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Bruce Guthrie

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About Bruce Guthrie
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.

Posts by Bruce Guthrie

ATA commends House committee’s support against predatory towing

By Bruce Guthrie -

WASHINGTON — The American Trucking Associations responded favorably to the House Appropriations Committee for voting in support of a provision to crack down on predatory towing as part of the fiscal year 2025 transportation funding bill.  The commendation from the  group is warranted as the bill would direct FMCSA to facilitate discussions with local, state and private sector stakeholders to develop guidelines for towing and recovery regulations at all levels of government. “Charging truck owners thousands of dollars for each unwanted tow and holding cargo hostage with excessive invoices are egregious practices that disrupt our supply chain,” said American Trucking Associations President & CEO Chris Spear.  “ATA and our federation of state associations are fighting back against these predatory towers and ransom payments that target the truckers we depend on to deliver our nation’s goods.  We welcome this important step forward to develop commonsense reforms that will inject more transparency and fairness into the system and hold unscrupulous companies accountable.” Predatory towing entails any incident in which a towing operator severely overcharges; illegally seizes assets; damages assets by use of improper equipment; or illegitimately withholds release of a truck, trailer and/or cargo.  According to a recent study by the American Transportation Research Institute, the most common types of predatory towing are excessive rates, experienced by 82.7% of motor carriers, and unwarranted extra service charges, experienced by 81.8% of carriers.  A majority of carriers encountered additional issues such as truck release or access delays, cargo release delays, truck seizure without cause and tows misreported as consensual. The report language on predatory towing was released after the House Appropriations Committee voted 31-26 to advance the bill to the House floor.  Last month, ATA applauded a number of other victories for trucking that were folded into the legislation, including $200 million to expand truck parking as well as provisions that would: Preserve the fix ATA secured earlier this year to strengthen the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program; Block a waiver requested by California that would create a patchwork of meal and rest break rules, undermining safety and the supply chain; Prevent the Federal Highway Administration from moving forward with its proposal to impose greenhouse gas emissions performance measures on state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations, contrary to congressional intent; and Prohibit the implementation of any congestion tolling programs, such as the one planned by New York City that has now been indefinitely suspended Dave Heller, who serves as Senior Vice President of Safety and Government Affairs for the Truckload Carriers’ Association also gave his round of applause to the measure. “I think it stands to reason that unscrupulous towing companies certainly need to be held accountable for their actions and the House language is a start in the right direction,” Heller said. “There continues to be success stories at the state level that address these issues and the approps language will go far in beginning the process federally for FMCSA to instill more transparency in the process.  We support the efforts of the Appropriators in directing the agency to develop stronger guidelines that will hopefully eliminate the bad actors to operate on our highways.”

CNBC ranks Georgia fourth best state to do business

By Bruce Guthrie -

CNBC is counting down the Top 5 States for Business during CNBC’s Business Day programming and on CNBC.com. The network revealed that Georgia ranked #4 among America’s Top States for Business with a score of 1,527 out of a possible 2,500 points in an exclusive study, announced today. The survey ranked states according to 10 broad categories. Georgia ranked first in infrastructure and fourth in workforce, seventh in economy and eighth in education. The bad news, and what likely was why Georgia didn’t finish higher was that the state ranked 40th for quality of life. Georgia is repeatedly rated as one of the top states to do business. In fact, Governor Brian P. Kemp, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Economic Development announced in October 2023 that the state achieved an unprecedented full decade of business excellence, earning the rank of No. 1 state for business from Area Development magazine for 10 consecutive years. No other state in the nation has achieved this benchmark. For 10 straight years, the people who help businesses choose where to make long-term investments have repeatedly said Georgia is the best state in the nation for opportunity,” said Governor Brian Kemp, at the time of the announcement. “Despite the unprecedented challenges we’ve seen in recent years, men and women across Georgia continued putting in countless hours of hard work for their communities. Thanks to their efforts, we’ve brought record-breaking jobs and investments to all four corners of the state, especially to rural Georgia.” “Excellence is intentional, and a decade of excellence requires planning and implementation by many people over a number of years to achieve the same goal. That doesn’t happen by chance,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Successive Governors, local and community elected leadership, and the Georgia General Assembly have consistently supported our partnership approach to economic development, allowing our state and local teams to be responsive to business. Our University System and Technical College System of Georgia have been ahead of the curve in working with us to prepare Georgians for the workforce needs of tomorrow, giving Georgia a competitive advantage. A special thanks to Governor Kemp, and congratulations to everyone past and present who have been part of this decade of excellence!”

