News Briefs - Sept. 8
The Latest Headlines:
- Sen. Clinton to Block Bush EPA Nominee
- OPEC's Silva Says No Need to Change Quotas
- Speed Transportation Forms New Unit
- Volvo Trucks Names President of South American Unit
- New Rules for Trucks on Parts of I-10 Go Into Effect
- Two Picked by Bush for DOT Spots
- OPEC's Silva Says No Need to Change Quotas
Sen. Clinton to Block Bush EPA Nominee
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) said Saturday she planned to block President Bush's nominee to head the Environmental Protection Agency, the Associated Press reported.Clinton said she would place a hold on the nomination of Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt, a procedural move that would prevent the full Senate from voting on his confirmation, though it does not stop committee hearings.
She said should would lift the hold only if the White House answered her concerns about an internal report saying the EPA misled New Yorkers about health risks after the World Trade Center attack. Transport Topics
OPEC's Silva Says No Need to Change Quotas
Alvaro Silva, OPEC's secretary-general, said the oil cartel does not need to change its output quotas because consumers have enough oil, Bloomberg reported Monday.Crude is distilled down to motor fuels like diesel and gasoline, both of which are used to power the trucking industry.
Silva said OPEC's quota of 25.4 million barrels a day "is enough to maintain a market balance," Bloomberg said.
The cartel is scheduled to meet Sept. 24 to discuss production for the fourth quarter. Transport Topics
Speed Transportation Forms New Unit
Speed Transportation Inc. said Monday it had launched a new subsidiary aimed at helping Canadian businesses reach U.S. customers.The new unit, called Speed Distribution, has the ability to escort goods across the border, store goods in its warehouse and fulfill orders, the company said.
"Essentially, Speed Distribution can act as a 'U.S. branch office' for Canadian companies," said Carl Savarino, chief executive of Speed Transportation.
Speed said its primary focus is small- to medium-size Canadian businesses. Transport Topics
Volvo Trucks Names President of South American Unit
Volvo Trucks said Monday that Tommy Svensson would become president of Volvo Trucks' South American operations on Oct. 1.In addition, Volvo said in a release that Peter Karlsten, previously named president of Volvo Trucks North America Inc., would assume his new position on Oct. 1. (Click here for the related story.)
Svensson was most recently president of the German division of Volvo Trucks. Transport Topics
New Rules for Trucks on Parts of I-10 Go Into Effect
Cathy Gautreaux, director of the Louisiana Motor Transportation Association, said that lowering speed limits and adding lane restrictions for trucks on parts of Interstate 10 could lead to dangerous traffic bottlenecks, the Associated Press reported.The rules, which lower speed limits for trucks from 60 mph to 55 mph and limit them to the right lane, take effect Monday over a 17-mile stretch of the interstate that connects Los Angeles and Jacksonville, Fla.
The state transportation department said the new truck speed limit signs would be placed at three different locations on I-10 on a one-year pilot basis, AP said. The state police will give truckers a 30-day grace period, during which they will only receive verbal warnings for violating the new rules. Transport Topics
Two Picked by Bush for DOT Spots
President Bush announced last week that he intended to nominate Jeffrey Adam Rosen of Virginia to be general counsel of the Department of Transportation and Karan Bhatia of Maryland to be an assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs.Rosen is a senior partner with Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He is an adjunct professor of law for the Georgetown University Law Center.
Bhatia is deputy undersecretary of Commerce for Industry and Security. Transport Topics
This story appeared in the Sept. 8 print edition of Transport Topics.
