Titanium Transportation Keeps an End-To-End Eye on Trailers

Titanium Transportation has adopted the Blackberry Radar, an end-to-end asset management system that provides more benefits than simply tracking trailers on the move.

In an effort to boost efficiencies and increase equipment utilization in its growing fleet, Ontario-based Titanium Transportation decided to modernize the way it tracks its more than 1,200 trailers. Add to that a desire to increase customer and driver satisfaction and improve the company's overall return on investment, and you have a very strong argument for trying a new asset-tracking technology from an unexpected supplier.

Once known as an innovative smartphone provider, about two years ago BlackBerry began studying how it could leverage its technology assets to improve the operational efficiency of the cargo transportation and logistics industry. The result was the Radar, an end-to-end asset management system.

“We found BlackBerry Radar very compelling, because it has capabilities beyond traditional trailer tracking that we look forward to using in the future as we expand our use of the solution,” says Marilyn Daniel, Titanium's chief operating officer. “We have already been able to save driver time by locating empty trailers on customer property.

“With BlackBerry Radar, we know exactly where our trailers are on our yards and on our customer's yards,” Daniel says. “When you are dealing with thousands of trailers in a yard, being able to pinpoint the trailer location immediately saves us a lot of time getting drivers and loads on and off the road quickly.”

And while the system was not purchased as a theft deterrent, Daniel appreciates the ability to secure the status and location of each trailer. The transmitted data is encrypted and the system then authenticates the fleet's devices and cloud endpoints before sending anything up to the cloud. This protects both company and customer data.

The device might also allow the fleet to cut costs through equipment ...Read the rest of this story

‘Welcome to Washington…’

President Trump's 2018 Budget Photo: White House Office of Management and Budget

Anyone hoping they'll learn lots more about that trillion-dollar infrastructure investment plan President Trump first dangled before the nation back on the day after the election has to be sorely disappointed if they read the foundational document on his federal budget proposal just put out by the White House.

Grandly titled “A New Foundation for American Greatness,” the Fiscal Year 2018 budget document runs over 50 pages.

But less than a single printed page is devoted to “an Infrastructure Plan to support $1 trillion in private/public infrastructure investment.”

What's more, or less as the case is here, the discussion about infrastructure is presented in the most general of terms.

The only mention tying in highways comes in a laundry list of what the plan aims to fix: “surface transportation, airports, waterways, ports, drinking and waste water, broadband and key Federal facilities.”

Rather than seeking substantial increases in federal spending on infrastructure from Congress, the message is loud and clear that Trump sees the private sector riding to the rescue of America's failing infrastructure.

The administration's goal is “to seek long-term reforms on how infrastructure projects are regulated, funded, delivered, and maintained. Simply providing more Federal funding for infrastructure is not the solution. Rather, we will work to fix underlying incentives, procedures, and policies to spur better, and more efficient, infrastructure decisions and outcomes.”

The document claims that the president's target of $1 trillion in investments will be “met with a combination of new Federal funding, incentivized non-Federal funding, and expedited projects that would not have happened but for the administration's involvement (for example, the Keystone XL Pipeline).”

The budget calls for $200 billion in federal outlays “related to the infrastructure initiative,” which appears intended to work as seed money for public-private partnerships (P3) projects, ...Read the rest of this story

XPO Opens Logistics Hub to Support Lifestyle Beauty Brand

Photo courtesy XPO Logistics

XPO Logistics announced the opening of a third regional distribution center in Camp Hill, Penn., to support its customer, European Wax Center, a national network of salons that perform hair waxing.

The 40,000 square-foot facility in Camp Hill marks a major expansion of XPO's supply chain management relationship with European Wax Center, according to the company. The distribution center will initially serve European Wax Center's franchise base in the eastern U.S., joining existing XPO-operated facilities in Portland, Tenn., and Sparks, Nev.

Each D.C. provides turnkey logistics services for inventory control, order preparation and fulfillment. XPO uses its own technology to manage inbound goods receipt, storage and restocking, warehouse management, picking, packing, and shipping.

“This is an excellent example of the total capabilities package we can deliver to fast-growing specialty retailers — integrating traditional warehouse management with process innovations and tailored network support,” said Ashfaque Chowdhury, president, supply chain Americas and Asia Pacific for XPO Logistics. “Our dedicated solutions will help European Wax Center accelerate growth while managing a complex supply chain.”

XPO's solution for European Wax Center includes a scalable order management portal designed to help the company efficiently onboard new franchisees as its network of more than 600 locations grows.

“We have aggressive plans to elevate our brand in the beauty lifestyle space,” said Jon Biggert, European Wax Center's vice president of supply chain. “XPO's expertise, resources, and technology are key to supporting our network's growth objectives. By relying on XPO for an end-to-end logistics solution, we can focus on supporting the success of our franchisees.”

Related: XPO Expands Chicagoland Last-Mile Network

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House Bills Seek to Ease Veterans’ Path into Trucking

Photo: United States Navy

Acting in bipartisan fashion, as it often does, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure approved two bills on March 24 intended to make it easier for military personnel and veterans to obtain Commercial Driver Licenses. Both expand on initiatives aimed at helping vets become truckers that were included in the FAST Act highway bill that became law in 2015.

