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Nov 19, 2014
High cost of diesel fuel affects trucking and farming industries

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - For some drivers filling up at the pump is actually not an unpleasant experience. With gas at $2.57 per gallon at most stations in Springfield, fueling up wont break the bank. Im very happy about it and I never thought [gas prices] would go this low again. I think its going to be a real blessing to a lot of people because it gives them more disposable

Nov 18, 2014
Class I report card confirms ag shippers' frustration
Nov 18, 2014
Driver shortage will fuel rising rates
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Nov 19, 2014
High cost of diesel fuel affects trucking and farming industries

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - For some drivers filling up at the pump is actually not an unpleasant experience. With gas at $2.57 per gallon at most stations in Springfield, fueling up wont break the bank. Im very happy about it and I never thought [gas prices] would go this low again. I think its going to be a real blessing to a lot of people because it gives them more disposable

Nov 18, 2014
Class I report card confirms ag shippers' frustration

Class I report card confirms ag shippers' frustration with rail service, soy coalition says Union Pacific Railroad reclaimed the top spot in the Soy Transportation Coalition's (STC) fifth annual Railroad Report Card. The top ranked railroad in 2011 and 2012, UP was second last year behind CSX Transportation. Norfolk Southern Railway assumed second place in this year's rankings after taking third last year. The rest of the 2014 customer satisfaction rankings show CSX in

Nov 18, 2014
Driver shortage will fuel rising rates

Bill McLoughlin Truck Stop: Driver shortage will fuel rising rates October 31, 2014 While recent

Nov 18, 2014
Rail congestion sends more grain to market on river barges

Railroad bottlenecks, congestion and high freight prices have frustrated Minnesota farmers this year as they try to sell their corn and soybeans. Now some are turning to an alternative: barges instead of railcars. They are bypassing rail terminals and driving to river ports, giving the barge industry a modest but significant bump in business. As of Nov. 1, year-to-date grain barge tonnages were 13 percent higher than the five-year average and

Nov 17, 2014
Shippers say truck shortage worse

Idaho potato shippers say a tight supply of trucks for moving spuds is making it challenging for them to keep up with holiday demand. IDAHO FALLS, Idaho Finding enough trucks to keep up with fresh potato and onion shipments during the holiday rush seems to get tougher each year for officials with Pot

Nov 16, 2014
Truckers Getting Scammed

Todd Oxner Truckers who are injured in trucking accidents are more often lately victims of insurance scams perpetrated by disreputable employers. The more serious the injury, the more likely the trucker will be scammed. This is how it works: an out of work driver hears about a job and fills out an application with a national trucking company. He then gets a call saying he has been accepted as a driver, contingent on a physi

Nov 15, 2014
Publicly owned trucking companies gain traction as U.S. economy improves

The largest U.S. trucking companies got bigger and more profitable and handled more freight in the third quarter, as a faster-growing economy put more freight on the highways. The growth of these carriers in the quarter was limited only by difficulty putting drivers into trucks. As industrial output and containerized imports increased, the freight economy gained muscle. Industrial production dropped in August but turned upward in September, as manufacturing activity

Nov 15, 2014
Are Farmers Controlling Grain Prices?

Looking back over the 30 plus years of my career as a broker and analyst, I don't have any idea how many reports I have written, Normally, I don't have any problem besides a little writers block on what to report, or how to put into words what I believe markets will do. Basically, I am a fundamentalist because I have seen that supply and demand will in the longer term outlook be the factors that move markets. I also know on any given day, or in the short term, several methods of trading and a

Nov 14, 2014
Rising freight rates harm US competitiveness

Rosalyn Wilson, author of the Annual State of Logistics Report was reported by the Journal of Commerce as saying that growing freight rates are driven mainly by a reduction in truck capacity. As a result, this could increase the amount the logistics and transportation industry contributes to GDP over the next several years.

Nov 14, 2014
Innovative Optimization platforms for grain markets now available from GeoGrain.com

Transportation challenges, bumper crops and potential storage shortages will continue to effect grain prices moving through harvest. Grain markets have seen dramatic swings in 2014 and GeoGrain.com now offers optimization platforms utilizing cash market data from over 4,200 locations, equating to approximately 48,000 bids daily and over 88 million historic records. Effectively marketing grain proves to continue to be one of modern grain farmings most challenging

Nov 14, 2014
Grain truck overturns near Cortland; driver pulled from cab

Area emergency personnel spent 40 minutes freeing a Bartholomew County man from the cab after his semi overturned north of Cortland on Wednesday. Jerry Grinstead, 71, of Columbus, was alert and talking to emergency personnel when he was removed from the cab and placed in a Jackson County Emergency Medical Services ambulance to be taken to Schneck Medical Center in Seymour. His wife came to the scene and went with him to the hospital. Officer Rob Henley with the Jackson County Sh

Nov 13, 2014
Large US truckload carriers add capacity, in small amounts, as business grows

Truckload carriers began to add incremental capacity to meet shipping demand in the third quarter, pushing up the JOC Truckload Capacity Index by 1 percentage point to 82.7. Carriers that were solidly overbooked with more available freight than tractor-trailers in the quarter appear to be in the early stages of adding capacity. But those additions will likely come only where and when carriers can get the best return on capital investment.

