P.M. Executive Briefing - Nov. 12
This Afternoon's Headlines:
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Isuzu Motors Incurs Record Loss on Truck Sales Slump
Isuzu Motors saw a 26.9 billion yen ($256 million) net loss in the first half of the fiscal year, a record for the six-month period, and a 37.7 billion yen loss before taxes. The year-earlier figures were 2.3 billion yen and 5.2 billion yen, respectively. The company also saw a 19.3% decline in revenue and has projected a 26 billion yen net loss for the entire fiscal year, which ends in March.The company blamed the poor figures on lower sales of trucks in Japan as well as the higher value of the yen. There was also a 20% decline in exports. Agence France Presse (11/12/99)
No New Trial for Trucker
A Texas district judge turned down a request that trucker Jose Coronado Martinez, 35, who was convicted on four counts of intoxication manslaughter in a June crash that killed a man and three children and given a total 60 years in prison, be given a new trial. Houston appeals courts will be the case's next destination. Houston Chronicle (11/11/99) P. A26Truck Line Pays Firm $3 Million in Takeover
A Minnesota trucking company paid $3 million in October to buy MidAmerica Express, of Fort Smith, Ark., which has been using the name FSI Transportation. MidAmerica Express owner Denny Altes, who recently became Fort Smith's representative in the state legislature, also owns the brokerage Always Truck Service, which will keep the FSI Transportation name.Altes gave USA Truck's acquisition of CCC Express as well as a potential Trans States Lines sale as examples of "a continued consolidation in the trucking business in the Fort Smith area." The new owner is expanding MidAmerica Express and could add 25 positions in Fort Smith. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Online (11/12/99) ; Courteau, Sarah L.
Trucker Team Drives Home a Safety Message
On Tuesday, the road team of the Georgia Motor Trucking Association gave a day-long presentation on safe driving around trucks to a driver's education class at a Cherokee County high school.The truckers, who have driven more than a million miles with no accidents, taught the students about the "no zones," trucks' stopping distance, and other safe-driving matters. The students also learned about careers as truck drivers and technicians. The road team intends to do more presentations in the future. Atlanta Journal-Constitution (11/12/99) P. 6E; Ledford, Joey
Cops Land Record Seizure of Drugs
Close to three tons of marijuana and 440 kilograms of cocaine that had been hidden in six 500-gallon propane tanks on a truck during a Thursday morning raid in Harvey, Ill., by Customs agents and state and local authorities.The six tanks, along with 24 others were on a flatbed truck from CNI Specialized, a distributor for Harvey Propane. According to Metropolitan Area Narcotics Squad director Lt. Jerry Wall, 57-year-old owner-operator Casey Tolar Jr., of Markham, will be brought up on felony charges, but the probe is continuing. It was not said who was to have received the drugs. Herald News (Joliet, Ill.) Online (11/12/99) ; Hosey, Joe
Driver Credits Trucker For Saving Life
Great Northern Trucking driver Larry Timblin says fellow trucker Daniel Sommerfeld, of Aero Construction, saved his life after Timblin's truck suffered brake failure on the curving Highway 20 in Washington state and went into Diablo Lake on Monday.The men had met that day before their trucks were loaded with contaminated dirt. Sommerfeld, a 26-year-old ex-Marine, swam roughly 50 feet into the cold water to help Timblin onto a fir tree that the truck knocked loose as it went downhill.
Fish in the lake will probably not be hurt by the small amount of gasoline in the truck's load of dirt. Timblin anticipates roughly four months' recovery from his injuries, while Sommerfeld is already working again. Seattle Times Online (11/11/99) ; Brown, Charles E.; Brunner, Jim
American Mobile's Bundled Lease Program Offers Increased Flexibility to Transportation Industry Customers
Mid-sized and smaller trucking companies will be able to get a bundled lease through Lease Corporation of America giving them a wireless-communication package including the new American Mobile Satellite Corp. MobileMAX2 system for as little as $89 a month for each vehicle."With the introduction of the flexible leasing program, trucking firms of all sizes can benefit from the fleet management and monitoring made available through wireless data communications," said American Mobile Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Robert L. Goldsmith. Business Wire (11/11/99)
Truck Inspector Allegedly Took Bribes
Former West Virginia Public Service Commission truck inspector Sonny Ray Massey, who was dismissed from the job in July, was indicted Tuesday by a U.S. District Court grand jury on charges that he extorted money from truckers in June and July. It is alleged in the indictment that Massey extorted $680 from nine truck drivers at the Winfield weigh station on I-64 by saying he would not issue citations if they gave him money.According to the grand jury charges, three of the nine truckers received inspection stickers from Massey as well. According to prosecutors, the former inspector could be fined as much as $2.25 million and imprisoned a maximum 10 years. Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette (11/10/99) ; Messina, Lawrence
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