UPS names Dykes as CFO

By Bruce Guthrie -

ATLANTA — UPS, one of the world’s largest logistical solutions providers with 2023 revenue of $91.0 billion has a new leader on its money side. UPS announced the appointment of Brian Dykes as its new Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. According to a release, the appointment is effective immediately. He will be responsible for UPS’s financial strategies and will lead the global finance organization, including planning, treasury, tax, financial reporting, financial operations, and investor relations. Dykes, 46, has spent more than 25 years with UPS, most recently serving as Senior Vice President, Global Finance and Planning, since April 2023. Prior to that role, Dykes held positions of increasing responsibility within the Company’s finance and accounting, corporate treasury, mergers and acquisitions, business intelligence, and business development functions, both in the U.S. and internationally. “I am delighted to appoint Brian as our next CFO,” said UPS Chief Executive Officer Carol B. Tomé. “Brian’s experience makes him uniquely qualified. The Board and I are confident that Brian’s financial and business acumen, honed in a variety of strategic leadership roles at UPS during his career, make him the best person to lead our global finance function as we execute on our Better and Bolder strategy to drive shareowner value.”    

Seismos and Edison Partners team up to drive energy industry’s digital future

By Bruce Guthrie -

A new partnership has formed in order to enhance technology. Seismos and Edison Partners announced a new $15 million growth investment to enable and accelerate the energy industry’s shift from analog-focused exploration and production to technology-driven, digital infrastructure and autonomous production operations. This growth equity investment will support Seismos’ expansion across its existing oil and gas industry base and into new verticals, such as geothermal and mining that are similarly embracing modern digital infrastructure solutions. “The new energy age involves all forms of generation in an equilibrium supported by modern technology” “The new energy age involves all forms of generation in an equilibrium supported by modern technology,” said Panos Adamopoulos, founder and CEO of Seismos. “Oil and gas markets are moving to a state of autonomous, intelligent, AI-driven operations. With Edison, we’ve partnered with a great operating team to help us grow exponentially as this modernization takes hold.” According to a recent release, tools and practices historically used in oil and gas production are facing their natural limits in generating relevant, real-time information which results in suboptimal cost structures, production numbers and safety standards. The new, autonomous, digitized oil and gas field requires next-generation automation and optimization. With its AI-powered Acoustic Sensing, Seismos is revolutionizing the energy sector with efficient, innovative technology that delivers real-time, actionable intelligence. The company’s proprietary AI technology enables rapid, continuous insights and predictive monitoring for quality control that can create up to 10x production improvements and cost savings for operators. Seismos’s topline growth highlights the increasing global demand for its innovative solutions. Revenue expanded 800% between Q1 and Q4 of 2023 on a customer base that doubled in the same time period. The company expects this momentum to continue with further expansion in the Middle East, South America, and Asia. With over 45 patents, Seismos holds a strong intellectual property position, reinforcing its leadership and innovative edge in the industry. “Seismos is leading the evolution of the digital oil field. With a unique, verticalized technology platform and scalable low-cost solution, they’ve created a new market category. Combined with the passion of founder Panos Adamopoulos and expertise of this leadership team, the company fits squarely within Edison’s investment theme of digitizing critical infrastructure, attacking some of the energy industry’s biggest challenges,” said Ryan Ziegler, general partner at Edison Partners. While more sources of renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, continue to grow, primary global energy sources include a mix ranging from renewables, to oil and natural gas, and will be driven by increasing global demand that will extend until at least 2050, according to McKinsey. The company’s use cases and applications are very compelling to both core energy producers and the global energy transition industry at large. Edison’s investment in Seismos adds to other digital infrastructure investments, including 120Water, Budderfly, Overhaul, and RTS. Edison has invested in more than 260 companies, more than half of which have been in the enterprise solutions space.

ALAN activates for Hurricane Beryl relief

By Bruce Guthrie -

LAKELAND, Fla. — When Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas on Monday, July 8 as a category 1 hurricane, bringing heavy winds, flash flooding, and state-wide power outages. American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) sprung into action. The organization mobilized its network and is currently working with non-profit and business partners to aid response efforts. The first order of ALAN’s business was to get organized. The organization hosted a logistics coordination call with responding non-profit partner organizations. During this call partners shared their current response capabilities and identified potential logistics gaps. ALAN’s response coordination efforts, which include fielding and filling specific requests for logistics help, will continue this week as additional needs are identified, according to a release issued on Wednesday afternoon. “Most of our requests for assistance arrive after a hurricane or tropical storm has hit, sometimes weeks, months or even years into recovery” said Alexia Nobles, ALAN’s Operations Coordinator. “That’s because each storm winds up having very different outcomes and pain points. And you really can’t predict what those will be – and where relief organizations will require supply chain assistance the most – until after the storm has moved through.” ALAN’s Disaster Micro-Site is the best resource to view open logistics needs for response efforts. It’s also where we post critical resources and information in the form of Situation Reports as we receive new updates. “We are likely to witness supply chain impacts given parts of the Caribbean, Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast were all affected,” said Kathy Fulton, ALAN’s Executive Director. “ALAN will continue to convene its public and private sector networks to provide visibility, smart logistics solutions, and compassionate humanitarian response as relief efforts demand.” The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that after Hurricane Beryl slammed into Texas early Monday, knocking out power to nearly 3 million homes and businesses, unleashing heavy rain and killing at least three people it moved east and later weakened to a tropical depression, the National Hurricane Center said Monday evening. The fast-moving tempest threatened to carve a harsh path over several more states in coming days. Texas state and local officials warned it could take several days to restore power after Beryl came ashore as a Category 1 hurricane and toppled 10 transmission lines and knocked down trees that took down power lines, according to the AP. Beryl later weakened into a tropical storm and then a tropical depression, far less powerful than the Category 5 behemoth that tore a deadly path of destruction through parts of Mexico and the Caribbean last weekend. But the winds and rains of the fast-moving storm were still powerful enough to knock down hundreds of trees that had already been teetering in water-saturated earth, and strand dozens of cars on flooded roadways. As it moved inland, the storm threatened to spawn tornadoes and the National Weather Service confirmed on social media that tornadoes had been spotted in northeastern Louisiana. ALAN was founded in 2005, and provides donated logistics assistance to disaster relief organizations before, during and after catastrophic events. It is aided in these efforts by financial supporters, volunteers and in-kind donors. In 2024 and 2023 it coordinated compassionate supply chain services for disasters such as the Arkansas tornadoes, Hurricane Idalia, the Maui wildfires, the California winter storms, the attacks on Ukraine, U.S. southern border response and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Volvo gets initial VNL order in Canada

