Apple Verifies No “Conflict Minerals” are In Their Supply Chain

Apple Verifies No “Conflict Minerals” are In Their Supply Chain

A number of metals, including rare earth metals, necessary for the production of electronic devices such as computers, laptops, and cell phones have entered the supply chain from the troubled region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to government sources, to fund violence in the region they mined and sold these metals. Lawmakers are…

Chassis Distribution Issues Causing Delays at Long Beach and Los Angeles Ports
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Chassis Distribution Issues Causing Delays at Long Beach and Los Angeles Ports

Providing chassis for deliveries at U.S. ports is not exactly lucrative, which is why a number of large ocean shipping companies (such as Maersk Line, Yang Ming, CMA CGM, OOCL, NYK Line, and Evergreen) have decided to quit providing this service at several U.S ports, including those at Long Beach and Los Angeles. Now port…

Outlook for Trucking Industry Positive Into 2014

Outlook for Trucking Industry Positive Into 2014

Following just the first complete month of 2014, a survey conducted by Bloomberg Industries called the Internet Truckstop survey shows a positive outlook among trucking companies in regards to the remainder of the year. Respondents to the survey included freight brokers and small owner operator trucking companies. An increase in the overall volumes expected, combined…

Weather Packs Double Punch in East and South, Georgia Governor Asks Truckers to Park It in Atlanta
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Weather Packs Double Punch in East and South, Georgia Governor Asks Truckers to Park It in Atlanta

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for much of the Southern United States and Eastern United States in anticipation of a line of snow and ice extending from Texas to the Atlantic Coast. It was expected to hit early Tuesday morning. A secondary front is expected between Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing…

As Economy Picks Up, Truck Freight Expected to Rise in 2014
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As Economy Picks Up, Truck Freight Expected to Rise in 2014

An upturn in consumer spending combined with greater investments by companies is expected to drive up demand for trucking during the course of 2014, according so new economic analysis reports. Bob Costello, a chief economist who works with the American Trucking Association, expects the number of truck loads to grow by 2.3 to 2.7 percent…

Washington State Legislators Take a Look at Safety Measures for Growing Numbers of Oil Shipments
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Washington State Legislators Take a Look at Safety Measures for Growing Numbers of Oil Shipments

As crude oil shipments across railways and along waterways ramp up due to increased shale oil productivity, lawmakers in the state of Washington take a look at what additional safety measures might need to be put into place to safeguard the public. Devastating railroad accidents involving crude oil shipments in Canada and North Dakota have…

Temporary Sharp Rise in Natural Gas Prices Not Likely to Curtail Move to Natural Gas Trucks

Temporary Sharp Rise in Natural Gas Prices Not Likely to Curtail Move to Natural Gas Trucks

As prices for natural gas soared in recent weeks by about 30 percent, many in the green energy sector worried that rising rates would curtail the gradual movement of the trucking sector away from diesel fuel and toward natural gas. However, Jim Harger of Clean Energy Fuels, as well as others in the industry, do…

Could We See an End to China’s Dominance of Rare Earth Metals?
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Could We See an End to China’s Dominance of Rare Earth Metals?

Rare earth metals are a group of elements found with moderate abundance in the core of the earth. There are 17 rare metals, 15 in a group called lanthanides plus yttrium and scandium. These elements are essential in many manufactured products, including catalytic converters for automobiles, certain petroleum refining equipment, television sets, cell phones, portable…