...

Take-over - USA - GM moves to buy out Vector SCM joint venture

USA -Transport Intelligence On Line (UK)/Press Release -30 June 2006: -- Con-way, the American trucking and logistics company, has announced that General Motors (GM) has moved to take-over Vector SCM. Established in 2001, Vector was a joint venture between GM and Menlo, a subsidiary of Con-way (then called CNF), designed to manage the purchasing and planning of all of GM’s transport needs worldwide... Con-way released a statement yesterday (Thursday 29th ) stating that “it received notice from General Motors Corporation of its intent to exercise its call right and enter into negotiations to purchase Vector SCM,… the terms of the joint venture give GM the right to exercise a buy-out of Vector, subject to agreement on valuation, terms and conditions” ... Con-way admitted that it was not expecting the approach from GM...

Sea Transport - S. Korea - New generation of giant container ships developed

Seoul,South Korea -Transport Intelligence On Line/Press Release -30 June 2006: -- Samsung Heavy Industries held a ‘christening’ ceremony on June 22 for a 9,600 TEU container ship and handed it over to China’s CGS, the ship owner. This container ship is the largest ever to be built in the world. The giant is 321 metres long and 46 metres wide The ship was named Xin Los Angeles... The container ship was built to minimize the vibration of the ship and the structure was also strengthened. Construction also aimed at minimizing the emission of nitrogen oxide by using an environmentally friendly engine...

Sobriety Checkpoints - USA - Not Effective at Catching Drunk Drivers This 4th of July

WASHINGTON,DC,USA -PRNewswire -June 29, 2006: -- As the 4th of July approaches and millions of holiday travelers take to the nation's highways, The American Beverage Institute (ABI) encourages law enforcement agencies around the country to employ the most effective means for getting drunk drivers off of the road...
Unfortunately, ineffective tactics widely used today, including roadblocks and PR campaigns, primarily target responsible adults. At the same time they ignore the root cause of today's drunk driving problem -- hard core alcohol abusers and repeat offenders...

New Program - USA - Oil Coolers and Fuel Cooler Modules

Modine Wins $35.0 Million Program to Provide to International Truck and Engine

RACINE, Wis.,USA -Business Wire- 6/29/2006: -- Modine Manufacturing Company, a world leader in designing and developing heating and cooling solutions for a diversified group of markets including truck, agriculture, automotive, heavy-duty and industrial, announced today it has won a new program from International Truck and Engine Corporation, to help keep their new 2007 6.4L Power Stroke Diesel Engine lube oil and diesel fuel systems running cool. This order is expected to generate sales exceeding $35.0 million per year to Modine for the three years of the program...

‘Boutique Fuels’ - USA - EPA Issues Report on

USA -"Transport Topics" by TTNews -23 June 2006: -- The Environmental Protection Agency Friday released a report from a task force looking at “boutique fuels” that said if a fuel supply disruption occurs, requirements for the specialty blends make it more difficult to move fuel supplies around the country... EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson launched a task force in May to review boutique fuels, specialized blends produced for a specific state or area to meet state and/or local air quality requirements... The report called for conducting more analysis of any action to further limit a state’s ability to adopt boutique fuels...

Project - USA - On Fuel Cell Auxiliary Power Unit (APU)

Ricardo and Technology Management Inc. collaborate and receive $1 million grant

VAN BUREN TWP., Mich.,USA -Yahoo! News (press release)/PRNewswire -June 28,2006: -- In an effort to help prevent engine idling and to significantly reduce noise, pollution and fuel costs for commercial and military vehicles, Technology Management Inc. (TMI), a leading Cleveland-based developer of modular solid oxide fuel cell systems, is collaborating with Ricardo -- one of the world's foremost independent automotive engineering and management consulting firms -- to develop an integrated multi-fuel auxiliary power unit (APU), that could be used to power onboard electrical devices as an alternative to idling large diesel engines. These systems could be in mass production in the next five to 10 years...

Cross-Border Trucking - USA - Teamster Delegates Stand Strong Against

LAS VEGAS,NEV,USA -PRNewswire/Yahoo! News (press release International Brotherhood of Teamsters) -June 28, 2006: -- Union resolves to delay implementation until safety, wages and working conditions for mexican truckers are at highest levels... Delegates at the Teamsters 27th International Convention committed the union to continuing the fight to keep dangerous Mexican trucks off U.S. roads until they meet the same stringent federal safety requirements as required in the United States... Despite the Bush administration's desire to open the border to Mexican trucks, its own Transportation Department's Inspector General Office reported last year that safety concerns have not been addressed and the border should stay closed... Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States and Canada...

Trucks' Media - USA - Prism Buys TTS’ FleetSeek

New York,NY,USA -DM News, by Cara Wood -June 28, 2006: -- Business publisher Prism Business Media Inc. acquired the assets of trucking industry data source Transportation Technical Services Inc... TTS adds database services to Prism's truck and auto group portfolio, which includes Fleet Owner and Ward's. The acquired company will be re-branded as FleetSeek, the name of TTS’s current core offering...

NAFTA - USA - Mexican trucks to enter U.S. freely?

Bush administration refuses to answer WND's questions

Pompano Beach,FL,USA -Free Market News Network/WorldNetDaily.com, by Jerome R. Corsi -June 27, 2006: -- A U.S. government agency has begun a new audit to determine if the Bush administration has resolved inspection issues that would allow Mexican trucks to enter the U.S. freely... On June 7, 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court reached a unanimous decision in Department of Transportation v. Public Citizen, ruling that Mexican trucks under NAFTA could enter the U.S. freely, even if the Mexican trucks failed to meet environmental standards as set by state and federal law... An Office of Inspector General audit published Jan. 3, 2005, indicating the FMCSA had not implemented the on-site inspections in Mexico... The safety hazards being scrutinized by the FMCSA are in addition to ongoing environmental concerns. Commenting on the 2004 Supreme Court decision in Department of Transportation v. Public Citizen, legal analyst Noah Sachs noted the adverse consequences likely to follow this decision: -- As a result of the ruling, thirty thousand or more Mexican trucks – which are generally older, more polluting, and less safe than their U.S. counterparts – will be allowed to conduct long haul trucking operations to locations across the United States... Recent government studies estimate that eighty to ninety percent of the Mexican truck fleet was manufactured before 1994... Meanwhile, the last remaining barriers to the open entry of Mexican trucks into the U.S. seems to be finalizing procedures for on-site safety inspections in Mexico prior to authorizing Mexican trucks...

