Bulk Freight News & Industry Updates - Stay Ahead in Trucking

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) -- A judge has given a trucker a suspended sentence for driving a tractor-trailer the wrong way on Interstate 90. Missoula County District Judge Ed McLean on Wednesday sentenced Darrell Shepherd to three years in prison for a criminal endangerment conviction. McLean suspended the sentence except for the 148 days that Shepherd has already served. The Montana Highway Patrol stopped Shepherd Oct. 31 after receiving a report of a tractor-trailer traveling the wrong way on I-90

The Trucker News Services 3/29/2012 LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The Women In Trucking (WIT) Association held its third annual Salute to Women Behind the Wheel at the Mid-America Trucking Show here March 24 celebrating the accomplishments of 211 female professional drivers with a combined total of over 200 million safe driving miles. Joyce Brenny, president of Brenny Transportation Inc. and Brenny Specialized Inc. of St. Cloud, Minn., addressed the audience of approximately 800 which included drivers

North American truckmakers such as Navistar International Corp. (NAV) (NAV) are poised for a third year of sales gains as the economic recovery forces fleet owners to replace aging vehicles. Shipments of Class 8 trucks, the backbone of interstate hauling, may rise 12 percent this year to more than 285,000, according to industry consultant FTR Associates. That follows gains of 65 percent and 29 percent the past two years as the industry rebounded from a recession-low of 120,000 in 2009. Car

WYOMING -- While investigating an oil spill in Hicks Creek last week, state Department of Environmental Protection officials found a nearby business to be in violation of the state's Solid Waste Management Act. DEP spokeswoman Colleen Connolly noted the violations found on the property of Bosco Inc. have not been linked to the oil leak that contaminated Hicks Creek and said that investigation is ongoing. She said that while crews were searching for the source of the petroleum that got into th

The health of the U.S. economy is improving but remains fragile according to three reports that track the activity of the national trucking industry. The American Trucking Associations' seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index rose 0.5% in February after falling a revised 4.6% in January. The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by the fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equaled 112.9 in February, which was 1.3% above the pre

DES MOINES, IOWA Ethanol and corn sweetener manufacturer Grain Processing Corp. has been issued a notice by the Environmental Protection Agency that it has violated the Clean Air Act. Grain Processing was named in a notice of violation which alleges that between 2007 and 2011, its Muscatine, Iowa facility repeatedly violated limits on air emissions included in company permits. The notice does not address penalties, but says the EPA will consider additional enforcement action, which coul

The Associated Press 3/28/2012 NEW YORK -- Shares of Wabash National Corp. jumped Tuesday after the maker of truck trailers said it would diversify its business by purchasing liquid-transportation company Walker Group Holdings LLC for $360 million. THE SPARK: Wabash National said the deal will help it offer new products to its customers and will immediately start adding to its profits. Wabash makes the kind of heavy trailers that are used by freight haulers and semi-trucks. Walker makes tr

By ELVINA NAWAGUNA Lakeland Ledger Published: Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at 7:53 p.m. Last Modified: Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at 7:52 p.m. The price of diesel historically has been lower than that of gasoline, and diesel engines yield better mileage. So the trucking and logistics industry ran on the fuel. "At the time, we were innovative and insightful building engines around diesel," said Daniel Murray, vice president of research at American Trucking Research Institute. "It was more MPG-eff

Already burdened with eroding credit quality, many U.S. shipping companies will face greater challenges in the near future as their older fleets continue to age, Standard & Poor's said. "The U.S. domestic fleet likely will contract over the next ... View Original Post

BELLEVILLE -- A big new grain terminal is set to open soon in Fairmont City, with up to 500 trucks full of grain moving daily through East St. Louis en route to the Mississippi River barge-and-rail facility. The new terminal, which will be a combination barge-and-rail facility, is being built as a collaboration between food and feed giant Bunge North America, of St. Louis, and SEACOR Holdings Inc., of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The companies chose Fairmont City because it is the northernmost ice-fr

The Associated Press 3/27/2012 ST. PAUL, Minn. -- With diesel fuel prices climbing to $4 per gallon, Minnesota is offering long-haul truckers low-interest loans to help them save money, stay cool this summer and reduce pollution on overnight rest stops. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is offering loans at 4 percent to owner-operated long-haul truckers and small trucking companies to purchase "idle-reduction devices." They're small diesel auxiliary power units, known as APUs, or batte