Nov 13, 2014
Trucker hits, kills, big black bear in southern Missouri

1 hour ago * The Associated Press 5

Nov 13, 2014
A trucker challenges the Border Patrol, and his window is smashed

By American-Statesman Staff In certain circles, refusing to answer questions at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint is a point of pride. But, as this YouTube video shows, such refusal can have consequences. In this case, having window glass smashed and getting hauled bodily out of the vehicle. In posting the video, a truck driver who identifies himself as Thomas Sauer w

Nov 13, 2014
INTL FCStone Advises Gavilon, LLC in Asset Sale

NEW YORK, Nov. 11, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- INTL FCStone Inc. (Nasdaq:INTL) today announced that the investment banking division of its wholly owned subsidiary INTL FCStone Securities, Inc., exclusively advised Gavilon, LLC, in its sale of select grain elevator assets located in Ohio to Interstate Commodities, Inc. Terms were not disclosed. About INTL FCStone Securities Inc. INTL FCSt

Nov 12, 2014
Rates across all modes going higher

Rates across all modes going higher as growing demand collides with taut supply Evidence mounts of capacity shortages, robust activity forcing up rates for some time to come. By DC Velocity Staff Freight rate increases have shown the whites of their eyes. A monthly index of freight activity released today by audit and payment firm Cass Infor

Nov 12, 2014
Trucking’s ‘prospect for profitability’ better than ever, economist says

There are substantial silver linings to the historically slow economic recovery, the driver shortage and even to strict trucking regulations and the high cost of equipment, an industry economist told fleet executives and suppliers at the CCJ Fall Symposium on Friday.

Nov 12, 2014
Scam targets trucking company

A Salina trucking company lost about $2,500 in a scam targeting companies that employ over-the-road drivers, a Salina Police Department spokesman said. Sgt. Jim Feldman said a man called Great Plains Trucking on Oct. 17, claiming to represent a road service in Georgia. The man said he was working on a Great Plains truck and needed a cash advance for parts. A total of $2,500 was sent in three separate electronic funds source checks, Feldman said. The checks were made out to the r

Nov 11, 2014
Bakken truckers often 'haul heavy'

WATFORD CITY, N.D. The dump truck rumbled over miles of unpaved roads in the hills just east of the Montana border, past the cattle and grain bins and haystacks, before arriving at the dirt pit. Bill Gore slid his truck onto the scale, inched up in line, and made a curving gesture to the man in the front-end loader. That was the signal to pile the dirt on high, and the loader did: Gores five-axle truck pul

Nov 10, 2014
Fired Truck Drivers Reinstated By Courts After Protesting Exploitation At Work

The invisible class of contract workers that keeps the American retail economy running smoothly have won a significant courtroom victory in their long-running campaign to end a systematic violation of their labor rights. Two short-haul truck drivers at the Port of Los Angeles who were fired earlier this year after protesting against wage theft and unfair treatment by their employer Green Fleet Systems

Nov 10, 2014
What can be done about Turner Grain?

The loss by Arkansas farmers of millions of dollars unpaid by Brinkley-based Turner Grain Merchandizing likely will result in state legislation next year. What that legislation will look like is a long way from final form. Dealers such as Turner Grain buy and resell grain from producers. Dozens of farmers say they have not been paid by that company and others owned by the same people, and the grain has not been located. Many are taking legal action to try to recover losses from a deale

Nov 8, 2014
Transplace Acquires Logistics Firm LMS

Logistics service provider Transplace Inc. said it has acquired Logistics Management Solutions, a non-asset-based logistics firm in St. Louis, with strong ties to the chemical and industrial manufacturing industry sectors. Terms were not disclosed. Transplace, based in Dallas, is owned by the investment firm Greenbriar Equity Group and generates annual gross revenue of $1.4 billion. LMS provides a variety of freight management services, including network design, carrier p

Nov 8, 2014
Transplace Acquires Logistics Firm LMS

Logistics service provider Transplace Inc. said it has acquired Logistics Management Solutions, a non-asset-based logistics firm in St. Louis, with strong ties to the chemical and industrial manufacturing industry sectors. Terms were not disclosed. Transplace, based in Dallas, is owned by the investment firm Greenbriar Equity Group and generates annual gross revenue of $1.4 billion. LMS provides a variety of freight management services, including network design, carrier p

Nov 8, 2014
Grain truck driver ticketed in train collision

Osage, IA

Nov 7, 2014
Attebury Grain, LLC. and its Affiliate, Rampa, Inc., announce grain shuttle project in Pampa

Attebury Grain, LLC and its affiliate, Rampa, Inc., today announced plans to upgrade its Eastern Texas Panhandle operation to accommodate shuttles and unit trains via the BNSF Railway. The project focuses on meeting producer and consumer needs by constructing additional storage capacity and sufficient rail capacity to load and unload 120 railcars in 10 hours; as well as equipment to load and unload 75 trucks per hour. Attebury and Rampa look forward to pro

