A.M. Executive Briefing - July 6
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Consolidated Freightways Replaces CFO
Consolidated Freightways Corp., Menlo Park, Calif., said late Wednesday that Sunil Bhardwaj has resigned as senior vice president and chief financial officer to pursue other business interests, and that Robert E. Wrightson will fill that position. The 61-year-old Wrightson has been senior vice president and controller at Consolidated Freightways since 1994. He joined the company in 1962 and has served as vice president and controller for both CF and its former parent company over the past 20 years.The company is comprised of national less-than-truckload carrier Consolidated Freightways, third-party logistics provider Redwood Systems, Canadian Freightways LTD and Transportes CF Alfri-Loder, the company's joint venture in Mexico. In all, Consolidated uses more than 350 terminals and has over 22,000 employees throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico using its system of 350 terminals and over 22,000 employees. The company also provides international freight services between the United States and more than 80 countries. Transport Topics staff
Euro Currency Rising as Key Official Talks Up Its Potential
In a global economy, today's gains in the euro can affect U.S. freight shippers and transportation equipment suppliers, and some U.S. companies whose business is related to freight moves have already cited weakness in Europe's currency for helping curb their profits in recent months.
Con-Way Set To Open New Freight Center In Louisville
Con-Way Central Express will open a new 24-acre, high-volume freight assembly center in Louisville, Ky. on July 10, which will create 60 new next-day delivery lanes to serve the South and Midwest, the company announced today.Officials from the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based less-than-truckload commercial freight carrier said the new facility will allow them to accept more freight from their sister company, Con-Way Southern Express. The new next-day delivery lanes will speed up service between Louisville and cities including Nashville, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Springfield, Ill. and Columbus, Ohio. Transport Topics staff
Webmodal Names Niness VP of Business Development
Woodstock, Ill.-based Webmodal Inc., an e-commerce company specializing in domestic intermodal transport, said it had named Sam F. Niness III as its vice president of strategic business development.Webmodal's announcement noted that Niness brings "considerable expertise and long-term experience in the transportation industry." Most recently, he has been president and general manager of ConrailDirect, a multi-modal subsidiary of Consolidated Rail Corp. Before that, he directed marketing and sales for Conrail's domestic intermodal customer base.
Webmodal was founded last July, and is an Internet-based company that offers freight shippers the ability to identify, evaluate and purchase cost-effective intermodal transportation services online. Transport Topics staff
Kansas City, Mo. Cracks Down on Too-Heavy Trucks
Kansas City, Mo. is cracking down on overweight trucks by boosting enforcement and prosecutions, the Associated Press reports. And it gets lots of trucks; that city is the major metropolitan area between St. Louis on the east and Denver to the west, and is a key junction for the east-west Interstate 70 and the north-south I-35 and I-29.AP notes that truckers topping out too heavy on Kansas City bridges traditionally faced the relatively small fine of $500, but that under a new enforcement policy adopted in late May truckers are being taken to state court instead of city court and now face fines that can reach thousands of dollars. Transport Topics staff
Mexico's Cargo Transporters Want New President To Maintain Tax Exemption
On the heels of Mexico's election of conservative National Action Party leader Vicente Fox as president, the National Chamber of Cargo Transporters will request the new government to retain current tax laws, which provides an exemption for truckers if they reinvest their profits, Reforma/Infolatina reported this week.The cargo transporter group will also push for the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Trucking officials in both Mexico and the United States have opposed opening the borders to cargo companies because they feel neither can compete on equal terms. Transport Topics staff
ABF Freight Systems Redesigns Award Winning Web Site
ABF Freight Systems, Inc. announced this week a redesign of its Web site, which was recently named a Web Business 50/50 Award winter by CIO magazine.A product of the redesign, ABF officials said, was to allow faster access to the most frequently used eCenter tools.
"We will not rest on our past accomplishments and innovations," said Michael Newcity, ABF manager of eCommerce. "This comprehensive redesign takes our site to another level, offering a more robust user experience while allowing even quicker access to high-use tools like tracing, POD retrieval and rate quotes." Transport Topics staff
Former Maritime Commission Chairman Named To Head New Shippers Association
Former Federal Maritime Commission chairman Chris Koch has been named to lead a new association of container shipping lines, the Journal of Commerce reported this week. The group has been formally named, but will represent 26 carriers including Maersk Sealand, Evergreen Marine Corp., APL Ltd., Hanjin Shipping Co. and Chino Ocean Shipping Co.Koch told the Journal of Commerce that the primary goal of the new association is to educate federal legislators and policy makers on the issues impacting the shipping industry. He served as FMC chairman in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Transport Topics staff
