Technology Briefs - May 13 - May 19
The Latest Headlines:
- UPS, FedEx Progressing on Fuel-Efficient Vehicles
- TravelCenters, Petro in Scanning Service Deal With TMI
- Administration Wants to Keep Moratorium on Internet Taxes
- Sirius Earns $51.9 Million in 1Q
- Study: Internet Retail Business Breaks Even in 2002
- Wyoming DOT to Upgrade Electronic Highway Signs
- Arizona Seeking Data to Better Understand Pavement
- IRD to Upgrade Weigh-in-Motion Systems in Wyoming
- TravelCenters, Petro in Scanning Service Deal With TMI
UPS, FedEx Progressing on Fuel-Efficient Vehicles
United Parcel Service and FedEx Corp. both said they are moving forward with fuel-efficient vehicles.UPS said Monday it would work with DaimlerChyrsler and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to create a fuel cell delivery vehicle demonstration program in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The fuel cell vehicles will be used in normal UPS delivery operations on an established delivery route, and will be fueled at a hydrogen refueling station built by the EPA.
UPS is ranked No. 1 and FedEx is No. 2 on the 2002 Transport Topics 100 list of the largest U.S. and Canadian trucking companies. Transport Topics
(Click here for the full press release from UPS.)
(Click here for the full press release from FedEx.)
TravelCenters, Petro in Scanning Service Deal With TMI
TravelCenters of America and Petro Stopping Centers said Monday it had reached an agreement with TMI to install TripPak scanning stations at their full-service facilities.TMI is the parent company of TripPak Express and TripPak Online document management services. TA has more than 150 locations and Petro has 60, the companies said in a release.
The companies said the service would start in June. Drivers are going to be able to drop their trip envelopes in a TripPak box to be scanned overnight, or submit documents to scan at the truck stop, the release said. Transport Topics
(Click here for the full press release.)
Administration Wants to Keep Moratorium on Internet Taxes
Treasury Secretary John Snow told technology executives on Thursday that the Bush administration wants to continue the five-year-old moratorium on Internet taxes, the Washington Post reported.Internet sales can provide a boost to package delivery companies because products bought online are shipped straight to customers from warehouses.
he moratorium prevents state and local governments from placing new taxes on goods or services bought online if they are not taxed offline, the Post said.
But the moratorium does not prohibit states from collecting online sales taxes. States can collect sales taxes on Internet purchases if the merchant has a business location in the state and the customer is also located there. Transport Topics
Sirius Earns $51.9 Million in 1Q
Sirius Satellite Radio said Wednesday that its net income for the first quarter was $51.9 million or 16 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $90.1 million or $1.22 per share a year ago.The New York-based company said revenue for the quarter was $1.6 million, compared with $33,000 in 2002.
Sirius said its subscriber base through the end of the first quarter was up 127% over the same point last year. Transport Topics
(Click here for the full press release.)
Study: Internet Retail Business Breaks Even in 2002
Internet retailers broke even in 2002, as online merchants collectively made enough money to balance out the losses, according to an annual study by Shop.org.Trucks are often used to deliver the goods consumers and businesses order online.
The Wall Street Journal, which obtained a copy of the study, said Thursday online sales grew 48% to $76 billion last year and are expected to reach nearly $100 billion this year. The study predicted online sales would represent 4.5% of total retail sales this year, up from 3.6% last year.
The study is closely watched because it is based on confidential financial data provided by 130 companies, the Journal said. Transport Topics
Wyoming DOT to Upgrade Electronic Highway Signs
The Wyoming Department of Transportation was awarded a federal grant of $3 million to upgrade its electronic highway warning signs, the Associated Press reported May 11.Wyoming's interstate highway message boards display information about weather and road conditions, but the system prevents WyDOT from posting new messages.
The initial focus of the project is expected to center on a stretch of Interstate 80 between Cheyenne and Laramie, which becomes especially treacherous during storms, AP said.
The project includes intalling more Web cameras and wind sensing units. Transport Topics
Arizona Seeking Data to Better Understand Pavement
The Arizona Department of Transportation set aside $1 million to study pavement to better understand its qualities, the Associated Press reported May 12.This is part of a $34 million plan to resurface the concrete freeways with rubberized asphalt in the Phoenix area.
Drivers and transportation officials found rubberized asphalt has the ability to soften the roar of traffic, but ADOT said it needs scientific data, AP reported.
Federal officials will look at the Arizona studies and others to consider changing policies on noise reduction. The government requires walls or other measures in some cases to soften noise, but it does not recognize pavement types that reduce noise, AP said. Transport Topics
IRD to Upgrade Weigh-in-Motion Systems in Wyoming
International Road Dynamics Inc. said Tuesday it received a $310,000 contract from the Wyoming Department of Transportation to upgrade three weigh-in-motion truck inspection systems.Two of the stations are located near Cheyenne and one near Evanston, IRD said.
The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan-based company said it also had recently received orders from South Dakota and Indiana. Transport Topics
(Click here for the full press release.)