By Bruce Guthrie -

  There is cause for celebration. Volvo Trucks North America announced via press release that Tobler and Sons Inc., a family-owned logistics company, is the first customer in Canada to order the all-new Volvo VNL. According to the release, the logistics fleet will add two VNL 860s with the Edge Black interior and exterior trim to their fleet, which is exclusively Volvo trucks. Tobler and Sons recently participated in immersive customer events at the Volvo Trucks’ New River Valley (NRV) assembly plant in Dublin, Virginia, which has been expanded with a new $400 million factory dedicated to building the all-new Volvo VNL. Volvo Trucks is hosting customer events throughout the summer, providing a hands-on opportunity to experience the all-new Volvo VNL and explore the packaging options and trim levels. Production of the all-new Volvo VNL will start this summer, with deliveries beginning later this year. “These events at NRV have given us a fantastic opportunity to engage with our customers and witness their excitement about the all-new Volvo VNL,” said Matthew Blackman, managing director for Canada, Volvo Trucks North America. “Tobler and Sons has been a loyal Volvo Trucks customer for many years, and I’m thrilled to see their trucks come off the assembly line with distinctive Edge Black trim. Their new trucks will stand out on the road with their sleek aerodynamic cabs and gloss-black accents and finish, making a striking addition to their Volvo fleet.” The all-new Volvo VNL will provide a 10% increase in fuel efficiency and has been designed to simplify and expedite the service process to maximize uptime, enhancing their fleet’s focus on efficiency and reliability. “I have been a lifelong Volvo Trucks customer, so I’m very familiar with the performance and efficiency of the platform. I love the streamlined look of the all-new Volvo VNL and knew that I wanted to be the first fleet in Canada to purchase one,” said Martin ‘Marty’ Tobler, owner of Tobler and Sons Inc. “It is an exciting opportunity to come to the plant where my trucks will be assembled, meet the team that designed all the new features and learn how to maximize the benefits of the new trucks.” With the launch of the all-new Volvo VNL, Volvo Trucks introduced a new spec’ing process, offering packaging options for interior and exterior trim levels, powertrain, technology, amenities, and safety. This consultative approach to configuring and ordering, a first in the industry, streamlines and enhances the configuration and ordering process, enabling Volvo Trucks to deliver added value and cost savings compared to the conventional a la carte spec’ing process.  

Van spot rates rise in latest report

By Bruce Guthrie -

Despite the holiday week, data from Truckstop and FTR Transportation Intelligence for the week ended July 5 show how calendar shifts can affect spot market performance. That’s according to a press release issued earlier this week. Broker-posted spot rates for dry van and refrigerated van equipment rose during the holiday week – an unusual development for that week of the year, but the timing of the Independence Day holiday likely was a significant factor, according to the report. “Dry van and refrigerated rates usually fall sharply during week 27, but this year, most of the week was over before the holiday,” the release stated. “In most years, any pre-holiday rate strength occurs during week 26.” Previous years with rate gains during week 27 generally have been those in which July 4 was a Thursday or Friday. Refrigerated rates were especially robust with the largest increase for a week 27 since at least 2008 and the strongest year-over-year comparison for any week since February 2022. With the calendar distortion over, the seasonal expectation would be for a decline in rates during the current week. With load postings falling far more sharply than truck postings during the holiday week, the Market Demand Index fell to 54.3, which is the lowest level since December.

