Archive for the ‘Freight Industry News’ Category

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Trucking Transport Hybrids Tested in Los Angeles

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

American trucking service professionals are currently conducting an experiment in Los Angeles, California that’s designed to test the tailpipe emissions from the latest hybrid trucking service transports from Azure Dynamics against the emissions from a baseline diesel transport vehicle. The experiment in Los Angeles has been evaluating six Azure Dynamics Balance Hybrid trucks, three gasoline hybrid electric vehicles and three diesel trucking transport units, on transport routes in the Sacramento and Los Angeles regions to see what the tailpipe emissions from these new gasoline hybrid transport vehicles is like in comparison to a baseline diesel transport.

What did the interm report by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) say about the results from the test, so far? The first reports indicate that tailpipe emissions from the gasoline hybrids were quite a bit lower across all tested drive cycles than the emissions that were coming out of the diesel hybrid transports. The report also indicated that fuel economy was similar for both the diesel and gasoline versions, expect for the highest kinetic intensity drive cycle where the hybrid exhibited around 20 percent higher fuel economy than the diesel units.

This experiment will certainly be something of interest for trailer trucking service professionals of the world that will definitely want to take a look at the results from this experiment in Los Angeles. The use of hybrid transport vehicles is only going to grow in America in the years ahead for the freight trucking industry and we need to conduct more experiments like the one being conducted in Los Angeles in the years ahead in the century of the environment, if we are to take the freight transport industry down the road to zero-emissions and sustainability.

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Totally-Automated Trucking Transport?

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

Is it possible that one day we could see all driving functions on a trailer trucking unit taking a trucking load to destination totally automated? This day does appear to be getting closer every day and while many in the freight carrier industry think that we’ll always have on-board human help during transport. The day when the driving will be done by automated systems does appear to be coming closer and closer as we look down the road to the future of the trucking services industry of America and the world in the century of the environment.

The newest natigational aid for trucking transport drivers, the ECO2 navigation system from Bosch provides drivers with pioneering route calculation ability implementing the latest communication options networked with the truck as well as truck-specific consumption curves and characteristics to optimize the operation of the transport for lower fuel consumption during freight trucking operations. This navigation system also takes into account elements and parameters that are significant in terms of ecology and the economy of trucking freight in North America.

What kind of elements and parameters are we referring to? Map-based parameters like the classification of the road you’re transporting on, the towns and villages that you’ll be traveling through during your trip and the number of intersections along the route. Vehicle-specific parameters have also been calculated into the navigation system, like engine size, the transmission, the air resistance values of the vehicle, along with any roof loads or trailers that are being towed. Driver-specific characteristics have also been calculated into this navigation system, like the driving style, which can have a significant effect on the fuel efficiency of a trip if the driver generally accelerates and brakes a lot during transport. The system can even help the driver learn to drive at recommended speeds and drive defensively by looking ahead to anticipate traffic conditions and other helpful features.

This navigation system does go the extra mile as it can help you balance the energy required on different routes and sections of routes as all the streets and roads with the same characteristics in the routing area in question are divided into individual sections for easy use. The transition points between the different sections of the route are marked by nodes, like a change in road classification, an intersection and the entry and exit ramps, which are likely to require more fuel consumption due to accelerating and braking requirements or potential waiting time requiring fuel-consuming starting and stopping.

The ECO2 isn’t ready for prime time just yet, but they do expect to have this navigation system ready to go into production in the summer of 2010, so we should see this system integrated into transport trucking units sometime after the summer.

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Trucking Services & California’s TRU Regulations

Monday, June 14th, 2010

Trucking transport professionals operating in California will continue to be subject to California’s Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) regulations after the most recent petition to have the rules reconsidered by the American Trucking Associations was denied by the United States District Court. The regulations in question and dispute first came into effect in February 2004 and require that trailer trucking units with tranport refrigeration units and operating in California have their engines retrofitted or replaced if they’re diesel engines and older than seven years.

