P.M. Executive Briefing - Aug. 11

Crews Still Working To Repair Damage On West Virginia Turnpike

The northbound lanes of the road were closed until Thursday morning, but would have to be closed again to repair a steel girder underneath the road's surface. The southbound passing lane was to remain closed until Saturday morning, giving time for the new con-crete to set, Parkways General Manager Larry Cousins told the Gazette.

Other minor repairs in the right lane and median wall were slated to be fin-ished Friday evening and the right lane reopened, he also said.

Pennsylvania Transportation Commission Unveils 12-Year Transportation Program

The program will make use of all federal, state, local and private funds available for transportation improvements, Mallory said.

Some of the highways slated for work include Interstates 80, 81, 83 and 99 and U.S. 30, 22 and 322. The plan is available at www.state.pa.us. Transport Topics

California Makes Truck Ban On Interstate 580 Law

California Gov. Gray Davis signed a bill Thursday permanently banning trucks weighing more than 4.5 tons on the section of the interstate between Oakland's Grand Avenue and the city of San Leandro border, the article said. According to Warren Hoemann, vice president of the California Trucking Association, Interstate 580 is the only highway in the country that has such a ban on trucks.

Last year, CTA asked the state Depart-ment of Transportation to review the ban, but area residents and governments strongly opposed that action. State Assemblywoman Ellen Corbett, who represents the San Leandro area, introduced the legislation to make the ban permanent, according to the article.

"[CTA] opposed this bill because it set a bad precedent," Hoemann told Trans-port Topics. "We need to take a region-wide look at all highways and to work out what are the best patterns for traffic through this area."

Digital Cyclone Launches Tailored Weather Forecasts

My-Cast was launched two weeks ago and already several newspaper and television Web sites are using its services, and is backed by a former television meteorologist, the article said. Digital Cyclone believes the future potential of My-Cast lies in roviding subscription services to several industries, including trucking and shipping, according to the article. Transport Topics

Transport Minister Announces Funding for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) In Canada

The three children of Trooper Lynn Ross, through their mother and guardian Diana Ross, filed a $55 million lawsuit this week against truck driver Clifford Engum and his employer, Eck Miller Transportation Corp., the article said. Earlier in the week, Lynn Ross' sister, Vernell Thomas, filed a $20 million lawsuit against Engum and the trucking company.

Engum has pleaded innocent to several charges related to the accident, in-cluding second-degree murder. He was released Wednesday on $40,000 bond, the article said.

Ross was killed July 26 on Interstate 40 when Engum's truck rear-ended Ross' cruiser as the trooper protected a con-struction crew, the Sun noted. The cruiser flipped over and exploded, and Engum's truck also struck a vehicle in the other lane of the interstate. Transport Topics

AMERCO Reports Record Cash Flow For Quarter

The company reported a cash flow of $157.3 million, or $7.24 per share. Earnings for the quarter were $37.6 million, or $1.58 per diluted share, and revenues increased more than 6% to $459.6 million.

AMERCO also said it anticipates a lower truck fleet by the end of the year due to routine truck sales. Transport Topics

Trimac Corp. Reports Increased Revenues In Second Quarter

Revenues for the quarter increased $65.1 million to $177.8 million, while earnings before interest and taxes in-creased $5.1 million to $11.4 million. DSI Transports, acquired earlier this year, contributed $54.4 million in in-creased revenue, the company said. Transport Topics

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