Arizona DOT recovers millions in insurance reimbursements

By Bruce Guthrie -

PHOENIX — The state of Arizona is a bit heavier in its coffers today.  An Arizona Department of Transportation unit tasked with seeking insurance reimbursement when incidents cause damage to the state highway system recovered $6.4 million during the fiscal year that ended June 30. According to a recent release issued, ADOT accomplishes this through its Insurance Recovery Team, which has a goal of saving Arizonans from bearing the cost of repairs when individuals or firms are responsible for damage to the highway system. The unit is staffed by professionals with insurance industry backgrounds, and reaches out to the responsible parties and their insurance carriers to recover the repair costs, which include labor, equipment and materials. “Our commitment to insurance recovery helps safeguard Arizona’s investment in state highways,” said ADOT Risk Management Administrator Susan Stumfoll. “Having an Insurance Recovery Team staffed by experienced professionals helps make sure those responsible for damage to state property are held accountable for the associated cost of repairs.” The Insurance Recovery Team processed 2,111 claims during the 2024 fiscal year, including: $86,000 recovered for a 2023 incident in which a cement truck struck a concrete barrier wall on the Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport $79,000 recovered for a semitrailer fire that burned the asphalt on the Beeline Highway in 2023 $37,000 recovered for a semitrailer fire that burned the asphalt on I-40 in earlier this year The money recovered goes into the State Highway Fund, “and it adds up: During the past three fiscal years, ADOT’s Insurance Recovery Team processed 7,233 claims to recover $23 million for damage to the state highway system,” the release stated. The recovery process begins when law enforcement responds to an incident in which guardrail, a bridge or some component of the highway system has been damaged. The officer will mark the damaged item with a sticker that has the incident report number on it. When ADOT is notified of the damage and makes the repair, a member of the Insurance Recovery Team will contact the responsible party or their insurer to file a claim.

NACFE electrification report findings show BEV tech advancing rapidly

By Bruce Guthrie -

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — A new report has been released by the The North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) and RMI titled Run on Less – Electric DEPOT: Scaling BEVs in the Real World. According to a recent release issued the report focuses on analyzing daily performance data from 22 production-level battery electric vehicles (BEVs) operating out of 10 fleet depots that participated in Run on Less – Electric DEPOT. Vehicles represented include Class 2b through Class 8 trucks from 11 manufacturers. The data from the Geotab telematics devices installed on the trucks was made available to researchers for deeper analyses. NACFE conducted a Run on Less – Electric DEPOT Data Workshop in March 2024, where participants were invited to present their own analyses of the Run data. “Insights can be pulled back into telematics tools to help the fleet operator understand range predictions and capabilities for their unique situation and the factors that impact them,” said Charlotte Argue, senior manager, sustainable mobility, Geotab. The data analysis confirmed and validated the findings released shortly after the demonstration in September 2023. Those findings were: Small depots are ready for electrification now. Electrification at large depots is gaining momentum. There have been big technology and production improvements since Run on Less – Electric in 2021. The trucking industry needs cost and weight reductions to improve TCO. Range can be extended with multiple charging events during a shift or en route. BEVs are empowering diversity and inclusion, and energizing initiative and passion. Powering up infrastructure is taking too long, but portable/temporary charging is helping. “[The Run showed] that this technology is available. It’s not 10 years in the future. It’s operating now in a city around us and it is possible for other businesses and other fleets to adopt,” said Joy Gardner, executive director, Empire Clean Cities. In addition to validating the initial findings, the post-Run analyses came to these additional findings: Electric vans, trucks and heavy-duty tractors are on the road today and are performing well in many duty cycles. Despite challenges, many fleets are deploying BEVs at scale in their operations. This list includes not only the 10 fleets that participated in Run on Less – Electric DEPOT but also companies like Amazon, NFI and IKEA. Infrastructure, both at the depots and strategically placed along freight corridors, is needed now. One stumbling block to depot electrification is the need for a wider charging network. The place to begin is at or between depots and along freight corridors. Fleets can help with this by working in partnerships where two or more companies combine charging use to maximize charger asset utilization. Fleets need to be aware that planning time for utilities is significantly longer than what fleets are used to. Utilities need to give fleets realistic timelines for project completion. The US National Blueprint For Transportation Decarbonization and the National Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Strategy outline a vision for the vehicle technologies and infrastructure required to transform commercial freight transportation from fossil fuels to zero-emission energy sources. Heavy-duty tractor OEMs should make cost and weight improvements a priority. It is still difficult for many fleets to make the TCO case for BEVs based solely on hard costs, but factoring in things like driver satisfaction and achieving sustainability goals can result in a better TCO case. In addition, more information is needed on the cost of trucks, chargers, energy, infrastructure installation, etc. Vehicle weight has a direct impact on how much payload can be carried. Even with the 2,000-lb. weight exemption for Class 8 vehicles, the weight of the batteries is impacting payload as well as range. But it is important to keep in mind that today, even with diesel-powered trucks, not every load reaches maximum gross vehicle weight. The more exact the understanding of freight weights, the better the electricity needs for BEVs can be estimated. This will help fleets better match BEVs to duty cycles. In the meantime, OEMs need to continue to refine batteries with weight reduction as a key goal. More realistic data on all key performance metrics is needed. There is a need for better quality performance data on BEV operations — not measured solely on the vehicle, but also measured at the charger, at the depot and from a utility perspective. Information needs to be realistic and not focus on “worst case” scenarios as those do not accurately represent the reality of the current state of BEV development. In addition, it takes a joint effort from a variety of sources to electrify a depot and each of these participants requires their own type of data for different reasons. “These additional findings are things that everyone involved in the effort to decarbonize freight movement can be working on,” says Rick Mihelic, NACFE’s director of emerging technologies and lead author of the report. “We have built up quite a bit of data which demonstrates that BEVs are working in a wide variety of transportation applications, but we are aware that there are still issues that need to be addressed. Collaboratively and collectively, we can address the changes and improve the TCO case for BEVs for more fleets.”