Biodiesel - USA - Enginemakers greenlight B20 test standard

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.,USA -Today's Trucking -26 June 2006: -- They're coming around. While all heavy-duty engine makers currently approve a five percent blend (B5) of bio- and petro-diesel in their products, the Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA) has just approved a test spec for a 20 percent blend (B20). This paves the way for testing to begin with fuel having consistent properties and quality, which will hasten the approval of a B20 blend... Current EMA specifications require that the pure biodiesel (B100) meets the ASTM International standard D6751 or the European EN14214 standard prior to blending, but until now, there has been no standard for blended fuel. Still, EMA stresses that the recently approved testing specification is not an approved national standard...

Production - Russia - Renault and Gaz Do Truck Engine Deal

Renault Trucks just did a licence deal with Russia's Gaz Group for the latter to make Renault 11 litre dCi 11 truck engines in Russia.

Moscow,Russia -Wards Auto/TNN (UK) -27 June 2006: -- Gaz aims to use the engines in trucks, buses and construction equipment for the Russian market and Commonwealth of Independent States. The deal, worth a reported £315m also covers some manufacturing kit, tooling and training... The Russian firm also did a deal with Daimler Chrysler earlier this year to make two American models in Russia...

* Big first year profits for Gaz
Wards Auto reports that Gaz Group, Russia's largest auto maker just published its first consolidated financial results, showing a net profit of $114m for 2005...

* Russia's Gaz Group May Buy LDV
Moscow,Russia -TNN (UK) -26 June 2006: -- Sun Capital and Gaz Group confirmed that they are talking about Gaz buying Sun's Birmingham-based van maker LDV... "Manufacturing will stay in Birmingham," said Erik Eberhardson, president at Gaz Group...

Production - USA - Cummins-built engines to be exclusive on Paccar MD trucks

BELLEVUE, Wash.,USA -Today's Trucking -27 June 2006: -- Cummins' six and eight liter diesel engines will soon be the exclusive spec for Peterbilt and Kenworth medium-duty conventional trucks starting Jan. 1, 2007...
That means Caterpillar engines will be dropped from the medium-duty product line, although Cat will still be available on class 8 vehicles, stated Kenworth and Pete's parent company Paccar... Cummins also supplies 4- and six-liter mid-range diesels to Paccar-owned European truck-maker DAF under a similar agreement. Those engines are branded 'Paccar'...

Production - Brazil - Iveco Targets Faster Development in

Belo Horizonte,Minas Gerais,Brazil -TNN (UK) -27 June 2006: -- Iveco has announced the reorganisation of its Latin American division, aimed at further developing its business in Brazil. The company has also confirmed its intention to launch a new model on the local market in August... As part of the changes, the head office of Iveco Latin America will be transferred from Sao Paulo to Belo Horizonte, in the Minas Gerais State, which is also the location of the Fiat Group head office in Brazil...

Sales - UK - Here we go delivering trucks in May...

Biglorryblog on Volvo's global sales hike

UK - Transport News Network -27 June 2006: -- May proved to be an extremely profitable month for the Volvo Group in terms of the total number of deliveries from its three divisions (i.e. Volvo, Mack and Renault) which rose by 2%, despite the fact that the Swedish manufacturer is running slightly behind 2005 (-4%) on overall delivery volumes this year... Deliveries from Mack rose 11%, while deliveries from Renault Trucks lifted by 7%. Total deliveries by market area for group are as follows:..

Purchases - Canada - Ottawa to spend $1.2B on 2,300 military trucks

Toronto,Ontario, Canada -TheToronto Star, by CFB VAL CARTIER -Jun. 27, 2006: -- The Canadian Forces will get 2,300 new high-tech logistics trucks as part of a $15-billion cash injection into the military, Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor announced... O'Connor's shopping list includes 1,500 vehicles built exclusively for military purposes, and 800 commercial trucks which will be adapted for the army...

Public Offer - China - Truckmaker IPO

Shanghai,China -Shanghai Daily/South China Morning Post -28 June 2006: -- China National Heavy Duty Truck Group Co, the nation's third-largest truckmaker, plans to raise as much as HK$7.8 billion (US$1 billion) in a Hong Kong initial public offering this year... The company has hired investment banks including JPMorgan Chase & Co to arrange the sale, which will raise at least HK$5.5 billion...

Study - USA - Trucking Restriction Makes Roads Safer

According to a new study, when trucks are kept out of the fast lanes of area highways, safety increases...

Dallas,TX,USA -CBS 11 News, by Jack Fink -Jun 26, 2006: -- Currently the rule is in place on Interstate-20, between I-45 in Dallas and Cedar Ridge Drive in Duncanville, and on I-30, between Collins Street in Arlington and Hulen Street in Fort Worth. The Regional Transportation Council began the fast lane restrictions on trucks last August. Now, the rules are here to stay and most truckers hate them... But the study shows otherwise. On I-20 in Dallas County, where the study took place, the number of truck involved crashes has dropped. Before the study the area used to have one crash every two weeks. Since the restrictions the instances have been reduced to one wreck every three to three and a half weeks...

Roadcheck program - USA - CTA's Bradley questions usefulness of

OTTAWA, Ont.,Canada -Truck News, by Adam Ledlow -27 June 2006: -- Though the numbers released from Roadcheck 2006 – the Canadian component of the annual North American truck inspection blitz – show that the mechanical fitness of trucks is continuing on a positive 10-year trend, Canadian Trucking Alliance CEO David Bradley remains skeptical of value of a three-day program... Bradley also pointed out that the industry has long questioned the methodology used during Roadcheck. First, while Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance states that vehicles are selected randomly, no statistics are kept on the number of vehicles waved through an inspection station and considered "passed" due to the presence of a valid CVSA inspection decal, Bradley says...

Protection - USA - For Drivers of Tow Trucks

Tow truck operators will have some protection beginning July first
Saskatoon,Saskatchewan,Canada -Saskatoonhomepage.ca, by Sharon Vanhouwe -26 June 2006: -- As of that date, motorists will be required to slow down to 60 kilometers per hour when passing a tow truck stopped at the roadside with amber lights flashing... Fines for those who don't slow down start at one hundred and 40 dollars...

Success - USA - SoCAL Truck program

LONG BEACH,CAL,USA -CalTrade Report -26 June 2006: -- More than two million truck trips on Southern California's freeways have been diverted from peak daytime traffic since the start of the OffPeak program last July... According to PierPASS Inc., which maintains and monitors the traffic program, OffPeak "has eliminated costly bottlenecks at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and reduced gridlock on area freeways by taking trucks out of stop-and-go daytime traffic and letting them move at night in faster-flowing traffic"...

