A.M. Executive Briefing - Nov. 12
This Morning's Headlines:
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Pacer Consolidates its Cartage Capabilities
The cartage operations owned by Pacer International have been combined into the Pacer Cartage operating group. The bulk of the cartage fleet consists of owner-operator trucks."Consolidating the cartage fleet under centralized management will enable Pacer to offer a more integrated, tightly controlled service for customers," said Pacer Cartage President Gerry Angeli. Kent E. Prokop has been appointed vice president of the western cartage division, and Michael J. Jacobson has been named vice president of the eastern cartage division. Business Wire (11/11/99)
Port Tie-Up Blamed for Three-Hour Jam at Border
A three-hour truck tie-up Wednesday at the border of the United States and Canada is being blamed on the shutdowns of British Columbia ports. The backup was on the Pacific Highway in Surrey, British Columbia.Longshoremen have been locked out of the ports due to a labor dispute. Shipments that cannot go through ports in British Columbia are moving by truck or through ports in the United States as well. A business alliance wants the Canadian government to resolve the dispute through legislation by Monday, but the government would rather employers and the longshoremen's union resolve it themselves. Vancouver Sun (11/11/99) P. A1; Bailey, Sian
Crackdown Slows Truckers on Steep Mountains
The West Virginia interagency Mountain Safety Task Force, created late last month, spent five days in a safety crackdown on two mountains with 7% grades along I-68 and I-64, putting 48 trucks out of service and issuing citations to 145 more.The effort also led to truckers driving slower, averaging below the speed limits. The total number of trucks inspected was 259, and inspections will continue. It will be roughly one year before the debut of new weigh stations atop Cheat Mountain (I-68) and Sandstone Mountain (I-64). Associated Press (11/11/99)
Trucking Firm May Be Fined for Failing to Report Chemical Spill
Matlack could be fined because a Tuesday morning leak of vinyl pyroolidone from a Matlack tanker truck at an I-55 rest stop in Louisiana was not reported to officials right away. According to Louisiana State Police, vinyl pyroolidone fumes are potentially deadly. Two fines of $25,000 each have been proposed by the police. Baton Rouge Advocate (11/11/99) P. 7-BTruckers Agree to Arbitration
The Port of Miami Terminal Operating Co. and the International Longshoreman's Association will allow arbitration in the dispute over independent drivers' claim that the ILA would not put containers on chassis leased by nonunion companies. Charges of unfair labor practices, filed at the National Labor Relations Board by the terminal operator, will be dropped by the company, according to a union lawyer. The company filed the charges for the independents. Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel (11/11/99) P. 1DSale Means Bankrupt Ploof Won't Go Poof
Cypress Truck Lines of Jacksonville, Fla., has bought Ploof Truck Lines at a price of $11.45 million and will buy 20 more trucks. Ploof will be operated separately, and 20 former Ploof truckers are expected to be rehired. Ploof, also based in Jacksonville with several out-of-state terminals, made a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in September. Florida Times Union (Jacksonville) Online (11/11/99) ; Ostrow, Nicole© copyright 1999 INFORMATION, INC. Terms of Service