CARB certifies Zonar in its Clean Truck Check program

By Bruce Guthrie -

SEATTLE, Wash. — Zonar announced via press release that the company is the first telematics provider to receive certification from California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) Clean Truck Check (CTC) program as a provider of continuously connected remote on-board diagnostic (CC-ROBD) testing devices. “Our end-to-end solution will help drivers seamlessly adapt to the new mandate, save significant time and money, and ultimately make meaningful progress toward reduced carbon emissions,” said Greg Colvin, Senior Director of Solutions Engineering at Zonar This certification came with  what Zonar called “rigorous assessements and approval processes.” “After providing the requisite emissions data and supporting information, Zonar has officially been granted an executive order to provide its OBD device and over-the-air emissions monitoring service to customers, the release stated. “As the first certified telematics provider of OBD testing devices, Zonar is proud to provide a solution that will automatically perform emission checks while fleet vehicles are on route ensuring compliance, eliminating downtime, and reducing costly logistical nightmares due to rerouting vehicles to testing centers for a required scan,” said Greg Colvin, Senior Director of Solutions Engineering at Zonar. “Our end-to-end solution will help drivers seamlessly adapt to the new mandate, save significant time and money, and ultimately make meaningful progress toward reduced carbon emissions. This is a major achievement as we enter the final stage of work for our in-market solution to be released prior to the regulatory deadline.” Zonar stated that heavy-duty truck emissions of nitrogen oxide and particulate matter have been reduced by 99% over the last two decades, Such a feat likely significantly improves air quality and public health. “To maintain this progress and further combat climate change, CARB’s CTC program aims to reduce smog-forming and carcinogenic air pollutants produced by all commercial vehicles that travel through California,” Zonar’s release stated. “This accounts for a significant portion of the industry as CARB estimates over 1.8 million medium- and heavy-duty vehicles operate daily in California.” By combining regular vehicle testing with advanced emissions monitoring, OBD testing devices must scan every CTC regulatory-required vehicle in a fleet at the beginning of its 90-day compliance intervals (based on vehicles’ VIN or date of registration) to give fleets adequate time to identify and schedule emissions-related repairs as needed to pass. Fleets will have two emissions scanning options: a handheld shop tool plugged into the OBD port operated by a certified technician; or an OBD device installed into the vehicle which automatically performs scans and sends the data over-the-air directly to CARB. If a CTC-regulatory required vehicle is unable to pass an emissions test, consequences may include fines, citations, and/or vehicle registration holds. Beginning January 1, 2025, any commercial vehicle traveling to or through California will be required to undergo testing twice per year. In 2027, vehicles will be required to test four times per year.  

Overturned truck spills milk on Ohio highway

By Bruce Guthrie -

ASHLAND COUNTY, Ohio — According to multiple news reports, a portion of US 30 in Ohio was closed near state Route 60 in Ashland County due to an overnight crash involving a semi that was hauling milk. The Ohio State Highway Patrol stated that the semi traveled off the roadway to the left prior to overturning in the median. Authorities have labeled the incident as a “serious injury” crash. Details of the driver’s injuries were not provided. “Drugs and alcohol do not appear to be factors in the crash,” according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. US 30 was closed for some time as crews worked to clear the scene of the crash.

