DOT shuts down another driver after fatal accident
In the second imminent hazard out-of-service order issued to a driver this month, the Department of Transportation s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has shut down South Carolina-based trucker Arnold Bradford Williams after he was charged with reckless homicide and possessing an open alcohol beverage container.
The charges follow an arrest made after Williams crashed his truck and trailer on I-526 into four stopped vehicles. One person was killed and three were injured.
The imminent hazard order was issued based on the violations of federal regulations that prohibit drivers of trucks to operate under vehicles under the influence of alcohol.
Second Victoria Container Port Gets Funding Green Light …
Plans to develop a second container port in the State of Victoria have received a major boost with confirmation that funding for key preliminary work1 will be provided by the Victorian government.
Port of Hastings
While the total cost of the Port of Hastings development project is estimated to cost several billion dollars, the government has committed $110 million over the next four years to finance a number of essential preliminary project aspects, including transportation planning, design work, and the cost of satisfying the environmental approvals process.
The ambitious plans for the Port of Hastings will eventually see the completion of a container port with a capacity of up to 9 million containers, which would represent twice the current capacity of the Port of Melbourne though Melbourne itself is undergoing a $1.6 billion expansion project.
Announcing the funding, Victorian Premier Denis Napthine2 stated that container trade in Victoria was expected to quadruple by 2035 making the development of Port of Hastings a vital move in the economic future of the state.
Decisive action is being taken to build a second Victorian container port and ensure this state remains the freight and logistics capital of Australia, he said.
Port of Melbourne
Melbourne s own container trade was worth more than $82 billion last year, and with growth of between 5% and 6% annually, the need to expand the capacity of the city and state s container facilities has become acute.
Victoria Ports Minister David Hodgett said the multi-billion dollar development was an essential part of meeting the trade demands of the future.
Without investing to meet future demand, the State will reach capacity by the mid 2020s, even with the benefit of current expansion projects, Mr Hodgett said.
The Port of Hastings is a critical project for Victoria and the Napthine Government is getting on with delivering the vital infrastructure our State needs.
The State Government, which has also confirmed it will seek private investment to help fund the remaining stages of the project, stated that the announced funding package will finance:
- completion of preferred scope
- design work
- transport connection planning
- preliminary work to support environmental approvals processes
- business case development
- procurement and delivery strategies
The need for more significant port facilities at Hastings was foreseen almost 60 years ago, when the Bolte Government of the 1960s set aside a total of 4,000 hectares of land to facilitate future port expansion, and some of this land will now be utilized.
With this land and Hastings status as a naturally deep port, there is no doubt that this is the best option for development to meet our growing freight needs, Premier Napthine said.
According to the Port of Hastings Development Authority3, which was set up in 2012, the ultimate goal is to create a world-class, competitive port by 2060.
References
- ^ confirmation that funding for key preliminary work (www.supplychainreview.com.au)
- ^ Victorian Premier Denis Napthine (www.dredgingtoday.com)
- ^ Port of Hastings Development Authority (www.portofhastings.com)
Freight Thefts Continue as US Road Haulage Operators Get Extra …
(Handy Shipping Guide)
Gold Vanishes in Air Cargo Heist Whilst Technology Aids Enforcement
With another massive air cargo crime this week comes good news for road haulage freight truck operators as Heavy Vehicle Electronic License Plate Inc (Help), a not-for-profit public-private partnership dedicated to advancing the safety and efficiency of the transportation industry, has announced that it is to bolster its support of stolen cargo recovery efforts by delivering CargoNet theft alerts through the Automated Vehicle Identification (AVI) system, PrePass.
Firstly the story of a scheduled American Airlines flight from Guayaquil, Equador into Miami, Florida. The plane was disembarked in the early hours on Tuesday and five cargo handlers unloaded the freight carried aboard. Amongst the items was a single box containing $625,000 worth of gold. Closed circuit TV has the freight moved to the far side of the aircraft and shortly after shows a cargo tug passing the area, stopping and proceeding out of shot. The tug was found later several gates away and sworn statements from the staff on the tarmac state none know who was driving and, with the gold still missing, the FBI is appealing for information. Read more here1.
