A.M. Executive Briefing - Dec. 22
This Morning's Headlines:
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Onex Loads Up U.S. Auto Hauler
Toronto-based Onex is buying the California auto hauler Hadley Auto Transport. The acquisition will be made through Onex's Minneapolis automotive investment company Hidden Creek Industries, and Hadley will be consolidated into Automotive Performance Industries, which is part of Hidden Creek. Vancouver Sun Online (12/22/99)Texas Truckers Plan Safety Campaign
The Texas Motor Transportation Association is responding to a streak of Houston-area truck crashes by kicking off a safety campaign.
The association wants to join with the state DOT to create better on- and off-ramps and look into the possibility of truck lanes. It is also backing the state Public Safety Department and the Houston city police in their efforts to crack down on trucks and truckers that are not safe. Associated Press (12/21/99)
Compliance with Hazmat Plan Delayed
Although fuel haulers in the San Antonio area said they will stop using the downtown-area elevated freeways for their trucks, they will probably keep using them until the New Year due to the rush of people topping off their tanks in anticipation of Y2K.Even though the city council wanted petroleum firms in the area to begin following the proposed hazmat plan before the New Year, eleven of the companies said they will start following the plan at the beginning of January.
Under the plan, Loop 410 would be at the center of hazmat routes that would radiate out from there, with hazmat trucks kept off residential streets. Some cities in the suburbs said they might fight the plan because of concerns about which roads have been chosen as hazmat routes or because of the proximity of Loop 410 to their cities.
Most of the suburbs in Bexar County said they will participate in a Jan. 24 hearing along with San Antonio. The state Transportation Department must also review the plan. San Antonio Express-News (12/21/99) P. 1B; Huddleston, Scott
Major Restructuring Planned for Truck Maker Nissan Diesel
Nissan Motor said a major restructuring of the struggling Nissan Diesel unit is in discussion with Renault, which holds a controlling stake in Nissan, and creditor banks.Nissan is asking the banks for a roughly 200 billion yen, or $2 billion, four-year credit line, a spokesman said, with another 10 billion yen in cash via means including "a convertible bond issue," according to a statement. The statement also mentions selling Nissan Diesel's assets outside its core business, securitizing other assets, and shifting management.
In addition, the truckmaker and Renault are in discussions about a business alliance. Renault would get components, including engines, from Nissan Diesel, which would get access to Renault's offshore marketing routes, according to the business daily the Nihon Keizai Shimbun. The companies would also procure parts worldwide together and cooperate on creating engines that are gentle on the environment, said the newspaper.
But a spokeswoman for Renault described the details in the newspaper as "speculation" and said there would be no deal until Nissan Diesel gets its finances in order. Agence France Presse (12/21/99)
Berkeley: No Parking for Big Trucks
The Berkeley County (S.C.) Council voted Monday in favor of an amendment that will toughen the existing law on parking trucks in residential areas and hike the resulting fine to $500 from $200. Truckers will have 60 days before the law goes into effect, intended to give them a chance to find new places to park.The new law will allow anyone to complain of heavy trucks parked improperly; right now, the county will not look into the situation until three people who reside within 1,000 feet of the rig make complaints.
The 6-2 vote fell along party lines, with the GOP in favor and Democrats against. The councilmen who opposed the amendment said they believe it is wrong to put a new restriction on truck owners who are longtime residents of one place. David Popowski, lawyer for the truckers, is mulling litigation on the issue. Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier (12/21/99) P. B1; Wise, Warren
Debut of E-ZPass on Delaware River Crossings Makes Commute Difficult
The commute was still jammed Tuesday on the bridges across the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but there was some improvement over Monday, the first day of which the E-ZPass system was used for tolls. Delaware River Port Authority spokesman Joe Diemer blamed the holdups on truckers having to root around for more money to cover higher truck tolls as well as E-ZPass boxes that were installed in such a way that the system could not read them. Associated Press (12/21/99)Y2K Bug Puts Bite on Trucker
John E. Campbell is one of roughly 50 Florida truckers who have received bills from the state Department of Motor Vehicles telling them their fees for registering their rigs are a century late. The Y2K bug caused a computerized bill to threaten Campbell with a $300 fine if he does not meet the due date of "Feb. 11, 1900." The DMV said it found the problem and, so there will be no concerns, will let truckers know they really need to pay by the 2000 due date. St. Petersburg Times (12/21/99) P. 4BLawyer Files Court Complaint Over I-81 Safety
Attorney Richard Lawrence filed a complaint against the Virginia Transportation Department, state police, and Department of Motor Vehicles, requesting that a judge declare an Interstate 81 public safety emergency. The complaint, filed in Roanoke Circuit Court, also wants hearings on how to make things better along the busy road. Big rigs' speed on the highway is a specific concern, Lawrence said. The Rockbridge County-Wythe County portion of thenterstate has seen 20 deaths in 1999. Associated Press (12/21/99)
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