Orascom Construction Industries (OCIC) rose the most in three weeks after posting the highest amount in building contract awards in almost four years and revealing it was close to selling a stake in Gavilon Group LLC. Orascom gained 2.6 percent, the biggest intraday rise since March 6, to 257 Egyptian pounds at 11:25 a.m. in Cairo, valuing the company at 53.2 billion pounds ($8.8 billion). The benchmark EGX 30 Index (EGX30) increased 2.1 percent. The sale of its 16.8 percent stake in Nebra

By JACK BOUBOUSHIAN CHICAGO (CN) - A federal judge has allowed an expert to testify that exposure to paint fumes killed a dog named Boomer and caused its owner to develop a serious respiratory illness. Steven Noffsinger says he and Boomer became sick while making a 2007 delivery of Dynaprime paint from a Valspar plant in Kankakee, Ill., to Santa Fe Springs, Calif. Dynaprime paint is a solvent-based coating designed for use on metal coils. While spending the night at a truc

ADM Alliance Nutrition Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Archer Daniels Midland Co., announced March 26 that it will build a new feed premix plant in Effingham, Ill., that will include enhanced controls and processes to meet the highest standards in safety and quality for pet food premixes and specialty blends. The plant will incorporate state-of-the-art stainless steel conveyances and processing equipment. Automation will enable real-time tracking of every ingredient through bar coding and

TIOGA, N.D. -- Along the wide-open expanses and rolling prairie of western North Dakota surrounding the state's booming oil patch, all sorts of bizarre litter can be found clogging the once picturesque roadside: Derelict hardhats, single boots, buckets, pallets, pieces of machinery, shredded semi tires, oily clothing, cigarette butts. The worst? Plastic jugs of urine pitched out windows as scores of truckers pass through oil country. Litter has become an escalating problem as the rush to t

A truck driver faces what a judge warned will be a "substantial" jail sentence after a jury convicted him of plotting to import $45,450 worth of cannabis. James Walker, 51, of Tommy Fox Road, St David's, showed no emotion as the verdict was returned on Friday. During the trial, which began a week ago, Supreme Court heard the drugs arrived in a consignment of dinnerware loaded into a wooden pallet that arrived on a cargo jet on May 12, 2010. Customs officers discovered the drugs packed i

Kosher pickles, kosher hot dogs, kosher salt ... and kosher trucking? It's become an interesting niche for a Vancouver business, and it doesn't even require any cooking. Food Express does observe the same guidelines used in kosher kitchens. But instead of following a recipe, Walt Keeney's operation deals with one ingredient at a time. And it's shipped in tanker-truck portions that you probably couldn't get into your fridge. Keeney gave an overview to The Columbian's Mary Ricks for a rec

Freightliner, the American truck-builder, has set their sights on revolutionary designs with an all-new, full-size "crossover" cab – the 'Revolution Innovation'. The concept rig was unveiled at this year's Mid-America Trucking Show in the United States. The designers claim that it was their inspiration from sports cars and aircrafts that ultimately led to its aerodynamic shape. The entire frame is made up of lightweight cold-rolled aluminium, leading to a weight reduction of almost 90 kg. The

By Anna-Louise Jackson and Anthony Feld BLOOMBERG NEWS 3 comments | Add a comment Trucking companies are struggling to find qualified drivers even as the U.S. unemployment rate remains at the highest level in almost 30 years. Driver turnover rose to 89 percent in the third quarter of 2011, the highest since 2008 and the fourth consecutive quarter of increases, according to data from the American Trucking Associations. That's mostly because new regulations and job prospects in other i

LOUISVILLE, KY -- American truck driver Mike Schiotis, his voice quaking and eyes tearing up, told a group of trucking journalists last night in Louisville how Jesus helped him the night he saved a passers-by's life last November. The reason Schiotis was talking to the journalists? He won the annual Goodyear Highway Hero Award and the award is presented at the annual meeting of the Truck Writers of North America. (TWNA), which coincides with the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS), in Louisville

NEW DELHI, MAR 24: Freight rates for ten metric tonne load rose up to Rs 1,000 in the local truck transport today following increased cargo movements. Transporters said less availability of trucks into the market against increased movements of cargo, mainly pushed up some of centres freight rates. Delhi to Mysore and Kochi rates moved up by Rs.1,000 each to Rs.62,000 and Rs.66,000. Rates to Pondicherry, Bangalore and Coimbatore also looked up by Rs.1,000 each to Rs.60,000, Rs.57,000 a

