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Jul 24, 2012
Georgia woman indicted in double-brokering scam

By Clarissa Kell-Holland, Land Line staff writer A Georgia woman has been indicted by a grand jury for allegedly setting up numerous fraudulent brokerages and trucking companies in a double-brokering scam over a three-year period. On July 19, Pauline Robinson-Kirkland entered a not guilty plea after being charged with six counts of fraud by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District in Albany, GA. Click H

Jul 24, 2012
Tons of trucking jobs ... that nobody wants
Jul 23, 2012
ADM explosion does little damage
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Jul 24, 2012
Georgia woman indicted in double-brokering scam

By Clarissa Kell-Holland, Land Line staff writer A Georgia woman has been indicted by a grand jury for allegedly setting up numerous fraudulent brokerages and trucking companies in a double-brokering scam over a three-year period. On July 19, Pauline Robinson-Kirkland entered a not guilty plea after being charged with six counts of fraud by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District in Albany, GA. Click H

Jul 24, 2012
Tons of trucking jobs ... that nobody wants

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- During tough economic times with high unemployment, Americans should be jumping at any chance to work, but trucking companies are struggling to hire drivers. There are as many as 200,000 job openings nationwide for long haul truckers, according to David Heller, director of safety and policy for the Truckload Carriers Association. Click Here to Read Full Story

Jul 23, 2012
ADM explosion does little damage

By NICHOLAS BERGIN / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Saturday, July 21, 2012 2:15 pm | (5) Comments An explosion Saturday on the eighth floor of an Archer Daniels Midland building at 540 South St. shook the structure but did little damage, Lincoln Fire and Rescue officials said. Read more: http://journalstar.com/news/local/adm-explosion-does-little-damage/article_01612b67-2a36-55e2-8306-fe2c37ba8b4d.html#ixzz21SZbBrGX

Jul 23, 2012
Supernatural Truckin

I was thinking about writing a story that would relate to atheists and skeptics, and I thought about a man I met early in my trucking career who made a lasting impression on me. I was down in Florida and it was hotter than hell. I was holed up in this little truck stop for the weekend because I couldn't find a load out of there on Friday and the company I had my truck leased to didn't work weekends. Well, the office people didn't work weekends. They liked their truckers to work around the clock.

Jul 21, 2012
Small Carriers, Brokers Launch Legal Challenge to CSA

By Oliver B. Patton, Washington Editor A group of small carriers and brokers asked a federal appeals court to review a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration explanation of its CSA safety enforcement program. The petition for review filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit starts the clock on a legal challenge to CSA's Safety Measurement System. It's the work of the Alliance for Safe, Efficient and Competitive Truck Transportation, a group represen

Jul 21, 2012
State police official, former trucking official tapped as leader for Office of Motor Vehicles

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS July 20, 2012 - 7:05 pm EDT BATON ROUGE, La. -- A former deputy commander of the Louisiana State Police and trucking industry official will be Louisiana's next motor vehicles commissioner. Stephen Campbell was announced Friday as the new leader of the Office of Motor Vehicles by Col. Mike Edmonson, deputy secretary of the Department of Public Safety. Campbell's appointment is effective Aug. 6. He takes over from Nick Gautreaux, a former state senator who's leavin

Jul 21, 2012
LOGISTICS: Trucking firms can’t find qualified drivers

BY JACK KATZANEK STAFFF WRITER [email protected] Published: 20 July 2012 06:02 PM Something that has been mentioned by several trucking company executives in Inland Southern California was quantified on a national basis by the American Trucking Associations: there does not seem to be enough qualified and experienced candidates to drive big rigs. According to an ATA study released earlier this week. 90 percent of truck carriers in the United States can't find enough drivers. Some of the carri

Jul 20, 2012
Crackdowns pull 256 truck drivers off the roads for rest

ODOT: Long-haul truckers are trucking for too long SALEM (AP) -- More than 25 percent of commercial truck drivers who checked in at Oregon stops last week had been behind the wheel too long without rest, according to the state Department of Transportation. The drivers were screened at three locations along Interstate 5 -- Ashland, Woodburn and just south of Roseburg -- and the agency put 256 drivers out of service because of violations.

Jul 20, 2012
Grain Facility Still Planned For Napa Junction

By Nathan Johnson [email protected] Published: Friday, July 20, 2012 1:10 AM CDT While construction of a large grain elevator in Yankton County has been delayed, an official with the project told the County Commission this week that it will proceed. Bill Beukema, general manager of the Parkston-based Dakota Plains Ag Center, said the company is waiting on the state to grant it rail access for what is being called Dakota Plains Napa Junction. The facility would be located along the

Jul 19, 2012
A Major American Trucking Company Has More Bad News About The Economy

Eric Platt Ryder System, one of the country's largest transportation and and supply chain management firms, cut guidance today as the U.S. recovery stalls. The company now projects earnings for the second quarter to be between $0.90 and $0.95 per share, below previous forecasts for as much as $1.12. Ryder attributed the bulk of the cut to weakness within its commercial fleet business. The Miami-based firm said it expected tepid demand to continue through the end of 2012. But it also blamed

Jul 19, 2012
Wheat harvesting: Keeping farming in the family

BY KRISTI PIHL, TRI-CITY HERALD Published: July 19, 2012 at 12:00 a.m. PDT -- Updated: July 18, 2012 at 11:50 p.m. PDT PATERSON -- The giant combine gobbles up knee-high wheat stalks with rapidly moving teeth, pouring kernels into its belly and tossing chaff and straw behind in a dusty cloud. The tank fills quickly as Woody Simmons drives across one of Berg Farms' dryland wheat fields at about 6 mph. Harvest of the 11,000 acres of hard red winter wheat near Prosser started late Tuesday

Jul 18, 2012
How often do tractor trailers drive empty?

