For better or worse, for richer or poorer Rocor Transportation acquired the truckload business of Denver-based Trans-Western Express and merged it with Rocor's operations in the Denver area. Rocor Transportation, a division of Rocor International, Oklahoma City, provides refrigerated and some dry-van carriage in 48 U.S. states and Canada. Trans-Western provided similar services from a terminal in Denver.
Liquid Transport Corp. of Indianapolis will expand its bulk chemical and petroleum hauling business with the acquisition of Kaw Transport Co., Kansas City, Mo.
Leasing changes Despite its recent popularity, outsourcing is not all that it's cracked up to be. Some fleets may end up paying more and watching service quality erode, say officials for Ruan Transportation Management Systems. "For many companies, the importance of maintaining a high level of service to the end customer is worth the higher cost per mile of maintaining an in-source," according to a company bulletin. So the firm has come up with a new concept: Intersourcing. Says Jeff Barber, senior vice president of the company, "Intersourcing is a data-rich process that utilizes the resources of both the client and the service provider to best assure the profitable flow of a business system."
The process uses creative management to distribute human and capital assets in order to reduce costs, increase capacity, and enhance delight for the end customer. While the traditional model of outsourcing defines the customer and the service provider as two separate systems, the intersourcing model integrates two systems and directs joint resources to form a single, seamless distribution network.
At the same time, Ruan has added to its service offerings four new transportation services: load management, technology assessment, routing analysis, and knowledge systems. Also new is the so-called FlexFleet program -- a fleet that provides customers with access to additional fleet labor support during peak delivery times. Under the program, drivers spend at least two days a week at home and must commit to serving a full year with the fleet before being eligible for placement in a permanent operation. To date there has been no driver turnover.
Meanwhile, Rollins Leasing Corp. has acquired the assets of Pittsburgh-based Shamrock Leasing Co. This move ups the Rollins branch fleet to 136 units. Rollins also announced the opening of a new full-service branch in Orlando. The company has signed a long-term contract with Wiremold Co. to handle product distribution and transportation logistics for multiple sites. Rollins has earmarked a fleet of 51 power units for this task.
In a similar vein, Penske Truck Leasing will provide a full-service maintenance contract to the city of New Orleans for its fleet of 370 buses. The move allows the transit authority to qualify for federal funding that will enable the jurisdiction to replace 175 units. And the Reading, Pa.-based company is laying the groundwork for more growth. It also announced a joint venture with Cotia Trading to provide supply-chain management services in South America
Prime reward Prime Inc. told driver associate Gene Ghiurca to go home. And it gave him $1,000 for the purchase of a round-trip plane ticket to his homeland, Rumania. The surprise gift was in recognition of his outstanding attitude and dedication to his profession, despite a physical disability. You see, Ghiurca was born without a left arm. Yet he was able to complete his three-year lease in Prime's flatbed division, which included the challenge of tarping and securing each load. Ghiurca has remained accident- and service-failure free.
This will be Ghiurca's first trip back home. After leaving Romania in 1978, he drove a taxi in New York City and learned how to drive a milk tanker in Utah before joining Prime.
Technology improvements TMC Transportation has gone standard with Eaton's VORAD EVT-200 Collision Warning System. The decision came after a six-month evaluation of the VORAD units on five of its trucks. During the test, TMC drivers reduced their less-than-one-second following time from 2.45% of road time with the system to 0.54% -- a 74% improvement
While many trucking companies are struggling with their information technology, CFI has enhanced its online booking and tracking applications. The improved AccuTrack will provide tracking to any point in Mexico, while the company's AccuBook, now provides confirmation of equipment availability within 15 months. Once a load is confirmed, it can then be tracked.
Viking Freight customers can log on to Federal Express' Web site to access information regarding their shipments. Viking is also providing a hot link from its Web site directly to Federal Express. Speaking of improved service, on-time delivery is the focus of a new initiative being launched by Allied Van Lines' household goods operations. Among the improvements are expanded hours for the operations center in Naperville, a revision of the lines' unique capacity calendar process, which allows the company to set a more specific time from for deliveries and a joint operations manager-dispatcher conference.
EPA/OSHA guidance Environmental Development Corp. has developed training and compliance tools so truck maintenance operations can better understand regulations emanating from the Environmental Protection Agency and Occupational Safety and Health Administration. For more information, call 419-422-1200.