Mark Szakonyi, Associate Editor | Mar 22, 2012 7:00PM GMT The Journal of Commerce Online - News Story Premium paid by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway shouldn't be used in railroad's cost base, they say Shippers on Thursday got their shot to tell the Surface Transportation Board that it's unfair for them to pay higher rates to BNSF Railway because of the $8.1 billion premium Berkshire Hathaway paid to acquire the railroad in 2010. The premium, part of the Warren Buffett-led company's $3

A Burlington Northern Santa Fe spokesman says a dump truck hit a moving freight train filled with soybeans, punching a hole in one of the cars. The Associated Press CENTRALIA, Wash. -- A Burlington Northern Santa Fe spokesman says a dump truck hit a moving freight train filled with soybeans, punching a hole in one of the cars. Spokesman Gus Melonas says the dump truck driver apparently fled after the Thursday evening crash. Soybeans spilled from a softball-sized hole in the rail car

By The Capital-Journal A fire in the underground belt system of a Cargill grain elevator Thursday in northwest Topeka caused an estimated $7,000 in damage but no injuries, Topeka Fire Department officials said. Firefighters were called to 1845 N.W. Gordon Street at around 11:04 a.m. responding to a report of smoke. Workers at the Cargill sited evacuated the structure prior to the arrival of suppression crews. Once suppression crews arrived, they found heavy smoke coming from an under

An old adage states, "Rain makes grain." Recent rains will make more 2012 wheat production unless temperatures get below freezing. Because of early wheat development, a freeze could drastically lower expected Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas wheat production. Advertisement Wheat came out of dormancy in relatively good condition. Warmer temperatures and moisture resulted in rapid recovery from poor stands. In most of the hard red winter (HRW) wheat area, yields could be well above average. Po

A federal judge on Thursday ordered regulators to start proceedings to withdraw approval for the use of common antibiotics in animal feed, citing concerns that overuse is endangering human health by creating antibiotic-resistant "superbugs". U.S. Magistrate Judge Theodore Katz ordered the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin proceedings unless makers of the drugs can produce evidence that their use is safe. If they can't, then the FDA must withdraw approval for non-therapeutic use of tho

TAMPA -- Quality Distribution Inc. is creating jobs and driving toward increased revenue in fracking even though natural gas prices have dropped and new U.S. Department of Energy estimates are substantially below previous supply predictions. The bulk tank truck carrier has expanded its operations that serve energy companies extracting oil and natural gas from underground shale reservoirs. It is hauling water used in drilling for natural gas while it also services oil companies. "There is

TML takes over Gothenburg Land O'Lakes Local livestock producers and even pet owners who previously purchased feed products from Land O'Lakes Purina Feed in Gothenburg will need to find a new supplier. The Land O'Lakes operation has been taken over by The Maschhoffs, LLC (TML), a long-time Land O'Lakes partner. TML is one of the largest family-owned pork production networks in North America. It is headquartered in Carlyle, IL, with hog production sites and feed mills across southwest Il

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (WTW) -- South Dakota officials knew last summer that a grain company was swimming in red ink but it wasn't until January that the state moved to halt its operations, because of a lack of communication between agencies. The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission is going to court to seize the assets of Anderson Seed Co., a sunflower plant in Redfield that is millions of dollars in debt and has stopped paying its suppliers. The North Dakota Public Service Commission also ha

The price of gasoline can differ wildly depending on where you live. A driver fueling up in Denver will pay, on average, $3.64 per gallon. But just a couple states over in Chicago, gas goes for north of $4.28 for gallon. That's about a $10 difference to fill up an average gas tank. Why the disparity? (Gasbuddy.com) James Hamilton has an excellent, chart-filled post breaking it down. Part of the story is taxes -- different states tax gasoline at different rates, depending on how much highwa

By Michael Erman, Soyoung Kim and Victoria Howley NEW YORK/LONDON | Thu Mar 22, 2012 6:37am EDT (Reuters) - Several Asian trading firms, including Mitsui & Co (8031.T), Marubeni Corp (8002.T) and Noble Group (NOBG.SI), are in the running for U.S. grain and energy trader Gavilon, which could be valued at about $5 billion, according to sources familiar with the matter. A deal for the commodities trader, which began exploring a sale in January, would give the Asian companies a sizable presence in