According to the 2002 Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey, approximately 0.5% of truck-miles were driven carrying completely empty shipping containers. It is not clear to me if and where 'bob tail' miles included in the report. The Freight Analysis Framework at ORNL is an awesome resource for any freight/logistics geek. Scroll through to figure 3.5 for a nice cumulative distribution of percent empty miles. By there method's it is clear that although deadheading is rare, there is a great deal of

Jul 18, 2012
Truck transportation group, others sue FMCSA regarding SMS methodology

The Trucker News Services 7/17/2012 A truck transportation group together with four trade associations and 12 other named plaintiffs have filed suit against the FMCSA seeking judicial review of the regulator's "New Resources Available for Shippers, Brokers, and Insurers" publication issued May 16. The suit was filed Monday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit by ASECTT (the Alliance for Safe, Efficient and Competitive Truck Transportation) and the other plaintif

Jul 18, 2012
Trucker Saves Life Of Crash Victim

Truck drivers are often the butt of desperately unfunny gags told by idiots (Jeremy Clarkson, anyone?) after a cheap laugh, but stereotypes and caricatures are a million miles removed from almost anyone's personal experience when it comes to dealing with truckers. So, it was particularly cockle warming today to come across the story of Larry Druckamiller – good Samaritan, guardian angel, eagle eyed rescuer and proud trucker rolled into one (and in that order). Larry Druckamiller On Februar

Jul 17, 2012
Trucker Stops Dead Man's Rig to Limit Tragedy

First driver was unconscious, but second man halts tanker to avoid crash and injuries, police say. By Tad Miller Email the author 5:55 am A trucker on Sunday brought a driverless tank truck to a stop, avoiding injury to other motorists on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Lower Macungie Township, according to police. The tanker was without a driver because that man was unconscious and later pronounced dead, according to state police at Fogelsville. The hero was not named in the report, but

Jul 17, 2012
Trucking company embezzler gets 3-year federal sentence

By Lewis Griswold - The Fresno Bee Monday, Jul. 16, 2012 | 07:35 PM A former trucking company office manager was sentenced Monday to three years and one month in federal prison for embezzlement. Stephanie Yost, 39, of Tulare stole the money from Faulkner Trucking by making duplicate paychecks for herself, secretary Vickie Ann Kyle and billing clerk Dustie Denise Levine, prosecutors said. The scheme took place in 2004 and 2005. Kyle and Levine were sentenced to 36 months of probation and o

Jul 17, 2012
‘Boom’ing business: Hofmann Trucking has plenty of work in Oil Patch

As the nation's economy limped along in 2008, Hofmann Trucking sent one single truck west, testing the waters of the Oil Patch. That sole truck heralded a shift for Hofmann, from over-the-road hauling to short-range crude oil hauling, from well locations to pipelines and rail stations. By: Kari Lucin, The Jamestown Sun Editor's note: This is the first of three stories on businesses in Jamestown conducting business in the Oil Patch As the nation's economy limped along in 2008, Hofmann Truc

Jul 16, 2012
Wanted: 200,000 truck drivers in an industry that is expanding

By Marcia Pledger, The Plain Dealer CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In today's challenging job market, more than 200,000 truck-driving jobs are vacant across the country. "The improving economy and increased attention on driver safety records and accountability, those two factors are really working together to tighten the market for drivers," said American Trucking Association spokesman Sean McNally. Recent federal safety regulations aimed at making the roads safer have led to stricter enforcement of d

Jul 16, 2012
North Dakota DOT considering changes to trucking permits

Bismarck, ND (WDAY TV) - The North Dakota DOT is looking at changes to truck permits after a crash on I-94 near South Heart. A truck hauling a 500 barrel saltwater tank caused about $50,000 in damage to the bridge. By: WDAY Staff Reports, WDAY Bismarck, ND (WDAY TV) - The North Dakota DOT is looking at changes to truck permits after a crash on I-94 near South Heart. A truck hauling a 500 barrel saltwater tank caused about $50,000 in damage to the bridge. The load was too high and became w

Jul 16, 2012
FMCSA shuts down 3rd incarnation of Alabama company

The Trucker Staff 7/16/2012 WASHINGTON -- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Friday shut down Alabama-based truck company MTI Transportation that apparently had been formed solely for the purpose of continuing the operation of a carrier shut down by the agency in May. The agency issued an imminent hazard operations out-of-service order against MTI Transportation of Athens, Ala., corporately, and against Ollie L. McWilliams and Autora "Tory" Rogers individually based on evidence

Jul 14, 2012
US DOT shuts down Alabama truckers

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today ordered Alabama-based truck company MTI Transportation, LLC, to immediately cease all transportation services based on evidence that it was a chameleon operation for two unsafe truck companies previously shut down by the agency. "We must keep our nation's roadways safe for drivers and passengers," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "This case sends the message that

Jul 13, 2012
Safety records poor for trucking company involved in I-20 accident

By Jay Black The trucking company involved in that freak accident that killed an 8-year-old boy has a safety record that is pretty ugly. CW Transport LLC is a small trash-hauling fleet based in Atlanta. Its history of vehicle maintenance violations ranks it among the worst 6 percent in the country for companies its size, federal records show. In the past two years, inspectors found violations in 17 of 18 reviews. Six times trucks had to be pulled off the road because of those inspections.

Jul 13, 2012
Owner-operator: Federal safety scores unfair to small truckers

The Business Journals by Kent Hoover, Washington Bureau Chief Date: Thursday, July 12, 2012, 5:49pm EDT What's the best way of keeping unsafe truckers off the road? That's an important question since 4,000 people a year are killed in traffic accidents involving large trucks or buses. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has implemented a system designed to identify trucking companies that are at the greatest risk of being involved in accidents. This system may be well-intentioned,

Jul 13, 2012
Farmers weigh trucking cattle to greener pastures

By ASSOCIATED PRESS Friday, July 13, 2012 - 8:23 a.m. MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin farmers with dwindling feeds supplies due to drought-stricken fields are considering trucking their cattle to greener pastures to the north as the dry spell continues. Dick Cates produces range-fed Angus and Jersey beef near Spring Green. Cates says difficult times demand creative solutions. He says it's not unheard of to move cattle around, but the Wisconsin farmer doesn't necessarily think in those te

Jul 13, 2012
TRUCKING INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO GROW WITH AN 8.2% INCREASE AND 2,000 NEW JOBS

The Department of Labor's monthly report for the month of June has been released, and the good news is that the trucking industry is continuing to grow. According to the newly released report, the national unemployment rate for the United States held steady at 8.2%. The trucking industry, meanwhile, enjoyed some improvement with the addition of 2,000 new jobs, which signals a continued improvement in this important industry.

