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2012’s Top 12 News Stories
The news that shaped the year in logistics and transportation
Read full text versions of the the top stories at logisticsmgmt.com/top2012news
1. CSA challenges are not going away
The fine print, execution, and enforcement of CSA is irking
trucking industry leaders and officials. CSA, which stands
for “Compliance, Safety, Accountability,” was designed to
weed out as many as 5 percent of the nation’s 3 million or
so long-haul truck drivers that the feds believe are involved
in an disproportionately high number of truck accidents and
fatalities.
2. YRCW showing signs of
improvement
LTL carrier YRC Worldwide, which has lost in excess of $2.6
billion in the last five years, posted sharply improved third
quarter operating results in the 15th month under new CEO
James L. Welch. YRC Worldwide reported a third quarter
operating profit of $27.3 million on top of a $15.5 million
operating profit in the second quarter.
3. UPS remains focused with planned
acquisition of TNT Express
Despite a fair share of stops and
starts in the acquisition process—
many of which stem from competition
concerns within Europe—logistics
and transportation bellwether
UPS is committed to bringing Netherlands-based
TNT NV, a provider
of mail and courier services and the fourth largest global parcel
operator, into the Big Brown Family.
4. USPS reports record-breaking loss
Even with continued gains in its Shipping Services segment,
the financial outlook for the United States Postal Service
(USPS) remains dim, with the announcement that it has
incurred a record net loss of $15.9 billion for fiscal year
2012, compared to a $5.1 billion loss in fiscal year 2011.
5. ATA chief raises call for federal gas
tax hike
Even though there’s now a new transportation bill, funding
remains an issue. American Trucking Associations (ATA)
President and CEO Bill Graves says raising the federal gas
tax, which has not been raised in nearly 20 years, is an obvious
way to help foot the bill.
6. MAP-21 is
signed into law
After 30 months of continuing
resolutions, a twoyear,
$118 billion transportation
bill for the nation’s
transportation projects (MAP-21/Moving Ahead for Progress
in the 21st Century) was signed into law in July.
7. White House ready to
step on the (natural) gas
In a January State of the
Union address, President
Barack Obama said
the White House will
take steps to develop the
country’s natural gas supply
that can last roughly
100 years and could create
up to 600,000 jobs by
the end of this decade,
as well as power trucks and factories that are cheaper and
cleaner.
8. FedEx rolls out cost reduction plans
In October, the company unveiled its goal of annual profitability
improvement of $1.7 billion over the next three years,
with the majority of benefits to be achieved by fiscal 2015.
9. The new Peak Season?
Peak Season as we once knew it might be a thing of the past,
with shippers keeping a closer eye on inventory and ports seeing
the majority of imports coming in July instead of August.
10. RedPrairie to acquire JDA
Supply chain and logistics software and technology providers
RedPrairie and JDA Software announced that the two
companies and its affiliates have entered into a definitive
merger agreement. The total value of the transaction is
roughly $1.9 billion and it is expected to close by the end
of this year.
11. DOT rolls out Freight Policy Council
Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood introduced
the Freight Policy Council, an effort focused on national
domestic freight initiatives that will focus on improving the condition
and performance of the national freight network to better
ensure the ability of the U.S. to compete in the global economy.
12. EU puts a freeze on emissions
trading scheme
The European Union (EU) said it will implement a one-year
“freeze” on its costly emissions trading scheme (ETS) that
would impose new emissions taxes on U.S. air carriers flying
into and out of the EU.
To read all the articles go to logisticsmgmt.com/top2012news
14 LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT WWW.LOGISTICSMGMT.COM | December 2012