Archive for November, 2012

The Truckload Carriers Association’s latest Truckload Academy offering is an online certificate program for fleet and driver managers.

In the coming days, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will unveil version 3.0 of its Safety Measurement System under the Compliance, Safety, Accountability program, and the changes will mean increased scrutiny of hazmat compliance, even for companies not considered hazmat carriers.

It was almost standing room only at the American Trucking Associations Natural Gas Summit. The long-term cost savings associated with using natural gas in heavy trucks is attracting a lot of attention.

The 2013 Mid-West Truck & Trailer Show will be held Feb. 1-2 at the Peoria Civic Center in Peoria, Ill.

A strike by clerical workers at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach has already diverted several container ships to other ports, and the National Retail Federation has asked President Obama to take action.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 63 Office Clerical Unit has established pickets outside terminals at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Fontaine Modification is reopening its truck modification center in Springfield, Ohio, to provide post-production modifications on Navistar on-highway and vocational trucks for dealers and fleets.

Smith Electric Vehicles announced that it will open an electric vehicle manufacturing facility in Chicago, after Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a voucher system created to accelerate the conversion from diesel to all-electric commercial vehicles.

Daimler Trucks North America is celebrating the production anniversary of its plant in Saltillo, Mexico, with the 100,000th Freightliner Cascadia to roll off the floor.

M. Jeffrey Spence has been named vice president of national accounts for NationaLease, a North American full-service truck leasing organization.

When badly corroded upper coupler assembly on a tank trailer cause a roll-over recently, Elvin Knollman began thinking of ways to prevent that insidious and almost invisible damage.

The Reason Foundation, an American libertarian research organization, released a study saying it costs more to collect fuel taxes than is generally believed, and that thanks to new electronic tolling systems, collecting tolls costs less than is thought.

Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement partners, Canada and Mexico, was 0.1% lower in September 2012 than in September 2011.

Miami-Dade County in south Florida has placed a follow-on order for 29 Autocar E3 refuse trucks featuring Parker Hannifin’s fuel-saving RunWise hydraulic hybrid technology.

The American Petroleum Institute, which represents the petroleum industry, is suing the Environmental Protection Agency, challenging its mandate for the use of 1.28 billion gallons of biodiesel in 2013, a 28% increase from the 2012 requirement.

Pilot Flying J is offering a new dining experience for its customers with dedicated breakfast and hot soup bars. The new breakfast bar features home-style choices such as biscuits and sausage gravy and southwest egg scramble.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration declared Illinois-based C&D Transportation Inc. an imminent hazard to public safety and ordered the interstate motor carrier to immediately shut down its operations, after numerous violations involving drivers without CDLs, drivers who couldn’t speak English, hours of service and other serious incidents.

You don’t have to go far to find a fleet having trouble with engines, spelling opportunities for aftermarket parts and service.

In its 2012 U.S. Heavy-Duty Truck Engine and Transmission Study, J.D. Power and Associates found 46% of owners of one-model-year-old engines experienced some type of engine-related problem, up from 42% in 2011.

Aftermarket truck and trailer parts distributor FleetPride has been sold to U.S.-based TPG Capital, one of the largest private equity investment firms globally, for more than $1 billion.

With a hard market on the way for the insurance industry, it’s more important now than ever to shore up your safety program (although developing a safety culture should always be a focus, no matter what the market conditions.)

The City of Chicago has ordered 20 heavy duty electric-powered trash trucks that will be the first in the nation, according to one of the companies that won the official bid.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the commonwealth’s Department of Environmental Protection are intensifying efforts to stop trucks from bringing overweight loads to Pennsylvania landfills.

The price for a gallon of diesel once again rose above $4, with an average average 5.8-cent increase at the pump for a national average retail price of $4.03, according to the weekly fuel update from the Energy Information Administration.

Missouri is about to officially get a new Interstate designation, I-49.

When major storms and other natural disasters strike, many companies have to spring into action to restore service to their customers. AT&T is no different, and the company’s fleet was able to overcome a range of obstacles in the wake of super storm Sandy in the Northeast earlier this month.

The American Trucking Associations’ sold-out Summit on Natural Gas in Trucking will be held this week, Nov. 28-30, featuring natural gas heavyweights such as T. Boone Pickens.