Jul 12, 2012
Tanker freight rates continue to suffer

ICICIdirect in its report gave outlook on freight- Dry bulkers, tankers, LPG carriers and Offshore vessels. The same is as follows: Dry bulkers Dry bulk rates, which suffered largely in May recovered this month albeit at a slow pace. China iron ore imports increased 11% on an MoM basis providing some relief to rates. The expansionary monetary policy followed by the People`s Bank of China to ramp up the economy is acting as an important factor for demand growth. Its impact on freight rate

Jul 12, 2012
Ohio truck in river crash had ineffective brakes

The Associated Press AKRON, Ohio -- A State Highway Patrol inspection has found "ineffective" brakes on a 12-wheel dump truck that sped down an incline toward a plaza and an intersection before crashing into a northeast Ohio river, killing the driver. Click Here to Read Full Story

Jul 12, 2012
Flying truck parts kill girl on Atlanta highway

Posted: Jul 12, 2012 6:32 AM CDT Updated: Jul 12, 2012 6:32 AM CDT ATLANTA (AP) - Authorities say an 8-year-old girl was killed and her mother lost part of an arm when engine parts fell off an oncoming semitrailer and crashed through the windshield of their SUV near downtown Atlanta. Click Here to Read Full Story

Jul 11, 2012
Government Union "Throws Truckers Under the Bus"

VANCOUVER -- Truckers in this province are not happy with a recent roadside billboard and radio campaign implying that because B.C.'s heavy-truck inspection force is understaffed, big trucks are unsafe. The ad campaign comes courtesy of the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU). The union says data shows that road safety in the province is in decline since the Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement (CVSE) branch was brought back into government service from ICBC in 20

Jul 11, 2012
Trucker Saves Daughter

Reporter: Associated Press The driver of a semitrailer truck pulled his 7-year-old daughter out of the truck just moments before it exploded and burned on a Kansas highway. Geary County Undersheriff Tony Wolf says the explosion happened Tuesday afternoon on Interstate 70 east of Junction City. The semitrailer hit a truck being used by a contract crew for the state transportation department to paint lines on the interstate. Wolf says the tractor trailer driver tried to miss the truck but

Jul 10, 2012
Report sees trucking gains through 2023

July 10, 2012 by: Overdrive Staff After a significant dip during the recent recession and a mild economic recovery, the U.S. freight economy, particularly for trucking, is projected to grow significantly in the years ahead, according to the American Trucking Associations' U.S. Freight Transportation Forecast to 2023, the results of which were announced Monday, July 9. The forecast, a product of collaboration between ATA, IHS Global Insight and Martin Labbe Associates, lays out the current st

Jul 10, 2012
Cass: Shipments, rates flat in June; peak season a ‘non-event’?

The Trucker News Services 7/9/2012 The trend in North American freight volumes "continues to follow the path of general malaise" that the economy is experiencing, says the latest Cass Freight Index Report. The number of freight shipments in June was up "a scant" 1.3 percent from the previous month, while at the same time total freight costs declined 0.1 percent. "The economy has been flat for several months and is even beginning to trend downward in terms of new orders and manufacturing out

Jul 9, 2012
Scoular acquires Idaho grain facilities

(7/6/2012) By Feedstuffs The Scoular Co. has announced the acquisition of two grain-handling facilities in Weiser, Idaho, from Weiser Feed & Storage, Inc. Terms of the transaction were not announced. Kevin Thompson, senior group manager who oversees Scoular's facilities in Idaho and Utah, said the goal is to make the transition from Weiser to Scoular as easy as possible. "Operations in Weiser will be much the same as they were before. Most importantly, Kevin Jones will be staying on to m

Jul 9, 2012
Trucker Dies Unloading Mail

Posted: Jul 07, 2012 7:30 PM CDT Updated: Jul 07, 2012 7:30 PM CDT URBANDALE (AP) -- A truck driver has died after being run over by his own rig at a U.S. Postal Service distribution center in Urbandale. 46-year-old Carl Magee, of Perkin, Ill., died Friday, a day after the accident. Investigators say Magee jumped onto his truck Thursday afternoon after it slipped out of gear and started to roll. Magee lost his balance and the truck ran over him. James Aten, the center's safety captain,

Jul 7, 2012
Railroads Step Up Against Lawsuit

By: Zacks Equity Research July 06, 2012 | Comment(s): 0 Recommended this article (7) CSX | UNP | NSC Four major U.S. railroads -- Union Pacific Corporation (UNP - Analyst Report), Norfolk Southern Corp. (NSC - Analyst Report), CSX Corporation (CSX - Analyst Report) and Burlington Northern Santa Fe -- have appealed against the class one action after the District of Columbia court granted class action status to a price fixing lawsuit. The U.S. district judge, Paul Friedman of the DC court

Jul 6, 2012
Akron: Heroic trucker sacrifices life in accident

Written by Dick Russ AKRON -- A trucker steered his out-of-control rig past people, cars, and businesses, only to die moments later. Click Here to Read Full Story

Jul 5, 2012
Editorial: Trucking is hot again

© 2012 Memphis Commercial Appeal. Trucking is back. Despite the sluggish economy, and flying below the radar of much-publicized high-tech innovations, the trucking industry is on a roll. Year-over-year growth in truck-borne tonnage was up 4.1 percent in May, and is projected to stay on pace for a growth year in 2012. Click Here to Read Full Story

