P.M. Executive Briefing - Sept. 10
This Afternoon's Headlines:
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Driver License Manager Admits Fix
George Velasco, a former manager of a Chicago-based driver licensing center, entered a guilty plea while facing charges of tampering with tests intended to license truckers. Velasco also admitted taking bribes and using his position to raise money for Illinois Governor George Ryan, who is not under investigation. Velasco is the twelfth person to be convicted in a continuing federal investigation, which will try Gonzalo Mendoza October 12 for similar charges.From 1991 to 1998 more than 400 drivers were issued illegal licenses, according to U.S. Attorney Scott Lasser; some drivers were coached during the exam, and others were even handed already prepared tests. Associated Press (09/09/99); Robinson, Mike
Trucking Company Pays for Wrongful Death
The family of Kelly R. Douglas has settled a $1 million wrongful death claim with Edwards Transportation. Douglas was killed last December when a semi-truck, driven by Allen E. Reeder and hauling a heavy cargo of aluminum, smashed into Kelly's State of Wyoming vehicle, which carried a large flashing yellow warning arrow directing traffic to the left.When Reeder failed to heed the warning, he hit Douglas' vehicle and sent it off the road in flames. Reeder plead guilty to criminally negligent homicide, and will spend one year in jail. Douglas's widow hopes the settlement will send a message to trucking companies to better train their drivers. PRNewswire (09/09/99)
PNV.net Adds U.S. Xpress' 4,500-Tractor Fleet to Its 'In-Cab' Communications and Cable TV Network
PNV.net, previously known as Park 'N View, has contracted with U.S. Xpress to give the carrier's 4,500 drivers local and toll-free calling at no charge, as well as voice communication. U.S. Xpress drivers will receive discounts on cable TV and Internet service through PNV.net. "[H]aving phone service in every truck while parked at Park 'N View-enabled truckstops will mean significant savings since our drivers will be able to avoid the public payphone network, eliminating dial-around charges," says U.S. Xpress CEO Max Fuller. Business Wire (09/09/99)Trimac Buys P&B's Trucking Assets
Trimac Transportation Services of Calgary, Alberta, has bought the trucking business of P&B Ltd., which is chiefly concerned with wood-residual transportation. Among the assets bought were equipment that is partly responsible for $2 million in annual revenue. The Trucker Online (09/09/99)Motiva Enterprises and Taylor Oil to Unveil New Mobile Refueling Joint Venture at OPIS Fleet Fueling 2000 Conference
Targeting commercial fleet owners, and promising savings and efficiency, Motiva Enterprises and Taylor Oil are presenting a joint venture called Shell Fueling Services.Shell Fueling Services will offer on site fleet fueling, construction fueling, and other fueling-related services, including small bulk delivery in certain markets. Motiva and Taylor will unveil the new partnership at the OPIS Fleet Fueling 2000 conference in Nashville in late September, where they will demonstrate how the venture will work. Shell Fueling Services will begin operations October 1. PRNewswire (09/09/99)
Push For Big-Rig Safety May Benefit Suppliers
Despite a push by federal regulators concerned about trucks' disproportionate share of road deaths, trucking-related companies do not seem eager to adopt safety technology. Truck Manufacturers Association executive director William Leasure Jr. says the government might have to force the industry's hand.Numerous devices were displayed at last week's National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) hearing in Nashville. But Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association executive vice president Todd Spencer calls the devices "way, way, way oversold."
David McInnis of MGM Brakes say truck fleets want ways to make back the money they spend on pricey technology. The new Raytheon Commercial Electronics anti-rollover device, currently being tested, would cost about $2,000. Top-of-the-line disc brakes are $3,000, as are "black boxes." The Eaton Vorad collision-warning system on Mack trucks runs $6,500.
NTSB Chairman Jim Hall says the cost of the technology's development has already been covered with tax revenue. For example, the Raytheon system was created for the military and is being altered for trucking use with assistance from Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
A United Motorcoach Association official told the Nashville conference that not all companies should be forced to pay for technology that overcomes problems that beset only some companies.
Meanwhile, the Teamsters union is worried that some of the systems will be used by companies to keep tabs on drivers. Automotive News (09/06/99) Vol. 74, No. 5836; P. 20; Chappell, Lindsay
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