The American Trucking Association has been fighting this regulation for awhile and it appears that their efforts are about to be totally frutless after significant investment of energy, time and money. The American Trucking Association has indicated that this is the end of the litigation in this case, unless it gets the United States Supreme Court review that it’s hoping for. The chances of this could be slim or none though and if this happens it would probably surprise a lot of legal eagles in the freight trucking industry.

What is the problem that the American Trucking Industry has with the regulations in question? The association claims that a lot of freight carriers trucks operate and travel through California and they’ll all be subject to these regulations. The implications for trucking services firms that need to conduct business in California or travel through California could be significant. This of course is going to depend on each trucking fleet in question and the age of the individual units in the fleet and it’s certainly going to vary among the freight trucking firms that operate in California.

This certainly isn’t the last we have heard in this affair and the complaints will keep coming, but it appears at least for the time being the regulations in question will still be in effect in California.

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Trucking Service Firm Recruiting Immigrant Drivers

Friday, June 11th, 2010

Canadian freight carriers thinking about recruiting drivers from outside Canada in order to supplement their driver pool might want to take a look at the problems this has created for one Canadian freight carrier in Cornwall, Prince Edward Island. Reports from media sources indicate that the operations manager of the freight carrier in question recently pleaded guilty in provincial court to charges under the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. According to reports the manager in question had originally signed contracts with immigrant drivers promising to cover their flights to and from Canada, but decided to not follow through when he thought the drivers weren’t going to leave before their contracts were over.

According to sources around the freight trucking industry the Canadian Border Services Agency began investing the freight carrier in question back in March 2008 after discovering that the firm had failed to follow through with its agreements with several immigrant drivers. The charges weren’t laid against the individuals involved in this case until September 2009, according to sources.

You can bet this story has certainly made the bosses at freight carriers around North America stand up and take notice and it certainly has apparently changed the fortunes of the firm in question according to the latest reports from the company. The company was apparently in court the other day complaining that the bad press over this affair was costing the company money and they asked for an absolute discharge in order for the firms reputation to be cleared of any black marks.

The judge in this case has apparently decided to reserve her decision on the company’s request for an absolute discharge, but suggested the company might make a donation that benefits the public. That the company in question going out of business would not serve the interests of any involved in this case, but there has to be some consequences for the company in this affair.

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Harmonizing North America’s Trucking Services

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

The trailer trucking industry of North America is essentially a single entity in many ways since many trucking transport firms operate in both Canada and the United States in an efficient and reliable manner. This harmonization of business between Canada and the United States for trucking services firms is a feat that requires the support of both the Canadian and American governments though. Mexico is certainly part of this harmonization of North America’s trucking industry, but at present the trucking industry of Mexico needs to travel futher down the road to harmonization, before it will reach the level of cooperation that exists between Canada and the United States.

Earlier in 2010 the United States government announced that light trucks manufactured between the years 2012 and 2016 would have to get in line with new fuel efficiency regulations and would be expected to reach a 40 percent improvement in fuel efficiency. The United States government also announced last week that America would be moving the trucking transport industry of America down the road to getting the industry in line with national mileage and emissions standards in the near future. The United States Department of Transportation and Environmental Protection Agency will begin working together on specific fuel efficiency benchmarks for medium and heavy-duty trucks manufactured between the years 2014 – 2018 in the future that could see much stricter and tougher standards implemented in the years agead.

At the time of this announcement Canada’s Environment Minister Jim Prentice had commented that Canada would be moving down the road towards harmonizing the national mileage and emissions standards of Canada’s passenger vehicles and the trucking industry with similar rules in place in the United States.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance has answered this announcement with comments that they would look forward to working with the Canadian government on developing feasible and usable fuel efficiency standards for Canada’s trucking industry. The alliance thinks that the government needs to ask for and use the input of the professionals that transport the freight on the highways of North America every day during the development process. Otherwise, there could be a few problems created for the trailer trucking industry of North America that will only cause additional problems in their business operations and costs down the road.

