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Salute to Women!

169 women were honored in Louisville, KY at the Mid-American Truck Show, for their professional driving service. The Women in Trucking Association presented the event. During the festivities, six women were recognized for driving careers that spanned 40 years or more! The group was lauded for their non-profit work that included the Girl Scout transportation patch, ride- alongs with regulators and elected officials, and their work on cab design and ergonomics.

 

 

source:Women in Trucking Association/Transport Topics

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Wreaths Across America Honors Wendy Hamilton

 

Wendy Hamilton, senior manager of sales and marketing for Pilot Flying J, has been chosen to receive The James Prout Spirit of Giving Award. The award is named in memory of  James Prout, who was the first volunteer to haul wreaths for Wreaths Across America. The program supports the purchase of Christmas wreaths to distribute to Arlington National Cemetery and other military cemeteries across the country. Wendy has worked since 2010 to make Pilot Flying J a significant corporate sponsor of the program.

 

Source:Wreaths Across America

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California To Raise Diesel Fuel 20 Cents Per Gallon

         On November 1st, 2017, the state of California, will begin taxing  regular gasoline 12 cents per gallon. Diesel fuel will be taxed 20 cents per gallon.

Gov. Jerry Brown says that the tax increase will generate approximately $5.2 billion a year. That money will be earmarked to support California’s aging transportation infrastructure. This is the first gas tax increase in 23 years for California. Republican lawmakers argued against the increase in a state that already pays the highest fuel prices in the nation. President Trump has indicated that one of his priorities is to increase infrastructure funding by as much as $1 trillion through public and private investment.

 

Source: Truckinginfo.com

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Booming Trailer Orders!

January saw new trailer orders increase 92% from orders in January 2016. Some of the increase is due to the age of existing trailers, and some to new technology now being offered. It is estimated that about 40% of active trailers are 15 years old. Technology wise, companies can now order refrigerated trailers that are 20% lighter than a conventional trailer, improves thermal efficiencies up to 25%, and have a floor capacity of 24,000 pounds, or the same as a dry van.

The experts anticipate 2017 will be a good year for the trailer manufacturers. It is estimated that the total build will be 250,000 to 260,000 units.

 

Source:Wikimedia Commons

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Wounded Warriors vs. NFL Alumni

Ryder System Inc. sponsored a charity football game between the Wounded Warriors Amputee Football Team and a group of NFL Alumni. The game was played during Super Bowl LI week in Houston. The $25,000.00 donation by Ryder as the title sponsor will support many veteran programs. The Wounded Warrior amputees won the game 42-14. NFL Alumni included Michael Vick, Kailee Wong, Steve McKinney, Bob Golic, Nate Boyer, and wounded veteran, Rocky Bleier. Over the past five years, Ryder has hired more than 4800 veterans. A great time was had by all….Good job Ryder!

 

Source: Transport Topics;Wounded Warriors0

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What’s News?

Elaine Chao Named Secretary of Transportation

On January 31, 2017 the U.S. Senate easily confirmed Elaine Chao as Secretary of Transportation. The vote was 93 for and 6 against. The Secretary stated that one of her top priorities will be cooperating with Congress to enact the trillion dollar infrastructure plan that is one of President Trump’s top priorities.

 

Source: 2017 Truckinginfo.com, By Christian Mehlführer, User:Chmehl (Own work) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

 

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What’s News?

Alabama Port Authority Announces Deal With Cuban Counterpart

Alabama’s Port Authority  met with Cuban Officials February 2 in Tampa, Florida, where they signed a memo of understanding described as the first Cuban ports agreement signed on U. S. soil since 1959. The five-year agreement is based on mutually facilitating trade growth. The possibility that trade relations between the United States and Cuba has always been of interest in Alabama. Alabama already ships 10,000 tons of poultry per month to Cuba. That figure could rise dramatically if current limitations on the exchange are lifted, Alabama is the state that has more to gain, more quickly, than any other place in the country, as it pertains to trade with Cuba.

Source: Specker,Lawrence(Alabama Media Group),www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate

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Did you know?

$114 Million in cargo stolen in 2016.

According to data from CargoNet, the number of thefts fell for the third consecutive year, but the value of the merchandise rose 13% to $114 million. The top three states in terms of the number of incidents were California(228), Texas(135), and New Jersey(73). California and New Jersey are home to the three largest container ports in North America, and Texas is at the center of cross-border freight between Mexico and the United States. Food and beverage remain the most common stolen cargo; electronics were second. The message from the security experts is to stay alert. Most cargo thieves will stake out a warehouse to watch the trucks or find weaknesses in security. Report any suspicious activity to your local police.

Source:Ashe,Ari (2017, 02,06) Cargo Thefts Cost Businesses $114 Million in 2016, Transport Topics, www.ttnews.com/articles/printnews