Nov 7, 2014
Fire badly damages feed mill

PIERCETON, Ind. (AP) An overnight fire badly damaged a feed mill in northern Indiana, although firefighters were able to largely keep flames from reaching its grain bins. Officials say a police officer on patrol spotted smoke coming about 2 a.m. Thursday from the Egg Innovations Feed Mill in the Kosciusko (kahs-ee-AHS-koh) County town of Pierceton. Pierceton fire Capt. Nathan Rhoades tells WANE-TV that crews imm

Nov 7, 2014
Grain Truck Accident Reminds Drivers to Be Cautious During Harvest Season

NEAR LAWTON, IA - Traffic is flowing smoothly again on Highway 20 in Woodbury County after a Wednesday morning accident. A grain truck was hit by a minivan after turning onto the highway near Lawton, Iowa. The driver of the van was taken to Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City with non-life-threatening injuries, while the driver of the grain truck was not hurt. The Woodbury County Sheriff's Office says this is a cautionary tale. "We

Nov 6, 2014
Driver saves fellow trucker from hot asphalt leak after crash

Driver Bill Hunts help in an April 2014 crash helped save the life of a fellow truck operator. Below is his story, with illustrations done by Don Lomax: Bill Hunt, driving for Crossett Inc. of Warren, Pa., on April 21, 2014,</p></div></a></div></div><div class=

Nov 6, 2014
The Internet-Connected Engine Will Change Trucking

Its happened to all of us. Youre driving down the road and the check engine light appears on your dashboard. It could be something simple, like time for an oil change, or it could be something bigger. What do you do? Lose your car for a day while you take it to a service station? Keep on driving and hope for the best? If youre a commercial truck driver, the stakes are higher. An unplanned repair visit means losing a day of revenue, and potentially hur

Nov 6, 2014
Direct/Overdrive Adds Efficiency to Bulk-Hauling Volvos

Direct drive or overdrive? Thats a years-old question among truck operators concerned with specing transmissions: Should top gear be a direct 1 to 1 ratio, where the output shaft spins at the same speed as the driveshaft with little friction penalty, or a 0.85-or-so overdrive, where the driveshaft spins a little slower, lowering engine cruise speed but suffering a bit of efficiency loss as the extra gear-set churns through lube oil? Sage managers sometimes choose both w

Nov 5, 2014
Midwest’s Grain Piles Grow as Trains Run Slow

JACOB BUNGE A new mountain range is growing across the U.S. Farm Belt as grain companies store excess crops in massive piles on the ground. While the worst rail delays in more than a decade have forced some grain elevators in recent weeks to temporarily stop taking in crops once their bins fill up, others are p

Nov 5, 2014
Human cost of truck accidents can be prevented

TRUCKS are the kings of the road and we suffer. Who can forget the video footage of an accident that showed a speeding truck obliterating a car and four taxis, which were driving through a green traffic light at an intersection in Pinetown, killing 25 people? A few weeks ago another truck smashed into almost 50 cars in early morning traffic outside Alberton. Its scary. Every day we see trucks speeding, changing lanes recklessly and hogging the lanes. That is why truck accidents

Nov 5, 2014
Farmers scramble to sell crops after Coshocton grain-elevator blast

ZANESVILLE, Ohio Farmers in southeastern Ohio are rerouting millions of pounds of corn and soybeans after an explosion caused one of the states largest grain elevators to close. About 900 farmers in Ohio must find new buyers for their corn and soybeans after an August explosion at Coshocton Grain Co. destroyed three silos. The company with one of the

Nov 5, 2014
Shippers show "grudging acceptance" of truck rate hikes

Shippers, carriers conclude contract talks, with shippers resigned to rates heading upward one way or another. By Mark B. Solomon The annual shipper-truckload carrier autumn rate waltz has been concluded, with a few steps added to the 2015 dance card. That's because rising carrier costs and tightening capacity have forced both sides to get more creative in their contract

Nov 4, 2014
Truckers to Combat Terrorism

The trucking industry is taking steps to help secure our nation's highways. With the possibility of terrorist attacks on the highway, the industry wants to help keep the roads safe. Millions of truckers will now not only be driving the roads, but looking out for anything suspicious as well. Our country's interstates span more than 44 thousand miles of America. Everyday, millions of truckers ride those roads. Now truck drivers are being asked to be the eyes and ears of the country.

