Page 12 - ATR 5 2012 web 2

News iN brief, selves from the high cost of diesel fuel,” Athletic Director Jeff Long for his “gen-
Continued from page 11 said Dave Hurst, senior research ana- erosity that helped enable our program
the Federal Motor Carrier Safety lyst. “This market is being driven by to equip Razorback student-athletes
Administration said. several key sectors, in particular refuse with the resources they need to reach
The states included in the exemp- trucks, utilities, transit and, to a lesser their fullest potential through intercol-
tion are Connecticut, Delaware, the degree, construction. As those sectors legiate athletics.”
District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, grow, the fortunes of natural gas trucks A graduate of the University of
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New and buses will follow suit.” Arkansas, Thompson is a Broyles-
Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Growth in natural gas trucks and Matthews Platinum member of the
Island, Vermont, Virginia and West buses will be strongest in the Asia Razorback Foundation.
Virginia. Pacific region, which according to the
“This declaration of emergency report is expected to outpace global HITTING THE brakES
provides relief for commercial motor growth. China will lead the liquid natu- For the second straight year, the
vehicles operations while providing ral gas truck segment with 94 percent number of out-of-service violations
these emergency materials and services of the market. issues during the Commercial Vehicle
to customers in the above mentioned Safety Alliance’s Brake Safety Week
states during the emergency. This SpEEdING THroUGH THE loNE (Sept. 9-15) rose.
exemption applies only to those opera- STar STaTE This year, 15.3 percent of the
tions providing direct assistance to the Drive 85 mph on Highway 130 in 21,255 trucks inspected were placed out
emergency relief effort. Texas and you won’t be getting a ticket. of service for brake-related violations.
It’s the legal limit on this 40-mile In 2011, 14.2 percent of the 30,872
CHINa CHEaTS stretch of a new toll road between vehicles inspected were placed out of
The United States government Austin and San Antonio. It’s not free service, and 13.5 percent were issued
filed a complaint at the World Trade though. If you feel the need for speed, out-of-service notices in 2010.
Organization (WTO) last month that the price tag is $6.17 one way. Brake adjustment violations
accuses China of subsiding auto makers Texas already has 80 mph limits accounted for 1,993 (9.4 percent) of the
so they can undercut prices of American- on some highways and 75 mph on out-of-service notices, and 1,664 were
built automobiles and auto-parts. others. The higher speed limit on this placed out of service for brake compo-
The aid amounted to at least $1 particular highway is because it’s pri- nent violations. There was some cross-
billion between 2009 and 2011 and vately owned—by Cintra-Zachry—and over, so the numbers add up to more
benefited as much as 60 percent of the Texas legislature passed a law allow- than the total 3,248.
Chinese car-parts exports, putting U.S. ing private companies to set their own This year’s violation rate was also
component manufacturers at a com- speed limits. higher than 2009’s, in which 15.1 per-
petitive disadvantage, encouraging the A Cintra-Zachry spokesman said cent of inspected vehicles were placed
outsourcing of car-parts production to “there’s a lot of wide open space in out of service, but lower than 2007 and
China, the complaint said. Texas which makes sense with these 2008—17.8 percent and 18.4 percent,
The challenge is the fifteenth higher posted speed limits—the 85, 75 respectively.
lodged by the U.S. against China, which 80 mph roads are all out in rural areas Brake Safety Week is a spur cam-
joined the Geneva-based trade arbiter that can handle that kind of traffic. It paign of Operation Airbrake, a program
in December 2001, and means the two is important to remember that through put on by CVSA and the Federal Motor
governments must hold talks for at least towns like San Antonio, Austin and Carrier Safety Administration, held
two months in a bid to resolve the mat- Dallas the speed limits are not set at 85 because, according to CVSA announce-
ter, Bloomberg reported. If the discus- mph; we are not building a race track ment, “brakes were cited as an associ-
sions fail, the U.S. can ask the WTO through the middle of town.” ated factor in nearly three of ten CMV
judges to rule. crashes” referencing a study by Large
TrUCkING ExEC GETS “walk of Crash Causation.
IT IS EaSy bEING GrEEN HoNor”
Almost one million natural gas Former J.B. Hunt President and CEO NEEd raTE INCrEaSE?
trucks will be sold worldwide over the and longtime Razorback supporter Kirk moTHball THE SHIpS
next seven years according to a report by Thompson participated in the “A” Walk When freight rates don’t match
Pike Research, a forecasting company. of Honor prior to Arkansas’ football projections, simply reduce your capac-
“Even if current low prices for game against Alabama earlier this season. ity that hauls the freight. That’s the
natural gas rise, fleet operators remain Thompson was recognized by philosophy behind the world’s major
keenly interested in protecting them- the university’s Vice Chancellor and 

12 arkansas truCking rePort | issue 5 2012