References
Celadon Trucking Services Announces the Acquisition of Hyndman …
Celadon Trucking Services, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Celadon Group, Inc. (NYSE: CGI1), announced today that it has agreed to acquire Hyndman Transport Limited, based in Wroxeter, Ontario. Hyndman operates approximately 175 tractors and generated approximately $48 million in revenue in 2012, comprised of both domestic Canadian shipments and international shipments between Canada and the United States. Additional terms and conditions of the transaction were not disclosed.
With this acquisition, Celadon will further expand its presence in Canada and continue to grow its international footprint. Celadon will be maintaining the 21 acre Hyndman terminal and facility in Wroxeter, ON, while continuing to operate its Celadon Canada operation in Kitchener, ON. In addition, Mike Campbell, Hyndman president, and Jeff Sippel, Hyndman CFO, will remain with Celadon and continue to manage this business under the direction and guidance of Celadon’s corporate team and long term strategies.
Hyndman has been a well-respected Canadian truckload carrier that has provided a high level of dry van freight services for its customers since 1937, stated Paul Will, president and CEO, Celadon Trucking. We believe this acquisition offers solid potential to expand our domestic Canada footprint and advance our overall growth plans by delivering growth in our dry van, cross border transportation service offering. We’re excited to work with Mike Campbell and Jeff Sippel, who will continue to help manage and service existing Hyndman business. We look forward to continuing to provide the quality service that the Hyndman core account base has come to expect. Based on previous acquisitions, we believe we can actually enhance that service through upgraded equipment, advanced technology, additional assets available for dispatch, and an industry leading safety record.
(c) 2013 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
References
Research IDs Ways to Engage Youth in Trucking Careers|Desi …
New research offers clear insight into the way youth view Canada s trucking industry, and identifies the features of successful programs which could attract the industry s next generation of employees, Trucking HR Canada has announced.
Today s Youth, Tomorrow s Drivers: Attracting Canada s Youth to Opportunities in Trucking was based on the results of extensive focus groups, site visits, online surveys and interviews with high school students and educators alike. Its release follows a recent Conference Board of Canada report1 which projects a shortage of between 25,000 and 33,000 drivers by 2020, due in part to an aging workforce that is approaching retirement.
The researchers behind Today s Youth, Tomorrow s Drivers found that Canada s youth have a relatively positive view of the trucking industry, and are attracted by many of the benefits offered by industry careers, says Tamara Miller, Trucking HR Canada s director programs and services. This data can be used to refine messages which target youth. A related analysis of school-to-work programs can also be used to guide initiatives that will build bridges between the school system and careers in trucking.
Key recommendations in the report call for:
marketing materials and branding elements which specifically target youth.
identifying or creating entry-level career paths into driving occupations. Appropriate jobs for youth aged 19 to 25 must be made available, researchers concluded. Introduce them to driving occupations, and start to build their relevant skills as early as possible.
new industry-education partnerships. Schools with existing vocational programs already have an infrastructure in place, interested student populations, and experienced educators and liaison staff, researchers said.
using up-to-date National Occupational Standards, reviewing the opportunity for high-schools and colleges to develop national driving-related curriculum. One potential opportunity involves Ontario s Specialist High Skills Major Program.
Based on the findings, Trucking HR Canada is pursuing potential national initiatives that will effectively attract youth to careers in trucking.
While today s youth are concerned about the prospect of long periods away from home, long hours, working conditions and perceived safety risks in the trucking industry, they are interested in the promise of travel, independence, challenging work, and steady employment opportunities, researchers found. Educators admitted to being concerned about the extended time from home and perceived safety risks but they also recognized that the industry has an ongoing need for labour.