Nov 3, 2014
3 Ways Truck Drivers Can Save Truckloads Of Money

Brampton Guardian If you are a truck driver who owns your own tractor trailer, you know how expensive it can be. Not only is the initial investment in the vehicle typically upwards of the six figure mark, but maintenance, repairs, and fuel can also come with a high cost. Saving money while turning a profit can be a difficult feat these days, but finding the right facility that you can trust for your trucks maint

Nov 3, 2014
Hungry Chickens Spark Biggest Feed-Price Rally Since ’74

Freight trains arent getting food to chickens fast enough, sending prices for livestock feed made from soybeans toward the biggest monthly gain in 40 years. Soybean-meal futures have jumped 27 percent this month as meat prices close to record highs spur feed demand and shipping delays tighten supplies from Midwest processors. Weekly trainspeeds fell last week to the lowest since April

Nov 1, 2014
Truck driver shortage pushes up rates to give CH Robinson Q3 revenue a boost

US 3PL CH Robinson yesterday reported double-digit interim net revenue increases across nearly all its business streams, as tight trucking capacity combined with an economic recovery to drive up freight pricing. The company remains by far and away the countrys largest truck broker indeed, arranging full and part truckloads for shippers and carriers is its largest single business segment. Its truckload division repored net revenue of $307m for the third quarter, a 15.8% y

Nov 1, 2014
Trucking Companies Sue City Over Truck Ban

A lawsuit has been filed by two trucking companies against a city that recently passed an ordinance that would ban heavy trucks from operating in certain areas. The companies, Nuzum Trucking Company and Preston Contractors Inc., claim that the ban is unenforceable and included the West Virginia Division of Highways in their lawsuit, recommending that they file an injunction which would prohibit the city from enforcing the ban. The ban was proposed and passed

Nov 1, 2014
Dump truck vs. grain truck

Trucks collide, grain spills on highway By CHERI SHELHART [email protected] | 0 comments

Oct 31, 2014
3 Ways to Financially Boost a Freight Brokerage Startup

Freight brokerage can be very lucrative. Do it right, consider carefully all pros and cons, and handle all business transactions with care. Youll be sure to enjoy the ride. If becoming a freight broker startup owner has been on your mind, nows the time to get your business in gear. Statistics show that 80% of U.S. communities use goods and products that are availa

Oct 31, 2014
Trucking Company Cannot Bypass Calif. Rest Break Rights

By Vin Gurrieri Law360, New York (October 29, 2014, 1:35 PM ET) -- A California appellate court on Tuesday affirmed a $964,000 judgment to a class of drivers accusing a trucking company of stiffing them on pay, citing recent precedents set by both California's highest court and the Ninth Circuit that federal law doesn't preempt California's meal and rest break requirements. In a published opinion, the First District Court of Appeal determined tha

Oct 31, 2014
Lansing Trade Group Looking to Purchase Silica Sand Processing Plant

NB council approves new storage permit, variances for Tiller Corporation site By Derrick Knutson Lansing Trade Group is looking to purchase the Tiller Corporation silica sand processing plant off County Road 30,

Oct 30, 2014
Freight Cycle Favors Shippers Over Truckers

Garrett Cook, Benzinga Staff Writer Barge capacity and rail capacity are set to expand the most according to a recent note from Morgan Stanley. The bank focused on the current freight transportation cycle among other things. In the report, analyst William Greene points out that When freight volumes reached prior peaks, there were usually 1-2 years of additional growth before

Oct 29, 2014
OSHA proposes penalties of $145K against Central Transport

The Trucker News Services 10/28/2014 HILLSIDE, Ill. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Central Transport for 16 safety and health violations, including five repeat, one willful and two serious safety violations, at its trucking terminal in Hillside. An OSHA inspection found repeat and willful violations that involved defective powered industrial vehicles and lack of fall protection, the agency said in a news

Oct 29, 2014
Grain exporter is first Quick180 Plus user

North Carolina grain exporter C.A. Perry & Son has become the first shipper to use Quick180s container-matching system to guarantee export loads to truckers dropping off empty import boxes at its plants. Quick180 was launched this year by retired Virginia port executive Rick Knapp. The company developed an algor

Oct 29, 2014
No Injuries in Grain Building Collapse Near Kansas

Written by Greg Sapp No one was injured when a flat storage building being filled with corn burst open Sunday afternoon west of Kansas, Illinois. The building is owned by Total Grain Marketing in Effingham. General Manager Byron Sikma said a 700,000 bushel building was being filled when crews experienced a structural failure on the south end. The failure took down a leg and holding tank of the structure, located along

Oct 29, 2014
Not Enough Truck Drivers to Move Frac Sand

In silica valley, the sand is moving. Mining of silica sand has ramped up in the Illinois Valley, especially in La Salle County, to feed the growing fracking industry. This has attracted a lot of public attention. Those who are not interested will find plenty of sand in which to bury their heads. La Salle County has had sand mines since the 1800s. But now there is a rush for the regions silica sand for use in hydraulic fracturing of bedrock to extract oil and natural

Oct 28, 2014
Atlantic Bulk Carrier fills a niche

By JOAN TUPPONCE Special correspondent Atlantic Bulk Carrier Corp. helped Nestle Purina PetCare pare down the number of tankers used to transport bentonite clay to its King William County plant. They designed larger size-capacity tankers that helps reduce the amount of trucks on the road and also reduce emiss

Oct 27, 2014
Shuttle grain facility announced for North Central Oklahoma

Medford, Oklahoma October 23, 2014 Farmers Grain Company, along with Equity Marketing Alliance and CoMark Grain Marketing formed an LLC and have announced plans for a state of the art shuttle grain facility. The 100 percent cooperatively owned facility located on the Union Pacific rail near Medford, Okla. is set to be named Chisholm Trail Terminal. This is the next logical step for positioning these companies to efficiently move products to export locations.

