U.S. Canada Freight Flow Value Drops

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The value of U.S.-Canada freight plummeted in April, according to a new U.S. Transportation Department report, as overall freight traffic between all three North American Free Trade Agreement countries also declined.U.S.-Canada freight totaled US$48.8 billion in April, down 12.5 percent from a year earlier, as all modes of transportation - truck, rail, air, pipeline and vessel - carried a lower value of U.S.-Canada freight than a year earlier. The top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Canada was vehicles and parts, of which 58.2 percent moved by truck and 39.2 percent moved by rail. Vehicles and parts replaced mineral fuels as the top commodity in March. Mineral fuels had been the top commodity by value moved between the U.S. and Canada for 29 consecutive months starting in November 2012. This change is due, in large part, to a decline in the unit price of mineral fuels in recent months.

APTA Cautious About Increased Tolling in Nova Scotia

Dieppe, NB - One trucking group is open to a plan by the Nova Scotia government to speed up construction along what it said are some of the province's "most dangerous sections of highway" but it's not wild about seeing increased highway tolls.The sentiment from the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association (APTA) follows the government asking for proposals to conduct a feasibility study for the twinning and tolling at eight specific sections of four major highways, with the belief the additional funding could speed up the pace of roadway expansions. The association said the government's commitment to undertake a study on how to twin sections of parts of 100 series highways more quickly is a good approach, provided the government goes into the study with an open mind about its current revenues from fuel taxes and how they should be spent.

Canada’s Element Financial Purchasing Parts of GE Capital

TORONTO - The Canadian fleet management and equipment finance company Element Financial Corp. has reached an agreement to acquire GE Capital's remaining North American fleet management operations in the U.S. and Mexico, along with as GE Capital's fleet management operations in Australia and New Zealand.

Waste Management Launches Waterloo CNG Truck Fleet

WATERLOO, ON - The company Waste Management celebrated the launch last week of a new fleet of compressed natural gas (CNG) fueled trucks at its facility on Conrad Place in Waterloo.

Used Truck Prices Still Increasing, Trailer Orders Ease

COLUMBUS, IN - Used heavy truck prices in the U.S. during May took a break from their increasing pace. Commercial vehicle data provider Act Research reports the average cost in April experienced a leveling off, in keeping with the trend of flattening age and mileage, coming in just shy of US$50,000.Compared to April, the average price is up eight percent from last year, with the gains in line for ACT's expectations of five percent to 10 percent price growth in 2015 in the Class 8 sector. Total reported sales volumes of used Class 8 trucks fell to 2,496 units in May, down 11 percent month-over-month, but up three percent year-over-year. "Volume softening can be seen in the retail and wholesale markets, with month over month declines of 12 percent and 14 percent, respectively," said Steve Tam, vice president, commercial vehicle sector with Act Research. "Auction transactions saw a nine percent increase month over month, eight percent above volumes from May 2014. Our guidance for full year 2015 sales remains unchanged."

Get Valuable, Free Information for Your Trucking Business

BLOOMINGTON, IN - There are few things in life that are free, and even more so in trucking, but soon you will have a chance to get some free information that could be valuable for your trucking business.

Daimler SuperTruck Receives Super Honor

PORTLAND, OR -- A special heavy-truck designed to show how fuel consumption can be further reduced by aerodynamic and other energy management measures, along with the use of an intelligent powertrain components, has received the "Distinguished Achievement Award" from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Taking on the champs

Competing in the championships was a humbling experience for this scribe

OTA Helps Toronto Truckers Avoid “Pan-Am-Monium”

TORONTO - Pan Am traffic tie-ups are already starting, but on Friday the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) hosted a gathering of carriers, Ministry of Transportation (MTO) officials and other parties to craft a plan to minimize Pan Am traffic woes. The Pan Am Games run from July 10 to the 26 and and Parapan Games are from August 7 to 15. Starting this week and for the duration of the games, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is looking at road closures; signal-timing modification; parking and stopping restrictions; turning restrictions; conversion of roads to one-way operations, police-managed traffic control points; and the increase or transfer to carpool lanes on many (GTA) highways.

Canada Cartage makes deliveries for Project Water

TORONTO, Ont. — Canada Cartage this week transported 300,000 bottles of water as part of Project Water. The water was delivered from Nestle Canada to the Engage and Change parking…

Canada Cartage Brings Support to ‘Project Water’

Toronto, ON - Trucking stepped up to the plate on Thursday to help out a program that supplies life-saving bottled water to hundreds of front-line relief organizations in the Greater Toronto area in an effort to fight the number of deaths caused by dehydration.

Bandstra Transportation Trucker Named BC Driving Champ

LANGLEY, BC -- Truck driver Kris Szigeti of Bandstra Transportation was named Grand Champion at the 2015 British Columbia Professional Truck Driving Championships on June 20, in Abbotsford, at Tradex, also known as the Fraser Valley Trade & Exhibition Centre.

Daimler Trucks Invests in Telematics Provider Zonar

PORTLAND, OR -- The parent company to truck makers Freightliner and Western Star has become a minority investor in Zonar Systems Inc, a provider of fleet inspection, tracking and operations systems for fleets.

SkyBitz Purchases Two Telematics Providers

HERNDON, VA - A provider of asset tracking and information management systems for trucking is growing by purchasing not one, but rather two commercial telematics companies in the local fleet management market.

Nova Scotia Considering Tolls For 100 Series Highways

HALIFAX -- Nova Scotia could one day have a lot more toll roads than it does now following their appearance nearly 20 years ago. The government is asking for proposals to conduct a feasibility study for the twinning and tolling at eight specific sections of four major highways.