Sales - China - National Heavy-Duty Truck allocates 20 bln yuan R&D to 2010

BEIJING,China -Forbes/AFX/China Daily -26 June 2006: -- China National Heavy-Duty Truck Corp (CNHTC), a partner of Volvo AB, plans to invest 20 bln yuan in research and development over the next four years, reported, citing company chairman Ma Chunji... Ma told that CNHTC will also look to produce and sell trucks in overseas markets due to overcapacity in China. By spending heavily in R&D, CNHTC expects newly developed products to account for one-third of its annual sales by 2010, when it expects total sales to reach more than 120,000 units, accounting for one-third of China's heavy-duty truck market...

Jobs - Canada - A shortage of HD diesel technicians

Canada -Today's Trucking News (USA/Canada) -27 June 2006: -- ... The one existing body that could do something on this front is the Canadian Trucking Human Resources Council (CTHRC) but it concentrates its efforts almost entirely on drivers. I might dispute the notion that drivers are the bigger problem to quite this extent, but the truth is, the CTHRC runs on a slim budget and there's a limit to what they can do... So I think what we need, amongst about a zillion other things, is to target the mechanic shortage ourselves -- on the web and elsewhere...

Research - USA - Indicates trucking capacity issues persist

NASHVILLE, Ind.,USA -Logistics Management, by Jeff Berman -June 26, 2006: -- Trucking capacity is likely to remain tight throughout the rest of this year and 2007, according to recent research from FTR Associates, a transportation research firm... FTR cited strong performances in manufacturing and freight-producing sectors as drivers for tight capacity, and added that United States Class 8 truck capacity being used has been in excess of 90 percent over the last nine quarters. And the research firm said total ton miles will grow by 2.1 percent this year, with modal share for trucks slated to increase to 44.8% this year and 45.3% in 2007...

Oil - Canada - $264M sale to oil sands pleases Finning

Vancouver,Canada -Canadian Mining Journal (Toronto,Ontario) -25 June 2006: -- Finning International has sold $264-million worth of haulage trucks to Canadian Natural Resources (CNRL) for its Horizon oil sands project. The sale includes 23 new Caterpillar 797B trucks and a multi-year support agreement. The trucks are to be delivered in 2008...

* BP opens door to oil sands alliance
Alaska ,USA -Petroleum News, by Gary Park -Jun 23, 2006: -- BP, often billed as the reluctant oil sands participant, may be undergoing an attitude adjustment. Chief Executive Officer John Browne said the energy giant has earmarked US$3 billion over the next decade to ensure his northern U.S. refineries can handle rising volumes of heavy crude from Canada...

Acquisitions - USA - More trucks purchases

Oshkosh Truck Corp. purchase AK Specialty Vehicles from HealthTronics Inc.

Wiscosin,USA -The Chicago Tribune -24 June 2006: -- Oshkosh Truck Corp., a maker of emergency and military vehicles, agreed to purchase AK Specialty Vehicles from HealthTronics Inc. for $140 million to gain medical and broadcast trucks... AK, based in Harvey, makes vehicles that transport medical equipment such as catheterization labs and mammography machines, the Oshkosh, Wis.-based company said... AK also produces vehicles for TV and radio stations. The acquisition is to close in July...

AUTOS' WORLD NEWS

* USA - Buyouts may top 40,000
Detroit,Mich,USA -The Detroit News, by Brett Clanton -June 24, 2006: -- In final day, more GM, Delphi workers come forward to take separation deals... Massive job-cutting efforts at General Motors Corp. and bankrupt Delphi Corp. got an eleventh-hour boost Friday thanks to a last-minute rush for the exits by workers signing up for cash buyouts or early retirement... The surge may have pushed the final tally at GM and Delphi higher than 40,000 workers, capping with a bang one of the biggest one-time downsizing events in the history of the U.S. auto industry...

* USA - The Fallout of Automotive Buyouts
To tens of thousands of workers, it's a wrenching decision. To their employers, it's much-needed cost-cutting. To their already depleted union, it's an exodus.
Washington,DC,USA -The Washington Post, by Sholnn Freeman -June 23, 2006: -- Baltimore autoworker Don Burks has made his decision. He plans to let today's buyout deadline pass and not take a $35,000 lump sum from General Motors Corp. in exchange for leaving his job for retirement after almost 38 years. Then again, nothing is definite...

* USA - Big Three rebuffed third time by Bush
Washington,DC,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -22 June 2006: -- Mich. officials believe Republicans don't care about automakers after meeting delayed again... President Bush's planned meeting with the Big Three has been postponed a third time -- this time until July -- which may add to the perception Detroit's automakers are struggling to get their message heard by the White House... The automakers have been trying to meet with Bush to discuss soaring health-care costs, energy and trade issues. The Big Three have been waiting to follow the summit with an announcement about their commitment to producing more flexible fuel vehicles...

* USA - Nissan recalling Altima, Sentra sedans
WASHINGTON,DC,USA -The Detroit News, by Ken Thomas -June 22, 2006: -- Nissan North America Inc. said Thursday that it was recalling 97,000 Altima and Sentra vehicles after reports of excessive oil consumption and engine fires led the automaker to stop selling the vehicles... Nissan said some 2006 sedans with 2.5 liter engines could quickly consume oil, potentially damaging the engine and leading to engine fires...

* USA - Does Driving Green = Saving Green? Used hybrids holding their value - for now
USA -AutoWeek, by ARLENA SAWYERS -21 June 2006: -- May wholesale used-vehicle prices indicate that 2005 hybrids hold more of their value than their 2005 gasoline-powered twins, according to price data from Black Book, a wholesale price guide... Black Book Editor Ricky Beggs says the prices of hybrids are holding up well but notes that most of the vehicles are still fairly new... Automotive Lease Guide, of Santa Barbara, Calif., which sets residual standards for the industry, does not release residual information on hybrids...

* Japan - Trade surplus surges 35%, fueled by car exports to U.S.
Tokyo,Japan -The Japan Times On Line -June 23, 2006: -- Japan's trade surplus jumped 35.2 percent in May from a year ago to 384.9 billion yen, marking the first jump in 17 months on brisk auto exports to the United States, the Finance Ministry said Thursday...

* Portugal - GM to shut plant by Oct. 31 if no cuts
LISBOA,Portugal -Reuters -June 23, 2006: -- General Motors will shut its assembly plant in Portugal by Oct. 31 if talks with workers and the government do not lead to lower production costs... Workers at the Azambuja plant, which assembles Combo delivery vans, and the government convinced GM last week to wait five more weeks before making a decision to close the factory...

* USA - GM temporarily shuts Lordstown plant
USA -Automotive News(UK), by Robert Sherefkin -June 23, 2006: -- General Motors temporarily shut its Lordstown, Ohio, assembly plant Friday afternoon, citing a parts shortage -- the first time a GM assembly plant has closed for this reason in nearly four years...