Increasing fuel taxes may be a near-taboo topic on Capitol Hill, but as state legislators and governors look to 2013 budgets and highway funding, a number are considering raising state fuel taxes to pay for needed infrastructure work.

Schneider National recently expanded its tractor purchase offerings for owner-operators, fleets and wholesalers.

Superstorm Sandy helped drive tonnage figures down in October, resulting in the lowest level for the American Trucking Associations’ seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index since May 2011.

The Virginia Department of Transportation is encouraging truckers driving through Northern Virginia to prepare for the major traffic changes on the Capital Beltway due to the opening of the 495 Express Lanes.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ Board of Directors voted to approve Frederick G. “Bud” Wright to be the seventh executive director to lead the nearly 100-year-old organization.

Frost & Sullivan will host a complimentary webinar discussing how nearly one in three heavy-duty trucks will feature platform-based lineage by 2018.

Pine Bluff Truck and Trailer in Pine Bluff, Ark., marked its 50th anniversary with a customer appreciation banquet honoring customers and employees.

Kenworth of Buffalo has acquired a Kenworth dealership in the Boston area and changed the name of its expanded, five-dealer organization to the Kenworth Northeast Group.

Green Car Insurance

Drivers have a number of misconceptions about green car insurance.

For example, some drivers believe that green car insurance is only for drivers who own an electric or hybrid car.

Others believe that this type of car insurance will cost more without making a big impact on the environment.

By reviewing the top five things you didn’t know about green car insurance, you can learn more about what this type of insurance is and how it can benefit you.

1.  It Supports Environmental Causes

Green car insurance companies have a significant impact on the environment through the organizations that they fund. The Green Car Insurance Company has carefully selected major organisations to support based on their initiatives and goals, and some of these organizations that receive regular funding from the Green Car Insurance Company are the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, RSPB and others.

2.  It Funds Local Projects

Green car insurance companies also make an Eco-friendly difference at the local level. Many schools, community organizations and more have the desire to evoke change through various projects, but they also need funding. The Green Insurance Company’s Green Grants Scheme is available to provide funding for these projects.

3.  It Helps You to Reduce Your Carbon Emissions

It is estimated that the average carbon emissions of the average United Kingdom resident is about 10 tonnes per year. After having your car insurance in place for one year with The Green Insurance Company, the company will offset one tonne of your carbon emissions. This is an Eco-friendly benefit that has a direct impact on you.

4.  It Is Affordable

A portion of your car insurance premium will be used to fund these various Eco-friendly initiatives, so you may think that your premium from a green car insurance company would be inflated accordingly. However, The Green Insurance Company strives to make buying car insurance affordable, and rates are typically comparable to the rates other car insurance companies offer.

5.  It Is a Convenient Way to Make a Difference

Many residents in the United Kingdom have slowly adopted green changes in their lifestyle. For example, you may recycle regularly, and you may have made improvements to your home to promote water conservation and energy savings. Making more significant changes in your life can be difficult and time-consuming. However, you will find that buying green car insurance is a convenient, easy and affordable way to make a difference.

By learning more about green car insurance, some of your misconceptions may be cleared. Many people who compare green car insurance against the traditional option do make the decision to be Eco-friendly. Simply take time to get a quote for cover today, and you will be well on your way to buying car insurance that makes a difference in the world.

Sponsored Blog Post

© 2012, Allen Smith. All rights reserved.

Social Bookmarking

Technorati Tags: affordable, eco-friendly, green car insurance, green insurance, united kingdom

“Here we are, I’m 15 years old, my cousin is 14, we’re here at a truckstop, you know, being forced to work it, being forced to go truck to truck asking, you know, if the guys would like to have sex with us.”

The California Air Resources Board has posted Regulatory Guidance for Electric Standby and Hybrid Electric Systems for Transport Refrigeration Units.

The chief financial officers of middle-market companies surveyed by GE Capital are more positive about the current state of their industry and the economy than they were six months earlier, but many are concerned about fuel price volatility and changes in the hours of service rules.

Truckers are increasingly doing business via mobile devices, according to UShip.com’s third annual mobile usage survey. It also shows significant shifts in use of smartphone GPS navigation over traditional GPS units and a greater appetite for social media and apps via mobile.

UPS published new rates for 2013, including an average net increase of 4.9% on UPS Ground services.

The University of the Aftermarket is now registering aftermarket industry professionals for 15 online courses that will begin Jan. 14, 2013.