There are barriers to overcome. Today s youth are less passionate about cars and driving than previous generations, and less likely to have their driver s licence. Many youth are expected to be relatively inexperienced drivers into their early 20s. Restrictions relating to the minimum driving age require entry-level careers that still appeal to the search for autonomy, independence, and challenging work for those between the ages of 19 and 25, researchers concluded.
Participating educators also cited concerns about low pay within the industry, adding support to a key recommendation by the Canadian Trucking Alliance s Blue Ribbon Task Force on the Driver Shortage in Trucking, which stated that the industry s compensation packages need to be competitive with or better than alternative employment options.
Meanwhile, Today s Youth, Tomorrow s Drivers offers case studies that explore already-successful school-to-work programs such as the Bramalea Secondary School Truck and Coach Program, Manitoba s Entry Level Professional Truck Driver Training Program, and SAIT Polytechnic s School of Transportation. Other studied programs serve industries as diverse as aerospace and construction.
For example, the Bramalea Secondary School program offered in partnership with Centennial College and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) has students completing their secondary school diplomas while taking courses which focus on various aspects of the transportation industry. Classes take place in a $2-million facility with a pair of drive-through tractor-trailer bays, classroom labs and an open lab work area. Hands-on learning at the facility is strengthened through coop programs, job shadowing, field trips and excursions, all under the guidance of a vice-principal who once operated a trucking company.
For a complete copy of Today s Youth, Tomorrow s Drivers: Attracting Canada s Youth to Opportunities in Trucking, visit the Trucking HR Canada online store2.
References
- ^ Conference Board of Canada report (www.drivershortage.ca)
- ^ Trucking HR Canada online store (www.truckinghr.com)
Man Dies After Motorcycle, Truck Collide
WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — A 25-year-old man was killed on Tuesday morning after his motorcycle collided with a truck.
The Warwick Police Department responded to the scene on Main Avenue just before 9 a.m. The operator of the motorcycle was transported to Rhode Island Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
The diver of the truck, Sal Biscardi of Warwick, was not injured.
The initial investigation showed that the motorcycle was traveling on Main Avenue and the truck was leaving the Shell Gas station when the crash happened.
The was no passenger on the motorcycle, and police believe the operator of the motorcycle was not wearing a helmet.
Investigators interviewed the truck driver as well as some witnesses. Police say at this time they do not believe that speed or alcohol were a factor in the crash.
Police are not releasing the identity of the victim until the family has been notified.
Any person with information about the crash is asked to contact the Warwick Police Department Traffic Division at (401)468-4343.
FMCSA Waives Trucking HOS Rules for Oklahoma Tornado Relief …
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has temporarily waived truck driver hours-of-service rules for drivers who are helping recovery efforts from the major tornado that hit near Oklahoma City on Monday1.
FMCSA said Tuesday it was waiving a number of trucking rules, including hours-of-service, as a result of interruptions in the availability and/or delivery and repair of services and property throughout the region, to include the state of Oklahoma, and a need for emergency transportation of medical supplies and personnel, food, fuel and other emergency relief.
The waiver only applies to emergency relief operations and will expire when the situation is no longer an emergency, or on June 5, whichever is sooner, the agency said.
Federal law allows FMCSA or state governors to waive HOS rules for a variety of emergency situations.
References
Calculated Risk: ATA Trucking Index decreases slightly in April
by Bill McBride on 5/21/2013 12:39:00 PM
This is a minor indicator that I follow.
From ATA: ATA Truck Tonnage Index Fell 0.2% in April
1
The American Trucking Associations advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index fell 0.2% in April after rising 0.9% in March. (The 0.9% gain in March was unchanged from what ATA reported on April 23, 2013.) In April, the SA index equaled 123.2 (2000=100) versus 123.5 in March. The highest level on record was December 2011 at 124.3. Compared with April 2012, the SA index was up 4.3%, which is the largest year-over-year gain since January of this year (4.7%). Year-to-date, compared with the same period in 2012, the tonnage index is up 4%.
