P.M. Executive Briefing - July 26
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Alberta Infrastructure Minister Wants More Trucking Enforcement Officers
Alberta, Canada Infrastructure minister Ed Stelmach told The Edmonton Sun Wednesday he wants to add more trucking enforcement officers to bump up highway safety in the province.Currently, 136 transportation officers and investigators conduct vehicle and logbook in-spections for Alberta Infrastructure, the article said. Stelmach wants to add to that number, although he told The Sun he has not decided how many more officers he wants.
On Tuesday The Sun ran an article where driver Albert Labelle said that Canadian truck drivers routinely falsify their logbooks when they run past their legal hours of service, calling them "liar books." Labelle had pleaded guilty to three counts of improperly maintaining and doctoring his truck logbook. Transport Topics
Trucking Fatalities Increased on Pa. Roads in 1999, PennDOT Reports
Traffic fatalities in Pennsylvania increased by 4% overall last year, and those involving trucks went up 22%, the state Department of Transportation reported recently.Truck-related fatalities went up from 192 in 1998 to 234 in 1999, PennDOT reported. This goes against the national trend, where the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported a two-year decline in the number of fatal heavy-truck accidents. In response to fatal accidents increasing in Pennsylvania more truck inspections will be performed this year, state officials added.
James Runk, president of the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association, said the increase in fatalities is a concern, but the mileage driven in Pennsylvania by trucks is also up.
"Mileage in Pennsylvania is considerable; we're one of the top states in the nation," Runk said. He also added that PMTA would continue to partner with PennDOT and the state police in various safety measures, such as the roadside inspections conducted on State Route 22 recently. Safety initiatives are planned for Interstate 78 near Allentown and Interstate 80 near Stroudsburg, Runk said.
"We're involved and we'll just strengthen our resolve to improve safety," Runk said. Jennifer Botchie, Transport Topics
TranShopNet.com Links With iLink Global For E-Logistics
Online transportation equipment marketplace TranShopNet.com announced Wednesday it has tabbed iLink Global as its logistics and transportation provider.ILink Global will provide door-to-door shipping of equipment purchased through TranShopNet.com, the agreement said. Other iLink Global e-commerce clients include Neoforma.com, iSteelAsia.com, Liquidation.com and CmXchange.com.
Developed by GE Transportation Systems, TranShopNet.com is an online marketplace for the buying and selling of surplus transportation equipment and has more than 400 members. Transport Topics
Protesters Help Put Snag In Watkins' Plans For Florida Terminal
Lake County, Fla., commissioners voted 5-0 Tuesday against a land-use change that would have helped less-than-truckload carrier Watkins Motor Lines Inc. move forward on plans to build a new terminal, the Orlando Sentinel reported Wednesday.Residents of the area around the proposed site attended the commissioners' meeting to make known their protests that the terminal would contribute to dangerous road conditions and noise and visual pollution, the article said.
Watkins wants to build a 150-bay terminal on the site, which would bring approximately 150 jobs to the county, according to the article. Company officials told commissioners they would put in a new traffic light and attempt to buffer the terminal from sight.
Other zoning problems may keep the project backed up farther, a commissioner told the Sentinel. Transport Topics
Electronic Commerce Provider Concord EFS Reports Strong Second Quarter
Concord EFS, Inc., which counts trucking companies and truck stops among its customers for electronic payment and payroll services, has reported gains in revenue and net income for the second quarter.Revenue increased 43% to $290.1 million while net income rose more than 40% to $46 million, or 21 cents per diluted share, the company said. Transport Topics
