P.M. Executive Briefing - July 28
ul>
Study To Look At Diesel Emission Impact On Trucker Health
A first-of-its-kind health study in the trucking industry will use internal motor carrier documents to determine the health effects of diesel emission exposure on truck drivers.
 |
Previous studies have never factored in if the driver smoked or how long term the exposure is to diesel emissions, or driver diet, Lynch said.
 |
Dr. Eric Garshick of Harvard Medical School and Dr. Thomas Smith of the Harvard School of Public Health will conduct the study.
The doctors will submit a full research proposal to the National Cancer Institute and the Health Effects Institute, and be funded by those institutes. No money from trucking will be involved, said Lynch.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters also cooperated in the feasibility study. John Wislocki, Transport Topics
Crude Oil Prices Up Due To Concerns Over Increased Output
Crude oil prices rose Friday to $28.59 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange and to $27.62 a barrel on the International Petroleum Exchange amid concerns that a recent drop in prices would lead Saudi Arabia to cancel its output increase plans, Bloomberg reported.Saudi Arabia may not feel demand is as high, since an OPEC benchmark index has dropped closer to the $25-a-barrel target price. Earlier this month, prices were more than $30 a barrel. Analysts also believe the Saudis may not be selling their additional oil, the article said.
Crude oil prices were also driven up by a rise in gasoline prices. Prices rose as much as 2.54 cents to 93.80 cents a gallon, Bloomberg also noted. Transport Topics
Slater Urges Congress to Support Two Highway Safety Measures
 |
The Senate has passed a transportation appropriations bill that would block the DOT from continuing this process. The appropriations bill from the House of Representatives, however, does not have the same language. A joint conference committee will now meet on blending the two bills into one.
Ever since the proposed change to federal hours of service regulations for drivers was introduced in April the trucking industry has lobbied against it, saying it would put more trucks on already congested highways and do more harm than good to safety. Transport Topics
Safety Checks Went Down As Truck Fatality Rate Rose in Pennsylvania
Truck safety inspections in Pennsylvania dropped by nearly 26% last year as truck-related fatalities in that state rose 22% to 234. However, the miles driven by trucks on the state's roads increase to 10.3 billion, the Associated Press reported Friday.The rate of fatal truck-related crashes based on miles traveled actually dropped last year, to fewer than two for every 100 million miles of travel, the report said.
Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association President James Runk told Transport Topics when the traffic fatality report was released earlier this week that he felt the increase in truck-related fatalities was more connected to the increase in mileage. PMTA and state officials have stepped up safety efforts, recently holding a roadside check on Pa. Route 22. Between the last two years, the number off inspections went down from 58,000 to 43,000. Transport Topics
Australian Inquiry Told Drivers Broke Safety Rules to Stay Competitive
An Australian trucking union official told a public inquiry Friday that drivers often broke safety regulations in efforts to make enough deliveries to bring in income, the Australian Associated Press reported.Drivers were putting in as much as 97 hours in five days; some were fired for refusing another load after 33 hours on the road. Some companies encouraged the use of stimulants to keep drivers awake and working, the report said.
The New South Wales Motor Accidents Authority Safety inquiry was also told that the extreme conditions were all due to retailers, who kept prices low and demanded on-time deliveries, whatever the cost, the AAP also said. Transport Topics
Terex Corp. Says It Expects To Maintain Growth
Truck and heavy equipment maker Terex Corp. said Friday it expects to maintain its sales growth through the rest of 2000, Bloomberg said.The company recently reported a 32% rise in second quarter sales to $593.5 million. Terex Earthmoving sales rose 87% while Terex Lifting sales dropped 1.6%.
Terex Corp. makes cranes, dump trucks, hydraulic shovels and forklifts. Transport Topics
Phoenix AG Buys Dunlop Oil and Marine
Germany's Phoenix AG, a supplier of rubber products for the motor vehicle industry, announced Friday it has bought Dunlop Oil and Marine Ltd., Bloomberg reported.The purchase helps Phoenix expand its industrial hose offerings, the report said. DaimlerChrysler AG is among the company's customers. Transport Topics