The Active Duty Voluntary Acquisition of Necessary Credentials for Employment (ADVANCE) Act (H.R. 2258) would exempt active duty military and reserve personnel “with qualifying experience” from certain testing requirements when they seek to obtain a CDL. The bill was introduced by Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA).

The ADVANCE Act has been endorsed by the American Trucking Associations and the Association of the United States Navy, which lobbies Congress on behalf of active, former and retired USN sailors.

“This is a common-sense measure that will help our brave men and women find work here in the Inland Empire,” said Rep. Aguilar in a statement. “While we hear every day that Washington is broken and compromised by partisan gridlock, we can clearly see that there are issues that both parties can get behind.”

The second bill (H.R. 2547) expands the Veterans Expanded Trucking Opportunities (VETOPPS) legislation, which passed as part of the FAST Act, by allowing additional medical professionals in the Veterans Administration system, such as advanced practice nurses and physician assistants, who are qualified for listing on the National Registry to use a new online training course “so that VA physicians can become certified to conduct DOT physicals without excessive financial and travel requirements.” The bill was introduced by Reps. Rob Woodall (R-GA) and Julia Brownley (D-CA).

According to the House committee, since only 33% of certified medical examiners are medical doctors, opening this program up to the other 67% of qualified medical ...Read the rest of this story

Memorial Day Brings Rise in Cargo Theft, Reminds CargoNet

CargoNet has issued its annual reminder that cargo theft activity often increases around Memorial Day weekend and is once again offering common sense tips to avoid becoming a victim.

CargoNet warned that organized cargo theft groups exploit nighttime hours and weekends because more trucks are parked and left unattended. When a major holiday occurs with an extended weekend, this increases the risk because there are more unattended vehicles for longer periods of time.

With more time, thieves are given more time to perpetrate crimes. From 2012-2016, the Memorial Day extended holiday saw 126 cargo theft events in the U.S. and Canada. Most of the thefts occurred in California, Florida, Texas, Georgia and New Jersey, however, 23 other states also experienced cargo thefts over the holiday period. CargoNet analyzed data in a period from Memorial Day to the Wednesday after Memorial Day from 2012 to 2016.

CargoNet offers tips for different parts of cargo transport, focusing on the supply chain, in transit, and at a warehouse or distribution center. An interesting tip for shippers is to beware truckers who are willing to take an undesirable load for a lower rate than the industry standard because they may be setting you up for theft.

In transit, trailer security is of high importance and CargoNet recommends securing all vehicles and trailers with high-security locking devices, such as hardened padlocks, king pin locks, air cuffs and steering column locks.

At the warehouse or distribution center, where trucks can sit for extended periods of time, Cargo Net emphasizes facility security and common sense security-- such as ensuring that keys are removed from all equipment and stored in a secure location.

Notable thefts from the past five years have included nearly $3 million in communications equipment stolen in Memphis, Tenn., and a $1.5 million theft of computer tablets from Wilmington, Del. While ...Read the rest of this story

GM Calls Diesel Manipulation Claim ‘Baseless’

Photo of the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado courtesy of GM.

General Motors has responded to a civil lawsuit claiming that it included a defeat device in its diesel-powered vehicles by saying the claim is baseless, according to a company statement.

A lawsuit filed on May 24 by the attorneys who sued Volkswagen claims General Motors rigged thousands of trucks so they would pass emissions tests, reports Reuters.

The class-action lawsuit was filed in federal court in Detroit on behalf of owners and lessees of more than 705,000 Silverado and Sierra trucks equipped with Duramax engines from the 2011 to 2016 model years.

"These claims are baseless and we will vigorously defend ourselves," according to a May 25 GM statement. "The Duramax diesel Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra comply with all U.S. EPA and CARB emissions regulations."

The lawsuit was filed by several lawfirms including Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, which was involved in similar litigation against Volkswagen that led to miltuple-billion dollar settlements.

Related: GM Redesigns Duramax 6.6L for 2017 Silverado, Sierra

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Recharge Your Brain for Better Business

Photo: Deborah Lockridge

It's Memorial Day weekend, the kickoff for many to the summer vacation season. And if you think skipping vacation in order to get more work done is good for your business, your career, or your mental health, think again.

During HDT's inaugural Heavy Duty Trucking Exchange event earlier this month, keynote speaker Tim Richardson spoke about innovative thinking, and one of his key points was the need to step back from your day-to-day work. “How can we stay on the top of our game if we are at it all the time?” he asked.

Taking a vacation is more important now than ever, as the line between work life and personal life increasingly blurs with people checking email and taking calls during their kids' soccer game or even at the dinner table.

Some forward-thinking companies not only pay for employees' time off — they actually help pay for them to go on vacation and expand their horizons. That's because numerous studies show that taking time off to recharge our bodies and our minds is vital for our physical and mental well-being — and makes us more productive and creative.

Project: Time Off says “the data is unmistakably clear: planning for and taking time off benefits individual well-being and professional success, business performance, and the broader economy.” So-called “work martyrs,” it has found, are actually less likely to get a raise or bonus, and are no more likely to get a promotion. What they do have is more stress.

To really spark creativity, experts suggest making sure your vacation involves new experiences, especially traveling abroad and experiencing other cultures. “New sounds, smells, language, tastes, sensations, and sights spark different synapses in the brain,” notes this 2015 article in The Atlantic. “Foreign experiences increase both cognitive flexibility and depth and ...Read the rest of this story