NFI CEO not in court for scheduled arraingment

By Bruce Guthrie -

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — The New Jersey Democratic power broker charged with racketeering by the state attorney general pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges he threatened people whose properties he sought to take over and orchestrated tax incentive legislation to benefit organizations he controlled. George E. Norcross III and four other co-defendants appeared in state Superior Court in Mercer County to enter their pleas in response to Attorney General Matt Platkin’s criminal charges unsealed last month. They all pleaded not guilty. Sidney R. Brown, chief executive of trucking and logistics company NFI, was not in court as his attorney is representing a co-defendant in the Menendez trial in New York, according to the judge. “My client emphatically states that he is not guilty,” Norcoss’ attorney Michael Critchley told Judge Peter Warshaw. A sixth co-defendant sent a letter to the judge saying his lawyer is currently involved in another trial and hasn’t entered a plea yet, Warshaw said. The charges, brought by a Democratic attorney general, against a longtime influential Democrat put the state’s dominant political party under scrutiny in an election year and as the state’s senior U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez is on trial in New York on unrelated federal bribery charges. In a sign of how contentious the trial could be, the prosecutors and defense attorneys went back and forth Tuesday over nearly 14,000 pages of documents the state has yet to turn over to the defendants as required under the rules. The attorney general’s office sought to subject those documents to an order barring their distribution to third parties, like the news media, while the defense argued there shouldn’t be any such order. The judge pushed the parties to agree to a temporary order barring the release of those records through Sept. 9 while the parties sort out what should be kept from third parties and what could be passed along. “You can only imagine my enthusiasm for having to serve as a referee for what if any of this discovery should be subjected to a protective order,” Warshaw said. Among the items prosecutors have already mentioned in the indictment are recordings, including a profanity-laden call of Nocross in which he tells a developer he’ll face “enormous consequences.” The person asks if Norcross is threatening him, and Norcross responds, “Absolutely,” according to the indictment. Defense attorneys said Tuesday they planned to challenge the apparent wiretaps that led to those recordings. Norcross is charged with operating a criminal enterprise over more than a decade, starting in 2012, in which he threatened property owners whose land he sought to acquire, used Camden, New Jersey, city government to acquire land and tailored legislation for tax incentives that benefited companies he controlled. Those allegations have been the subject of investigations for years, with Norcross denying any wrongdoing and praising the good his investments did for the economically hard-up city of Camden, across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. He’s said the prosecution was politically motivated and without merit. He angrily denounced the charges the day they were unsealed and sat in the front row at the attorney general’s news conference. Norcross is a wealthy executive of an insurance firm and, until 2021, a Democratic National Committee member who also contributed financially to state and national Democrats. He’s since moved to Palm Beach, Florida, where he had been listed before as a member of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club. He’s long been a boogeyman of many progressive New Jersey Democrats, who saw him as enriching himself while poorer residents languished. A longtime kingmaker in southern New Jersey, Norcross often wielded influence through back channels. An old friend of the former Senate president and current gubernatorial candidate Steve Sweeney, Norcross played a key role in getting economic tax incentive legislation passed in 2013. His brothers are lobbyist and co-defendant Philip Norcross — who pleaded not guilty on Tuesday as well — and U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross, a former state legislator who is not charged. In addition to the Norcross brothers pleading not guilty, attorney William M. Tambussi; Camden Community Partnership chief executive and former Camden Mayor Dana L. Redd; and development company executive John J. O’Donnell have pleaded not guilty.  

Georgia infrastructure receives mediocre overall grade

By Bruce Guthrie -

ATLANTA – A slightly above average grade did not give members of Georgia’s Public Service Commission much cause for celebration. In fact, it did the opposite.  “This is a wakeup call,” Tim Echols, vice chairman of the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC), said during a news conference at the state Capitol. “We need to get better.” Echols’ melancholy reaction was to a report released Monday that stated that the condition of Georgia’s infrastructure grade of “C+” by the Georgia section of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Georgia’s ports achieved a B+, the highest score among 14 categories.  The report covered the conditions of the state’s bridges, freight rail system, energy infrastructure, and schools which came in next with above average “B” grades. Georgia actually scored above the national report card in 12 of the 14 categories the report examined. But the state of transit in Georgia was rated lowest, receiving a grade of “D.” The report noted that Georgia has historically underinvested in transit. State Rep. Vance Smith, a former commissioner of the Georgia Department of Transportation and former chairman of the House Transportation Committee, praised the “C+” grade the report gave the condition of aviation in Georgia as an improvement. The General Assembly has increased funding of the state’s general aviation airports in recent years, many located in predominantly rural areas. Smith said improvements at those airports are helping attract businesses to Georgia that aren’t interested in having to cope with Atlanta’s traffic congestion. “That’s economic development for these (small) communities,” he said. “It spreads the economy across our whole state.” Echols said Georgia’s relatively strong showing in energy infrastructure stems from last spring’s PSC vote approving Georgia Power’s request for 6,600 megawatts in additional electrical generating capacity as well as the completion of the nuclear expansion at Plant Vogtle in May. “Georgia has extra energy here,” he said. The condition of drinking water in Georgia received a grade of “C+” on the report, a mediocre showing that was dramatically demonstrated when major water main breaks in the city of Atlanta in late May forced an emergency declaration and disrupted service for five days. “While there is a lot to be proud of, there is still room for progress, especially for water systems that serve Georgia’s growing population,” said Julie Sechrist, who chaired the committee of engineers that prepared the report. “As more people and businesses move here, these life-sustaining systems need increased funding to grow, improve, and become more resilient to new and ongoing threats.” Dave Williams of the Capitol Beat News Service contributed to this report.

Diesel fuel prices continue to rise

By Bruce Guthrie -

Diesel prices continue to rise for the third straight week. According to data released on Monday by the Petroleum Administration for Defense District, the overall national average price per gallon for diesel went up more than five cents to $3.865 per gallon. The sharpest increase was in the midwest where prices went from $3.729 to $3.803. Two weeks ago the midwest average price stood at $3.662 meaning prices have spiked in the region by nearly 14 cents per gallon in just two weeks. The second largest increase came on the east coast where prices rose from $3.898 to $3.934. The only region of the country that reported any decline was the west coast minus California where the price dipped only slightly from $4.039 to $4.018. California’s prices rose by four cents from $4.915 to $4.955.

