P.M. Executive Briefing - Mar. 29
This Afternoon's Headlines:
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Deutsche Post Sticks to IPO Plan
Although the European Commission is currently investigating possible misuse of state subsidies by Deutsche Post, the company said it does not expect the investigation to delay its IPO planned for this fall.The EC is also looking into United Parcel Service's claims that the German company's first-class postal monopoly proceeds are funding its expansion into such areas as freight forwarding. However, UPS spokesman Tad Segal said the company does not want the IPO to be delayed and hopes the EC reaches a conclusion in its investigation quickly.
Koch Petroleum to Provide Bus, Truck Fleets With Soybean Oil-Based Fuel
Koch Petroleum Group is offering biodiesel fuels based on soybean oil for sale to trucking and bus companies from two Williams fuel terminals in the Twin Cities and Rochester areas of Minnesota.The Koch Industries unit already sells the fuel to Minnesota farmers, as well as those in Iowa, South Dakota, and Nebraska, and believes that consumption will multiply threefold once it is available in the Twin Cities area.
While a gallon of biodiesel is about 5 cents higher in price than regular diesel, independent tests found premium biodiesel to beat No. 2 diesel's power and fuel economy by 5%. Biodiesel development at Koch has been supported financially by the American Soybean Association and Minnesota Soybean Association. St. Paul Pioneer Press (03/29/00); Egerstrom, Lee
Landstar System Adding 150 Jobs in Jacksonville
Landstar System said it is shifting the Landstar Ligon subsidiary's headquarters from Madisonville, Ky., to Jacksonville, Fla., in June.About 150 jobs from the clerical level on up to executive posts will be transferred, although some presence will be retained in the Kentucky location. The company said the relocation costs will likely result in a roughly $3 million pre-tax charge for the second quarter.
After the relocation, Landstar's two main operating locations will be in Jacksonville and in Rockford, Ill., where Landstar Inway is based. Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville) Online (03/29/00); Barker-Benfield, Simon
RSPA Withdraws Haz-Mat Tank Monitoring Proposal
A 1992 Research and Special Programs Administration proposal that signaling systems be mandated for loading/unloading hazmat cargo tanks has been withdrawn by the agency; the affected topic will be included in HM-223, a rulemaking that the agency began in 1996.A safety program to guard against accidental release is also part of the liquefied compressed gas regulations that went into effect in 1999, and until it sees how those regulations play out in practice, the agency will not implement new rules for tank loading. TruckingInfo.com (03/29/00)
Hoffa Discusses State of Union, Overnite Violence
At an appearance before the House Education and the Workforce Committee subcommittee, Teamsters President James P. Hoffa was told by members of Congress to cut down on violence related to the Overnite Transportation strike.According to Overnite, there have been 45 shootings at various U.S. locations, roughly half near the Overnite terminal in Memphis, Tenn., but Hoffa said the union was not involved and the strike is "one of the most peaceful ... in our history."
The Overnite charges are a "smear campaign" to end organizing activities, Hoffa charged; Mark Goodwin, senior vice president for the LTL carrier, denied this and said the company's statements are backed up by documents including police reports.
For the most part, however, the legislators had good things to say about Hoffa's year in office and supported his call for freeing the union from Justice Department monitoring. Boston Globe Online (03/28/00); Zuckerbrod, Nancy
Documents Available From FMCSA Cover Driver Alertness and Fatigue Research Project
Driver Alertness and Fatigue Research and Technology projects conducted between 1995 and 1998 by the Federal Highway Administration's defunct Office of Motor Carriers is now available from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.A Driver Fatigue and Alertness Study conducted by U.S. and Canadian transportation agencies, the American Trucking Associations Foundation, and others found that alertness and performance related more to what time it was than how long the task was. It also found drivers get less sleep than needed, that they poorly assess how alert they are, and that different drivers differ significantly in performance and alertness.
Areas covered in other projects include rest areas, fitness-for-duty testing, how HOS violations involve shippers and how they can be combated with onboard recorders, multiple trailers, local and short-haul driver fatigue, and others.
Further information is available from www.fmcsa.dot.gov, while overall Transportation Department fatigue-related activity can be found at www.hf.faa.gov/dot/fatigue. Modern Bulk Transporter (03/00) Vol. 62, No. 9; P. 24
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