Oct 26, 2014
Trucking firms stretch to hire drivers

By Star Tribune Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014, 9:00 p.m. Updated 19 hours ago On a recent Thursday afternoon, Tim Hoag stood in the arrivals area at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport looking for a truck driver. The man he was waiting for, Bill McMahon, had previously driven trucks for Hoag's company, Copeland Trucking of Fridley, and Hoag made a deal to lure him back.

Oct 25, 2014
The Truckers Who Hauled Ebola

Think your job is dangerous? These guys haul Ebola. Meet the team at Texas-based CG Environmental, the hazmat cleanup crew that cleaned up all the potentially Ebola-infected belongings from the now-deceased Thomas Eric Duncans apartment and along with Homeland Security hauled it to a medical waste incineration facility to dispose of it. Erick McCallum, the owner of CG Environmental, did an

Oct 24, 2014
Trucking Company Loses $7.3 Million

Trucking Company Loses $7.3 Million Wrongful Death Suit DOT supervisor walking along highway killed in accident Christian Nolan, The Connecticut Law Tribune A Hartford jury has awarded nearly $7.3 million to the estate of a state Department of Transportation supervisor who was killed while working on Route 8 near Waterbury in 2012. At about 2:20 p.m. on March 22, 2012, Daniel DiNardi, 41, of Ro

Oct 23, 2014
It's the trucking company ... that doesn't have any trucks

His father and grandfather both drove big rigs, but Nicholas Carretta only has a small plastic model of those earlier trucks that idles on his desk. That might be the only way the third generation of Ultra Logistics has reduced its scale. When Carretta became president of the Fair Lawn-based Ultra Logistics in 1996, he modernized a family legacy that began with Carretta Trucking in 1963. He started the business afresh as a non-asset-based freight broke

Oct 23, 2014
Are You Tired of Waiting to get Paid for the Loads You Hauled?

We have factoring rates as low as 3% and pay within 24 hours. There are no extra fees including free ACH and well invoice your loads for free. Smart Freight Funding has focused on providing freight factoring services to the trucking industry. Our clients range in size from single truck carriers and individual owner-operators to some of the larger trucking companies in the nation. Our team has more than 50 years of driving, dispatching, contracting, and accounting experienc

Oct 23, 2014
Trucker gets emotional after big rig, 44K pounds of beer stolen

ORLANDO, Fla. (MyFoxBoston.com) A heart-broken trucker cried while telling an Orlando television station that he was robbed of a big rig holding 44,000 pounds of beer, and all of his belongings. The thieves stole Van Thomas' new big rig he'd just purchased a few weeks ago, along with 44,000 pounds of beer and everything else he owned, according to the New York Daily News. The truck was stolen from a parking lo

Oct 22, 2014
Mandatory Driver Training: About Time

By Rolf Lockwood, Posted: Oct 20, 2014 05:04 AM | Last Updated: Oct 20, 2014 05:05 AM Better late than never, I guess. But 30 years late? Not good enough. Two days after the Toronto Star published an article on truck-driver training and licensing, one that exposed to the public some pretty dirty laundry, Ontarios Minister of Transportation Steven

Oct 22, 2014
Trucker dies after being struck by tow hook in farming accident - See more at: http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27850#.VEZ3AvnF9IE

By Greg Grisolano, Land Line staff writer A Delaware truck driver was killed in a farming accident Saturday morning after a tow hook came crashing through his windshield, according to a report from the Delaware State Police. The victim, 66-year-old George R. Lyman, Jr., of Middletown, was pronounced dead at a local hospital after being struck in the chest by the tow hook.

Oct 22, 2014
Road-salt transport lacking

Road-salt transport lacking; carrier sues motorist for crash; trucking firm turns freight broker to survive. Here is a look at what is happening in the world of transportation this morning: Transporting much-need roadway de-icing salt to many U.S. cities ahead of winter is proving difficultdue to a lack of trucks, notes the

Oct 22, 2014
Freight Brokers: 2 Common Service Problems and How to Fix Them

In Start Your Own Freight Brokerage Business, the staff at Entrepreneur Press and writer Jacquelyn Lynn explain how you can get started in the freight brokerage industry, from your first steps to hiring employees, marketing your business and managing your finances. In this edited excerpt, the auth

Oct 21, 2014
An Attorney’s Primer on Truck Drivers

This Opinion piece appears in the Oct. 20 print edition of Transport Topics. Click here to subscribe today. By Jennifer Wood Associate Roberts Perryman PC How you interact with the truck drivers you represent can make a significant impact on your clients satisfaction and even the ultimate re

Oct 19, 2014
Hopper Trailer Price Trends

The volume of machinery was astounding at Steffes Auctioneers summer consignment sale held near Fargo, North Dakota. So much iron was up for grabs that it took five auctioneers calling out of five trucks to cover the acres of iron. By the end of the day, over $10 million exchanged hands. Scott Steffes figures it was certainly one of the companys larger consignment sales. Which is surprising considering plummeting commodity prices. Surely, dealers who were se