Jul 5, 2012
Texas Trucker's Arrest to Be Re-Enacted in Mexico

EL PASO, Texas July 5, 2012 (AP) A Mexican court has authorized a re-enactment of events leading to the arrest of a Dallas trucker who says he made a wrong turn into Mexico while driving a vehicle filled with ammunition. Jabin Bogan's attorney says experts and prosecutors will attend the Thursday re-enactment of the moment when Bogan tried to make a U-turn at a border crossing bridge at Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Bogan has been jailed since the April 17 incident in which he was found with 268,

Jul 5, 2012
Big-Time Small-Town Trucker Gets Medal from Lieutenant Governor

GORE BAY, ON -- The founder of Manitoulin Transport Doug Smith has been running trucks for almost as long as the Queen has reigned. And in a special ceremony held in late June, Smith was recognized for his accomplishments wiith a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal. Click Here to Read Full Story

Jul 4, 2012
FMCSA Shuts Down Tennessee Trucking Outfit

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jul 3, 2012 7:19PM GMT The Journal of Commerce Online - News Story LTL | Truckload | Washington | Specialized | States | Regulation | Trucking | Government + Regulation | United States Horse-hauling farm fleet closed for violating driver, maintenance regulations Although a new study raises doubts about the reliability of CSA scores, those scores increasingly help federal regulators shut down unsafe trucking companies. Last week the Federal Motor Carrier

Jul 3, 2012
Truck driver used a greasy trick to evade Goethals toll and enter Staten Island, PAPD says

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Now that's just greasy! Most motorists would rather not pay the toll to cross the Goethals Bridge, but one truck driver from Queens took matters too far -- he used a smear of grease to change a digit on his license plate, then blew through the E-ZPass lane without paying, Port Authority Police said. To make matters worse, that altered digit meant another company was unfairly hit with $500 worth of unpaid toll violations, police said. Walter G. Rodriquez, 32, of Jackson

Jul 3, 2012
Whistleblower wins $30K in trucking company settlement

By Matt Lakin Posted July 2, 2012 at 7:44 p.m. A Knoxville truck driver fired for complaining about safety violations has won more than $30,000 from his former bosses after a three-year fight. Heartland Transportation, based in Andersonville, Tenn., agreed to pay the driver, Jason Ford, $31,200 -- including $9,895 in back pay -- under a settlement reached last month with the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Jul 3, 2012
Trucker who drove miles after losing wheel fined

A chemical lorry could have caused a catastrophic accident after the driver carried on when he failed to realise he had lost a wheel, say officials. It is not known how far the truck went without one of its six rear wheels. The driver's journey took him over 110 miles (177km) on the A55 from Anglesey to Cheshire before being stopped. He told officers he had felt a vibration during his journey. He received a fixed penalty, and officials are still trying to find the wheel. It could hav

Jul 3, 2012
Transport Bill Raises Forwarder, Broker Surety Bond Requirement

Mark Szakonyi, Associate Editor | Jun 29, 2012 7:10PM GMT The Journal of Commerce Online - News Story Washington | Freight Brokers | Regulation | United States Increased bond surety to $75,000 aimed at preventing fraud The newly-passed surface transportation bill requires freight brokers and forwarders to have a $75,000 surety bond, a mandate that supporters said will help prevent fraud in the industry. Transportation Intermediaries Association President and CEO Bob Voltmann said the requ

Jul 2, 2012
Shippers Turn to 3PLs as Trucking Capacity Tightens

Tulsa, OK (PRWEB) June 29, 2012 The transportation industry made national headlines this week with an article in USA Today detailing the escalating shortage of qualified truck drivers. This shortage has lead to tightened capacity for shippers, higher rates and, in many cases, delayed deliveries. But many shippers are finding solutions and relief by outsourcing their transportation to third party logistics (3PL) companies like Conexus. "These are the times when a 3PL can deliver meaningful

Jul 2, 2012
Are There Really 11.2 Million Trucking Companies in the U.S?

Logistics in the U.S. – Facts at a Glance Every facet of American life is touched by transportation. With freight being the economic staple that it is, every haul is a piece of a complex logistical puzzle that powers our nation. We've dug up some interesting factoids to help shed some light on just how large of a role transportation plays! The US is comprised of 566 railroads (138,623 railroad miles). Total 2011 U.S. logistics spend was estimated at $1.28 trillion up 6.6% over 2010. Accordin

Jul 2, 2012
Truckers to save $4M with July 1 tax break Read more: The Courier - Your Messenger for the River Va

by The Associated Press 10:12 PM, Saturday, June 30 2012 | 427 views | 0 | 2 | | LITTLE ROCK (AP) -- A $4 million tax break for Arkansas truckers goes into effect on Monday with the start of the new fiscal year. And Gov. Mike Beebe still isn't happy about it. The tax reduction on commercial vehicles was to have helped the freight industry offset a proposed diesel fuel tax increase for road repairs. The trucking lobby dropped its support of the diesel tax hike but the vehicle tax cut sta

Jul 2, 2012
Trinity Logistics founder wins Golden Achievement Award from American Truck Historical Society

Ed Banning, founder of Trinity Logistics, traveled to Springfield, Mass. with his wife, Deana June 1 to attend the National Convention Antique Truck Show and received a Golden Achievement award from the American Truck Historical Society for over 50 years of service in the trucking industry. "Mr. Ed" began this lifelong career in his father's business, Service Trucking, in Federalsburg, Md. at the early age of 14 and has been trucking along ever since. When Service Trucking closed its doors,

Jul 2, 2012
Grain company building $18 million elevator in ND

Posted: Jul 01, 2012 4:40 AM CDT Updated: Jul 01, 2012 4:40 AM CDT HETTINGER, N.D. (AP) - A Washington state-based grain company plans to build an $18 million elevator in southwest North Dakota's Adams County. County officials last week gave United Grain Corp. approval for the facility on 320 acres of land. It will be able to handle 110-car trains. It is expected to be done by June 2013.

