USF Corp. announced May 23 the immediate shutdown of its USF Red Star operating company due to a job action initiated by the Teamsters on May 21 that “had triggered a loss of customers and revenue to a point where Red Star would never be able to recover.”
Preliminary numbers from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimate 4,942 truck-involved fatalities in 2003, a 0.9 percent increase over 2002.
Heartland Express has ordered 2,800 International 9400i trucks to replace its current fleet over three years. Deliveries began in May and will continue through the end of 2006. The trucks will be powered by Cummins ISX and Caterpillar C-15 engines.
State of Virginia will bar large trucks from the left-most lane of I-81, effective July 1. The new rules do not apply to buses or commercial vehicles when exiting on a left exit.
New York has opened its fourth truck stop electrification site at the Wilton Truck Plaza on Interstate 87. The 20-unit site uses a shore power or on-board system similar to the hook-up systems seen at marinas and recreational vehicle parks. The plaza is off Exit 16 of I-87.
U.S. Xpress Enterprises, Chattanooga, Tenn., will begin construction of a 50,000-square-foot office building within six to 18 months in Silverdale Industrial Park. The project will add up to 500 new jobs. U.S. Xpress plans a second phase of construction on the same property within five to seven years.
Illinois’ loss in truck registrations has been gained by bordering states, which blames the migration on Illinois’ high charges. Under the International Registration Plan, Illinois interstate truck registrations have dropped by more than 25,000 in the last three years due to the state’s higher registration fees and recent loss of tax exemptions, says the Mid-West Truckers Association. Neighboring states, including Indiana and Missouri, have witnessed a sizeable increase in registrations.
