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. ...

Variety of groups pan proposed HOS rule

Reviews are in on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s proposed hours-of-service rule, and from shippers to law enforcement agencies, organizations are panning the agency’s proposal:...

PHMSA extending wetlines comment period for 30 days

PHMSA granted requests from American Trucking Assoications, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, National Tank Truck Carriers, and Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association for an extension of the wetlines comment period...

US rigid bulk packaging demand expected to hit $6.7 billion in 2015

Demand for rigid bulk packaging in the United States is projected to advance 4.3% per year to $6.7 billion in 2015. ...

Kinder Morgan announces acquisition, joint venture

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP announced an acquisition and formation of a crude oil joint venture with Deeprock Energy Resources LLC and Mercuria Energy Trading Inc in Cushing OK....

OTL-UPT presents professionalism awards

Five members of Oklahoma Tank Lines/United Petroleum Transports (OTL-UPT) were nominated for the Oklahoma Trucking Association 2010 Driver of the Year award with John Hill from Tulsa receiving the award, according to Greg Price, OTL-UPT president and chief executive officer....

Trucking Conditions Index rises in January

FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index, as reported in the March 2011 Trucking Update, rose to 9.1 in January from a December reading of 7.1....

Preliminary Class 8 net orders stay strong

A preliminary reading of heavy-duty Class 8 commercial vehicle net orders for North American markets totaled 24,300 units in February 2011, according to ACT Research Co. ...

Oiltanking acquires Panama companies

The Oiltanking Group has acquired 100% of the shares of Colon Oil and Service SA (COASSA) and Colon Port Terminal SA (CPT). These companies will be renamed Oiltanking Colon SA and will be managed and operated by Oiltanking. ...

Bipartisan group calls for abandoning
proposed hours-of-service rule changes

A bipartisan group of US congressmen and senators have called on the Obama Administration to abandon its hours-of-service proposal and retain the current, effective safety rules....

ATA urges Obama Administration
to open access to energy assets

With world events showing the importance of energy independence, the American Trucking Associations called on the Obama Administration to stop blocking access to US-held energy assets....

ATA Asks PHMSA to Block Roadside Hazmat Package Inspections

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) asked the Obama administration to prevent the opening and inspection of hazardous materials shipments along the roadside, unless it is believed the shipment poses an imminent danger or does not comply with the hazardous materials regulations...