News Briefs - Aug. 27
The Latest Headlines:
- Consumer Sentiment Index Falls in August
- Companies Say Long Delays Remain at Miami Port
- Rail Intermodal Loadings Rise in Latest Week
- Transport International Pool Changes Name
- NTDC Committee to Consider Rule Change
- Companies Say Long Delays Remain at Miami Port
Consumer Sentiment Index Falls in August
The University of Michigan said Friday its final index of consumer sentiment for August declined to 95.9, the first decline since May, from 96.7 in July.The preliminary report on Aug. 13 gave a reading of 94, and economists expected for the final reading to be the same, Bloomberg reproted.
The expectations index, which measures optimism about the next one to five years, fell to 88.2 in August from 91.2 in July. It was 84.7 in this month's preliminary report.
Companies Say Long Delays Remain at Miami Port
Companies that rely on the Port of Miami are upset that serious delays remain despite an injunction in July that forced striking truck drivers back to work, the Miami Herald reported Friday.Many local importers including nursery owner Kerry Herndon told the Herald they have containers filled with goods stuck at the port and that local officials were ignoring the problem.
However, port officials, responded containers have been unloaded on a timely basis since the strike and that delays should be minimal.
U.S. District Court Judge Patricia Seitz on July 9 ordered the roughly 700 striking truckers back to their jobs, claiming their two-week walkout caused major harm to the port, business and the public.
A hearing on whether to extend or lift the injunction against the truck drivers is scheduled for Sept. 3, the Herald said. Transport Topics
Rail Intermodal Loadings Rise in Latest Week
The Association of American Railroads said Thursday the number of intermodal loadings on U.S. railroads totaled 217,149 trailers or containers in the week ended Aug. 21, up 9.5% from the same week a year earlier.AAR said in a statement that trailer traffic was up 10.6%, while container volume rose 9.1%.
Railroading, like commercial trucking, is considered an important economic indicator. Intermodal traffic, which tends to be merchandise rather than bulk commodities, is more directly competitive with trucking and more reflective of the state of the economy. Transport Topics
Transport International Pool Changes Name
Trailer Lessor Transport International Pool Inc. (TIP), an affiliate of General Electric Co.'s equipment services division, said Thusday it would now be known as the Trailer Fleet Services division of GE.E will continue to use TIP as a portfolio name for its rental & leasing offering, the company said in a statement.
"Over the last few years, we’ve helped customers solve many their most complex business issues by leveraging the broad technical and financial resources of GE," said President Marty Thomas. "As a result, we’ve gradually expanded our service offerings beyond just trailer rental & leasing. Our move to the GE brand reflects that reality." Transport Topics
NTDC Committee to Consider Rule Change
SALT LAKE CITY — The National Truck Driving Championships Committee decided Aug. 17 to delay a vote on the rule that forces national champions who have won two years in a row to sit out for one year, said Tommy Thomas, chairman of the committee.Thomas told Transport Topics the committee should vote on the rule in early December at its annual winter meeting, which this year will take place in Tampa, Fla.
Thomas said the two-year rule was established to prevent one driver from dominating a class. He said some competitors think the rule penalizes drivers for being successful.
Several truckers at the competition said they wanted the committee to eliminate the rule so they could compete against the best drivers, even if they win repeatedly.
Others said they supported the rule because it gave drivers time off and allowed new competitors a chance to win.
Thomas said the committee could either eliminate the rule altogether or alter it. He said the committee was looking at three or four ways to alter the rule, but he would not reveal those options. Mindy Long
This story appeared in the Aug. 23 print edition of Transport Topics.