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Trucking Transport Drivers Using Energy-Drinks?

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Trucking transport drivers operating on the roads of North America that have gotten use to ingesting so-called energy drinks in order to fight drowsiness might want to rethink this strategy. Older owner operator trucking professionals in decades past certainly were guilty of using coffee as a stimulant to try to fight drowsiness, but there are reports coming in of a new generation of trailer trucking drivers on the roads of North America that could be implementing so-called energy drinks more and more in order to combat fatigue.

There’s a growing belief in some sectors of the freight carrier industry and scientific world though that so-called energy drinks could be a load-gun of sorts for drivers who decide to skip a few hours of sleep in favour of a stimulating drink. This could mean that there could be a growing problem with the use of so-called energy drinks by transport drivers that we need to be aware of and researchers and scientists are preparing studies to see if they can find out the facts concerning the use of so-called energy drinks.

Researchers at the John Hopkins University of School of Medicine are currently calling for eye-catching labeling for energy drinks listing caffeine doses and warning of potential risks for users. They are also calling for doctors and other professionals to become informed about the symtoms that can be associated with the use of so-called energy drinks, like nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, upset stomach, tremors, tachardia (rapid heart beat) and agitation.

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Owner Operator Trucking, EOBR & CSA 2010, PeopleNet wants to help you!

Friday, June 4th, 2010

Owner operator trucking professionals who are getting a little nervous about the upcoming implementation of CSA 2010 and EOBR (electronic onboard recorder) regulations should take a look at two new service offerings from PeopleNet. PeopleNet has created two new services they expect to have a positive impact on a freight carriers CSA 2010 score. In fact, they are so confident they even offer a no-cost guarantee for trucking services that sign up.

The CSA 2010 is designed to assess carriers and drivers most recent 24 months of driving history and crash data using the new Safety Measurement System (SMS). Using this data they hope to identify problems with unsafe driver behaviour before it becomes a serious problem and reducing the number of accidents, fatalities and injuries related to the trailer trucking industry.

PeopleNet’s EOBR is in line with current safety regulations and will continue to be in compliant with the recent FMCSA ruling 395.16. A low-cost fleet management system with eDriver Logs that allows fleets to electronically monitor drivers hours of service and stay in compliance with the hours-of-service regulations in force.
PeopleNet’s CSA 2010 service bundle is a little more involved and covers the full range of safety features that help transport trucking professionals when they’re on the road. On board event recording of all of the important information; engine-fault-code monitoring, speed alarms and more with Speedgauge; and onsite help by PeopleNet Professional Services to make sure customers are ready for CSA 2010 by helping them understand the technology and how to implement it to assess, measure and impact trucking safety performance.

There could be some heavy fines on the horizon for trucking firms and owner operator trucking professionals that aren’t ready for EOBR and CSA 2010, if sources and the FMCSA are correct? Current estimates around the freight trucking industry indicate that freight carriers will be up to 8.5 times more likely to end up paying more than normal and being told by the FMCSA what they need to do to get in line with the new regulations.

What violations are the ones most cited by the FMCSA? According to sources five of the top 10 most frequently cited violations in 2009 were related to hours-of-service violations, so you might want to make sure your paper work is in order and correct?

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A niche freight industry grows

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

The LNG freight carrier sector has huge ships that carry massive loads of volatile gases to destinations around the world. The industry employs smaller LNG carriers that like some smaller vessels in other ocean freight shipping industry sectors often work in a specialized niche industry within the larger LNG freight carrier industry. Smaller LNG carriers have in fact been transporting gases to destination for around 17 years, but the sector is currently going through a few growing pains of late as orders for smaller LNG carriers have grown. This sudden growth has created the belief in some freight industry professionals that business for smaller LNG carriers could be about to explode as the freight carrier industry travels farther into the century of the environment.