Log truck overturns after near head-on collision with semi-truck in west Georgia

By Bruce Guthrie -

HARALSON COUNTY, Ga. — While trying to avoid a grass-cutting crew in rural Haralson County, Ga.,a semi truck driver reportedly caused a log truck to overturn. The accident happened on Highway 100  near the town of Tallapoosa, Ga. on Monday. According to a press release issued by the Haralson County Sheriff’s Department, deputies responded the incident near Crossroads Church Road in reference to an overturned log truck. Authorities say the driver of a Kenworth semi truck, Corcedric Lathan, 33, of Birmingham, Ala. stated to deputies on the scene that he was driving south on Highway 100 when he “came across a grass cutting crew.” According to the press release, Latham stated that he went around the crew on the wrong side of the road and then met a log truck in their lane. Latham stated that he was able to get back over narrowly missing the log truck. The Haralson County Sheriff’s Department release stated that the driver of the Mack log truck, Jeffery Farlow, of Ranburne, Ala. stated that he was traveling north on Highway 100 when a truck came into his lane, and he jerked the wheel to avoid hitting him. Farlow was able to miss the other truck but did go into the embankment and roll over. Farlow was not injured during the wreck. A witness at the scene corroborated the drivers’ accounts of the events according to the Sheriff’s Department release. This wreck could have been so much worse, and we are thankful that no one was seriously injured,” stated Haralson County Sheriff Stacy Williams. “It can be dangerous to go around workers on the roadways. Best practice if you must pass is to make sure you can see a good distance ahead. A little patience and carefulness could save a life.” Latham was cited for Failure to Maintain Lane.

Forward Air names Pierson as permanent CFO, Faught as chief accounting officer

By Bruce Guthrie -

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — Forward Air Corp. has appointed Jamie G. Pierson as permanent chief financial officer and James Faught as chief accounting officer, effective July 3, 2024. Pierson was originally named interim CFO on May 20. Faught joins the company from EVO Transportation where he served as CFO. In a recent press release, Forward Air CEO Shawn Stewart emphasized the strategic significance of the new appointments. “This expansion of our leadership team is instrumental in navigating the financial integration of Forward Air and Omni Logistics and creating a path to long-term financial success.” he said. “The investment we are making in our finance and accounting teams demonstrates our commitment to becoming one company with one mission and adds tremendous strength to a best-in-industry unified senior leadership team.” Before joining Forward Air, Pierson served as CFO at MV Transportation. Prior to joining MV Transportation, Pierson held various senior leadership positions with Ecobat Technologies and YRC Worldwide Inc. Faught joins Forward, having most recently served as CFO of EVO Transportation. Prior to this role, Faught served as chief accounting officer at Yellow Corp.  

Authorities seek driver of semi that struck Massachusetts fire truck

By Bruce Guthrie -

MANSFIELD, Mass. — Authorities in Massachusetts are looking for an 18-wheeler that hit a fire engine that was responding to an accident. In a press release issued Sunday, July 7, the Mansfield Fire Department stated that at approximately 4:30 a.m. Sunday morning, “Mansfield Engine 33 was operating at a moter vehicle accident (MVA) on 495 southbound just prior to exit 27 in Norton when the Engine was struck by a tractor trailer truck.” The fire department said no one was in the Engine at the time and there were no injuries from the secondary accident. However, the Engine has sustained significant damage to the front passenger’s side of the vehicle, according to the release. The release also stated that the tractor trailer unit did not stop after the accident. The only description of the 18-wheeler available on Sunday evening was that it was a tractor trailer unit with a white trailer that had sustained significant damage to the front drivers side of the Tractor portion.

CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Week is this week

By Bruce Guthrie -

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has declared July 7-13 as the dates for this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week, which is a safe-driving enforcement and outreach initiative aimed at improving driving behaviors through educational and traffic-enforcement strategies and driver interactions with law enforcement. Throughout Operation Safe Driver Week, law enforcement personnel in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. will be on the lookout for commercial motor vehicle drivers and passenger vehicle drivers engaging in unsafe driving behaviors, such as speeding, distracted driving, following too closely, drunk or drugged driving, etc. Drivers engaging in such behaviors will be pulled over by law enforcement and may be issued a warning or citation.According to a release, the focus area for this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week is reckless, careless or dangerous driving. Any person who drives a vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is driving recklessly. Careless/dangerous driving is defined as operating a vehicle without due care and attention or reasonable consideration for other motorists or people on the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, effective, high-visibility communications and outreach are essential parts of successful transportation safety programs. However, communications and outreach programs are unlikely to have an effect unless they are tied to vigorous enforcement. Operation Safe Driver Week aims to improve the safety of our roadways through proactive driver safety outreach and education, and by addressing unsafe driving behaviors through responsive traffic enforcement when drivers are identified engaging in dangerous driving behaviors on our roadways. Operation Safe Driver Week is part of CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Program. The program offers resources for teen and new drivers and commercial motor vehicle drivers, along with safe-driving public service announcement videos, which are available for download and distribution. CVSA is also offering Operation Safe Driver Week postcards at no cost to its industry and enforcement members. The postcards are available in English, French and Spanish. State, provincial, territorial and local law enforcement jurisdictions; the motor carrier industry; the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; Transport Canada; and Mexico’s Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation are all working together toward the same goal of reducing crashes, injuries and fatalities on North America’s roadways.

