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Racy billboards draw protest

Drivers complain of 'poor taste'

A trucker waits for a traffic signal on Wyandotte Street East at Walker Road in front of a controversial billboard Friday
.Photograph by: Nick Brancaccio, The Windsor Star,

Featuring naked men with coconuts over their genitals and a naked woman with a guitar between her spread legs -- do new billboards advertising a local rock radio station go too far?

Some irate residents say yes.

"It's disgraceful," said 63-year-old Frank Michaluk. "I think it's disgusting. I really do."

Lilla Assiff, a 39-year-old mother of four, said she's already written a complaint to Advertising Standards Canada. "I feel my kids should not be exposed to that kind of thing," she said.

Rod Martens, programming director for The Rock 100.7 FM, said the billboards went up about two weeks ago, and the station knew they would be conversation-starters.

One billboard, at Wyandotte Street East and Walker Road, promotes the Craig & Matt morning show by having the two on-air personalities pose nude and ham for the camera, coconut shells barely concealing their private parts.

The billboard's slogan reads: "See they're nuts!"

"It's a double entendre, for sure," admitted Martens.

"We were trying to show the light-hearted nature of our morning show, that they're crazy, they're wacky," he explained. "It's been done before in other markets to great success."

Another billboard, on northbound Dougall Avenue between Tecumseh Road West and Eugenie Street, shows an attractive blond woman -- again nude -- with a strategically placed Fender Stratocaster guitar shielding her breasts and crotch.

The slogan reads: "Now turn US on!"

Assiff said she has to drive by the billboard regularly to take her eight-year-old daughter and six-year-old son to school. She said she's dreading the day when one of her children turns to her and asks about the image.

"It's not light-hearted humour. It's shock factor... Sex sells. This is in the public eye. The kids are seeing this. I can't shelter my kids from a billboard."

Michaluk said he first noticed the Craig & Matt coconuts billboard when he was returning from a funeral home where he'd made arrangements for his recently deceased father-in-law.

"I had my mother-in-law in the car, and my wife. What an awful thing to look at, coming home from a funeral home," Michaluk said.

Told of the station's explanation regarding the light-hearted humour behind the image, Michaluk replied: "I knew that's what they would say. In their mind, it's light humour. In my mind, it's disgusting.

"We've got enough problems here in Windsor.... What kind of message does that send to our visitors, our tourists? It's just poor taste. We've got too much class for that, as far as I'm concerned."

Martens said The Rock has received a few calls and email messages complaining about the billboards, but the station has received much more positive feedback from people who enjoy them.

Martens added that the billboards do not contravene any standards. "The letter of the law says there's nothing wrong with them."

He also pointed out that the station's competitors are no strangers to envelope-pushing humour. For example, a billboard advertisting the rock radio station 89X includes the word "P&#!S."

"It's just rock and roll," Martens said.

"If you're looking to catch the eye of a male between 18 and 54, usually a pretty girl does it.... There's always going to be images, TV shows, commercials. There's always going to be something. No matter where you go, there's going to be something that's objectionable to certain people."

Martens said he has a six-year-old daughter, and she has asked him about the coconuts billboard. "I said, 'They're just being funny.' And she said, 'Oh. That is silly.'"

The billboards are scheduled to stay up until the end of March, but Martens said he'll be discussing the complaints with his managers and marketing department.

"We're looking at all our options right now," he said. "I don't want to tick off the entire Windsor populace."

Source:The Windsor Star

TransX named top Walmart trucker; consolidates Big Horn

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. -- Walmart Canada has rewarded TransX for its 99.6 percent on-time record, delivering 89,000 shipments.

As a result, the retail giant has named the Mississauga-based LTL fleet carrier of the year.

Andy Ellis, senior vice president of supply chain and logistics for Walmart Canada presented the award to TransX president Louie Tolaini at a gala dinner in late February.

Ellis recognized the TransX Group of Companies for being an outstanding partner, and for leading by example in efforts to train other Walmart carriers on LCV (Long Combination Vehicle) program in Ontario and Quebec.

