P.M. Executive Briefing - Feb. 17
This Afternoon's Headlines:
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Teamsters Ask for Federal Disaster Relief Funds
Teamsters national port director George Cashman, speaking Wednesday before the Boston Energy Summit, urged President Clinton to offer disaster relief money to port truck drivers. He compared the situation of port drivers facing soaring diesel costs to "that faced by farmers whose crops were destroyed by drought or flood, or small businessmen who have experienced the devastation of tornadoes and hurricanes." He said the federal funds should be made available immediately and serve as an interim step "until an executive or legislative solution can be reached." Journal of Commerce Online (02/17/00)License Toll Hits 21 As 2 Admit Role
A Chicago driving school manager, Peco "Peter" Sherovski, and former Elk Grove Village, Ill., licensing facility employee Donna Carter entered guilty pleas Wednesday to charges related to the Illinois bribes-for-licenses probe, which now counts 21 convictions.
Sherovski, of AAA Driving School, said he bribed former Melrose Park licensing office manager Mary Ann Mastrodomenico so applicants unable to read or write English could pass written exams. According to court documents, she often gave him forms saying the applicant passed the exam but the computer had crashed so the permit could not be issued. Thus, students did not need to go to Melrose Park but could take the forms to any secretary of state office to get permits.
Sherovski's plea agreement said he also paid $40, or more for a very unskilled driver, to get regular driver's licenses at the Chicago-West office.
Sherovski cooperated with authorities after being implicated by Mastrodomenico, including allowing a hidden camera in the car used by his driving school to videotape Chicago-West employees taking bribes. Carter's guilty plea said she took payoffs from driving school operators totaling $10,000 to $20,000. Chicago Tribune Online (02/17/00) ; O'Connor, Matt
Allied Worldwide, Wheaton Moving in Bidding War for California's Global
Allied Worldwide and the Indianapolis company Wheaton Worldwide Moving are competing to purchase Global Van Lines, a moving company that filed for Chapter 11 in January.Wheaton, which offered about $3 million for Global, is still able to compete, even though Global accepted Allied's $1.65 million to $2.5 million offer, because Global left the decision up to its independent agents.
Wheaton, Allied, and Global will go before a Santa Ana, Calif., bankruptcy court March 20; the number of Global agents willing to affiliate will Allied will determine the price Allied will offer, and Wheaton will be able to put in a higher bid, which it plans to do. Associated Press (02/16/00); Luke, Susan Skiles
Illegal Mexican Trucks Pass U.S. Inspections
A study conducted by the Transportation Department Inspector General revealed that Mexican trucks operating beyond U.S. border zones Arizona had a 19% out of service rate, versus the U.S. average between 28% and 30%, but the drivers of those illegal trucks were placed OOS 17% of the time, versus a 6% to 8% rate for U.S. drivers.The figures for Mexican trucks in the border states – but beyond the commercial zones – were a 32% OOS rating for trucks and a 13% OOS rating for the drivers. The violations cited "were comparable to the most critical safety violations identified for U.S. trucks," such as bad brakes and tires and inoperative lights and lamps, the report says.
According to Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance government affairs coordinator Richard Henderson, many think the Mexican companies have two sets of vehicles, using trucks in better condition for operating outside the border zones. Owner Operator (02/00) Vol. 30, No. 1; P. 18; Snyder, Charles A.
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