P.M. Executive Briefing - April 17
This Afternoon's Headlines:
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Innovation Lands Trucking Firm Carrier of the Year Award
M.S. Carriers has received the 1999 Carrier of the Year award for truckload carriers from the electronics giant Sony, which lauded its innovative solutions to Sony's service problems.
Easy for Some States, Difficult for New Jersey
The goal of a seamless electronic highway toll system from Boston to Philadelphia has been put on hold because of continual deployment delays in car-heavy New Jersey, which once planned to have the entire system in place by 1998.Instead, that year finally saw a contract for the project being signed with the company now called Adesta Transportation to install the E-ZPass system along the Garden State Parkway, Atlantic City Expressway and New Jersey Turnpike. The planned June completion of E-ZPass installation along the parkway will probably not be met, officials said this month, and will likely take until fall, while the turnpike deadline was recently held back until August or September.
Meanwhile, commercial drivers and others still contend with turnpike traffic congestion, particularly at toll plazas-congestion that also delays installation. The toll system on the turnpike, based on entry and exit points, also means that no plazas there can be automated until they are all ready to be turned on at once, unlike the other two highways where E-ZPass is being installed.
Another delay in deployment was caused after Adesta was bought by Able Telcom, which soon plunged into financial turmoil that threatened to shut the company down. Adesta nearly lost its contract when it failed to get the system for processing violations to function. After running behind on deadlines for installation, it agreed with officials on a plan to install E-ZPass on only a few lanes then complete the job after the system was activated, but it still is behind. Now, a task force has been established to look into how Adesta got the deal to install the system. New York Times (04/17/00) P. B1; Kennedy, Randy
Safe Driver Over the Long Haul
The Oklahoma Trucking Association awarded its 1999 Driver of the Year title to Larry Farnsworth, an owner-operator with United Petroleum Transports who has been in the trucking industry since 1955, racking up more than 4 million accident-free miles.In his 45 years of driving, some of which were spent as a team with wife Eva, he has also not received a ticket. He said motorists should be aware that they should not try to get through intersections ahead of trucks, due to their longer braking distance, and should be aware of truckers' blind spots.
Most importantly, Farnsworth says, they should not ride along next to a truck in icy conditions, where sudden braking by the trucker can send the trailer skidding into the car.
Although he says in 45 years he has not seen any memorable moments on the road, he says that not long after the first manned moon landing he made an escorted haul that he was later told included some moon rocks. Having reached the age of retirement, Farnsworth plans to spend a few years longer behind the wheel, but only within Oklahoma. Associated Press (04/17/00) ; May, Bill
Trucking President Named
Tom Connard, formerly of Shell Fleet Services, has been named to take Gene Tonsager's place as president of International Transit, the trucking subsidiary of Florida East Coast Industries.Connard and Florida East Coast Railway representatives will work together to offer seamless intermodal transportation. Business Journal of Jacksonville Online (04/17/00) ; Schoolcraft, Lisa R.
Deutsche Post Acquires a 10 Percent Stake in Global Freight Exchange
In a deal worth millions, Deutsche Post World Net on Friday purchased 10% of the Global Freight Exchange, www.gf-x.com, an online wholesale marketplace involving freight forwarders and top air carriers.With plans to launch the complete exchange before the end of the summer, GF-X intends to begin a pilot program at the beginning of next month. Deutsche Post owns Danzas-AEI, one of the freight forwarders that will take part in the pilot program, and participating carrier DHL Worldwide Express is 25% owned by Deutsche Post.
The pilot will include eight other carriers and eight other freight forwarders in addition to Danzas-AEI and DHL. With the money from the Deutsche Post deal, GF-X will further develop the air exchange; expand its offices beyond London, New York, Tokyo and Singapore; and move into other modes of transportation and services. Journal of Commerce Online (04/14/00); Armbruster, William
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