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.
West Coast Ports Facing More Competition
Ports on the East and Gulf Coasts are expanding in an attempt to wrest away business from West Coast ports, including the Long Beach/Los Angeles port complex, the nation’s largest, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
March 5, 2008ISM Services Index Improves, but Still Shows Contraction
The economy’s service sector contracted in February but improved from January, the Institute for Supply Management said Wednesday.
March 5, 2008Oil Tops $104 for First Time
Oil prices soared $5 to close at more than $104 a barrel for the first time Wednesday following OPEC’s decision to keep output levels steady, Bloomberg reported.
March 5, 2008Fourth-Quarter Productivity Revised Upward to 1.9%
Fourth-quarter U.S. worker productivity rose 1.9%, up from an earlier reported 1.8% figure, the Labor Department said Wednesday.
March 5, 2008DHS Announces TWIC Enrollment Dates for 10 Ports
The Department of Homeland Security said enrollment in its Transportation Worker Identification Credential program will begin at 10 more locations in coming weeks.
March 5, 2008Opinion: Be Ready to Explain Your SAFER Scores
Look closely at the tractors traveling down the road today and see if you can spot the real-time digital readout of the unit’s Safety and Fitness Electronic Record System scores.
March 4, 2008Deutsche Post Splitting Logistics Unit
Deutsche Post AG will split its logistics division into two businesses, and the company appointed managers for the new units, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.
March 4, 2008Kenan Advantage Group Completes Acquisition
Kenan Advantage Group said Tuesday provider it completed its acquisition of Chicago-based Transport Service Co. Terms were not released.
March 4, 2008Letters to the Editor: Port Restrictions, Congress and LCVs, Hours of Service, Farewell Trucking
This is in response to the Port of Long Beach’s idea to restrict trucks at the port. It sounds like they are trying to eliminate owner-operators by forcing them to upgrade their trucks when they can barely survive with the cost of fuel and insurance, among other things, going through the roof.
March 4, 2008Landstar CEO Sees Higher Truck Rates
Landstar System Chief Executive Officer Henry Gerkens said the company may benefit from higher freight pricing this year as excess truck capacity shrinks, Bloomberg reported.
March 4, 2008