Business
Transport Topics business coverage focuses on the financial, economic, and commercial aspects of the modern freight business. Looking at both the microeconomic and macroeconomic forces shaping bottom lines, the news in this category includes labor news, jobs reports, tonnage and sales indicators, operations analysis, money and banking, mergers, acquisitions, e-commerce, bankruptcy, insurance issues, and more.
PeopleNet Expands OEM Partnerships, Appoints Managers for New Business Lines
PeopleNet has expanded its partnerships with truck and engine makers and recently appointed leaders for two of its new divisions as it continues to broaden its business beyond its core aftermarket offerings.
Shell Will Buy BG Group for $70 Billion in Cash and Shares
Royal Dutch Shell agreed to buy BG Group Plc for about $70 billion (47 billion pounds) in cash and shares, the oil and gas industry’s biggest deal in at least a decade.
FedEx Agrees to Buy TNT Express for $4.8 Billion
FedEx Corp. and Netherlands-based TNT Express announced a conditional agreement for the U.S. company to buy the package, freight and logistics operator for $4.8 billion.
April 7, 2015DOE Lowers 2015 Diesel-Price Forecast 3¢ to $2.86
The Department of Energy lowered its 2015 forecast for diesel prices by 3 cents to $2.86 a gallon and said it will average $2.77 for the six months through September.
Con-way Truckload Driver Honored for Helping to Save Kidnapped Woman
Con-way Truckload driver Kevin Kimmel was honored April 3 for helping save a kidnapped woman who had been forced into prostitution.
April 7, 2015Rep. Hanna Urges U.S. Transportation Chief to Ensure Fair HOS Study
Rep. Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.) recently urged Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to make sure a study of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s hours-of-service rule consists of drivers who are representative of the industry.
NTSB Urges Increased Safety Requirements for Oil Tank Cars
The National Transportation Safety Board on April 6 urged hazardous material regulators to step up requirements for replacing or retrofitting tank railcars that carry flammable liquids such as crude oil and ethanol with better thermal protection.
Diesel Average Falls Another 4¢, to $2.784 a Gallon
Diesel’s national average price fell 4 cents for a second straight week, to $2.784 a gallon, while gasoline took its biggest drop since January, the Department of Energy reported April 6.
Arkansas Truckers Now Operating With Anti-Indemnification Protection
Arkansas has become the 42nd state to protect truckers against having to choose between losing a load or signing a contract that makes them liable for any and all accidents, regardless of who is to blame.
Texas, Indiana Counties Issue Most CSA Points, Vigillo’s Bryan Says
An inordinate number of inspection violations issued in several counties in Texas and Indiana are examples of “disparate enforcement” that limits the effectiveness of the federal Compliance, Safety, Accountability program, according to the head of a data analytics firm.