University of Illinois research reports that swine producers can feed distiller's dried grain with solubles (DDGS) to their pigs without concern for sulfur content. "When you buy DDGS, you don't have to be concerned about the level of sulfur it contains because there doesn't appear to be any impact on pig performance," said U of I animal sciences professor Hans Stein. According to the researcher, DDGS, a co-product of the ethanol industry, is used as a feed ingredient in diets fed to swine

The Ohio attorney general Wednesday filed an antitrust suit against Cargill Inc. and Morton Salt, alleging the two companies sold road salt to state government agencies at above-market prices. The suit by Attorney General Mike DeWine claims the firms, two of the nation's largest road salt suppliers, divided the Ohio rock salt market between themselves, agreeing not to compete with each other. The lawsuit seeks an injunction to prevent Cargill and Morton from continuing this alleged agreeme

By Cathy Locke Sacramento Bee A man was reported in fair condition after being buried up to his chest in a grain elevator in Colusa County for nearly four hours Tuesday. Chief Jeff Gilbert of the Williams Fire Protection Authority said the Dunnigan Fire Department received a call from the Adams Grain Co. about 9:20 a.m. Dunnigan firefighters called for assistance from the Colusa County Confined-Space Rescue Team, composed of rescue personnel from seven fire agencies. The team arrived abou

Trucks fueled by liquid natural gas might offer shippers an escape from fuel price pain. By James A. Cooke Email Print ShareThis Reprints 2 Comments Tired of sweating higher diesel fuel prices? Then maybe it's time to find a trucking company that's running its delivery fleet on liquefied natural gas (LNG) instead of diesel. LNG is the liquid form of natural gas, which is primarily methane. It's related to compressed natural gas (CNG), which, as the name suggests, is condensed under h

Trucking companies are struggling to find qualified drivers even as the U.S. unemployment rate remains at the highest level in almost 30 years. Driver turnover rose to 89 percent in the third quarter of 2011, the highest since 2008 and the fourth consecutive quarter of increases, according to data from the American Trucking Associations. That's mostly because new regulations and job prospects in other industries are creating a "quality shortage" of available workers, said Bob Costello, chief ec

Police in Greensboro, N.C., are investigating thefts of tires and rims from two separate trucking companies. In all, Detectives said 60 commercial truck tires and wheels worth about $80,000 were stolen from Triad Freightliner and Whites International. At Triad Freightliner, workers told police someone forced entry into the business lot and took with nearly two dozen tires and rims from multiple commercial carriers. Representatives from Whites International reported a similar forced entry

DENTON -- Maybe the little engine that could won't ever again. For 20 years, the roar of the Central Montana Rail echoed through this high plains valley as the aging locomotives of this scrappy nonprofit railroad hauled grain along 87 miles of track that BNSF Railway wouldn't service. CMR's service kept the grain elevators in Denton and Geraldine viable, which in turn spared the towns the fatal blow of rail abandonment. Then came the epic rains of 2011, which sent the usually tame Judith River

Nearly 60 gallons of diesel fuel spilled after a driver of a semitruck didn't disconnect the ground pump before pulling away, according to the Phoenix Fire Department. The driver was fueling up at a Valero gas station near 51st Avenue and Buckeye Road Monday morning when he forgot to disconnect the ground pump and drove away, according to fire officials. Diesel fuel is not highly flammable, so the focus is to just clean up spill, according to the fire department. There were no reported

By Doug Cameron Archer Daniels Midland Co. ADM -0.31% said Tuesday it had looked at buying Canadian grain-handler Viterra Inc. (VT.T), but viewed the asking price as too rich despite identifying "substantial synergies." Glencore International PLC (GLEN.LN) announced an agreed bid of C$6.1 billion (US$6.2 billion) for Viterra Tuesday following a two-week sale process that attracted interest from many of the world's largest agribusiness and commodity trading concerns, according to people fami

by SARAH SQUIRES and EMILY BUSS The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) released a statement earlier this month assuring the public that the safety of Winona's Interstate bridge isn't being threatened by an increase in frac sand trucks, and that those trucks are within the 80,000 pound weight limit placed on the structure following its emergency closure in 2008. Mn/DOT's data from the Weigh-In-Motion (WIM) scale on the bridge shows a dramatic increase in overweight truck traff