The slight drop in tonnage during April fit with trends from other industries that drive a significant amount of truck freight, such as manufacturing and housing, ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said, noting that in April, compared with the previous month, factory output slipped 0.4% while housing starts plunged 16.5%.
After rising significantly late last year and in January of this year, truck tonnage has been bouncing around a narrow, but elevated band over the last three months. he said. It is also worth noting that the year-over-year comparisons are much better than expected just a few months ago and I m hearing good comments about freight so far in May.
emphasis added
Note from ATA:
Trucking serves as a barometer of the U.S. economy, representing 67% of tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and retail goods. Trucks hauled 9.2 billion tons of freight in 2011. Motor carriers collected $603.9 billion, or 80.9% of total revenue earned by all transport modes. 
Click on graph for larger image.
Here is a long term graph that shows ATA’s For-Hire Truck Tonnage index.
The dashed line is the current level of the index.
The index is fairly noisy, but is up solidly year-over-year.
References
- ^ ATA Truck Tonnage Index Fell 0.2% in April (www.truckline.com)
EnerMotion: Hot Savings for the trucking industry
By Jennifer Stoneburgh @ MaRS
May 21, 2013
After a recent discussion with friends regarding greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation industry, I walked away realizing that we hadn t ventured past personal vehicles.
We had covered some interesting topics: the fuel efficiency of different vehicle models, hybrid-electric versus electric vehicles and, of course, alternative methods of transportation, namely walking, biking and public transit. But we hadn t talked about the trucking industry at all! Which left out a significant portion of the fossil fuel-consuming, greenhouse gas-emitting transportation sector from our discussion.
In Canada alone, trucking represents a $65-billion industry, employing over 260,000 drivers. In 2006, heavy trucks accounted for 21.8 billion kilometres of transportation in Canada and medium-sized trucks accumulated an additional 7.4 billion kilometres (Canadian Trucking Alliance1).
To put that in perspective, that s about 730,000 trips around the Earth or 97 round trips to the sun. All of this accumulated mileage requires fuel lots of fuel. However, fuel requirements, primarily diesel, include not just the amount of fuel needed to move the transport vehicle from location to location, but also the energy required to run the HVAC and auxiliary power systems that are necessary to maintain the vehicle s cabin environment.
EnerMotion2, an Ontario-based startup and MaRS client, has developed a method of capturing waste exhaust heat from a vehicle and converting it into useful, practical and efficient energy. EnerMotion s Hybrid Power & Energy Recovery (HYPER) storage system is an innovative mobile waste heat recovery and energy storage system with potentially huge implications in transportation applications.
Market-changing technology
The goal of the HYPER system is to reduce operating expenses for the trucking industry while meeting anti-idling laws. The system improves the overall efficiency with the vehicle both in motion and at rest. Additionally, the HYPER system is an environmentally friendly solution that has the potential of removing thousands of kilotonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year. In fact, the carbon dioxide reduction for a long-haul truck with a sleeper cab adopting the HYPER unit is estimated at 92 cubic metres (32.5 tonnes) per year, with an average truck in Canada and the United States realizing 55 cubic metres (19.5 tonnes) per year. The corresponding figure for the entire North American truck fleet would be 48,900 kilotonnes per year!
How does it work?
Waste heat from the truck s engine, in the form of exhaust, is captured and used to drive a refrigeration cycle similar to the process used in your fridge at home. The HYPER system is able to generate cold and hot thermal conditions with the same unit, providing a complete HVAC system for the truck s cabin and sleeper without consuming any extra fuel. Further, the HYPER unit has the ability to store thermal conditions to provide HVAC capabilities for various haul routes in a variety of environmental conditions and climates while the vehicle is at rest, thereby eliminating idling of the main engine or the use of diesel auxiliary power units. The technology offers significant operational cost savings and lowers greenhouse gas emissions.
