Latest statistics from the Department of Transportation show that the rate of fatal crashes involving large trucks dropped 11 percent to 1.9 fatal crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. The number of truck-involved highway fatalities also has dropped for five straight
years.
Swift Transportation Co. has purchased all outstanding interests in major Mexican truckload carrier Trans-Mex Inc. SA de C.V. Swift previously held 49 percent of Trans-Mex and paid $31 million in cash and stock for the remaining 51 percent.
FedEx is buying the Kinko’s document duplication and business services chain for $2.4 billion in cash. The transaction, expected to close in the first quarter, includes 1,200 Kinko’s locations worldwide and counters the purchase by UPS of Mailboxes, etc., which has been renamed The UPS Store.
Boyd Bros.’s principal owners said they would buy all outstanding common stock in the company, thereby taking it private. BBT Acquisition Corp., a company controlled by the Boyd family, will pay $7 a share for the 28 percent of Boyd Bros. stock the four principal owners do not currently own.
ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants said its Chevron brand has been selected as the preferred coolant by TravelCenters of America. Effective last month, Chevron coolants will be used in TA service bays and will be available for on-shelf sales at the more than 150 TA locations in the United States and Canada.
LOST HOURS COME TO PASS
Although it may be several months before the full impact of the new hours-of-service regulations is known, some carriers say the first two weeks under the more stringent rule show that at least one worry is well founded.