* UK - Land Rover begins layoffs at Solihull by idling 500
UK -Automotive News, by Greg Migliore -June 23, 2006: -- About 500 employees at Land Rover's Solihull, England, plant were given their walking papers this week. The plant expects to lay off 1,290 employees this year... The Solihull plant is losing assembly of the redesigned Freelander to the Halewood plant near Liverpool. The vehicle is expected to be renamed the LR2 this fall. It will be built alongside the slow-selling Jaguar X-Type...

* France - Faurecia to cut 690 jobs
PARIS,France -Reuters -June 23, 2006: -- French car part maker Faurecia said on Friday it would cut 690 jobs in 2007-08 under a restructuring plan for its automotive seat frames division, which is facing a fall in volumes... Faurecia is majority-owned by PSA/Peugeot-Citroen...

* Germany - Karmann to open Poland plant
OSNABRUECK, Germany -Reuters -June 23, 2006: -- German coach builder Karmann will open a roof-assembly plant in Poland to save on labor costs, it said on Friday... CEO Bernd Lieberoth-Leden said, noting staff costs in Poland were around 80 percent lower than in Germany...

* China - Not the only solution to cut supply-chain costs
High logistics costs often rule out purchase of Chinese parts
VIENNA, Austria, on "Automotive News Europe Congress" -Automotive News, by Tony Lewin -June 22, 2006: -- China is not the only answer to reducing purchasing costs, said Bo Andersson, General Motors vice president in charge of global purchasing... Eastern Europe and former Soviet Union countries such as Ukraine also were also options for low-cost sourcing of parts... Ukraine is very good -- we've moved more business there than we have to China... Burma, Pakistan, Vietnam and Cambodia were also promising as potential countries for low-cost sourcing, Andersson told a panel on cost control in the industry...

* Europe - VW boss: automakers are burdened by regulation
VIENNA, Austria, on "Automotive News Europe Congress" -Automotive News, by Tony Lewin -June 22, 2006: -- Pischetsrieder says reluctance to change rules is an 'obstacle to business'... Volkswagen group Chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder said European automakers struggle to compete globally because they are burdened by too much regulation at home. Unreasonable regulations cause this lack of competitiveness...

* Japan - DaimlerChrysler to pay Mitsubishi $300 million for Smart pullout
TOKYO,Japan -Reuters/The Nihon Keizai daily -June 21, 2006: -- DaimlerChrysler AG will pay Mitsubishi Motors Corp. about $305 million (35 billion yen) as part of compensation for dropping production of the Smart four-seat model at the Japanese carmaker's Dutch plant... A Mitsubishi Motors spokesman said the partners were in the final stages of negotiating the deal, adding no concrete figures had been reached...

* China - Skoda to produce Superb, Fabia models in
SHANGHAI,China -Reuters -June 21, 2006: -- Czech car maker Skoda Auto, which expects to roll out its first model in China next year, will later add two new models, its parent said on Wednesday... Skoda will start making the popular Octavia sedan at Volkswagen AG's venture in Shanghai next year, the German automaker said in a statement... Two more models, the Superb and the Fabia, would subsequently also be produced at the same facility...

* China - DaimlerChrysler recalls 1,011 minivans in
SHANGHAI,China -Reuters -June 20, 2006: -- DaimlerChrysler AG will recall 1,011 imported minivans in China due to potential defects with oil pipes, China's quality watchdog said on Tuesday... The Mercedes-Benz Viano and Vito were produced between October 2003 and November 2005, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said on its Web site...

* USA - Fire risk prompts Mercedes to recall SLR McLaren sports car
USA -Automotive News, by Dale Jewett -June 19, 2006: -- High underhood temperatures that could damage the alternator and cause a fire have prompted Mercedes-Benz USA LLC to recall SLR McLaren sports cars from the 2005 and 2006 model years... Mercedes-Benz said the recall covers 433 vehicles in the United States...

Biofuel news - USA - One billion dollars gallons and more

USA -Autoblog Green, by Sebastian Blanco -Jun 22, 2006: -- Biofuel news is all around us, and here's quick round-up of some biofuel production stories from around the country: Broin Companies, which operates 24 ethanol plants and is building nine more, will now be producing over a billion gallons of the stuff a year... Indiana now has 10 ethanol plants operating or in construction. The newest, announced last week, will be operated by Broin Companies... Alternative Energy Sources Inc. and Beemer Energy completed a stock-to-stock merger to become an "ethanol leader"... The Chicago Board of Trade's chairman, Charles Carey, testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on Monday on the CBOT's ethanol futures contract...

High-tech - USA - City considers new garbage truck

New trucks expected to save money in long run

Phoenix,AR,USA -Muskogee Daily Phoenix, by Liz McMahan -23 June 2004: -- Technology will make picking up Muskogee’s trash a lot easier for the city’s sanitation workers in the years ahead... The Muskogee City Council will vote Monday night on purchasing a $184,000 automated, side-dumping trash truck and 1,600 new poly carts... The city has been paying $80,000 to $90,000 for each of its sanitation trucks. The new trucks are considerably more expensive, but should save money in the long run, said Mike Stewart, director of public works... The new truck will have a robotic arm that reaches out, hugs a trash cart, raises it to the truck, dumps it and sets it back down... (Photo by Liz McMahan: Mike Stewart, public works director shows how trucks hook onto trash carts to dump them)

Impact - USA - Truck and Bus Safety Enforcement Efforts

14 trucks or buses inspected every minute during Roadcheck 2006

WASHINGTON,DC,USA -PRNewswire/Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance -June 23, 200&: -- In the largest targeted enforcement program on commercial vehicles in the world, 14 trucks or buses were inspected every minute from Canada to Mexico during Roadcheck 2006... Over a 72-hour period from June 6-8, 8,522 CVSA-Certified Inspectors at 1,850 locations across North America performed a near record 60,357 truck and bus inspections... The number of vehicles placed out of service and "parked" due to serious defects decreased significantly this year from 2005 in all major categories -- trucks, buses and hazmat...
* All vehicles: 21.7% in 2006, down from 22.5% in 2005;
* Buses: 6.9% in 2006, down from 11.7% in 2005; and
* Hazmat: 18.2% in 2006, down from 19.3% in 2005.
A record number of CVSA Decals -- 30,950 -- were issued to vehicles passing the inspection without having any defects in the 13 critical inspection areas...