Meanwhile, the company recently announced the restructuring and renaming of its Big Horn Transport operating division. Effective April 1, 2010, Big Horn Transport will become part of TransX's DeckX Transport.

DeckX plans to actively grow the new operating center based in Alberta and this week rolled out a new fleet of 53 foot tridem axle flat decks.

The consolidation of Big Horn into DeckX will bring synergies for the entire operating group in western Canada and the western U.S., says TransX, which purchased Big Horn Transport two years ago.

The TransX Group of Companies is one of Canada's top five largest for-hire carriers, with a tractor-trailer fleet of over 6,000 units and revenues in excess of $500 million.

Source: Today's Trucking

CTA wants U.S. hazmat fee reconsidered

OTTAWA -- Near the end of February, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) proposed a fee increase that didn’t sit well with the Canadian Trucking Alliance.

PHMSA, a division of the U.S. Department of Transporation, wanted to increase the registration and fee assessment program for hazmat transporters by as much as $2,000. Carriers, including Canadian companies that haul certain categories and quantities of hazardous materials, could see the annual fee rise to $2,975 (plus a $25 administrative fee) from $975 for registration years beginning in 2010-2011.

The fee increase would go towards funding the national Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) grants program.

In a letter to the U.S. DOT, the Canadian Trucking Alliance urged the PHMSA to review the proposed increase. CTA reiterated the importance of funding safety and environmental initiatives such as the HMEP, but questioned the application and level of need for the proposed increase.

“CTA finds it troubling that in the face of federal budget constraints, U.S. agencies are developing a propensity for significant fee hikes to maintain programs on a status quo basis, rather than taking a hard look at programs and determining where cuts to non-essential components can be made,” said CTA president David Bradley.

CTA has further concerns that the fee assigned to large carriers ($25.5 million in gross revenue) is partially based on revenues that are derived from domestic business in Canada that should be completely beyond the reach of the U.S. government.

“This is patently unfair in CTA’s view, and it is our position that the determination of large carrier status should be based solely on revenue earned in the United States to haul hazardous materials,” explained Bradley.

While the public comment period on the proposed fee hike was closed yesterday, CTA continues to monitor this issue as PHMSA works toward a final decision.

Source: Today's Trucking

From the Road to the Campaign Trail: Alaskan Owner-Operator Runs For Governor

Operator Runs For Governor
By Diana Britton, Managing Editor

While you'd typically see "Singin' Sam" Little hauling produce in his Kenworth truck between Seattle and Alaska, this spring and summer you might see his truck and trailer out on the campaign trail, as truck driver Little is running for Governor of Alaska on the Republican ticket.

While Little is somewhat of a household name among Alaskan truckers for his song "Kamikaze Trail," which has been featured on the History Channel, he's now trying to make a name for himself in politics.

Getting Into Trucking

Sam's been playing guitar and singing since he was a kid. In 1969, he recalls singing in a gospel tent in California, where he met a girl. That's when he realized he had to get a job.

Over the next 20 years or so, Sam did both driving and singing. His trucking career eventually led to a job with Vic Hoskins Trucking in Washington, hauling produce into Alaska.

Little still contracts with Hoskins, but in 2003, he started his own trucking company, Little Country. He now runs three to four trucks along his Alaska-Washington route. "I've always been independent," he said.

While he's been fortunate these days, Little understands what it's like to be a small business owner. His campaign was born out of the beating this sector has experienced, and he'd like to work to keep projects and cash flow going. "I would like to bring it back to the working people."

The Issues >>>>>>>>>>.................

Ex-employee of Kearny trucking company admits $900K fraud

NEWARK — A former employee of a northern New Jersey trucking firm has admitted his role in a scheme that defrauded the company of more than $900,000.

Herbert Rodriguez, 44, of Woodbridge, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Newark to conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

Rodriguez admitted he conspired with a second worker to submit fake vendor invoices to his employer, Kearny-based J.F. Lomma Inc.

Rodriguez obtained hundreds of checks from the company, which he cashed.

Rodriguez faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine at sentencing on June 7.

Source: New Jersey

Billionaire Truck Driver Lindsay Fox

Lindsay Fox's company had its best year ever and helped raise the Australian's worth to $1.5 billion.