What’s driving the sudden growth in demand for smaller LNG carriers? It use to be that demand for coastal transport of LNG was contined to Japan for the most part. Lately though players in Northwest Europe, specifically the Baltic and Scandinavian regions of Europe, have been servicing isolated customers without access to other ways of transporting LNG. The 1,100-cbm Pioneer Knutsen is one smaller LNG carrier currently at work servicing a number of smaller terminals in these regions along the Norweigan coast, according to freight industry sources. Small LNG carriers like the Pioneer Knutsen also operate on low-sulphur fuels in these regions which have Emission Control Areas (ECAs) in place similar to recently proposed Emission Control Areas for Canada and North America. In addition, some of the newest small LNG carriers like the 7.500-cbm Coral Methane can actually use LNG as a fuel source, which reduces carbon emissions by about 20 percent and particle and nitrogen-oxides by close to 100 percent and 85 percent respectively.

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Ocean Freight Carriers Transporting Gases

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010

One Houston-based freight carrier of gases that we could see doing a lot of business with energy projects around the world is Excelerate Energy. Reports around the freight carrier industry indicate this firm has been growing steadily in the seven years since its it first entered the business of transporting bulk gases to destinations around the world. Reports indicate that at present Excelerate Energy has eight specialized “Energy Bridge” or LNG regasification vessels (LNGRVs) at work transporting bulk gases. Excelerate Energy has also apparently had a pretty good winter season, with gas volumes up and two of their LNGRVs reported as having started work in Kuwait and Argentina recently.

Near the end of March Excelerate Energy announced a trade deal with Argentinian utility firm Enarsa. The company has also stepped up its purchase of vessels by buying out the stake partner Exmar had in two new vessels that are set to be delivered later in 2010. Reports indicate that at present the partnership between Exmar and Excelerate Energy has 8 LNG regasification vessels and 1 conventional LNG carrier. Versatile vessels that have proven to be flexible, efficient and reliable, and we could see these vessels competing for more and more business in the future.

Excelerate Energy has a head start of around two years in the transport of gases and this could give them an advantage that could be difficult to match for freight carriers just starting in the LNGRV business. New firms just getting into this business could we a little overly optimistic thinking they can compete right away. There’s a lot of different aspects that go into building and operating floating facilities such as LNGRVs and Excelerate Energy has already done the ground work and the job before.

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Freight Carrier’s LNGs Deliver the Gases to Market

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

The international freight carrier fleet of LNG carriers work in the business of transporting gases to destinations around the world. The world’s gas carrier fleet works in a rather specialized sector of the worldwide freight carrier industry delivering bulk gases used in business and industry to destination from projects around the world.

The LNG carrier sector has been keeping a low profile during the recent rough financial seas for the worldwide freight shipping industry. The current financial sheets of the world’s LNG carrier operators reflects the competitive environment on the world’s trade routes for LNG carriers, but fortunately the essential nature of the transport of gases means the transport of gases has continued to grow despite the rocky financial seas for the freight shipping industry during recent times.

Expectations for future growth in LNG carrier demand is high as new opportunities in this sector have attracted new players to the industry of late. Re-gasification projects abound and more can be seen on the horizon of this sector of the freight carrier industry and in addition existing projects around the world have been looking at the possibility of implementing freight shipping vessels to help them transport gases in the future. Floating re-gasification projects are becoming more popular and ship based solutions to problems with transporting gases have been shown to be often both feasible and cheaper to implement. Older LNG carriers are also being refitted and reborn as floating storage and re-gasification units as new LNG carriers have arrived to replace them and they needed to find a new use for these older vessels. At present reports have Kuwait, Brazil, and Argentina with working floating re-gasification units on site and Dubai is preparing to take delivery of a converted LNG carrier that will act as a floating storage and re-gasification unit in the near future.

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