Shipping Green Energy

The Globe and Mail yesterday along with all national newspapers published a story regarding Dalton McGuinty’s promise of green energy “explosion”.  After reading this article, you will of course be for or against the proposal of “green power” .  We will though in the future see more and more wind power units throughout our province.

globeandmail.com: Will green energy ‘explosion’ clear way for new jobs?.

Now comes the question of transportation of these very large “green energy” units.  We, at RBM Carriers have the right fleet and are accustomed to hauling equipment such as wind turbines that will generate our future green energy.   So when you plan to purchase and erect one of these future wind power units, we are here to assist you along the way to green energy.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

Future Green Energy

Goodbye 2008 and Welcome 2009

Soon we will see the end of what has been quite the eventful year.  And not only here in North America, but across the globe we have seen many changes.   There has been good, some not so good.

The transportation industry has taken a hit this year and the strongest have survived.  Happily RBM Carriers is one of the stronger carriers and we are looking forward to growing this coming year.

We would like to take this moment to thank all of our customers, old and new!  May 2009 continue to shine on all of us!

Diesel prices fall below 2007 levels

We search for “interesting” trucking news on a daily basis, but with economy as of late has not really produced anything exciting to blog about.  The trucking industry does not need another blog repeating rather gloomy forecasts.  Hence, we have been silent.

But Today’s Trucking reporting the low price of diesel below 2007, needs a comment.

RBM Carriers is a privately owned trucking company and along with many companies, the insurgence of brokers is an issue that has to be dealt with on a daily basis.  When prices of diesel was high, many brokers felt the pinch and trucking was becoming once again the responsibility of people who know the business, instead of someone who wants to make a quick dollar.  Now with the price of diesel falling to a price we have not seen for sometime, the brokers are BACK!!  Of course we don’t want prices to rise again forcing us to raise our shipping costs but surely there has to be a medium somewhere along the line!

For your information, here is the report form Today’s Trucking:

Diesel prices continue their headlong retreat in the U.S., falling 20 cents last week to a national average of $3.088, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The national average is now 21.5 cents less than it was a year ago. The highest prices were found in the New England region while the lowest average was in the Midwest.

The average price of a gallon of diesel has now fallen $1.676, or 35 percent, since hitting a record high of $4.764 a gallon in mid-July.

However, energy industry experts warn that the lower prices are temporary.

Prices, they note, are falling because of reduced demand and reduced economic activity, not because we have increased supply or increased energy efficiency, said BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward at a conference recently.

Here Canada, prices are also coming down. Newfoundland and remote northern parts of Quebec are seeing average diesel prices around $1.25 a liter — a stark difference from the highs of over $1.60 in parts of The Rock this past June.

Southern Ontario averages hover at about $1.05, while southern Alberta prices are about the same, despite traditionally being the lowest in the country.

A month-long diesel shortage in Alberta and Saskatchewan is being blamed for the higher prices these last few weeks, although there are now reports that fuel supplies are slowly normalizing.

Bringing the issue of the speed limiter to the forefront again, this article was posted in Today’s Trucking last month.  We will all see how this legislation will affect the trucking industry very soon.

US carriers back Ontario speed limiter plan — with conditions

The American Trucking Associations reinforced its support for Ontario’s plan to mandate speed limiters set at 105 km/h, but is also urging rulemakers to revise the current legislation. The carrier group has in the past sided with the Ontario Trucking Association in its campaign to get speed limiter legislation passed in Canada and is also quietly pushing for a 68 mph speed limiter policy in the U.S. While that’s still the case, the ATA is concerned with how the Ontario rule would be applied to vehicles and how it would be enforced, according to the ATA’s official publication Transport Topics. The Ontario policy requires all trucks built after 1995 be programmed through the engine’s ECM to electronically controlled speeds but ATA said the requirement should only apply to new trucks and be extended to buses as well. In its final comments to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation last month, ATA urged the government to include a provision that would allow manufacturers to “embed a security code [or] software that would minimize the potential for tampering” after a truck is sold.” Furthermore, ATA says drivers and carriers should not be cited if a faulty speed limiter failed to govern speed below 105 km/h.