Security - USA - GOP rejects trucking security provision

WASHINGTON,DC,USA -UPI/CongressDaily -June 23, 2006: -- Republicans in the U.S. Congress this week defeated a provision that would have boosted security for the U.S. trucking industry... The Homeland Security Economic Security Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill Thursday that would establish regulations for the trucking industry, but Republicans defeated a Democratic amendment that would have required additional security measures for the shipment of dangerous materials... The bill directs the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to designate which materials being transported throughout the United States by truck should be considered security sensitive. The list would differentiate between hazardous materials that need extra security provisions and other cargo. Individuals transporting security sensitive materials would have to undergo a fingerprint background check before being issued a permit...

Develop - USA - Eaton's hybrid electric system for refuse trucks

Akron,OH,USA -Waste News -June 23, 2006: -- Eaton Corp. is beginning development of a hybrid electric power system for heavy-duty Class 8 commercial vehicles, a category that includes trash trucks... The system will be designed to improve on-road efficiency and idle reduction, which will save fuel and cut emissions, Eaton said. The Class 8 system will share many components currently used by the company to make hybrid electric systems for smaller trucks... Recent testing shows a 5 percent to 7 percent fuel consumption reduction while driving and a gallon-per-hour savings while parked, the company said. That would save about $9,500 per year in fuel for a typical truck...

Oil - USA - Reclaims $70, with gas futures up

Oil supply at 8-year high; gas stock up less than expected

SAN FRANCISCO,CAL,USA -MarketWatch, by Myra P. Saefong -Jun 21, 2006: -- Crude-oil futures reclaimed the $70 a barrel level and gasoline futures closed 3% higher Wednesday, as a smaller than expected rise in U.S. gasoline supplies and tension between Western nations and Iran and North Korea outweighed an eight-year high in U.S. crude inventories... Crude for August delivery touched a low of $68.80 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, then recovered to trade as high as $70.75. The contract closed at $70.33, up 99 cents -- at its highest closing level since June 12... A U.S. government report issued Wednesday pegged supplies at their highest level since late May of 1998 -- a time when futures prices traded at just more than $16 and spot prices were above $15...

Oil & Gas - USA - Anadarko buys Kerr-McGee, Western

SAN FRANCISCO,CAL,USA -MarketWatch, by Padraic Cassidy & Jim Jelter -Jun 23, 2006: -- Anadarko Petroleum Corp., the nation's biggest independent oil and gas producer, made a push Friday to get a lot bigger, offering to buy Kerr-McGee Corp. and Western Gas Resources Inc. in a double-barrel takeover worth $21.1 billion in cash... The combined merger -- the ninth biggest ever in the oil and gas sector, according to Thomson Financial data -- was seen by analysts as the latest chapter in an ongoing consolidation of the industry, where producers flush with cash from record-high energy prices are scrambling to streamline operations and replenish dwindling reserves... The Anadarko deal also ignited a flurry of buying in the rest of the exploration and production group, with companies often mentioned as the possible next takeover targets seeing their share prices surge as much as 8%...

Strategies - USA - China and Saudi Arabia: interesting SPR team up?

China may tap Saudis to fill its oil reserve, a move likely to influence prices

SAN FRANCISCO,CAL,USA -MarketWatch, by Myra Saefong -Jun 23, 2006: -- A deal between the globe's most populous nation and the biggest oil producer in the world may hold significant consequences for oil prices, but experts disagree on exactly what that outcome might be... China and Saudi Arabia are reportedly discussing an agreement to import oil from Saudi Arabia to fill China's strategic oil reserves... The goal was to have about 800 million barrels in the reserve, said Phil Flynn, a senior analyst at Alaron Trading, who cited comments from China's Finance Minister Jin Renqing last year... That would be larger than the strategic petroleum reserve in the United States, the biggest stockpile of government-owned emergency crude, which peaked at an all-time high of 700.7 million barrels of oil in August 2005 and can hold as much as 727 million barrels. Its current inventory stands at 688.6 million... But earlier this week, the Chinese government said it's in talks with Saudi Arabia on importing oil to fill its strategic reserves, according to Dow Jones Newswires. The deal would involve large volumes of Saudi crude, with the first shipments unlikely to come before year's end... That means "China is really going to be a competitor with the U.S. for oil supplies," he said.

Hydraulic hybrids - USA - Delivereds for UPS

First-of-their kind vehicles meet demand of truck and bus market looking to save fuel

WASHINGTON,DF,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson-June 22, 2006: -- ... On Wednesday, United Parcel Service delivers 15 million packages a day worldwide unveiled the world's first fully hydraulic hybrid-powered delivery truck, part of a surging interest in fuel-saving technology in the heavy duty truck and bus market... UPS will test the four-speed model and an experimental cousin -- without a traditional transmission -- in Livonia this fall... (Photo: The UPS unveiled the first fully hydraulic hybrid-powered delivery truck on Wednesday. The trucks will be tested in Livonia this fall)

Development - USA - Of Heavy-Duty Hybrid System For Class 8 Vehicles

Los Angeles,CA,USA -Trading Markets/RTTNews -June 22, 2006: -- On Thursday, Eaton Corp., revealed that it has started development of a hybrid electric power system for the class 8 heavy-duty commercial vehicle market, which is capable of delivering on-road efficiency as well as idle reduction, resulting in fuel saving and emission reductions... The Cleveland, Ohio based company noted that the system being developed for the heavy-duty segment will be almost similar in design as the medium-duty hybrid electric system developed for the class 4 to class 7 vehicles. Though the heavy-duty system will have many of its components similar to the medium-duty system, it will be adapted for class 8 vehicles with on-highway applications...

Regulatory Changes - Canada - Canadian Trucking Alliance Cautions Transport Ministers on

Ottawa,BC,Canada -LAYOVER -June 22, 2006: -- The Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety should not back away from a January 1, 2007 implementation date for the new Canadian hours of service regulations, and should consider first and foremost the safety record of smaller trucks if a change is to be made to the National Safety Code weight threshold. So says the Canadian Trucking Alliance in a recent communique to the federal, provincial and territorial transport ministers... No formal acknowledgement has been made by any provincial government that the January 2007 coming-into-force date of the hours of service rules will be missed. But, there is increasing concern among industry representatives that not all jurisdictions will be ready. So-called legislative windows are needed in some provinces, public hearings must be held in others, and in all of them the new regulations must be signed off by government lawyers and provincial cabinets...

