News Briefs - Sept. 3
The Latest Headlines:
- ISM Non-Manufacturing Index Falls to Eight-Month Low
- L.A., Long Beach Ports Experiencing Backlogs
- Zollars Says Yellow Using More of Its Capacity
- N.C. Shifts Focus to Highway Maintenance
- Rail Intermodal Traffic Surges in August
- Mineta Says Conn. Project to Get Expedited Review
- L.A., Long Beach Ports Experiencing Backlogs
ISM Non-Manufacturing Index Falls to Eight-Month Low
The Institute for Supply Management said Friday its non-manufacturing index fell to an eight-month low in August.The index fell to 58.2, from 64.8 in July. However, it has shown expansion for 16 months, signified by readings higher than 50. The April index of 68.4 was a record.
ISM said the index of new orders for non-manufacturing companies fell to 58.6, the lowest since December, from a record 66.4. The employment index rose to 52.5 in August, from 50 in July. Transport Topics
L.A., Long Beach Ports Experiencing Backlogs
The California ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach were backed up by nearly 70 ships on Thursday due to a recent unexpected spike cargo volumes, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.If the delays get worse, the backup could cause supply-chain disruption in a variety of industries throughout California, the article said.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union said there was a labor shortage at the ports because of the misjudgment of demand.
The short-term fix to the backlog and labor shortage was a lottery system in which 3,000 part-time workers were being hired and trained, the article said. Transport Topics
Zollars Says Yellow Using More of Its Capacity
Less-than-truckload carrier Yellow Roadway Corp. was using more of capacity as it experienced consistent demand from customers, Chief Executive Officer William Zollars told Bloomberg.Zollars said that demand was "pretty consistently strong across the board."
Yellow is ranked No. 3 on the Transport Topics 100 list of the largest U.S. and Canadian trucking companies. Transport Topics
N.C. Shifts Focus to Highway Maintenance
The North Carolina Board of Transportation on Thursday adopted a 25-year highway plan that focuses less on new highways and more on maintenance and technology, the Winston-Salem Journal reported.The plan would help the Department of Transportation deal with an expected gap of at least $29 billion between its needs and its revenue over the next 25 years, the article said.
Officials said they could accommodate the state's growing highway needs by maintaining and upgrading existing roads and by increasing anti-congestion measures, such as synchronized traffic signals.
Under the plan, the share of transportation dollars spent on new highway projects would drop to 26% from 45%. The state said it would also pursue more federal financing for its needs. Transport Topics
Rail Intermodal Traffic Surges in August
The Association of American Railroads said Thursday the number of intermodal loadings on U.S. railroads totaled 876,056 trailers or containers in August, up 10.8% from the same week a year earlier.For the week ended Aug. 28, intermodal volume rose 11.4% to a record 226,074 trailers and containers. The previous record was set during the week ended July 31, AAR said.
Through the first eight months of the year, intermodal volume totaled 7 million trailers or containers, up 9.5% from last year, AAR said. Transport Topics
Mineta Says Conn. Project to Get Expedited Review
Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta told transportation officials and reporters in Connecticut that the completion of Route 11 was on a list of projects that would receive expedited environmental reviews, the Associated Press reported.The highway now ends abruptly near Salem, but was originally supposed to connect Route 2 in Colchester and Interstate 95 in Waterford.
Work began on the highway in 1972, but disputes over the impact of finishing the highway have stalled it ever since.
The $500 million project is one of six projects Mineta said were on the federal government’s fast-track list, according to AP.
Chris Cooper, a spokesman for the Connecticut Department of Transportation, said the project would extend Route 11 eight miles to a "fairly complicated" interchange of Interstates 395 and 95, AP said. Transport Topics
