OSHA targets wash rack confined space entry programs

Tank truck wash racks are coming under greater scrutiny from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and confined-space tank entry seems to be the principal reason. The increased attention could be costly for many tank cleaning facilities...

Blackmer plans to exhibit at ILTA show

Blackmer will be exhibiting at the upcoming International Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA) 31st annual International Operating Conference and Trade Show in Booth 333. ...

Commercial trailer orders surge in February

Net orders of commercial trailers rose to 21,990 in February 2011, a gain of more than 25% from January. ACT Research Co also reported solid factory shipments in February, posting a 105% gain versus the same month in 2010....

NBB applauds energy independence effort

The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) has welcomed President Obama’s call for boosting production of domestic fuels and said the US biodiesel industry stands ready to help the nation achieve greater energy independence....

Volvo Trucks, UAW agree on five-year pact

Volvo Trucks North America announced that employees represented by the United Auto Workers have ratified a new five-year agreement covering about 1,300 members of UAW Local #2069 at the New River Valley VA, plant. The contract took effect March 17, 2011, and will expire March 16, 2016....

Girard will partner with Tuesday’s Children, Trans-Tech Industries at AREE Convention

Girard Equipment USA will partner with Tuesday’s Children and Trans-Tech Industries at the 2011 Atlantic Region Energy Expo (AREE) Convention. Teamed with Tuesday’s Children, Girard will be displaying its 9/11 Tribute Truck in booth T-3 sponsored by Trans-Tech....

Volvo Trucks to sell heavy hybrid vehicles

As part of the Volvo Group’s focus on hybrid vehicles, Volvo Trucks is now commencing sales of heavy hybrid trucks, under the name Volvo FE Hybrid, to selected European markets. The hybrid trucks permit fuel savings of up to 30% and will be used primarily in distribution and refuse operations in an urban environment....

Daimler Trucks expands production, hiring

Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) plans to add 628 new positions in its Mount Holly and Gastonia manufacturing plants to accommodate rising customer demand and expanding production schedules. ...

Dangerous Goods Instructor’s
Symposium set for September

Labelmaster’s sixth annual Dangerous Goods Instructor’s Symposium, set for September 28-30, 2011, is a must for trainers responsible for the instruction of dangerous goods shipping. The symposium will be held at the Peabody Hotel, located at 149 Union Avenue in Memphis TN....

Canadian Freight Index sets another record

TransCore’s Canadian Freight Index set another record for spot market freight volume with a month-over-month increase of 11%, despite February being a short month. ...

Transportation professionals recognize Don Schneider with President’s Award

When Don Schneider retired as president and chief executive officer of Schneider National in 2002, the entire transportation industry recognized the significance of the moment....

Willbros receives storage tank contracts

Willbros Group Inc announced that a unit of its Downstream Oil & Gas segment was awarded contracts by Plains Marketing LP to build three new petroleum storage tanks at its Patoka Terminal in Vernon IL. ...

Buckeye to acquire BP terminals, pipelines

Buckeye Partners LP has signed a definitive agreement with BP Products North America Inc and its affiliates to acquire 33 refined petroleum products terminals with total storage capacity exceeding 10 million barrels and about 1,000 miles of refined petroleum products pipelines, including BP’s approximately 50% interest in Inland Corporation, for a total transaction purchase price of $225 million....

Class 8 order backlog nears 100,000 units

Class 8 commercial vehicles net orders for North American markets totaled 24,300 units (not seasonally adjusted) in February 2011, down from January, but sufficiently higher than production to push the Class 8 heavy-duty backlog volume to just under 100,000 units....

Cummins Care supplies 24/7 response

Cummins Inc has launched Cummins Care, an enhanced customer assistance program providing 24/7 response. The new program is the latest addition to the operation at the new Cummins Customer Support Center in Nashville TN....

ATA Truck Tonnage Index
declines 2.9% in February

The American Trucking Associations’ advance seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index decreased 2.9% in February 2011 after increasing a revised 3.5% in January....

Clean Energy signs agreement with Dillon

Clean Energy Fuels Corporation has signed an agreement with major contract freight carrier Dillon Transport to build, operate, and supply an LNG/CNG (liquefied natural gas/compressed natural gas) fueling station on Dillon-owned property in Dallas TX....

Blackmer adds electric heating option
to NP Series 4-inch sliding vane pumps

Blackmer has upgraded the 4-inch model of its NP Series sliding vane pumps with optional electric heating. The 4-inch model joins the previously upgraded 2.5- and 3-inch models, completing the line of NP Series pumps with this option....

CVSA criticizes proposed HOS
changes as being too complex

In recently submitted comments on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on hours of service (HOS) for commercial drivers, CVSA indicated if implemented the proposed rules could have the unintended consequence of reducing overall commercial motor vehicle (CMV) and motorist safety. According to CVSA, the changes could make roadside enforcement more complex and open the door toward more drivers falsifying their records. ...

Phillips adds shut-off gladhands to line

Phillips Industries has introduced to its product line additional shut-off gladhands for double trailers. Added are two zinc die-cast surface-mount shut-off gladhands and two new bulkhead-mount ones made with composite material for increased protection against magnesium chloride, road salt, and chemicals. ...

America’s back on the road
to gridlock, study reveals

INRIX has released its fourth annual INRIX National Traffic Scorecard revealing gridlock and longer commute times returning to America’s roads. Traffic congestion increased nationwide for 11 consecutive months in 2010 with drivers experiencing increased traffic congestion nearly every hour of the day. The 150-plus-page report is available as a free download at http://inrix.com/scorecard/....

Shippers Condition Index remains in low territory

As reported in the March 2011 issue of FTR’s Shippers Update, the firm’s Shippers Condition Index (SCI) remained in low territory in February with a value of –5.2. FTR expects the index to fall further as the outlook for capacity shortages worsen in the seasonally strong spring months....

Class 8 vehicle orders affirm market vitality

undamentals that support heavy-duty commercial vehicle demand continue to signal the start of an upcycle for the market, according to ACT Research Co. Net orders for Class 8 vehicles continued to surge in January 2011, and despite a modest falloff, commercial trailer orders remained strong. Continued strong demand for equipment indicates trucking fleets are ramping up replacement of vehicles, which has largely been deferred the past two years. ...

TransCore network’s truckload freight
volume registers highest single week

Truckload freight availability on TransCore’s DAT Network of load boards increased 12% nationwide in the week ending March 5, according to TransCore Trendlines, a weekly barometer for spot market freight trends. This is the largest load volume for a single week since TransCore began reporting weekly levels in January 2008. ...

Kirby unit agrees to merge with K-Sea

Kirby Corporation has entered into an agreement with K-Sea Transportation Partners LP, pursuant to which a subsidiary of Kirby will merge with K-Sea, with K-Sea surviving the merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of Kirby. Total value of the transaction is approximately $600 million (before post-closing adjustments and fees) and will consist of cash, Kirby common stock, and the refinancing of K-Sea debt. ...