EnRoute
Headlines From The Vehicle Renting and Leasing Industry
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Top Stories
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Since the retrofit technology needed to meet the ultra-low emission TRU standards is not readily available in the marketplace for model-year 2003 transport refrigeration units, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is considering easing emission standards set to take effect December 31, 2010. FULL STORY
As freight volumes accelerate and the economy continues to improve, trucks that have been idle for months will now need drivers and inevitably the driver shortage will return. FULL STORY
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Frost & Sullivan’s latest study shows the number of hybrid trucks produced in North America will multiply by 50 times over the next six years. Growth will be spurred not only by government incentives and grants, but also improvements in hybrid technology, including better fuel efficiency, lower emissions and fewer maintenance costs. FULL STORY
Technology Trends
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A new premium Bandag-brand B197 trailer tread design has been introduced by Bridgestone Bandage Tire Solutions (BBTS). The new offering is patterned after the Bridgestone brand R197 trailer radial. FULL STORY
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The Vector 5100 all-electric trailer refrigeration unit from Carrier Transicold was designed specifically for stationary applications and offers an environmentally sound alternative to the practice of using trailers equipped with diesel-powered refrigeration systems for stationary cold storage in grocery and other applications. FULL STORY
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The PPH Fleet Select is PHH Arval’s new vehicle ordering platform. This system is a new release in the United States and is the second release in Canada. PHH Arval clients with fleets in both the U.S. and Canada now can use the same system to order their vehicles. FULL STORY
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Resolvion has announced EZ Collect, a new service for collecting on accounts where minimal principle payments, late fees, extension fees and other penalties are outstanding. FULL STORY
Briefly
SkyBitz has announced the development of a Government Solutions group to provide remote asset management solutions in support of security and defense initiatives. . .Penske Truck Leasing will host Discovery Forum 2010 at locations in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia this month. These forums are a series of educational open houses for commercial fleet owners and managers that are being held for commercial truck fleets to prepare for growth again as the economy rebounds and is able to respond to key industry issues related to fleet financing and greater environmental and safety regulations. . .Great Dane Trailers will offer Transtex Composite’s Maximum Flex Skirt as its standard to customers who choose aerodynamic components on their trailers. . .PeopleNet and ITS Compliance have formed a partnership alliance to deliver seamless, integrated solutions to their joint clientele. The new partnership merges Peoplenet’s GPS tracking and fuel purchase information with ITS’ Paperless Fuel Tax Reporting System and compliance and risk-management expertise to compute all state fuel/mileage and highway-use taxes automatically and accurately for PeopleNet customers. . .Continental Tire the Americas LLC has donated $15,000 to American Car Care Centers Inc.’s (ACCC) fundraising program for the Children’s Miracle Network. . .J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc. has unveiled the new website, JJKeller.com. The company’s website was rebuilt with more advanced features to make it easier for visitors to quickly find and order the products they need, as well as stay on top of breaking safety and regulatory news. . .Michelin is working to help Yellowstone National Park achieve its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the park by 30% in 2016 by providing green, energy-saving tires for the park fleet. . .Freightliner Trucks has re-upped with NASCAR to sponsor the series as the “Official Hauler of NASCAR” through 2015. Beginning next year, NASCAR trailers will be pulled by the new Freightliner Coronado with Detroit Diesel DD 15 engine. . .San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) has entered into an agreement with Ryder System Inc. and other project partners. The project now begins the implementation phase, utilizing $19.3 million in state and federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funding, secured by SANBAG in 2009. Using these funds, Ryder will implement a first-of-its-kind heavy-duty natural gas truck rental and leasing project in its Southern California operations. . .Enterprise Rent-A-Car announced the first phase of its plans to offer electric vehicles (EVs) at select U.S. locations. Delivery of 500 Nissan LEAFs will begin in January 2011 and will continue throughout the year. In addition to the LEAFs, the company will offer customers electric vehicles from other manufacturers as them become available.
People
Charles “Skip” Phillips has been promoted to vice president of sales for Todco. . .Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions has promoted Kurt Danielson to BBTS president effective August 1 and Kevin Berg has been named controller for BBTS. . .Thomas Fanning, formerly director of original equipment sales, has been appointed director of replacement sales for the NAFTA region. Fanning’s former role will be filled by Wes Garber. . .Rush Enterprises, Inc. has appointed Karen Konecny to vice president – Marketing and Communications. . .Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has appointed Chuck Strahl of Fraser Valley, Bristish Columbia, as the new Federal Minister of Transportation.
Taking $tock
A look at truck transportation-industry Fortune 500 public companies:
| Company | Symbol (Click for Chart) |
8/11 Close | Performance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avis Budget Group Inc. | CAR | $10.20 | $0.50 | 4.67% |
| Cummins Inc. | CMI | $77.81 | $3.67 | 4.50% |
| Dana | DAN | $11.29 | $0.82 | 6.77% |
| Eaton | ETN | $76.45 | $2.62 | 3.31% |
| General Electric | GE | $15.70 | $0.55 | 3.38% |
| Goodyear Tire & Rubber | GT | $10.44 | $0.45 | 4.13% |
| Navistar International Corp. | NAV | $45.55 | $2.94 | 6.06% |
| PACCAR Inc. | PCAR | $43.13 | $2.01 | 4.45% |
| Ryder | R | $40.93 |
$2.21 | 5.12% |
SOURCE: Yahoo! Finance and bigcharts.com
Money Matters
Michelin Group reported an increase in sales volumes of 15.3 % for the first half of 2010. Sales figures for OE truck tires showed a 23% increase in North America in the first half and a 29% in Europe, 61% in Asia and 9% in Africa/Middle East. FULL STORY
PACCAR reported the company’s net earnings were $99.6 million for the second quarter of 2010 compared to $26.5 million in the second quarter of last year. The second-quarter net sales and financial services revenues were $2.46 billion, compared to $1.85 billion reported in 2009. FULL STORY
Cummins Inc. reported for the second quarter its highest quarterly earnings as a percentage of sales in more than 25 years. Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) was $401 million, up from $109 million in the second quarter of 2009. FULL STORY
Daimler AG posted net profit of $1.7 billion during the second quarter of 2010, compared to a net loss of $1.38 billion in the year ago period. Daimler Trucks increased its unit sales by 55% to 83,800 vehicles. All of the divisions’ major markets contributed to this positive development, particularly Indonesia, the United States, Brazil and Europe. FULL STORY
News From TRALA
TRALA is working with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce this election season to promote pro-business candidates for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Please take advantage of the U.S. Chamber’s Vote For Business website to help you and your employees make informed decisions about candidates that will best benefit the business climate in the U.S. and your state. The website has voter resources such as information on registering to vote, finding your polling place, requesting an absentee ballot, and finding information about your candidates. You can also sign up to get news updates sent to your email address.
Please contact TRALA’s Joe Sculley with any questions at jsculley@trala.org or by calling (703) 299-9120.