News Briefs - Jan. 7
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The Latest Headlines:
- Christmas Post Office Use Up Sharply
- Heavy Snowfall Causes Accidents in Pacific Northwest
- Future of Panama Canal Uncertain, Journal Says
- Cummins Extends Guarantee for Truck Engines
- S.C. Trucking Companies Launch Highway Safety Patrols
- Ban on Old Diesel Engines in Phoenix Surprises Many Truckers
- Snow Urges Making Tax Cuts Permanent
- Heavy Snowfall Causes Accidents in Pacific Northwest
Christmas Post Office Use Up Sharply
The post office handled a record 3.4 billion cards and letters in the weeks leading up to Christmas, the Associated Press reported.The pieces of mail were postmarked from Dec. 1 to Dec. 24 and represented an increase of 78 million from last year, AP said.
Holiday mail included more than 24 million pounds of material sent to the Persian Gulf and other military locations worldwide, AP said. Transport Topics
Heavy Snowfall Causes Accidents in Pacific Northwest
Heavy snowfall in the Pacific Northwest Tuesday caused hundreds of accidents and limited visibility on Interstate 5, the Seattle Times reported.Snowfall depths of up to 12 inches were reported throughout Washington, and government and business offices throughout the Puget Sound region were closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Snow and record-low temperatures were causing similar problems in neighboring Oregon and British Columbia, the Associated Press reported.
Forecasters were predicting freezing drizzle in Washington state for Wednesday, followed by more rain, which could lead to flooding, the Times said. Transport Topics
Future of Panama Canal Uncertain, Journal Says
Although 2003 was the busiest and most profitable year in the 90-year history of the Panama Canal, the waterway must either build another set of locks for larger ships or see its vitality as a shipping lane fade, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.The canal has spent more than $1 billion since 1996 to improve the existing system of locks and to widen and deepen the waterway, but the continued expansion is expected to cost several billion dollars. And many experts predict that with trade with China soaring, the canal could hit maximum capacity by 2010, the Journal said.
Shipments through the canal from Asia to East Coast ports were up 25% last year, with container traffic since 2000 up nearly 150%. Transport Topics
Cummins Extends Guarantee for Truck Engines
Diesel engine maker Cummins Inc. said Wednesday its uptime guarantee has been extended for all certified heavy-duty truck engines placed in service through Dec. 31, 2004.The guarantee, first introduced in August 2002, covers ISM and ISX engines for the first 12 months of operation.
Cummins said in a release it would reimburse a customer for the cost of renting a truck for up to three days if there is any problem with an engine that can't be repaired within 24 hours. Transport Topics
S.C. Trucking Companies Launch Highway Safety Patrols
Trucking companies in Charleston, S.C., have launched safety patrols to keep a tab on the habits of truck drivers, the Associated Press reported.The patrols began last month and are part of an effort to improve highway safety and reverse negative perceptions of truckers, AP said. The observers are trucking company employees and they are documenting both good and bad driving habits.
The observers document infractions ranging from speeding to missing decals to unsecured loads. Those reports are confidentially shared with the company whose driver was tailed, AP said.
Currently, patrols are set up along major highways and connecting arteries south of the Summerville exit on Interstate 26. The teams have no law enforcement authority, but they are required to report reckless driving to police, according to AP. Transport Topics
Ban on Old Diesel Engines in Phoenix Surprises Many Truckers
A ban on older diesel engines that took effect on Jan. 1 in the Greater Phoenix area has surprised many small-truck operators, the Arizona Republic reported.The ban applies only to trucks registered within the Phoenix area and not trucks that travel across the country. It applies to all diesel engines in vehicles that are rated at 26,000 pounds or more.
The law was passed in 1996, but many truckers were unaware it was about to go into effect, the article said. So, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality said truckers who can prove they have ordered the parts needed to make their engines comply would be granted a one-year reprieve. Transport Topics
Snow Urges Making Tax Cuts Permanent
Treasury Secretary John Snow said Wednesday the failure to make President Bush's tax relief permanent would put the economic recovery in jeopardy, the Associated Press reported.Snow rejected calls to roll back some or all of the tax cuts, which some have blamed for the $500 billion federal budget deficit, AP said.
Speaking to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Snow also said the rebounding economy would help cut the deficit in half within five years. Transport Topics
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