Rule Changes - Canada - Put pressure on trucking firms

Industry already facing challenges in finding drivers

Calgary,Alberta,Canada -Business Edge, by Monte Stewart -22 June 2006: -- Canada's truck drivers will spend less time on the road under new federal regulations to be adopted early next year... Trucking-industry groups say the reduction in working hours will improve safety, but force companies to change their operations at a time when companies are dealing with a nation-wide driver shortage, rising fuel costs and many other challenges that make it difficult to compete... Starting Jan. 1, truckers will haul goods for a maximum of 13 hours per day and spend one more hour in service to deal with repairs and other needs. Under the current rules, drivers haul goods for 13 hours and spend two extra hours in service... Drivers will work a maximum of 70 hours per week and must receive 36 consecutive hours of rest in each seven-day period... (Photo by Bayne Stanley, Business Edge - B.C. Trucking Association executive director Paul Landry says Western Canadian firms will bear the brunt of new rules)

Distribution - USA - Exclusive Northern Europe Rights

From US Energy Initiatives To TruckGas
Los Angeles,CA,USA -Trading Markets/RTTNews -June 22, 2006: -- US Energy Initiatives Corp., revealed the grant of exclusive distribution rights to TruckGas Ltd., a United Kingdom registered company, principally for Northern Europe, including Spain and Italy for its dual-fuel technology systems... TruckGas is a member of a consortium, which involves the European trucking association, oil companies, engineering companies, European government, and regulatory agencies of the European Union... The distribution rights provides TruckGas the exclusive rights to market the Company's dual-fuel technology throughout the countries of France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Poland...

Removing - Australia - ATA welcomes Fuel Tax Bill

Australia -Supply Chain Review -23 June 2006: -- The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has welcomed the successful passage of the Fuel Tax Bill 2006 through the Senate last night... The Bill removes the metropolitan boundaries on heavy vehicles between 4.5 and 20 tonnes, allowing metropolitan operators to claim the on-road diesel grant... The new Fuel Tax system takes effect on July 1...

Take Note - USA - Additives at issue during ULSD changeover

USA -Fleet Owner, by Sean Kilcarr -Jun 22, 2006: -- Fleets and independents take note: experts warn that the impending switch to ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) this fall will require you to more closely monitor how the fuel behaves in your tank, as well as any fuel additives you use today... Refineries used to compensate for diesel’s tendency to “gel” at low temperatures by diluting it with between 25% and 50% kerosene, especially in the winter. Since kerosene is heavy in sulfur content, new low-sulfur kerosene blends are needed. The same is true for additives fleets buy to improve diesel’s cold flow performance while beefing up lubricity and anti-wear protection...

New web-based software - USA - Tackling cargo theft with technology

USA -Fleet Owner, by Wendy Leavitt -Jun 22, 2006: -- Cargo theft has become a booming business in America, worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 billion annually, according to most estimates. In the State of Florida, however, law enforcement officials are deploying a new web-based software system in the fight against freight theft, and it is turning the tables on criminals... In August of 2005, the Florida Highway Patrol launched a new, web-based Electronic Freight Theft Management System (EFTMS). The new system provide a means for carriers to quickly get information about a theft out to the law enforcement officials—fast enough for law enforcement to intercept the stolen equipment and cargo en route from the theft location to the thief’s destination. It’s not intended to replace the need to report a theft to the law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction of the incident, however...

Save on Fuel - USA - EPA helps West Coast fleets

USA -Fleet Owner -Jun 22, 2006: -- Small-to-medium fleets in Oregon, California, and Washington with routes along the I-5 corridor may be eligible to be among the 400 trucks the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to upgrade with fuel-saving and anti-pollution technologies... EPA has partnered with the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Oregon's transportation and energy departments, and Cascade Sierra Solutions to make its SmartWay upgrade kits available for long-haul trucks. The kits typically include engine idle reduction technology, low rolling resistance tires, improved aerodynamics and exhaust after-treatment devices... SmartWay upgrade kits can also reduce fuel consumption, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxide emissions by as much as 20%, EPA said...

Market - USA - NHTSA rule may stimulate disc demand

USA -Fleet Owner, by Terrence Nguyen -Jun 21, 2006: -- Business consulting firm Frost & Sullivan predicts that the U.S. commercial vehicle market share for disc brakes will erode that of drum brakes, which have commanded a retail price advantage over discs but may lag in stopping performance... The upcoming commercial vehicle stopping distance final rule from the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which is expected to mandate as much as a 30% shorter stopping distance, will prompt OEM’s to give disc technology a second look... Disc brakes generally provide more stopping power than drums... According to the firm, in the Class 8 truck market drum brakes commanded 96.3% of revenues compared with the remaining 3.7% in 2005. By 2012 the revenue share of disc brakes will increase to 13.7%. In the medium-duty market in 2005 drum brakes had a 55% share of revenues to disc brakes’ 45%. By 2012 Frost & Sullivan says the shares will be 41% and 59%, respectively...

Biodiesel - Canada - Task Force requests joint government effort

REGINA, Sask.,Canada -Trucks News , by Steven Macleod -21 June 2006: -- In its final report, the Biodiesel Development Task Force urged the Saskatchewan government to work in conjunction with the federal government to advance the province's biodiesel industry... The task force consulted with key stakeholders to examine the current status, challenges and opportunities of Saskatchewan's biodiesel industry... As well as requesting a National Bio-Products Centre located in Saskatoon, the report's recommendations ask the province to work with the Government of Canada to develop trade-compliant programs and policies for the biodiesel industry; fund research and testing on standards for performance-based specifications; establish a program to help companies meet biodiesel approved standards; and continue research and development, commercialization of new products and the expansion of the biodiesel industry...

Study - USA - Truck Specs: Critical to fuel economy

USA - Fleet Owner, by Sean Kilcarr -Jun 20, 2006: -- Initial results of a fuel economy study by truck leasing firm PHH First Fleet, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, suggest that truck specs—especially engine size and gear ratio—impact vehicle fuel efficiency more than most people think... “What surprises me is the depth to which spec’ing choices can influence fuel economy,” said Hal Booth, senior vp at PHH First Fleet... is using data gained via onboard telematics installed on customer vehicles to map out what affects vehicle fuel economy. At the 10-month mark, results support the following hypothesis: While horsepower and torque are directly proportional to one another, if the output torque range or engine load percentage is maintained at a significantly lower percentage rate and the horsepower and rpms are over-spec’d, fuel economy will increase...