Preliminary Class 8 truck orders return to expected levels

By Bruce Guthrie -

COLUMBUS, Ind. – The fact that Class 8 numbers were down in June doesn’t come as much of a surprise. In a media release from ACT Research, June preliminary North America Class 8 net orders were 14,800 units, down 37% m/m and 12% y/y. Complete industry data for June, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-July. “Even in good years, Q2 typically delivers below-trend orders, while Q4 orders can trigger optimism at the bottom of the cycle. With the long bottom in freight volumes and rates continuing in the most recent data from DAT amid lingering market overcapacity, for-hire carriers’ financial performance has been dismal,” shared Kenny Vieth, ACT’s President and Senior Analyst. He continued, “Entering the historically worst time of the year for orders at the bottom of tractor buyers’ profitability cycle is producing results in line with expectations. At the same time, the brightest spot in the economy has been consumer services spending, helping to support steady medium-duty truck demand.” Regarding medium duty orders, Vieth added, “Reflecting underlying service sector strength, NA Classes 5-7 net orders were 19,000 units in June, down 1.6% month-to-mont, but up an in-line 3.3% year-to-year.”

Walmart Canada puts hydrogen fuel cell trucks on the road

By Bruce Guthrie -

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Alternative fuel has been integrated into Walmart’s fleet. Walmart Canada’s new hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric semi-truck is now on the roads in Mississauga, Ontario A press release issued recently called the Walmart’s endeavor into the the hydrogen fuel realm as an “ambitious journey towards a 100% alternatively-powered fleet.” The release further boasts Walmart Canada as the first major retailer in Canada to introduce a hydrogen fuel cell electric semi-truck to its fleet. Operating with zero tailpipe emissions, the Nikola Hydrogen Fuel Cell EV Class 8 tractor has a range of about 800 kilometers and on average can avoid 97 metric tons of CO2 tailpipe emissions annually according to the manufacturer.* According to Nikola, Walmart Canada is also the first retail fleet to operate one of these trucks in North America. Walmart Canada says that the introduction of trucks powered by hydrogen fuel opens the door to longer-haul travel with alternative power, extending the range that’s currently possible with the fleet’s electric options. This first hydrogen FCEV was sourced by Etobicoke, Ontario-based ITD Industries Inc., an industry-leading transportation solutions provider, and will be deployed in Ontario for longer-haul trips. “We’re proud to be introducing Walmart Canada’s first hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle as a major milestone on our journey to becoming a regenerative company,” said Gonzalo Gebara, president and CEO, Walmart Canada. “This is a first for a retailer in Canada and is an example of how we will continue to push forward, embrace new technology and spark change within the industry.” “At Nikola, we are incredibly proud to support Walmart’s sustainability initiatives and to be supporting their historic milestone of being the first retail fleet in Canada to operate a hydrogen fuel cell electric semi-truck,” said Steve Girsky, Nikola President and CEO. “This collaboration with Walmart Canada, a brand committed to a more sustainable future, aligns perfectly with our mission to drive innovation and environmental responsibility in the transportation industry. This achievement underscores our shared vision for a zero emissions future and the positive impact we can make together for our communities and the planet overall.” “As our government massively expands production of clean, reliable and affordable energy we’re creating an environment for businesses to invest and create new jobs,” said Stephen Lecce, Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Electrification. “It’s no surprise that Walmart has chosen to deploy its first hydrogen-powered semi-truck in its fleet here in Ontario. We’re rapidly building out Ontario’s hydrogen economy with new production projects that are going to help forward-looking businesses across the province transition to hydrogen vehicles and reduce their emissions.” “Walmart Canada has an ambitious plan to power 100% of our fleet with alternative power. We’re proud to be the first retailer in Canada to introduce a hydrogen fuel cell semi-truck to our fleet as a major milestone towards achieving that goal,” said Michael Buna, senior director, national fleet, Walmart Canada. “As we work to be more sustainable in our day-to-day fleet operations, embracing additional types of alternative power allows us to go further, faster.” The Nikola hydrogen fuel cell electric semi-truck carries high-pressure gaseous hydrogen onboard in specialized tanks, similar to how a conventional truck carries diesel. The hydrogen then runs through the fuel cell stack, which is converted to electricity by combining it with oxygen, with water vapor as the only byproduct. This electric power is transferred to the high-voltage power-net, which can charge the on-board batteries, and transfer power to the pavement via an e-axle with integrated electric motors. According to Natural Resources Canada, hydrogen is the simplest, lightest and most abundant element on earth, has the highest energy per unit of any fuel and plays a critical role in working towards a carbon-neutral future.