Jun 30, 2012
Truckers thank U.S. House for passing amendment to strip funding for EOBR provision in highway bill

Grain Valley, Mo.) – The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, OOIDA, thanked the U.S. House of Representatives on behalf of all truckers today for passing an amendment that would block the Department of Transportation from advancing regulations mandating electronic on-board recorders, event data recorders and global positioning system tracking of commercial and personnel vehicles. The amendment to the annual transportation funding appropriations bill being debated in the House rig

Jun 29, 2012
The $21-Million Phone Call

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX -- Do your drivers enter the U.S.? If yes, do you have a very clear unambiguous policy pertaining to cell-phone use? If yes to that, do you enforce it? If not, read on. In early May, Coca-Cola was sued, successfully, for $21 million after one of their sales reps was involved in an accident that injured a 37-year-old woman. The injured woman's lawyers convinced a jury that even though Coca Cola does have a cell-phone policy for company drivers, it is "vague and ambiguo

Jun 29, 2012
Trucker Kills Man Burglarizing His Rig

For the second time in as many days, a burglary victim has turned the tables on the suspects. In the latest incident, a trucker beat a man to death after he was apparently found burglarizing the trucker%u219s parked 18-wheeler in northeast Harris County late Monday night. The incident occurred in the 8800 block of C. E. King Parkway near Tidwell about 10:20 p.m., according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Deputies said the trucker had parked his truck and later when he returned to

Jun 29, 2012
Trucker kills man burglarizing his rig

Houston, Texas - For the second time in as many days, a burglary victim has turned the tables on the suspects. In the latest incident, a trucker beat a man to death after he was apparently found burglarizing the trucker's parked 18-wheeler in northeast Harris County late Monday night. The incident occurred in the 8800 block of C. E. King Parkway near Tidwell about 10:20 p.m., according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Deputies said the trucker had parked his truck and later when h

Jun 28, 2012
Survey says Carriers Risk Dying by a Thousand Cuts

Posted: Jun 27, 2012 09:57 AM | Last Updated: Jun 27, 2012 09:57 AM CHATTANOOGA, TN -- Transport Capital Partners (TCP) Second Quarter Business Expectations survey are showing that carriers are still hesitant to add capacity. According to the survey, 71 percent of carriers expect to add little or no capacity, a 6 percent increase from last quarter. The reason for the drop in confidence, said Richard Mikes, TCP Partner, is because the "industry is certainly bearing the burdens of more fede

Jun 27, 2012
5 ways to avoid crashing your trucking business

Having followed a recent LinkedIn blog discussion on A Truckload, Trucking, Logistics, Supply Chain, 3PL, Distribution group, I feel compelled to comment on some of the realities in calculating Heavy Commercial Vehicle (truck) Owning and Operating costs. Before we start, let me say that the cost of owning and operating a truck has nothing to do with market-driven rates! Rate per mile is simply set against supply versus demand. The cost of each trucking opportunity varies according to a number of

Jun 27, 2012
Cargill to build new feed facility in Bovina, Texas

MINNEAPOLIS, June 27, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Cargill announced today it will build a new facility in Bovina, Tx for various feed product production including its Sweet Bran® and RAMP specialty feeds. The facility will be located on an adjoining property to an existing Cargill Cattle Feeders (CCF) location. Click Here to Read Full Story

Jun 27, 2012
Trucking co. must reinstate whistleblower

OSHA has ordered Brush Creek-based Mark Alvis, Inc. to reinstate a former employee and pay him more than $180,000 in back pay, interest, and damages. Mark Alvis is a commercial motor carrier that transports goods throughout the United States. Click Here to Read Full Story

Jun 27, 2012
'Black box' proposal divides truckers

Zanesvilletimesrecorder.com ZANESVILLE -- Jeff Moore said he could be forced to curtail purchases of equipment or new trucks, or hiring new employees, if he and other trucking firms are required to retrofit their fleets of over-the-road trucks with on-board recording devices, "black boxes" that are similar to those used in commercial jet aircraft. Click He

Jun 26, 2012
Trucker kills man burglarizing his rig

For the second time in as many days, a burglary victim has turned the tables on the suspects. In the latest incident, a trucker beat a man to death after he was apparently found burglarizing the trucker's parked 18-wheeler in northeast Harris County late Monday night. The incident occurred in the 8800 block of C. E. King Parkway near Tidwell about 10:20 p.m., according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Deputies said the trucker had parked his truck and later when he returned to the

Jun 26, 2012
Two freight trains collided in an Oklahoma wheat field

By JUSTIN JUOZAPAVICIUS The Associated Press Tulsa, OK -- Two freight trains that collided in an Oklahoma wheat field weren't blowing their horns or flashing their lights as they hurtled toward each other, according to long-haul trucker from Independence who watched helplessly from a highway as the locomotives collided head-on. Three of the four crew members assigned to the trains were still missing Monday, and investigators feared they couldn't have survived the Sunday crash and tremend

Jun 25, 2012
Shortage of truckers worsens; pay rises to around $50,000

Written by Paul Davidson USA Today Attention, out-of-work Americans: Want to be a trucker? Click Here to Read Full Story

Jun 25, 2012
Trucker jobs go unfilled, leading to delayed deliveries

By Paul Davidson, USA TODAY Attention out-of-work Americans: Want to be a trucker? A worsening shortage of truck drivers is pushing up freight rates and delaying some deliveries, defying the weak economy, high unemployment and falling gasoline prices. Click Here to Read Full Story

Jun 25, 2012
Montana farmers concerned 2 grain companies under 1 owner might reduce competitive bidding

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS June 24, 2012 - 2:03 pm EDT GREAT FALLS, Mont. -- Montana farm officials are concerned farmers might lose the advantage of competitive bidding from two grain companies that recently became owned by a Japanese conglomerate. Click Here to Read Full Story

