Up and Down

The nearly non-existent growth in the economy has been pushing gas and diesel prices in both directions in recent weeks, leading the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) to adjust its projections for fuel prices heading into 2012. How much, though, remains at the mercy of the economic recovery.

Stratolaunch Systems

Just months after NASA ended its shuttle program, Microsoft co-funder Paul Allen is investing his own money in a new venture to launch satellites*, people, and supplies into space. Instead of relying in ground based rockets, Allen's Stratolaunch Systems would transport cargo into the atmosphere on a mammoth airplane and then blast it into space.

Driving Maintenance

In the early days of FMCSA's Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program, the vehicle maintenance BASIC proved to be the most troublesome for many motor carriers. This isn't particularly surprising as vehicle-related defects frequently top the annual violation lists released by FMCSA.

Maintenance issues can also cause driver retention problems. Vehicle defect and maintenance violations now go on a drivers' CSA score as well as the carrier's. If a fleet becomes a frequent target of inspectors, it becomes even more likely that its drivers will get flagged for other CSA issues such as logbook violations.

Deadly Consequences of Cargo Theft

Sales of stolen goods, particularly pharmaceuticals, may hurt large-scale public health in the U.S., according to a cargo theft analysis conducted by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).
"Cargo theft is not only a property crime that hurts the national economy, it can have a serious impact on public health and safety," stressed Jow Wehrle, NICB president & CEO, in the group's 2010 National Cargo Theft Report.

Understanding Fuel Economy

From engineering to training, truck operators have a range of options to improve MPG.

Speeding and Idling the main reasons of fuel consumption.

GPS Tracking a smart practice to save money.

Trucking is an industry with already thin profit margins, and especially in an economic downturn, the effects of escalating and volatile fuel costs are a major cause of concern for even the most conscientious fleet operator.

GPS tracking devices helping with the security of employees

GPS trackers not only help to monitor drivers and employees but to improve their security in case of emergencies.

Employee-tracking devices have gained steam thanks to ever-more-accurate GPS technology and a U.S. mandate requiring wireless companies to develop ways for emergency workers to find the physical location of people who dial 911 on a cell phone.

The Rise of Proactive Customer Care

Anticipating needs delivers benefits in customer service, sales/marketing, and government.

Proactive customer care (PCC) is an exciting concept that, when executed properly, delivers benefits to both enterprises and their customers. The challenge for businesses and other organizations is to create useful communications that their customers welcome and to deliver these messages in each customer's channel of choice: phone; email; SMS; fax; and, in the future, video.