Insurance 'sting' aims to catch American cargo thieves
during their peak season

TWO cargo investigators, working for insurers, The Travelers Companies, are deploying a truck with a "sting trailer" to catch cargo thieves, who the FBI says cause US$15 billion to $30 billion in losses every year.
Somewhere in America, the tractor-trailer loaded with hidden surveillance equipment is parked at a truck stop or warehouse while authorities wait for thieves to steal it, reports The Associated Press.  >More
 

At long last, the US House and Senate pass and President
signs something that is shovel ready

WITH a vote of 359 to 65, the US House of Representatives recently passed the US$305 billion Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, the long awaited measure to repair America's deteriorating roads, bridges, public transit and rail infrastructure.
About the same time, the Senate voted 83 to 16 for the five-year highways bill that would do all that, plus revive the charter of the US Export-Import Bank that was deliberately been allowed to lapse in June to cut government waste.  >More
 

Port automation will change the role of longshoremen, it's
time to adapt or die

LONGSHOREMEN in California ports and freight handlers at logistics operations everywhere are in the midst of a global shift in way the trade industry does business and in which megaships are demanding ports become automated.
Technological advancements in cargo handling stand to greatly benefit the local ports by increasing efficiency and improving competitiveness while also helping US west coast ports to repair what some in the industry see as a bruised reputation from work stoppages, writes Samantha Mehlinger in the Long Beach Business Journal.  >More
 

XPO Logistics: When a trucking company is more of an IT
firm with trucking capacity

CONNECTICUT's XPO Logistics announced it would be completing its second major acquisition of the year, purchasing Con-Way for US$3 billion, recalls Alex Le Roy of the UK's Transport Intelligence.
Following the company's takeover of Norbert Dentressangle in June, this latest purchase means that XPO will become the second largest provider of less-than-truckload (LTL) services in North America, as well as the world's second largest contract logistics company, said Mr Le Roy. >More