Jun 23, 2012
Growing commodities merchants recruit top traders

Reuters * Energy companies broaden reach into other commodities * Commodities trading houses seek to diversify risk * Less jobs for European traders, more in emerging markets By Susan Thomas LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) - The landscape is changing for commodities merchants as global economic strength swings east, encouraging them to diversify into new products and increase scale while they also can skim the best traders off struggling hedge funds and banks. Moves by European and U

Jun 23, 2012
What will be effect of Marubeni purchase? Region's two major grain marketers owned by same company

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20120622/BUSINESS/206220340/What-will-effect-Marubeni-purchase-Region-s-two-major-grain-marketers-owned-by-same-company

Jun 22, 2012
Trucker smashed by own cargo in I-10 accident, dies

by Kens5.com staff Posted on June 22, 2012 at 7:48 AM Updated today at 8:38 AM BEXAR COUNTY -- The driver of an 18-wheeler is dead after being smashed by his own cargo in a wreck on I-10 late Thursday night. The name of the deceased was not immediately available. Bexar County deputies said the trucker apparently did not see two other 18-wheelers stop on I-10 near Ralph Fair Road and slammed into the rear of the truck in front of him around 11 p.m. The long metal pipes the victim was haul

Jun 22, 2012
Trucker wins court fight over speed limits

By QMI Agency Posted 2 hours ago ST. CATHARINES - A St. Catharines truck driver who convinced a court that requiring speed limiters on trucks is unconstitutional, hopes the ruling will some day lead to new laws in the province. The Ministry of Transportation said Thursday it will appeal the June 6 provincial offences court ruling in Welland that found speed limiters -- also known as governors -- conflict with Gene Michaud's right to security of person under the charter of rights and freedom

Jun 22, 2012
FMCSA Increases Focus on Reincarnated Carriers

Several weeks ago, the FMCSA was given the authority to shut down a carrier if it finds that carrier was created to avoid enforcement of a poor safety record. The new rule, which was published in late April, will go into effect on June 28, 2012 and also gives the FMCSA authority to consolidate records of "reincarnated" carriers with those companies they are affiliated with. Since the inception of this rule, the FMCSA has been extremely busy cracking down on these reincarnated carriers, shutti

Jun 22, 2012
NC trucker's wreck spills 50,000 pounds of corn

NEWS - NORTH CAROLINA & REGIONAL - WIRE CATAWBA, N.C. -- Crews worked for hours to clean up after a truck carrying 50,000 pounds of corn overturned in Catawba County. The Hickory Daily Record (http://bit.ly/KZ6uGF) reported Catawba Fire Chief Donald Robinson says the wreck happened early Thursday when the trailer rain off the road. Robinson says the wheels caught a culvert and sheared the back of the trailer off. The trailer and truck then flipped, spilling corn everywhere. The truck

Jun 21, 2012
Trucking co. fined for improper payment of drivers

Submitted by Fox19 Web Staff Thursday, June 21st, 2012, 7:26am CINCINNATI, OH (FOX19)- FOX19 has uncovered documents confirming a federal investigation into how T&T Enterprises, a trucking company based in West Chester, was able to land lucrative contracts to haul mail and equipment for the U.S. Postal Service. A whistleblower "alleged that (T&T) has been fraudulently obtaining" the contracts "with the help of a Postal contracting employee," according to a U.S. Dept. of Labor investigator

Jun 21, 2012
Ashford Trucking Company Cited for Safety Violations

MOBILE, Ala. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited trucking company Alabama Motor Express Inc. in Ashford for 17 safety violations. OSHA opened an inspection in March under the agency's Site-Specific Targeting Program, which directs enforcement resources to workplaces with higher-than-average rates of injuries and illnesses. Proposed penalties total $56,700. Thirteen serious violations include failing to perform a personal protective equipmen

Jun 21, 2012
Local trucking company to hire 450 drivers

By Staff reports GateHouse News Service Posted Jun 21, 2012 @ 10:04 AM Holland -- Locally-based trucking company Holland, a subsidiary of YRC Worldwide, will hire an additional 450 over-the road and local city drivers in the next few months. Holland has hired nearly 300 drivers so far this year throughout the Midwest and hired 750 drivers last year. The company is located at 750 E. 40th Street in Holland. More information about the company is available at hollandregional.com.

Jun 20, 2012
Texas trucker pleads guilty over nearly $800K

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: 7:46 a.m. Wednesday, June 20, 2012 BEAUMONT, TEXAS -- A South Texas trucker has pleaded guilty in a drug money case after nearly $800,000 was found in his rig. Prosecutors in Beaumont say 41-year-old Natividad Ovalle Jr. of Alamo pleaded guilty Tuesday to interstate travel in aid of racketeering enterprise. No sentencing date was immediately set for the driver, who faces up to five years in prison.

Jun 20, 2012
Freight industry struggling with ‘ups and downs’

Submitted by The City Wire Staff on Tue, 06/19/2012 - 4:50pm A sentence from the Cass Freight Index well summarizes a collection of reports that track economic health through trucking industry activity: "Overall, still positive growth, but many ups and downs." St. Louis-based Cass Information Systems recently reported that the number of freight shipments has risen at a very steady pace in 2012, but is still well below the most recent high point in September 2011. Freight shipments and t

Jun 20, 2012
Former southwestern Illinois grain elevator owner gets more prison time for fraud

By Associated Press 7:46 a.m. CDT, June 20, 2012 CARLYLE, Ill. (AP) -- A former southwestern Illinois grain elevator owner already sentenced to more than a year in federal prison for fraud has now been ordered to spend three years in a state lockup. The Belleville News-Democrat (http://bit.ly/LBcaaC ) reports that 48-year-old John Kniepmann (kuh-NEEP'-man) of Breese got the latest sentence Tuesday in Clinton County. The judge also ordered him to pay more than $1.3 million in restitution.

