Business

About Business News...

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.

Business

Industrial Production Rises 0.1% in September

Industrial production rose 0.1% in September, the Federal Reserve said Tuesday.

October 16, 2007
Business

Velocity Express Reports Fiscal 4Q Loss

Velocity Express said Tuesday it lost $4.3 million or 20 cents a share in its fiscal fourth quarter ended June 30, compared with a loss of $5.8 million or 44 cents a year earlier.

October 16, 2007
Business

Werner’s 3Q Income Dips 11%

Truckload carrier Werner Enterprises’ third-quarter profit declined 11% from a year ago, to $21.9 million or 30 cents per share, from $24.6 million or 31 cents last year.

October 16, 2007
Fuel, Business, Government

Diesel Gains 0.4¢ to $3.039; Oil Hits Record, Topping $86

Retail diesel fuel rose 0.4 cent to $3.039 a gallon, the Department of Energy said Monday, while crude oil jumped to a new closing-price record of $86.13 a barrel.

October 16, 2007
Business

UPS Chief Executive Eskew Stepping Down

UPS Inc. said Monday Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mike Eskew will step down at the end of the year and be replaced by Scott Davis, the company's vice chairman and chief financial officer.

October 15, 2007
Government, Business, Safety

ATA Expects 11-Hour HOS Limit Will Hold

ATA President Bill Graves said Friday that he expects a court’s 90-day stay will give federal regulators enough time to issue an interim final rule maintaining an 11-hour limit for truck drivers’ hours of service, the Associated Press reported.

October 15, 2007
Government, Business, Safety

UPS, Teamsters Contract Shows Enhanced Pay, Benefits

UPS Inc. employees represented by the Teamsters union will get a pay increase of $4 an hour and additional benefits worth $5 an hour under a new five-year contract, Bloomberg reported.

October 15, 2007
Business, Equipment

Eaton’s Third-Quarter Earnings Rise

Heavy-duty vehicle parts manufacturer Eaton Corp. said Monday its third-quarter net earnings rose 4%, though the company lowered its full-year profit forecast.

October 15, 2007
Business, Fuel, Government

Intermodal Group Seeks to Block Clean Air Plan at SoCal Ports

The Intermodal Motor Carriers Conference said it strongly opposes an “abhorrent” clean-air plan proposed by the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif. and will sue to block the program if the ports try to implement it, the IMCC told the Federal Maritime Commission.

October 15, 2007
Business, Government

Bill Would Provide Credit for Safety Technology

A bill introduced last week by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) would provide tax credits for fleets purchasing trucks with certain types of safety technology.

October 15, 2007