Oct 19, 2014
Inspections show severity of trucking violations on rise

http://www.wisn.com/news/inspections-show-severity-of-trucking-violations-on-rise/29170210

Oct 19, 2014
80 percent of public oppose overturning current hours rule, trucking questions study

Safety groups and the Teamsters are pushing a new study that shows 80 percent of the American public wants Congress to leave the 2013 hours-of-service rule in place and to abandon efforts to suspend the rule. RELATED

Oct 19, 2014
Fracking Boom Leads to Increase in Fatal Large Truck Accidents

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Increased natural gas fracking has led to a spike in fatal commercial motor vehicles accidents in Texas, reports the national law firm of Baron and Budd. According to statistics recently released by the Texas Department of Transportation, the number of fatalities has increased 50 percent since 2009. Statistics also show accidents resulting in multiple fatalities have more than dou

Oct 17, 2014
The Andersons Purchases Two Grain Companies in Texas

MAUMEE, Ohio, Oct. 17, 2014 /CNW/ -- The Andersons, Inc. (Nasdaq: ANDE) announces today it has finalized its purchase of the majority of the assets of two San Antonio, Texas-based, food grade corn companies, United Grain, LLC and Keller Grain, Inc.

Oct 16, 2014
Trucker charged after rig tips

LAKESHORE, ONT. A Brampton truck driver has been charged with having an insecure load after a tractor-trailer tipped over in Lakeshore, Ontario last Wednesday. OPP officers say the truck was eastbound on Essex County Road 22 at 1:55 p.m. when the driver attempted to turn south onto Patillo Road. The load in the trailer shifted and the truck tipped, ending up on its side across the southbound lane. Navte

Oct 16, 2014
Grain Companies Responsible for Transportation Fiasco

A Saskatchewan farm group says grain companies and not the railways were responsible for the grain marketing catastrophe this past winter and spring. Kyle Korneychuk with the Canadian Wheat Board Alliance says elevator companies have major control over grain movement. But Wade Sobkowich, the executive director of the Western Grain Elevator Association, denies the accusations, saying grain companies have been seeking railway service improvement

Oct 16, 2014
Michelin introduces regional single trailer tire

The Trucker News Services 10/15/2014 GREENVILLE, S.C. Michelin Americas Truck Tires has announced the launch of the Michelin X One Multi Energy T, a wide-base single trailer tire for regional operations that is U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SmartWay-verified. This latest addition to the X One family of tires delivers a significant reduction in irregular wear and outstanding fuel economy, while allowing fleets to carry mo

Oct 16, 2014
Waiver in Effect for Overweight Grain Loads

MoDOT News Release For motor carriers with waiver questions, call MoDOT Motor Carrier Services at 1-800-877-8499. October 15, 2014 01:56 PM MoDOT to Allow Overweight Loads of Grain JEFFERSON CITY - Recent heavy rains are hampering farmers'

Oct 15, 2014
ADM to Acquire Specialty Commodities Inc.

Archer Daniels Midland Company announced an agreement to purchase Specialty Commodities Inc., a leading originator, processor and distributor of healthy ingredients, including nuts, fruits, seeds, legumes and ancient grains, for $170 million, subject to post-closing adjustments. "One of the ways we are improving returns and reducing the volatility of our earnings is through the expansion of our specialty ingredients portfolio," said ADM Chairman and CEO Patricia Woertz. "One milestone

Oct 14, 2014
Different distillers grains may change feed rations

Ethanol plants are getting more efficient at extracting fuel from corn. That extraction can affect the quality of distillers grains, a byproduct of ethanol production often used as an economical feed alternative for hogs and poultry. According to Marcia Shannon, University of Missouri Extension swine specialist, producers are getting a little bit different product out of those ethanol plants. Shannon says the swine and poultry industries need to be aware of the source, extractio

Oct 14, 2014
Driver Accuses Trucking Company of Forcing Him to Falsify Logs

A suburban trucking company expected its drivers to stay on the road far beyond what is allowed by law, according to a driver who says he was fired for refusing a long run to Mississippi. That driver, who asked to remain anonymous, said that when he told his bosses at Legs Transport in Bellwood that he was being forced to falsify the logs which all truckers are required to maintain, they told him thats part o

Oct 13, 2014
Firefighters Put Out Fire in Semi and Grain Trailer Thursday Afternoon

HAYES, S.D. (DRG News) Firefighters with the Four Corners Fire Department put out a fire in a semi and grain trailer yesterday afternoon. The fire was reported about noon on Highway 63-about three miles north of Highway 34. Four Corners Fire Chief Clint Alleman says the rig was hauling wheat and its believed that a truck brake locked up, got hot and started the blaze. The driver was not injured. The fire was fully involved when firefighters arrived and Alleman says the truck and trailer

Oct 13, 2014
Businesses feel left out as railways shift trains toward frac sand, oil

By Rob Schultz | Wisconsin State Journal http://host.madison.com/wsj/business/businesses-feel-left-out-as-railway-shift-trains-toward-frac/article_c9cc4bfa-0c96-5617-ae1f-803c7283e8f8.html