The ATA also wants to see a speed limiter policy in Canada and the US, but urges changes to the plan first ATA also objected to a provision holding that a driver charged with a speeding offense “will be deemed not to have a functioning speed limiter.” “Many factors influence the maximum governed speed of a vehicle,” ATA said. “Even with a properly set and calibrated speed limiter, various components on a truck can influence the vehicle’s potential speed.” Despite the perception that OEMs are generally supportive of mandatory limiter rules for heavy trucks, comments by the Truck Manufacturers Association and Engine Manufacturers Association to Transport Canada show that equipment suppliers are uneasy with the rule for some of the reasons cited by ATA. A Transport Canada report related to technical and tampering issues associated with speed limiters highlights several flaws revealed by the association. Asked by Transport Canada if a 100-percent tamper-proof speed limiter is a reality, the TMA, answers: “We don’t foresee any possible way to make such a system completely tamper-proof … A fully tamper-proof system is highly unlikely.”

Hurricane Ike produced another scare in the Gulf refineries and we saw an overnight surge at the gas pumps. Now we here that oil will be trading under $100 a barrel but it is doubtful if we shall see that at the pumps.

Whose pocket is being lined this time with gold? No one is ready to answer that question, although we all have a pretty good idea whose pot is getting bigger.

From Transport Topics Online this morning:

Oil Falls Below $95 as Refineries Escape Major Damage from Hurricane Ike

Crude oil fell $7 to below $95 a barrel in early trading Monday, a seven-month low, as Gulf of Mexico refineries escaped major damage from Hurricane Ike over the weekend, Bloomberg reported Monday.

Crude futures fell on the New York Mercantile Exchange on speculation that turmoil on Wall Street Monday and a worsening credit crisis could further slow the global economy, cutting energy demand, Bloomberg said.

Refiners said preparations were under way to restart plants in the Houston area, home to more than 20% of U.S. refining capacity, following Hurricane Ike’s landfall there early Saturday morning as a Category 2 storm, the second-lowest of five strength levels, Bloomberg said.

Many refiners and Gulf oil platforms idled and evacuated their facilities Friday as the big storm approached. A total of 14 refineries in Texas and Louisiana, with combined crude processing capacity of 3.6 million barrels a day, were closed due to Ike, Bloomberg said.

Despite the oil downturn, gasoline prices rose 17 cents over the weekend, to $3.84  a gallon. according to a survey by the motorist group AAA, news services reported.

The Energy Department comes out with its weekly survey of diesel and gasoline pump prices Monday afternoon.

If you are in the trucking industry, you are well aware of the crazy amount of paperwork that is associated with each shipment.  It does not matter if it is a tiny box or a piece that needs all the room of a 53foot flatbed, the paperwork is the same.  Sometimes the dispatcher is the sole person making sure that all the paperwork is correct on top of making sure the trucks are full, drivers are happy and deliveries are being made when promised.  Sometimes, it is a thankless job.  Then there is the US/Canada border crossing stickers that must accompany every shipment.  CBSA has now alerted all that this sticker must be adhered to either the bill of lading or the customs invoice …….. not one of the other multiple pieces of paper that come with each shipment.  You have been warned!!

Courtesy of Today’s Trucking

CBSA warns carriers against improper PARS procedures

Canada Border Services Agency is reminding carriers and brokers to notify drivers and dispatch that the PARS barcode must be affixed to the Customs Invoice and/or Bill of Lading.

The PARS barcode is not to be placed on a coversheet, says CBSA. The truck may be refused entry to Canada the proper procedures are not followed.

The agency says a recent trend has developed in which PARS are being presented upon arrival at the border on lead sheets with no shipment information other than the PARS bar code.

Having the code on the invoice or bill of lading allows border officers to review the information and verify it is the same shipment for which a release recommendation was made.

Lead sheets, says CBSA, are used only when submitting PARS release requests in advance of the arrival of the goods, as well as for multiple shipments carried by approved LTL carriers which benefit from Post Audit or CSA privileges.

You have to love the politics and the probing that goes on when a huge project is in the works, and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel is not immune.  The transportation industry is keeping a close eye on any news regarding the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.  This border crossing is one of the busiest in North America and the trucking industry is dependent on this particular border crossing.  The FBI are now involved!!

Here is the latest news from Today’s Trucking ………….

FBI investigates Detroit-Windsor tunnel player

A key player in the proposed $75-million Detroit-Windsor tunnel agreement, and a former aide of Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick,  is under investigation by the FBI as part of a federal corruption probe.

A friend of the mayor and his former chief administrative officer, Derrick Miller has been named in federal search warrants regarding his business dealings with a pair of Detroit businessmen, The Windsor Star reported today..