Jun 20, 2012
ADM says grain-handling earnings less than expected

CHICAGO | Tue Jun 19, 2012 4:26pm EDT (Reuters) - Agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland Co's (ADM.N) grain handling segment has had lower-than-expected profits so far this quarter, Chief Executive Patricia Woertz said on Tuesday. Earnings for the segment, which includes grain storage and transportation, are "running at a rate below" ADM's previously projected $150 million to $200 million for the fiscal fourth quarter, Woertz said in a webcast of a Deutsche Bank conference in Paris. De

Jun 20, 2012
Midwest farm town, transformed by immigration, thrives

Mary Wisniewski and Christine Stebbins Reuters 7:39 a.m. CDT, June 20, 2012 BEARDSTOWN, IL (Reuters) - Two years ago, Bozi Kiekie taught English at a university in the Congo. Although he liked his work, he wasn't earning enough to make a good life for his family. So Kiekie, 44, entered a lottery for one of 55,000 annual visas to enter the United States. When he won a so-called diversity visa, he came to Illinois, where he found a job cutting out hog tongues at the meatpacking plant in

Jun 19, 2012
Family of trucker killed in 2008 I-91 crash sue truck maker

By BOB AUDETTE / Reformer Staff Tuesday June 19, 2012 BRATTLEBORO -- The family of a man killed in a fiery crash on Interstate 91 in February 2008 is seeking damages from the maker of the truck he was driving the night he drove off the Williams Street Bridge in Brattleboro. According to William Caldwell, the attorney for Edvin Medina's widow and children, the design of the Freightliner truck built by Daimler Trucks North America was responsible for Medina's death. "We are investigating the

Jun 19, 2012
ADM Alliance Nutrition Acquires Liquid Feed Commodities

ADM Alliance Nutrition, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM), has announced the acquisition of certain assets (including physical assets) of Liquid Feed Commodities, a manufacturer of liquid animal feed supplements based in Fremont, NE. Liquid Feed Commodities was a privately owned company which began business in 1970, producing and supplying liquid cattle feed supplements to producers in the Midwest. This acquisition follows ADM Alliance Nutrition's

Jun 19, 2012
HOS Court Battle Starts Next Month

6/19/2012 HOS Court Battle Starts Next Month By TruckingInfo Staff The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has consolidated lawsuits by a number of trucking groups that believe the rule is too restrictive, and by several safety advocacy groups that believe the rule is too liberal. Briefs are due starting July 24. Reply briefs are due October 24, and final briefs are due November 21. The date for oral arguments is not yet set. American Trucking Associations last

Jun 18, 2012
Middleman thrives in the feed, grain trade

By Matthew Parrino Updated: June 17, 2012, 8:47 AM The market for blood meal, elevator dust, malt sprouts and peanut harts is booming. Just ask the folks over at Lackawanna Products Corp. From grains to animal fats, catfish meal to gel bones, scandinavian oats to citrus pulp pellets, LPC has what farmers and many other customers need -- and that's one of the reasons it's thriving. In an economic climate where many businesses are downsizing, LpC has doubled its staff size in the past 10

Jun 18, 2012
BulkLoadsNow.com Members Provide Ratings for Carriers, Shippers and Brokers

Nixa, MO (PRWEB) June 18, 2012 BulkLoadsNow.com, a leading Internet-based bulk freight-matching site, has launched a ratings system for its members. The Ratings feature allows members to provide public feedback on carriers, shippers and brokers they've done business with. "Our carrier members love our rating system because if gives them confidence and accountability on users that have loads posted," said Jared Flinn, Operating Partner at Bulk Loads Now. "It also benefits our shippers and b

Jun 18, 2012
Inside Grain Millers, Inc.

http://www.kimt.com Reported by: Raquel Hellman Email: [email protected] St. Ansgar, IA - For more than 20 years, Grain Millers, Inc. in St. Ansgar has been a leading manufacturer of whole grain ingredients like oats, wheat and rye. Those grains are then turned into flours, flakes and fibers, which then help create many of the foods that sit on your kitchen shelves.

Jun 18, 2012
Fayetteville man accused of firing at passing trucker

www.wral.com FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- A Fayetteville man shot into a passing truck last May and tried to kill the driver, Cumberland County detectives said Monday. Click Here to Read Full Story

Jun 16, 2012
Ore. police say trucker faked hostage story

Updated 05:42 p.m., Thursday, June 14, 2012 CANYONVILLE, Ore. (AP) -- Oregon State Police arrested a truck driver accused of falsely reporting he had been taken hostage by two men who wanted to steal his load of berries. Thomas Conner of Bellingham, Wash., reportedly called 911 on Wednesday from Interstate 5 in Canyonville. He claimed two Asian men with guns took him hostage before stealing his keys. Conner said he was ordered to remain there until the men returned to steal his load. But wh

Jun 15, 2012
Trucker fails by trying to fix fuel leak with duct tape

June 15, 2012 9:13 AM The Associated Press LIVINGSTON, Mont. (AP) -- Maybe duct tape doesn't fix everything. Officials in southern Montana say a Canadian truck driver found that out the hard way when he tried to stop a fuel tank leak with the all-purpose tape before going to sleep at a truck stop near Livingston. The Livingston Enterprise reports a truck stop employee called Park County firefighters at about 3 a.m. Thursday to report the leak. Fire Chief Dann Babcox estimates about 100

Jun 15, 2012
Logistic Challenges Arise As Fracking Industry Monopolizes Diminishing Transportation Resources

June 13th, 2012 - by andrewh By Jim Suber, Sales Director, ChemLogix Hydraulic fracturing – fracking – has become a booming business throughout the United States. The process of extracting oil and natural gas from shale rock layers deep within the earth, fracking is forecast to contribute $118 billion toward U.S. economic growth over the next four years, reports IHS Global Insight. And as the fracking business soars, so does its transportation requirements. The thousands of gallons of w

Jun 15, 2012
Truckers Fight Oregon's Money Grab

By DEE MOORE SALEM, Ore. (CN) - Trucking, construction and insurance groups sued Oregon, claiming it used road money to build websites instead - then jacked up the cost of driving records by nearly 400 percent to recoup some of the money it spent illegally. Oregon Trucking Associations Inc. and six other plaintiffs accuse the state's Department of Transportation and Department of Administrative Services of "diverting revenues from the Highway Trust Fund to build websites for state admi

Jun 14, 2012
Trucker turnover rates are soaring, and that's good news

BY RONALD D. WHITE Los Angeles Times LOS ANGELES -- The chief economist for the American Trucking Association says that turnover rates for drivers at large, interstate fleets rose 2 percentage points in the first quarter of 2012 to 90 percent. That's the highest turnover rate since the first quarter of 2008. But don't worry - it's apparently a good sign for the strength of the economy.