Oct 13, 2014
The roads must roll

News items: Bakken Shale makes North Dakota the second-largest oil-producing state, as of 2012. White House approval for the Keystone XL pipeline, touted as a needed new route for both Canadian and northern U.S. plains oils, is indefinitely on hold. The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts record or near-record crops for corn, soybeans and wheat. Crops from the Northern Plains and upper Midwest rely on trains for shipment to processors and exports

Oct 12, 2014
‘Remarkable journey’ to end as Gavilon CEO stepping down

http://www.omaha.com/money/remarkable-journey-to-end-as-gavilon-ceo-stepping-down/article_f8b3cf61-29e5-5175-bf6d-30e43ad67dd3.html

Oct 12, 2014
Half-owner alleges Jim Palmer Trucking sold without his knowledge

http://helenair.com/business/half-owner-alleges-jim-palmer-trucking-sold-without-his-knowledge/article_bdfa7725-7ead-5688-9182-37510139214e.html

Oct 11, 2014
Cargill elevator near Holdrege increases grain capacity by 3.5 million bushels

By LORI POTTER Hub Staff Writer HOLDREGE Harvest season grain piles at the Cargill elevator southwest of Holdrege are a thing of the past for the foreseeable future because bin capacity has been increased from 1.5 million bushels to 5 million bushels. The added storage space is one of many improvements from

Oct 10, 2014
Trucker shortage impedes Mid-South cotton exports

By TED EVANOFF The Commercial Appeal The Mid-South cotton harvest has begun at a time when the dollars value has climbed abroad and truck drivers are in short supply. Cotton prices have eased almost 25 percent this year, although experts say that has less to do with the strong dollar than China cutting imports to work off record stockpiles. Ch

Oct 10, 2014
The Andersons Purchases 6 Grain Elevators and 4 Farm Agronomy Centers in Michigan

MAUMEE, Ohio, Oct. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Andersons, Inc. (Nasdaq: ANDE) announces today its purchase of Auburn Bean and Grain of Auburn, Michigan. The purchase includes six grain and four agronomy assets of the company located throughout north central

Oct 10, 2014
Aeon to Start Growing Rice as Companies Replace Farmers

Aeon Co. (8267), Japans largest supermarket chain that sells everything from fresh food to bicycles across 424 stores, plans to become the nations largest rice grower. Starting with 11 hectares (27 acres) of rice paddies leased from local farmers, its Aeon Agri Create Co. farming subsidiary will start producing the grain north of

Oct 9, 2014
Billion-dollar lawsuits claim GMO corn 'destroyed' US exports to China

Three class-action lawsuits filed Friday claim that agribusiness power Syngenta is to blame for depressed corn exports to China since the seed company released a genetically-engineered variant of the crop before it was approved by Beijing. At issue is Syngentas 2009 release and distribution of its MIR162 genetically-modified corn known as Agrisure Viptera, which is engineered to fend off certain insects known to decimate corn crops. While approved for use in the United States, C

Oct 8, 2014
FMCSA official: Agency wants to do more to recognize drivers

By LYNDON FINNEY The Trucker Staff 10/5/2014 SAN DIEGO The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration wants to do more to recognize Americas professional truck drivers, an agency official told the American Trucking Associations Safety Policy Committee here Sunday morning. Drivers are the backbone of the countrys economic opportunity, FMCSA Chief Safety Officer Jack Van Steenberg told the panel

Oct 8, 2014
Britton Transport win Volvo safety awards

Truckers Connection 10/6/2014 SAN DIEGO Kriska Holdings and Britton Transport Monday were honored Monday with a 2014 Volvo Trucks Safety Award during a ceremony at the American Trucking Associations Management Conference & Exhibition here. Recognized for their exceptional safety performance and training programs, each company received $25,000 to further develop its safety-related efforts. Everyone

Oct 8, 2014
Asleep at wheel: Carriers profit from trucker training millsv

by: DESIREE WOOD A recent New York Times editorial urged the U.S. Department of Transportation to stop "dawdling" on issuingfederal regulations for truck driver training. They wrote, "A disproportionate number of highway fatalities involve large trucks, yet current federal standards are

Oct 7, 2014
Reversal of farm fortunes

Times are better for livestock farmers, but not as great for those who raise grain By Orlan Love, The Gazette CEDAR RAPIDS Farmers who for the past three years have harvested subpar crops for big money are now harvesting record crops for little, if any, profit. Meanwhile, back at the confinement unit, the reversal of farm market fortunes favors livestock producers, who are enjoying historically high prices while in

Oct 7, 2014
Receiver Takes Control of Turner Grain

With all the legal trouble involving Turner Grain Merchandising Inc. of Brinkley, you might have missed the news that a receiver has been appointed. U.S. District Court Judge James M. Moody Jr. named bankruptcy attorney Kevin Keech and his North Little Rock law firm to take control of whats left of the commodities middleman. Keech was requested by Rabo Agrifinance Inc. of St. Louis, which last month sued Turner Grain and its executives for breach of contract. Rabo