The global economic downturn was bad news for most businesses but not for the one belonging to Australian trucking billionaire Lindsay Fox. Suntanned after a Christmas break at his $20 million beach house in Portsea, near Melbourne, Fox responded bluntly to questions about tough times: "No, no, no. It's the best year in the history of the company. Most of our business is FMCG [fast-moving consumer goods], food and beverages, plus we do a lot in the mining sector. Everyone's eating more at home, everyone's drinking, and everybody who's a miner is digging."

The downturn boosted demand for chocolate, ice cream, biscuits and beverages, items that his 5,000 red-and-yellow trucks deliver. (Signs on the backs of all trucks read: "You are now passing another Fox.") Alcohol sales were up 5.9% in Australia last year, good news again for Fox, whose privately held Linfox says it carts a bit more than half of the country's booze. It also moves 5.4 billion liters (1.4 billion gallons) of gas, $51 billion worth of retail products and a million tons of timber a year.

Fox, 72, who dropped out of school at age 16 and bought a secondhand truck, is now worth $1.5 billion, $500 million more than a year ago and enough to rank No. 10 among Australia's 40 Richest. Linfox, which also owns Melbourne's second- and third-biggest airports as well as the Armaguard cash-transport business, has $3 billion in sales, up from less than $2 billion in fiscal 2007. Net profits, which the company does not disclose, are conservatively estimated to be $100 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009. Linfox does claim that ebit, ebitda and free cash were all up about 20% in the past year.>>>>.....................

Closing of Rest Stops Stirs Anger in Arizona

Motorist drove past a sign indicating that the Wickenberg/Hassayampa rest stop along US route 60 is closed in Arizona.

PHOENIX — The people of Arizona kept their upper lips stiff when officials mortgaged off the state’s executive office tower and a “Daily Show” crew rolled into town to chronicle the transaction in mocking tones. They remained calm as lawmakers pondered privatizing death row.

The rest stop on U.S. 60 near Wickenburg, Ariz., is among 13 the state closed in a cost-saving move. Many people are not happy.

But then the state took away their toilets, and residents began to revolt.

“Why don’t they charge a quarter or something?’” said Connie Lucas, who lives in Pine, Ariz., about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from here. “There was one rest stop between here and Phoenix, and we really needed it.”

Arizona has the largest budget gap in the country when measured as a percentage of its overall budget, and the state Department of Transportation was $100 million in the red last fall when it decided to close 13 of the state’s 18 highway rest stops.

But the move has unleashed a torrent of telephone calls and e-mail messages to state lawmakers, newspapers and the Department of Transportation deploring the lost toilets — one of the scores of small indignities among larger hardships that residents of embattled states face as governments scramble to shore up their finances.

“People in this state are mad about this,” said State Representative Daniel Patterson, a Democrat from Tucson who has sponsored a bill that would allow other entities to reopen and maintain the rest stops. “This bill may have the broadest support among members of any bill this year.”>>>>>>>>>.............

Ambassador Bridge owner denied expansion plans

Quick! Somebody throw Matty Moroun a life preserver. His plan to twin the Ambassador Bridge appears to have gotten stuck in a current of red tape along the shores of the Detroit River.

The U.S. Coast Guard lowered the boom this week on Moroun’s plans to expand operations at the border bridge that connects Detroit with Windsor, Ontario. The privately owned Ambassador Bridge, with 10,000 commercial trucks crossing each day, is the busiest border point in North America.

Coast Guard officials wrote to inform the billionaire’s Detroit International Bridge Co. that unresolved land issues with the city of Detroit have worn out his welcome.

“The Coast Guard has determined that the (Ambassador Bridge Enhancement Project) permit application remains incomplete, after 3.5 years, and is returning it to DIBC,” Coast Guard Administrator of Bridge Programs Hala Elgaaly wrote in the letter dated Tuesday, March 2.

Courts recently ordered Moroun to tear down a gas station and other structures that he built on property owned by the city of Detroit.

The Coast Guard has a say in building permits that involve navigable waters. Officials said they see no reason to approve Moroun’s application.

