A.M. Executive Briefing - Dec. 14
This Morning's Headlines:
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Hertz Ends Talks to Buy Truck Leasing Unit
Hertz has called off discussions about an acquisition of the truck-leasing outfit AMI Leasing from a subsidiary of Ford Motor. Hertz President and COO Craig Koch said, "In light of our decision to focus on our core competencies, AMI's emphasis on heavy truck leasing does not fit with our growth strategy." New York Times (12/14/99) P. C4Trucker's Subpoena Withdrawn
The Federal Trade Commission withdrew its November subpoena of the United Container Movers Association's Jacksonville, Fla., President Tony Fernandez, according to Fernandez's attorney. The trucker's subpoena said the FTC is looking into truckers nationwide for "unfair methods of competitive pricing."
Fernandez's association is trying to get port drivers to back unionization. Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville) Online (12/14/99) ; Gordon, Mark
Work Week
A study by Liberty Mutual Insurance found that if truckers either have one foot and two hands or two feet and one hand on steps or rails rather than jumping in or out of cabs or trailers, impact to the knees, lower back, and ankles is cut 80%.In the last twelve months, Yellow Freight System cut certain injuries in half, and this is due in part to supervisors focusing on truckers who jump. Other trucking companies instruct truckers to put their logbooks on seats upon getting out of the truck so their hands will be unencumbered. American Trucking Associations occupational safety and health director Stuart Flatow said jumping is a major cause of trucker injuries. Wall Street Journal (12/14/99) P. A1
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NTSB to Hold Hearing on Driver Oversight
The last National Transportation Safety Board truck safety hearing, open to the public, will take place Jan. 20 and 21 at the Doubletree Hotel in New Orleans.The hearing is expected to see testimony from motor carrier representatives, advocacy organizations, and government officials regarding how effective the oversight of truck and bus drivers is. Medical certification and CDLs will be among the topics discussed. The NTSB has held three earlier hearings on motor carrier safety. Heavy Duty Trucking Online (12/14/99)
Clinton Announces Initiatives for Region
In his third trip to the Arkansas Delta region in the past five months, President Clinton announced business initiatives for the area and said he would attempt to get $110 million more earmarked for the region by Congress.Prior to his speech in West Memphis, he told transportation industry leaders, officials, and higher-ups in education about the Delta Transportation Technology Center project for Mid-South Community College. Training in trucking and other transportation industries would take place at the center, which would offer dispatching, logistics, and engineering classes. The industry leaders included officials from Federal Express, J.B. Hunt, USA Trucking, and Overnite Transportation, said Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater.
Backers have put a roughly $16 million price tag on the center, which would be supported by loans managed by Southern Development Bank Vice President Tom McRae. Other initiatives include a mail hub at the former Eakin Air Force Base, a rural health project, and a Delta Regional Authority. Associated Press (12/13/99) ; Lieb, David A.
2 Men Arrested in Theft of Trailers, Merchandise
Police arrested two men from Council Bluffs, Iowa, in the theft of a trailer taken in Des Moines, Iowa, and another trailer taken from a Burlington Northern and Santa Fe facility in Omaha.Four raids conducted over the weekend found merchandise from the trailers totaling $225,000. One man, suspected of first-degree theft, was released on bond with a Thursday court date; the other man, a trucker from an Omaha carrier, was in jail Monday facing a charge of second degree theft. Omaha World-Herald (12/13/99) P. 17; Newman, Gary
Westport Natural Gas Bus Outperforms Diesel Fuel Bus in Road Tests
Westport Innovations said a bus fueled with natural gas using Westport technology did better than a bus fueled with diesel in preliminary acceleration and hill-climbing tests performed by the California consultancy ARCADIS, Geraghty & Miller.The low-emission natural-gas bus took 33.6 seconds on average to reach 55 mph, while the diesel bus took 68.5 seconds on average. The time it took to go 0.1 miles on a 22% grade was 15 seconds on average for the natural gas-fueled bus and 19 seconds on average for the other bus. In the past, diesel engines fueled with natural gas could not perform as well as engines using diesel.
The University of California at Berkeley is using three buses using the Westport system, which combined have gone more than 30,000 miles on the road, marking an engine operating time of over 3,000 hours combined.
Emissions tests in 1999 at the Colorado Institute for Fuels and High-Altitude Engine Research found that a Detroit Diesel 6V-92 engine using the Westport High Pressure Direct Injection system had 17% lower carbon dioxide emissions, 37% lower nitrogen oxide emissions, and 70% lower particulate matter emissions when compared to pure diesel. Canada NewsWire (12/13/99)
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