Oct 7, 2014
$19M grain facility nearing completion near Emery

EMERY, S.D. A $19 million grain-handling facility being built in Emery is a few weeks behind schedule in part due to rainy weather, but it is still expected be handle grain from the current harvest. The 5.2-million-bushel facility was announced in December 2013 and was to be completed in time for the 2014 harvest. Cargill AgHorizons Regional General Manager Dennis Inman told the Daily Republic newspaper in Mitchell (http://bit.ly/1xVwVrS ) that he hopes the

Oct 7, 2014
How technology can improve efficiency of grain bulk handling sites

Since 1960, the global population has risen from around three billion to over seven billion. Global wheat and rice production has tripled over the same period, and corn production is almost five times higher. The UN predicts that by 2040 we could be looking at a world population of nearly 10 billion, with the attendant further rise in agricultural production this implies. As global agricultural production ramps up in order to meet the needs of a ballooning world population, bulk handling sites w

Oct 6, 2014
Owners, dispatcher of Kentucky trucking companies charged with wire fraud, conspiracy, extortion

The Trucker News Services 10/3/2014 WASHINGTON On September 24, Elliot and Melinda Campbell (owners) and Bryan Napier (dispatcher) all of whom are associated with several trucking companies operating out of Catts Auto Sales, Chavies, Kentucky, were indicted in U.S. District Court, London, Kentucky, on charges of conspiracy, wire fraud and extortion. The indictment alleged that between October 8, 2010, and February 7, 2012, the Campbells and Napi

Oct 4, 2014
Hero Trucker Digs Moat To Save Fellow Driver From Liquid Asphalt

Here at TruckersReport were always happy when we get to report on truckers who help out others. In doing so, these truckers often put themselves in harms way. Stories like these show off truckers kind hearts and willingness to take a break from the time is money mindset to maintain their status as the knights of the road. Recently though a trucker showcased not only these attributes but also displayed exceptionally creative problem solving and quick thinking

Oct 4, 2014
Truckers on the Forbes 400 billionaires list

Dont feel bad if you didnt make the latest Forbes 400 list of Americas wealthiest people; I just checked and, once again, I didnt make it either. But a handful of truckers, or people very involved with the trucking industry, did. First, a note on those I didnt feature. I thought about putting Warren Buffett (Forbes #2) on my list, based on his stakes in railroad BNSF, XTRA Lease or

Oct 3, 2014
Will Graduated Trucking Licenses Improve Safety?

Two months ago, a Santa Cruz man was on his way to work when a tractor-trailer hauling 2-tons of dirt slammed into his car on Highway 17, a mountainous road just south of Los Gatos, CA. The 25-year-old man was the fifth car in a line of vehicles damaged or destroyed by the big rig. He was partially ejected from his vehicle and died at the scene. Seven other people were transported to a hospital for treatment, one in critical condition with a lacerated liver. The family of the deceas

Oct 3, 2014
Goodyear introduces new 'game changer,' fuel-efficient tire

By LYNDON FINNEY The Trucker Staff 10/1/2014 AKRON, Ohio Calling it a true game changer for the industry, the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Wednesday unveiled the most fuel efficient long-haul drive tire in North America. In commercial long-haul applications, we know fuel efficiency and savings is critical, Andrea Russell, brand manager, commercial tire marketing, said during an online

Oct 3, 2014
Scoular expands Northwest operations

The Scoular Company says that grain-handling facilities in five cities in Idaho and Oregon will serve its renovated barge-loading facility in Burbank, Wash. The Scoular Company is purchasing grain-handling facilities from Evans Grain & Elevator Co. in five cities in Idaho and Oregon.

Oct 3, 2014
Darling Ingredients Inc. -- Bakery Feeds Group Announces Custom Blenders Acquisition

IRVING, Texas, Oct. 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE: DAR) Bakery Feeds group today announced the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Custom Blenders, one of the leading bakery residuals recyclers in the United States. The acquisition includes Custom Blenders' operations in Indiana, Georgia,

Oct 2, 2014
Starting a Freight Brokerage Business? 5 Things You Need to Know.

In Start Your Own Freight Brokerage Business, the staff at Entrepreneur Press and writer Jacquelyn Lynn explain how you can get started in the freight brokerage industry, from your first steps to hiring employees, marketing your business and managing your finances. In this edited excerpt, the auth

Oct 2, 2014
Scoular Company will ask for tax exemption

By Carol Bronson Pratt, Kan. The Scoular Company has broken ground on a $4.8 million project to increase the grain-handling capability at its facility that shares property with Pratt Energy, which began producing ethanol a year ago. They expect to complete the four upright concrete bins by the end of March 2015, grain elevator manager T.J. Mandl reported to the Pratt County Commission Monday afternoon. The four bins will add 720,000 bushe

Oct 1, 2014
J.B. Hunt white paper says to expect rate increases next year

The Trucker News Services 9/29/2014 LOWELL, Ark. The nations third-largest for-hire has laid down the gauntlet to shippers: expect rate increases in 2015. That the conclusion of a white paper issued last week by J.B. Hunt, which cited fiscal pressures that the carrier said was being felt across all service offerings in the transportation industry, including intermodal, over-the-road, brokerage and dedicated. J.

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