Controls II - Australia - Trucks on the police radar

Orange,New South Wales,Australia -Orange Central Western Daily, by KELLY FITZGERALD -23 June 2006: -- LOCAL police were putting the brakes on heavy vehicles yesterday in Molong... Trucks were stopped by police and RTA and inspected for compliance with safety, logbook and registration requirements... Canobolas Local Area Command Superintendent Mark Szalajko said this was the first of several operations which would target heavy vehicles for driver fatigue, safety infringements, drugs and stock theft... (Photo, by STEVE GOSCH - HITTING THE BRAKES: Trucks driving through Molong yesterday were inspected for safety defects and to check if drivers were complying with logbook requirements)

EcoNews - USA - Retrofiting Trucks May Help Clean North Portland's Air

Portland,OR,USA -OPB News, by Ley Garnett -22 June 2006: -- Governor Ted Kulongoski continues to focus on cleaner diesel technologies as one of his major environmental projects and campaign issues, as he runs for reelection... Thursday he introduced a program to retrofit diesel-powered tractor-trailers, offering interest free loans to help truckers pay for the new gadgets. On the same day state and local agencies touted a plan to cut dirty diesel exhaust in north Portland... And as if to cap the day of cleaner exhaust initiatives -- the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission voted for a permanent rule for Oregon vehicles to match California's clean car standards beginning in 2009...

Markets - Brazil - Fitch Downgrades ALL's Ratings

RIO DE JANEIRO, RJ,Brazil -BUSINESS WIRE (Chicago,Ill,USA) -June 22, 2006: -- Fitch downgrades the following ratings for America Latina Logistica S.A. (ALL): ... Rating actions are the result of the increased debt to be assumed by ALL in the proposed BRL1.4 billion acquisition of Brasil Ferrovias S.A. (Brasil Ferrovias) and its affiliate Novoeste Brasil S.A. (Novoeste). The acquisition has been approved by Brazil's national surface transportation agency, Agencia Nacional de Transportes Terrestres (ANTT), and is expected to be completed by the end of the month. Payment will be made using ALL's common and preferred shares such that the transaction will result in no new debt issuances at the ALL holding company and operating subsidiary levels. However, the acquisition of higher leveraged Brasil Ferrovias and Novoeste will significantly increase consolidated leverage and should negatively affect the overall credit quality of ALL...

Markets - India - Daimler-Chrysler enters Indian truck market with Actros

Pune,India -Indo Asian News Service (IANS)/Daily India -June 23. 2006: -- Leading truck-maker Daimler-Chrysler Friday announced its foray in the Indian commercial vehicles market with the launch of its heavy-duty vehicle Actros here... Available in two variants - Actros 4040K and Actros 4840K - the robustly built trucks with 12-litre engines will mainly be aimed at tapping the Indian mining sector and be available at Rs.5.5 million and Rs.6.5 million respectively...

Generosity - USA - Forgotten Harvest takes bruised goods to the hungry

Detroit,Mich,USA -The Detroit Free Press, by GRETA GUEST -June 22, 2006: -- Have you ever wondered where that slightly bruised apple you passed over at the grocery store ends up?... If you shop at Kroger, Farmer Jack, Nino Salvaggio, Whole Foods or a number of other retailers in Forgotten Harvest's network, chances are good the apple will go to feed the hungry in metro Detroit... Forgotten Harvest, based in Southfield, is the only nonprofit group that collects perishable food from area retailers and caterers and distributes it to groups serving the needy... (Photo, by HEATHER ROUSSEAU: Bessie Williams, 87, of Detroit enjoys a meal with Alberta Witherspoon, 73, of Detroit at St. Patrick's Senior Center in Detroit. Many groups, including the center, get Forgotten Harvest food distributions)

Controls - USA - Turn attention to tanker trucks

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.,USA -WTVM (Columbus,GA)/Associated Press -22 June 2006: -- Tanker trucks rolling through Birmingham are coming under additional scrutiny this week from state troopers and inspectors with the state Department of Transportation... The heightened inspections are part of a campaign to make sure cargo is properly secured and the 18-wheelers pass maintenance checks... Troopers say out of 120 coil-hauling trucks inspected, 50 were put of out of service. No figures were available for tanker trucks...

Enterprises - Sweden - Volvo affirms market forecasts, eyes China links

Gothenburg,Sweden -Reuters -Jun 21, 2006: -- Sweden's Volvo, the world's second biggest truck maker, said on Wednesday it stood by its forecast of robust truck markets on both sides of the Atlantic this year... The firm raised its outlook for its two biggest markets in April, saying it saw a total of 340,000 to 350,000 vehicles in North America and 270,000 to 280,000 in Europe this year... Volvo remained committed to boosting its foothold in the Chinese market, where the firm late last year put the brakes on a pending engine venture with First Automotive Works and China National Heavy-Duty Truck Corp., amid moves by Beijing to slow down the sector... Volvo earlier this year bought a 13 percent stake in Nissan Diesel Motor Co., for 1.5 billion Swedish crowns ($205.9 million) with an eye to strengthening its Asian operations and forming a new link to China through Nissan Diesel's joint venture with China's Dongfeng Motor Corp... Volvo has been in talks to strengthen ties to the Chinese firm ever since the two firms had created nine different discussion groups in order to iron out future joint projects...

Product - USA - EPA Unveils Unique Hydraulic Hybrid Diesel Delivery Truck

With UPS, International Truck and Engine, Eaton and U.S. Army

WASHINGTON,DF,USA -BUSINESS WIRE/CSRwire -June 21, 2006: -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today unveiled the first-ever series hydraulic hybrid diesel urban delivery vehicle, which will provide dramatic improvements in fuel economy and in emission reductions. The development of the hydraulic hybrid is the result of a partnership between the EPA, U.S. Army, UPS, International Truck and Engine Corporation and Eaton Corporation.

Adquisition - USA - Universal Express Completes Contract for Global Trucking

NEW YORK,NY,USA -BUSINESS WIRE -June 21, 2006: -- Universal Express Inc., today announced it has completed the awaited contract for the purchase of Global Trucking... The purchase price $900,000 plus other considerations toward Global's future growth... This contract formalizes the acquisition of a 60% interest in one of the oldest and most industry-revered trucking and delivery companies, Global Trucking Services, Inc., of Miami Florida...

Background Checks - USA - Trucking group exec speaks out on

Kansas City,MO, United States -Kansas City Business Journal -21 June 2006: -- A trade group representing independent truckers said it supports measures to keep federal background checks from unduly delaying drivers... Todd Spencer, executive vice president of Grain Valley-based Owner-Operated Independent Drivers Association, testified in favor of two initiatives to simplify background checks for truckers at a June 16 hearing before the House Committee on Homeland Security... Spencer said this requirement comes on top of existing laws that require background checks, so a trucker could end up doing multiple background checks during a short period of time. The cost of undergoing the checks are out of pocket expensives and quickly add up, he said...

More - USA - Schneider sells its payment business

GREEN BAY, WI, United States -UPI/Monsters and Critics.com (Glasgow,UK) -Jun 21, 2006: -- U.S. Bank said Wednesday it was buying Schneider Payment Services, a division of trucking giant Schneider National Inc., which is based in Wisconsin... The deal, which is set to close July 1, adds more than $7 billion in freight payments to the PowerTrack portfolio of U.S. Bank... Terms of the deal were not disclosed... U.S. Bank is a unit of U.S. Bancorp, the sixth largest financial institution in the country...

