Diesel tax cut could be in jeopardy by James Menzies The Stephen Harper Conservatives returned to power last month in convincing fashion, forming a stronger minority government than they previously held and trouncing the Liberals in the process. One campaign…
Is this the time to buy or sell a freight transportation company? by Dan Goodwill Last week I had the pleasure of participating in a shipper – carrier roundtable sponsored by Motortruck Fleet Executive magazine and Shaw Tracking. Lou Smyrlis, the moderator, raised the subject…
Tis the season to be reasonable. So should we axe the Christmas party? by Lou Smyrlis The CBC, American Express and Pacific Newspaper Group are doing it. It’s no surprise that Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Barclays Capital are doing it too. But so are Viacom,…
Should we bail out the auto sector? by James Menzies There’s been a lot of talk lately on both sides of the border about whether or not we should bail out North American automakers. It’s a fuzzy issue, made clearer…
Ontario to place further restrictions on young drivers by James Menzies According to a report in this morning’s Toronto Star, the province of Ontario is going to get tougher on young drivers. Kudos to the province for taking steps to…
The desire to consolidate may be there but the cash is not by Lou Smyrlis Patrick Bohan, manager, business development, Halifax Port Authority, doesn’t mince words when it comes to explaining consolidation in the transportation sector. Good times or bad, Bohan believes the only certainty…
Why there are renewed hopes for infrastructure investments by Lou Smyrlis Transportation stakeholders south of the border have long been clamoring for much greater investments in infrastructure. Should the Democrats prevail in bringing a fitting end to 8 years of what…
Giving credit where it’s due by James Menzies I’ve been known to be critical of the Liberals – both provincially and federally – from time to time. And believe me, I’ll be critical of them again. But I’m…
Global credit crisis proves devastating for truck OEMs by James Menzies With global financial institutions in meltdown, it’s getting awfully difficult to sell trucks. Reviewing the most recent quarterly report issued by Volvo AB revealed a startling figure. In the…
Small motor carriers quickly running out of alternatives by Lou Smyrlis In my last blog I wrote about the growth strategies of large motor carriers being put on hold for some time because the current economic situation is making it harder…
Carriers Need Comprehensive Business Strategy to Survive the Credit Crunch by Dan Goodwill The current credit crisis is placing increased pressure on shippers and carriers to offset shrinking volumes and cash flows. Published statistics indicate that both manufacturing production and retail sales sank…
Large carrier growth strategies likely on hold for some time by Lou Smyrlis Just a couple of years ago we interviewed leading motor carrier CEOs across Canada about how they saw the industry changing over the next 25 years. To a man, they…
Current downturn will forever change NA trucking landscape by James Menzies I was saddened earlier this year by the announced departure of Caterpillar from the post-2010 North American on-highway engine market. And likewise, I experienced a similar sadness yesterday when Daimler…
Left with more questions than answers over demise of Sterling brand by Lou Smyrlis Considering the current economic climate perhaps it should not have been a surprise, but I must admit to being shocked about Daimler’s announcement today that it’s killing the Sterling brand.
Glimmers of hope after a terrible week by Lou Smyrlis As I write this, the North American, Asian, and European stock markets have plunged yet again amid a massive selloff of stocks and escalating fears about not just a North…
