Today's Trucking Staff

Cross Border Trucking Costs Jump Since U.S. 9/11

OTTAWA -- Since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S. it has become more expensive to move goods by truck across the Canada-U.S. border, according to Canada's national statistical agency.

Educational Seminar Set for Atlantic Region Truck Fleets

OAKVILLE, ON - Two trucking groups have teamed up to host a joint educational seminar in Truro, NS next month dealing with a variety of employee issues.

Wabco Appoints Jon Morrison President of Americas

ROCHESTER HILLS, MI -- Wabco Holdings Inc. has appointed 30-year global transportation industry veteran Jon Morrison as president for its Americas business unit.

Telematics Providers Merging in $85 Million Deal

TORONTO and VANCOUVER - Two Canadian based telematics providers have reached an agreement to merge, creating a company with more than 150,000 subscribers across Canada and the U.S. BSM Technologies Inc. a provider of remote monitoring, fleet management, and fleet diagnostics systems; and Webtech Wireless Inc., which provides GPS fleet management systems, said on Thursday they have entered into a definitive agreement creating a company worth $85 million. The deal, which has been approved by both company's board of directors, calls for BSM to acquire all of the outstanding Webtech common shares.

Canada Directs $16.5 Million to Western Freight Movements

OTTAWA - The Canadian government on Wednesday announced it will spend approximately $16.5 million on nine transportation infrastructure improvement projects in British Columbia to help freight more efficiently. All are for Canada's Asia-Pacific Gateway, an investment and policy initiative focused on increasing trade with the Asia-Pacific region by improving the region's network of seaports, airports, railways, roadways and border crossings across Western Canada. According to Transport Canada, these new projects will reduce bottlenecks, address capacity issues and enhance the efficiency of the transportation system in moving goods, services and people to and from the fast-growing Asia-Pacific economies.

Trucker Busted With 52 Kg. of Coke in Rig

TORONTO - A 26-year-old Toronto truck driver faces drug charges after border officials found 52 kilograms of suspected cocaine hidden in his rig earlier this week.

That Construction Worker You See May be a Cop

ATLANTA, GA -- If Canada follows the American trend of seemingly non-stop election campaigns and politicians' preoccupation of having more law and order, even through crime rates are dropping like the mercury in the Winter, truckers using their cellphones while driving could find themselves being pulled over in and around road construction zones.

A Third Bridge Over Troubled Water?

DETROIT -- Another bridge connecting Windsor and Detroit is in the works, but it's not the span that has the backing of the Canadian government.

Manac Increases Second Quarter Profit

SAINT-GEORGES, QC -- The specialty trailer manufacturer Manac Inc. has reported second quarter net income of $2.5 million, an increase from $1.9 million a year earlier, as its backlog for orders remains high.

Maine Targets New Brunswick Truckers with New Law

AUGUSTA, ME -- Citing the state of Maine is losing a "significant amount of money" from Canadian truckers who take but don't pay tolls for using the Maine turnpike, lawmakers have overridden a veto of legislation by Gov. Paul LePage, allowing it to get tougher with scofflaws.

Average Canadian Diesel Cost Lowest Since February

LONDON, ON and WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Average Canadian prices for fuel are continuing with their recent downward trend with diesel hitting its lowest level in months while in the U.S. it's at its lowest since October 2009. New figures released by the petroleum information services provider The Kent Group shows a drop of $0.009 from last week to a national average of $1.092 per liter, also marking the fifth straight weekly decline. Compared to the same time a year ago the average cost of trucking's main fuel is down $0.204 per liter. Meantime, in the U.S. there has been a more dramatic drop in fuel prices, with diesel hitting its lowest level in nearly six years, according to the country's Energy Department.

Ground Freight Transportation Costs Post Slight Increase

TORONTO -- The total cost of ground transportation for Canadian freight shippers increased 0.3% in May compared to the month before, according to new figures released by the Canadian General Freight Index (CGFI). "Total freight costs increased marginally this month. Although there were slight increases in less-than-truckload (LTL) and truckload cross border costs, these were mostly offset by decreases in the LTL and truckload domestic costs," said Doug Payne, President & COO, Nulogx. Compared to May 2014 the index is up 4.86%.

See the Video! Big Rig Jump Sets New World Record

BUTTE, MT -- A new king of big-rig jumps was crowned over the weekend when daredevil Gregg Godfrey jumped his semi 166 feet, setting a new world record and beating the previous record by more than 100 feet during Evel Knievel Days in Butte, MT.

Canucks Take Half of Top Spots in Ryder Tech Contest

GREENSBORO, NC - While a Canadian didn't take the top honor at the recent 2015 Ryder Top Technician Recognition Program, four Canucks were among the top eight from Ryder's team of more than 5,000 U.S. and Canada-based technicians.

Cat and Navistar Trucks to be Very Similar Despite Breakup

PEORIA and LISLE, IL -- Caterpillar's go-it-alone vocational truck series will be virtually identical to current Cat Trucks for some time, using the same components as now until changes come about in the future, executives told HDT magazine/Truckinginfo.com in an interview on Tuesday.