EnerMotion is currently conducting road trials of their HYPER system on their own heavy-duty truck. They most recently returned from Florida, where the trials yielded very positive results. The company will be expanding field trials with customers in the coming months as traction increases all across North America.
And the award goes to
EnerMotion s HYPER system was recently chosen among thousands of submissions to receive a 2013 Invention Award from one of science s most widely read magazines, Popular Science3, which has more than seven million readers. The magazine s May 2013 issue announced the winners of the 2013 Innovation Awards, giving EnerMotion top honours in the energy category with the award for Hot Savings4.
Raising capital
In a recent Meet the Entrepreneurs panel5 at MaRS, Jack MacDonnell, CEO of EnerMotion, talked about the difficulty of raising capital and emphasized the need to maximize use of government funding programs. Jack and his team have made full use of Canada s funding programs, which have allowed them to finance the development of HYPER.
Thus far, EnerMotion has received financial support from:
EnerMotion has also secured partnerships with strategic players who are helping the company to de-risk its technology and build out customer traction. You can see a list of EnerMotion s partners on their website6.
Advice for entrepreneurs
I sat down with Jack to discuss his business and to get some advice for up-and-coming entrepreneurs.
You ve been extremely successful in securing non-dilutive government funding. How important has this been to growing EnerMotion?
Our government funding has really helped us leverage private capital and achieve progress from one year to the next. It s a tough grind raising capital in North America, either from private investors, venture capital firms or investment banks. Having financial support from the government provides tangible differentiators between you and the next guy and there are lots of other startups out there all vying for the same capital. In my humble view, Canada has one of the most accessible and rewarding funding infrastructures in place anywhere in the world, and if you re not capitalizing on it for your own venture, you and your company are missing out.
What inspired you to tackle fuel efficiencies in the energy sector?
My team and I have been focused on energy efficiency since Day 1 of EnerMotion s existence. We realized that changing infrastructure overnight was unrealistic, but that the world needed an answer to fossil fuel consumption and harmful greenhouse gas emissions now. This is what motivated us to develop the HYPER technology, because tangible benefits are the outcome of improving energy efficiency especially in the heavy-duty transportation segment.
What is the return on investment for your technology? What s the payback period?
Industry average with existing technologies (i.e., idling primary engines or utilizing fuel-powered auxiliary power units) is approximately three-and-a-half years, according to research company Frost & Sullivan. Our HYPER technology offers payback significantly less than one year for line haul drive cycles. Additionally, our HYPER unit functions while the vehicle is in motion, unlike any other commercial system, so there is additional payback associated with the elimination of the A/C compressor being driven off the engine.
There are several exemptions to many anti-idle laws that I see your company being able to address. Do you think systems like yours will become mandatory on idling vehicles in the future?7
Legislation in the United States and Europe is already driving adoption of anti-idle technologies. Canada, Australia, India, China and other countries are not far behind in adopting and enforcing similar legislations. Other transportation sectors are adopting energy-efficient technologies that also contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases. In addition to all of the vehicles on the road or off road, HYPER technology is being considered by original equipment manufacturers because of its compelling value proposition for their own customers. Mandatory adoption will be driven by clean air legislation and by the market demanding energy efficient products on a global scale.
Tags: cleantech8, transportation9, trucking10
References
- ^ Canadian Trucking Alliance (www.cantruck.ca)
- ^ EnerMotion (www.enermotion.com)
- ^ Popular Science (www.popsci.com)
- ^ Hot Savings (www.popsci.com)
- ^ Meet the Entrepreneurs panel (www.marsdd.com)
- ^ website (www.enermotion.com)
- ^ exemptions (oee.nrcan.gc.ca)
- ^ cleantech (www.marsdd.com)
- ^ transportation (www.marsdd.com)
- ^ trucking (www.marsdd.com)
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