Buyers - USA - No end to high transportation costs

Newton,MA,USA -Purchasing.com -21 June 2006: -- Government data through May shows that costs of transportation services have risen by almost 10% over the past year—with almost 7% coming from increased energy costs have been passed along to customers directly through surcharges. That may explain why 79% of buyers polled reported transportation prices going up in Purchasing’s latest survey and another 73% expect these increases to continue through September... However, nearly all trucking companies worry that further fuel price increases will squeeze their profit margins, curb consumer spending and, eventually, reduce demand for shipping services...

Production - Thailand - Becomes Asia's Pickup Capital

SAMUT PRAKARN, Thailand -Houston Chronicle/AP, by MALCOLM FOSTER (USA) -21 June 2006: -- Every 60 seconds, a shiny new pickup truck rolls off the assembly line at Toyota's factory outside of Bangkok, a third of them bound overseas for places like Australia, Europe and the Mideast... By January, Toyota Motor Corp. will complete another, larger plant to make pickups nearby, adding to the 15 auto assembly plants, mostly Japanese, already here... Thailand has carved out a niche for itself: Asia's pickup truck capital...

Overweight trucks - USA - Tearing up roads as fast as city repairs them

Spokane,Was.,USA -News4 Staff, by Jeff Humphrey -June 21, 2006: -- This year the City of Spokane is spending millions of dollars to replace some of the arterials drivers use to get around town but Spokane police have discovered that trucks used in repair jobs are damaging other roadways in the process... The owner of Halme Construction said his company is not deliberately running overweight trucks and that changing conditions in the soil he's moving like moisture or rock content makes it hard to be precise on the weight they're hauling... Spokane police say the truck was five-and-a-half tons overweight and that an experienced driver should clearly be able to see the difference...

GreenNews - USA - OUC trucks to try biodiesel power

About a third of the diesel the utility uses will be more friendly to the environment

Orlando,FL,USA -Orlando Sentinel, by Rich McKay -June 21, 2006: -- The Reliable One is about to get a little greener -- and the fumes from the Orlando Utilities Commission trucks might start smelling like french fries or Krispy Kreme doughnuts... OUC's governing board voted Tuesday to start using biodiesel fuel -- made from soybeans or other vegetable or animal grease -- in its fleet of 150 or so bucket trucks and other vehicles that weigh more than a ton...

Bio-fuels - UK - British Sugar to manufacture next generation in the UK

UK - Auto Industry/British Sugar -20 June 2006: -- British Sugar Group, part of Associated British Foods plc has today announced a collaboration with BP and DuPont to begin production of the next generation of bio-fuels in the UK. Production is expected to start in 2007... Under this agreement, British Sugar’s Wissington bio-ethanol plant, currently under construction in Norfolk, will be converted to the production of bio-butanol... The plant will continue to use locally grown sugar beet as the feed stock and the bio-butanol produced will be blended with petrol in the UK. Because of its chemical structure, butanol (C4H9OH) has an energy content closer to that of petrol than ethanol (C2H5OH) and so offers better fuel economy than petrol/ethanol blends...

Sales - Sweden - Company Orders Volvo Trucks

Stockholm,Sweden -Forbes/Associated Press (USA) -21 June 2006: -- Swedish truck and bus maker Volvo AB said Wednesday it has received an order for 1,000 trucks from Hungarian transportation company Waberer's Optimum Solution... The company said the order is for the Volvo FH trucks, which will be delivered over a three-year period. The value of the order was not announced. Volvo said it has delivered more than 100 trucks annually to Waberer's Optimum Solution since 1998...

Legal wrangling - USA - Judge tosses motions, ends trucking firms’ recruiting squabble

AR,USA -Arkansas Democrat Gazette, by LAURIE WHALEN -June 20, 2006: -- Legal wrangling between two long-haul carriers over truck drivers ended Monday after a federal judge ruled that furthering a recruiting dispute in court would serve no useful purpose. A federal judge on Monday dismissed two motions filed by Stevens Transport Inc. as part of a dispute over driver recruiting tactics employed by J. B. Hunt Transport Services Inc... U. S. District Judge Jimm Larry Hendren, Western District of Arkansas, also rejected J. B. Hunt’s second request seeking a judgment on the matter which accused the Lowell-based long-haul carrier of setting out to destroy its Dallas-based competitor... J. B. Hunt attorneys said the carrier faced a real, on-going dispute with Stevens... But Hendren wrote that the court was not persuaded that a further legal ruling would “serve a useful purpose in clarifying and settling anything between these parties”...

The Open Source Car - UK - Unconventional Wisdom for Sustainability

UK -Daily Telegraph, by Sir John Whitmore -June 2006: -- We all face an environmental crisis. Hybrid cars and biofuels might be interim steps in the right direction, but they are not sustainable solutions. Conventional wisdom predicts great technical problems and cost in overcoming these problems. But what about unconventional wisdom?... Most people believe that the future will be powered by hydrogen, but that affordable fuel-cell vehicles are decades away. Hugo Spowers's engineering degree and MBA were sufficient to convince him that the barriers were neither technical nor financial but human. He formed a consortium with BOC, Morgan Cars, QinetiQ and Cranfield and Oxford universities, with funding from the DTI, to design a fuel-cell car with a difference. Spowers' company is called OSCar and the project is called LIFECar - LIghtweight Fuel Efficient Car... (Photo: The Ech2o, with driver Jack Dex, was designed by OSCar with Oxford University and BOC. It draws its power from a hydrogen fuel cell)

Ethanol Car - France - Beats Fuel Cells to Win European Eco-marathon

France -Environment News Service(USA) -21 June 2006: -- An ethanol powered car engineered by French high school students has achieved the best fuel efficiency at the European Shell Eco-marathon 2006, winning the race at the Nogaro auto racing circuit in southwest France. It also took the Climate Friendly prize for producing the least greenhouse gas emissions in the process... Engineering students from France's Lycée La Joliverie celebrated victory Sunday after their ethanol powered prototype vehicle completed seven laps of the Nogaro circuit with an energy consumption equivalent to traveling 2,885 kilometres (1,792 miles) on a single litre of gasoline, equivalent to 8,136 miles per gallon. Lycée La Joliverie is a high school in St. Sebastian-sur-Loire, France, that specializes in internal combustion engines... (Photo: The winning ethanol-powered car was built by high school students from the Loire region of France - Courtesy Shell Eco-Marathon)

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Jun 30, 2006