“The Coast Guard has received no credible indication that the property rights issue is any closer to being resolved now, than it was over three years ago,” Elgaaly wrote. “Moreover, the results of recent cases in Michigan courts, coupled with Detroit City Council declarations, underscore the Coast Guard’s conclusion that DIBC is not likely to obtain the necessary property rights in the near future.”

According to the law, Moroun is allowed to keep trying and can resubmit his application for a Coast Guard bridge permit at any time.

Meanwhile, government officials in both the U.S. and Canada are in the planning stages to build a new Detroit River bridge about two miles away.

– By David Tanner, associate editor
Courtesy of LandLine Magazine

Accidents: Preventable or Not

As many of you know, I work with new and prospective drivers through my yahoo group. Recently, one of the members told this story during a discussion on the dangers of deer; I will call this driver ‘Joe’.

Joe is an experienced driver who works for a middle-sized company. One day, a deer ran out in front of his truck. Joe hit the deer which did about $2,000.00 worth of damage to his truck. His company brought him and his truck to the yard and repaired the damage. Joe was not charged with a preventable accident.

Another driver with the same company also had a deer run out in front of his truck the same week as Joe did. This driver tried to avoid the deer instead of hitting it, hit a guard rail and went in the ditch. The repairs to the truck alone were $12,000.00 not to mention the guard rail and tow bill. The driver was charged with a preventable accident on his record and did not understand why.

What was the difference between the two accidents? Was it the cost of the repairs? No, it was not the cost of the repairs. It was how the driver reacted to the deer running out in front of the truck. Joe retained control of the situation and mitigated damages. The other driver lost control of his truck and put himself in the situation of damaging the equipment and possibly killing someone else along with himself. He did nothing to retain control of the situation.

Another of my group’s members told a story about how he was in a dock and he did not realize that he was crooked between the lines. Another truck backing into the dock next to him hit his truck’s fender. His company, after looking at the photos, charged him with a preventable accident on his record even though he was sitting still and another truck hit him. Why? He was docked crooked in the lines, his mistake.

Most accidents are caused because of mistakes, of course not all, but most are. The driver who rear ends another vehicle was either following too close or was not paying attention. There are rare cases of someone cutting off another vehicle and getting rear ended, but honestly, if the driver of the vehicle that is being cut off is paying attention, shouldn’t they have time to hit the brakes or at least slow down? This is how a safety department and most law enforcement officials, looks at things.

Almost all accidents are preventable in most cases. Of course, one has no control over wildlife or other drivers who might come across the median or center line and hit you. In those cases, one can only try to mitigate damages and retain as much control over the equipment and situation as possible.

During the course of our careers as truck drivers and with as many miles we all drive a year, accidents of some sort or another are bound to occur. This does not mean that we can become complacent or blasé about any sort of accident, even just a scratch on the fender from a tight backing situation is preventable. It does mean that we have to be even more diligent than ever to avoid having a preventable accident on our records. The safe operation of our equipment is the most important part of our jobs. By being safe and avoiding accidents we not only protect our careers, but also the motoring public and our company’s bottom-line.

BY Sandy Long

Truck Demand Remains Flat As Freight Trends Upward

Despite the fact that signs are pointing to increased demand for truck freight, demand for Class 8 trucks is not trending upward along with it.

In its February North American Commercial Truck and Trailer Outlook Report, FTR Associates forecasts marginal gains for Class 8 truck demand for 2010.

FTR indicates that while freight is turning positive and GDP should continue to grow in 2010, excess capacity and the Environmental Protection Agency's emissions mandate will keep heavy truck equipment demand relatively flat compared to 2009. Meanwhile, demand for trailers is expected to improve this year, as production levels are stabilizing.

"While many would like to see a good upsurge in Class 8 demand this year because of the improving economy, our analysis continues to see a disconnect between the 2010 freight and equipment production outlooks," said Eric Starks, president of FTR. "We continue to caution against optimism especially in the first half of the year because of the huge overhang in excess, idle equipment. The current lack of Class 8 orders supports our view."

Source: Truckinginfo