A Heartening Flurry of Activity
What the federal stimulus package does for road transportation and job creation may be more piecemeal than grand, but whether it’s filling potholes or replacing a crumbling bridge, it’s heartening to contemplate the flurry of construction activity that is about to sweep across the land.
March 9, 2009Raise Fuel Tax During Transition to VMT to Fund Transportation, Blumenauer Says
WASHINGTON — Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), a member of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, said the country should move quickly to a vehicle-miles tax but meanwhile should raise fuel taxes significantly, al-though the higher taxes shouldn’t take effect for at least two years.
March 9, 2009Scammers Plead Guilty to Load-Board Scheme
A pair of California residents have pleaded guilty to defrauding dozens of truckers and brokers of at least $2.4 million in an Internet load-board fraud scheme that included hacking into the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Web site.
March 9, 2009EPA to Require OBD Systems Starting in 2010
The Environmental Protection Agency will require onboard diagnostics systems on at least one engine family per manufacturer starting in 2010.
March 9, 2009Lautenberg Sees Safety as Key Highway Bill Issue
While much of the debate on the upcoming highway bill will focus on funding issues, a senator charged with overseeing the safety portion of the legislation said recently that “the status quo is simply unacceptable.”
March 9, 2009Daimler Dedicates Mexico Plant
SALTILLO, Mexico — Daimler Trucks North America dedicated its $300 million Freightliner plant here Feb. 27, as Mexico’s president, Felipe Calderon, joined company officials to formally launch the new 1.3 million-square-foot facility.
March 9, 2009Fleets Turn to Payment Services as Cash Tightens, But Financial Executives Warn of Possible Pitfalls
As cash flow becomes tighter for many fleets, more are turning to financial services that pay invoices almost instantly. Trucking and financial executives said that while the service known as “factoring” can be beneficial, once a fleet gets started, it can be hard to stop. As a result, they recommend carriers understand the full scope of services offered and costs involved.
March 9, 2009Oil Falls Below $44 a Barrel
A day after rising more than $3, oil prices fell back by about $2 to below $44 a barrel after China downplayed speculation its government would increase a stimulus plan to help its economy, Bloomberg reported.
March 5, 2009Dynamex Reports Lower 2Q Income
Logistics and delivery firm Dynamex Inc.’s fiscal second-quarter profit fell to $2.3 million, or 24 cents a share, from $3.4 million, or 33 cents, a year ago.
March 5, 2009Factory Orders Decline 1.9% in January
U.S. factory orders fell for a sixth straight month in January, declining 1.9%, the Commerce Department said Thursday.
March 5, 2009