Miller was a lead negotiator for Detroit in talks with Windsor on the tunnel and helped establish the framework for the proposed deal — to create a joint tunnel authority.

“We’re shocked. We thought very highly of Derrick Miller,” said lawyer Cliff Sutts, Windsor’s lead negotiator on the tunnel talks.

“I honestly hope there is nothing inappropriate in his conduct that will cause him any future problem.”

Mayor Eddie Francis agreed, describing Miller as a key advocate on the other side of the border for keeping the tunnel under public control.

“He was a leader of that camp,” Francis said. “His advocacy was part of the reason that instead of selling the tunnel (to the private sector) they started looking at keeping it in public hands.”

Miller left working for the City of Detroit in November to start his own consulting company, Citivest Capital Partners, but continued to play a role in the tunnel talks until the end of 2007.

The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press reported on Wednesday that court records revealed Miller is facing scrutiny in the escalating federal investigation into the city’s financial dealings.

Raids were carried out in Detroit and Ann Arbor on July 14, as federal agents searche for documents showing the relationship between Miller, his consulting firm’s business partner, Bonita Powell, Ann Arbor businessman Andrew Park and Detroit designer Dominic Pangborn, the Free Press reported, citing court records.
The court records were said to indicate that agents were looking for laptops and documents related to a security contract with a company owned by Park and into money the city’s General Retirement System provided for the a failed restaurant and retail center venture, called Asian Village.

David DuMouchel, Miller’s lawyer, told the Free Press earlier his client has done nothing wrong.

It never ceases to amaze me how much money is spent on “studies” and really the results of most are common knowledge, if one takes the time to think, which we are all capable of!!  Take for example the latest study, in detail below,  taken by DriveCam Inc., a global driver risk management company.  We all know that driving too close to the vehicle in front of you is not safe driving and now you have the results of the study in writing, just in case you did not already know.

From the files of Today’s Trucking

Following too close leads to crashes: US study

Drivers should be at least three to four seconds behind the vehicle they’re following to mitigate the risk of rear-end collisions, according to a new study by DriveCam Inc., a global Driver Risk Management company. Analysts at the firm’s Risk InfoCenter recently reviewed incidences of rear end crashes to determine the impact of following distance on likelihood of collision. “There is no greater risk of being struck from the rear when the subject vehicle is maintaining less than two seconds than having greater than two seconds following distance,” explained Del Lisk, DriveCam vice president, safety services. However, the story is different when it comes to the subject vehicle rear ending the vehicle ahead, the study found. “Incidents involving the subject rear ending the lead vehicle where the subject vehicle had less than two seconds of following distance was almost three times as common as those where the driver was maintaining a distance of two seconds or greater.” Rear end crashes are the second most common claim for most fleet operators. They make up 17 percent of all claims and cost over $13,000 per claim. Although recommended following distances can vary by weight and size of vehicle, most nationally recognized driver training programs advocate a minimum following distance of three or four seconds.

A large number of rear end crashes involve a change in speed by the lead vehicle or an interruption to the flow of traffic: Study The study also showed that a large number of rear end crashes involve a change in speed by the lead vehicle or an interruption to the flow of traffic in the lane. In fact, more rear end crashes happen in the farthest right lane than other lanes when on city streets. The right lane has pedestrians, parked cars and turning vehicles that are constantly disturbing traffic flow. Following this same logic, the left most lane was next most frequent since this lane can be impacted by traffic slowing or stopping to make a left turn. The center lane had far fewer incidents of rear end crashes. “This is partially due to the fact that more of the roads had only one or two lanes of same direction traffic,” explained Lisk. “However, it may also be due to the fact that the center lane has fewer traffic flow disturbances.” Based on the findings, the company offers a few tips for avoiding rear-end incidents: When possible, avoid the far right and left lanes, except when preparing to turn; drive in the center lane as much as possible (except where prohibited by state and local laws); maintain the proper following distance appropriate for the weight and size of the vehicle being driven; and try to maintain a steady speed to reduce sudden stops and starts; this will also assist with fuel efficiency, notes DriveCam.

The group governing American owner operators (OOIDA) as we reported earlier are not happy with the Ontario Speed Limiter and today are in Ottawa to discuss/convince the federal MP’s to stop the Ontario Speed Limiter’s legislation later this year.  They are going to have quite the battle.  Why have the MP’s agreed to the visit because from all accounts the law seems to written in stone, but then there are some stone breakers!  Here’s the full story from Today’s Trucking.  Your comments ladies and gentlemen?