Jun 14, 2012
Trucker Who Killed Cyclist: "I Just Couldn't Stop"

The cyclist who was struck and killed by a delivery truck at Bedford Avenue and Empire Boulevard on Tuesday has been identified as 24-year-old Emma Blumstein. Witnesses told CrownHeights.info that Blumstein was biking south on Bedford while the truck was turning left onto Empire. "She was just coming so fast and I was already into the turn; I just could not stop," the driver told a reporter, who noted that they were "visibly shaken." This is an exceedingly common crash known as a left cross. The

Jun 14, 2012
Trucking companies’ ‘survival rate’ is better

BY JACK KATZANEK STAFF WRITER [email protected] Published: 13 June 2012 05:48 PM The pattern for trucking companies that are struggling is that they deliver those last holiday loads, limp home at the end of the year and, if they're really struggling, the fleet gets mothballed. But there has been less limping and more surviving in the first quarter of 2012, according to an industry report. It looks like it's a much better year. According to the a market research report, there were 160 trucki

Jun 14, 2012
Trucking rates up 5-15% in 2011, logistics report finds

Headline News By CCJ Staff Published June 13, 2012 Total U.S. business logistics costs in 2011 rose to $1.28 trillion, a 6.6 percent increase from the previous year and accounting for 8.5 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product, according to the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals' 23rd annual "State of Logistics Report" presented by Penske Logistics on Wednesday, June 13, at a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Advertisement The report, author

Jun 13, 2012
ATA wants FMCSA to release data used to develop CSA scoring, accountability

The Trucker News Services 6/12/2012 ARLINGTON, Va. -- For the second time in just over a week, the American Trucking Associations has demanded that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration release a document relating to the agency's monitoring and measurement system known as Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA). Tuesday, the ATA called on FMCSA to release a study of the links between violations and crash risk used to develop its methodology for assigning carriers' scores in CSA.

Jun 13, 2012
'Ice Road Truckers' talk big risks and big rewards

By Ree Hines As anyone who's ever watched a single episode of History's "Ice Road Truckers" already knows, the guys behind the big rigs are part thrill-seekers and part blue-collar businessmen. But what is it that really drives them to risk life and limb to haul their loads across frozen lakes and rivers? According to Darrell Ward, it's all about "the satisfaction of getting the load there when no one else can." For Rob "Porkchop" Mangum, the big draw is the reward of a job well done an

Jun 13, 2012
'Ice Road Truckers' talk big risks and big rewards

By Ree Hines As anyone who's ever watched a single episode of History's "Ice Road Truckers" already knows, the guys behind the big rigs are part thrill-seekers and part blue-collar businessmen. But what is it that really drives them to risk life and limb to haul their loads across frozen lakes and rivers? According to Darrell Ward, it's all about "the satisfaction of getting the load there when no one else can." For Rob "Porkchop" Mangum, the big draw is the reward of a job well done an

Jun 13, 2012
Will These Shippers Sink or Swim in 2012?

By Brendan Byrnes, The Motley Fool Posted 6:24PM 06/11/12 The following video is part of our "Motley Fool Conversations" series, in which industrials editor/analyst Brendan Byrnes and industrials editor/analyst Isaac Pino discuss topics around the investing world. In today's edition, Brendan and Isaac discuss the dry bulk shipping industry and its current dynamics. DryShips recently reported disappointing earnings, swinging to a loss, and its dry bulk segment continues to struggle. Dry bulk

Jun 12, 2012
The Middle Man Strikes Again!

by joelynch Cut out the middleman and save! Who could possibly disagree with that wisdom? Me! As a middle man, I say not all middle men are created equal. In fact, some middlemen (like me) will actually save you money. I represent a company that buys freight from Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) carriers and resells it to our clients who are shippers. Even though we are reselling a service, our new clients typically save 10-15% on their freight spending when they switch to us. Over time, they

Jun 12, 2012
Ground broken on Cargill's largest feed mill

On Friday, Cargill Agri Purina, a subsidiary of Cargill, carried out a ground breaking ceremony on the site of it's proposed new feed mill. The feed milling complex, with a total investment of $91 million USD, is to be built in the Pyeongtaek Dangjin Harbour foreign investment zone, Dangjin-gun, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea. The feed mill is forecast to be completed before May 2014, and will provide feed to the domestic livestock customers. The state of the art feed mill is to be C

Jun 12, 2012
Trucker gets 10 days in jail in 100-car I-94 pileup

FARGO – A Chicago truck driver was sentenced to 10 days in jail today after pleading guilty to causing a crash that killed a Walcott, N.D., man during a Dec. 30, 2010, pileup that resulted in nearly 100 cars becoming stranded in whiteout conditions on Interstate 94. By: Mike Nowatzki, INFORUM, DL-Online FARGO – A Chicago truck driver was sentenced to 10 days in jail today after pleading guilty to causing a crash that killed a Walcott, N.D., man during a Dec. 30, 2010, pileup that resulted in

Jun 11, 2012
FMCSA Shuts Down Wisconsin Trucker

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jun 11, 2012 2:30PM GMT The Journal of Commerce Online - News Story Small carrier failed to comply with driver safety rules, state out-of-service orders Federal regulators shut down Wisconsin trucker WTSA US Express, the seventh motor carrier ordered off the road for safety violations in recent months. The Racine-based carrier could be charged $16,000 a day if it ignores the out-of-service order the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued Frid

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