OOIDA takes speed limiter fight to Ottawa

Leaders of an American owner-operator group are in Ottawa today, hoping to convince federal MPs to stop Ontario’s speed limiter legislation from spreading to the rest of Canada.

According to the Owner Operators Independent Drivers Association’s (OOIDA) official website, Landline, the group’s Washington, D.C.-based executives will meet with Canadian lawmakers today to “continue pressing the issue before speed limiters are mandated in more areas.”

“This legislation is like an open wound. We are traveling to meet with the federal government of Canada to see if we can patch up this wound or at least make sure it doesn’t get infected and spread to the rest of Canada,” Government Affairs Counsel Laura O’Neill was quoted as saying.

Ontario passed a rule requiring trucks to have speed limiters set at 105 km/h earlier this summer despite the fact that a series of studies by Transport Canada echo some of the warnings by groups like OOIDA and the Owner-Operator Business Association of Canada (OBAC), which claim that a greater differential in speed between cars and large trucks will result in more rear-end collisions and similar crashes.

Regulators in Ontario are currently accepting public comments for Bill 41 until Aug. 31.

Quebec is on the verge of officially passing a similar rule to Ontario’s Bill 41, and while Alberta’s Transport Minister Luke Ouellette previously rejected speed limiters for that province, Deputy Premier Ron Stevens more recently told media such legislation may in fact get a closer look.

OOIDA has already threatened to sue the Ontario government if the rule takes effect, arguing that speed limiters in the lone Canadian jurisdiction are a violation of NAFTA.

Running Fast and Free

Today’s Trucking posted an article today which you can read in full below, that the US Border agents now have the authority to confiscate any electronic devices (and more) without any given reason.  As we have stated before, understandably in the fast paced world of travelers, border security has changed and has to be more secure but this now may be getting out of hand.  Almost every adult and child over the age of 12 has some form of electronic devise that has become a necessity, especially when traveling.  Now how far the border agents will use this new authority, only time will tell.

It may be disturbing news for some transportation companies and could cause further delays at the border, but here at RBM Carriers we feel secure that all our paperwork is complete and the border agents will have no reason at all to detain us any longer than usual.

US border cops empowered to seize laptops, cell phones

Need another reason to avoid crossing the U.S. border? How about the fact that your laptop, cellphone, or other electronic communication device could be confiscated for almost no reason at all. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently granted American border agents the authority to seize and detain such property from cross-border travelers. Agents now have the greenlight to search the devices, and make copies of their contents and distribute them among other government agencies. The searches could take place at the point of entry or off-site, and the machines can be detained for as long as it takes to conduct the analysis, according to documents released by DHS on July 16. “These examinations are part of … long-standing practice and are essential to uncovering vital law-enforcement information,” the policy says, noting examinations help authorities detect possible instances of terrorism, narcotics smuggling, child pornography and violations of copyright and trademark laws — which under a broad interpretation might include illegally downloaded videos and music files, or even pirated software. The problem is the CBP policy document is incredibly vague in what it defines as questionable material. The policy document defines “Business Information,” for example, and advises officers encountering business or commercial information to treat such information as business confidential information, and to take all reasonable measures to protect that information from unauthorized disclosure.

You could kiss your laptop goodbye, with little probable cause, when heading south of the border. If the authorities find there is not probable cause to hold the seized items, copies would have to be destroyed, according to the policy. The policy does not outline a timeframe in which materials would have to be returned, however. Elsewhere in the document it’s stated that officers are empowered to seize and retain documents, books, pamphlets, and other printed material, as well as computers, disks, hard drives, and other electronic or digital storage devices where “probable cause” of unlawful activity exists. What other printed material is fair game, we’re not sure. But cross-border truckers might want to be aware, just in case. After all, CB officers have been known to confiscate people’s lunches before, so who knows what else they might reach into a truck cab for. U.S. Senator Russ Feingold told the Washington Post he finds the new policies “alarming” and said he plans to introduce legislation that would make grounds for border searches more rigorous. Greg Nojeim, senior counsel at the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Democracy and Technology, told the paper the new policies allow authorities to conduct searches without suspicion of wrongdoing. “They’re saying they can rifle through all the information in a traveler’s laptop without having a smidgen of evidence that the traveler is breaking the law,” he told the Post.