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News In Motion

The movement of People, Goods and Ideas.

NIM is TranSystems' e-newsletter distributed to more than 10,000 subscribers nationwide. The electronic publication features top news and expert commentary on target market segments in the transportation industry.

Airports Fight It Out in Los Angeles

The tug of war between Los Angeles World Airports and Ontario city officials over control of LA/Ontario International Airport has picked up steam over the past few weeks, but the issue appears unlikely to be resolved any time soon. READ ARTICLE

Boustany and Tiberi Announce Hearing on Harbor Maintenance Funding and Maritime Tax Issues

House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight Chairman Charles Boustany, Jr, MD (R-LA) and Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures Chairman Pat Tiberi (R-OH) today announced the Subcommittees will hold a hearing on harbor maintenance funding and maritime tax issues READ ARTICLE

China's very mysterious data

A quick observation.

I could not help noticing that China’s imports from Japan fell 16.2pc in December. Imports from Taiwan fell 6.2pc. READ ARTICLE

A Step Further...

China may be suffering to some degree from the "Sports Illustrated Jinx". As any sports fan knows there is no more certain means by which to end a winning streak than to get on the cover of the magazine. READ COMMENTARY

Consumer Spending in U.S. Stalls as Americans Save

Consumer spending stalled in December as Americans took advantage of a jump in incomes to restore depleted savings, indicating households remain focused on repairing finances. READ ARTICLE

A Step Further...

In 2009, many economists announced that one of the conditions that would make this recession different than others in recent history is that this would not be a "consumer-led" recovery. READ COMMENTARY

Economists React: GDP 'Less Impressive Than It Looks'

Economists and others weigh in on the increase in U.S. gross domestic product. READ ARTICLE

A Step Further...

There has been growth in the GDP in the fourth quarter of last year - that's good. It was 2.8% when the expectation was that it would be 3% - that's bad. READ COMMENTARY

Federal bill could sack local role in transit plans

Proposed federal legislation might eliminate the local organization that plans for Amarillo’s future road, bus and other transportation needs and place that responsibility solely with the state. READ ARTICLE

Ford Bets on the Digital Car

About a decade ago, Doug VanDagens, a senior executive at Ford Motor Company, raised his hand at a board meeting and asked a fundamental strategy question: Why go proprietary when the world is moving to open-source? READ ARTICLE

Freight Railroads Expect to Spend a Record $13 Billion on Capital Expenditures, Hire More than 15,000 in 2012

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today announced that the nation’s major freight railroads are projected to invest a record $13 billion in capital expenditures in 2012 to expand, upgrade, and enhance the nation’s freight rail network. READ ARTICLE

A Step Further...

The rail sector knows that it has a busy time ahead. If oil prices and supply chain trends continue on the path that they are currently on, there will be a rise in rail demand to the degree that it will stretch infrastructure. READ COMMENTARY

Freighter Oversupply Weighs on Shipowners and Banks

The skyscrapers and immaculate beaches of this seaport look out on one of the world’s largest parking lots: mile after mile of empty cargo ships, as far as the eye can see. READ ARTICLE

A Step Further...

This situation with the maritime sector is significant. Take a look at this comment from the story: "European banks hold about $500 billion in shipping loans on their books and face nearly $100 billion in losses to restructure them". READ COMMENTARY

FTA proposes New Starts streamline

Earlier this week, the Federal Transit Administration proposed significant changes in the way America's major transit projects compete for federal funds. This revamped approach will speed up the New Starts process and focus more on transit options that fit local needs. READ ARTICLE

Highway Bill at a Crossroads

A day after Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood stunned the transportation community by saying it is “highly unlikely” Congress will pass a long-term reauthorization bill to fund highway and transit programs this year, lawmakers and industry lobbyists vowed to keep pushing for such legislation despite considerable obstacles. READ ARTICLE

How to Capitalize on Public Works Projects

To hear debt-weary politicians in the U.S. and Europe tell it, the budget ax is being sharpened, and dramatic cuts in public spending are on the way -- all of which could be bad news for companies involved in projects to build or operate roads, ports and bridges, among other things. READ ARTICLE

A Step Further...

The challenge for the infrastructure advocate is to get the people that spend the money to look further than the most current budget period and that has become especially difficult in a time when the issue is burgeoning debt and deficit. READ COMMENTARY

How We Plowed Before Snow Plows Were Invented

America's first settlers were not so well-equipped to deal with the New World's snowy winters. During the 1717 storm (four feet of snow dumped, with drifts of up to 25 feet in some places), only a solitary postman was able to make the trip from Boston to New York. His trick? Abandoning his horse for a pair of snow shoes. READ ARTICLE

Idea to make I-70 a toll road in Missouri faces hurdles

Don't expect to be paying tolls on Interstate 70 anytime soon. READ ARTICLE

LaHood: Still Our Goal To Connect 80 Percent of Americans to High Speed Rail by 2036

The U.S. Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood, still wants to connect 80 percent of Americans to high speed rail by 2036. That’s the goal that President Barack Obama laid out in last year’s state of the union. READ ARTICLE

Munis Spared From Cap

Senior White House economic advisors have told state and local officials that tax-exempt bond interest is “off the table” and will not be part of the administration’s proposed 28% cap on the value of exclusions, deductions and other tax preferences for wealthy taxpayers, according to those familiar with the discussions. READ ARTICLE

A Step Further...

The proposal that came from the White House originally was designed to essentially attack the investment decisions made by the "wealthy" as part of an overall position based on the current concept of fairness. READ COMMENTARY

New regulations may lead to airline ticket 'sticker shock'

Travel experts say rules requiring airlines to include taxes and fees in their advertised prices may reduce ticket sales by scaring away passengers with prices that seem much higher than before. READ ARTICLE

Obama Orders Strategy for Protecting Nation's Supply Chain

President Barack Obama is directing the Departments of State and Homeland Security to develop a plan to protect the $14.6 trillion U.S. economy from interruptions in the international supply chain. READ ARTICLE

A Step Further...

The need for supply chain security and resiliency has been known for a long time. Just in time (JIT) inventory systems have been with us for decades now and the result of supply disruptions due to incidents have been obvious and predictable. READ COMMENTARY

One last look at streetcars for Omaha

After more than a decade of dreaming about streetcars, Omaha is beginning what promises to be the definitive study on the idea. READ ARTICLE

Port Of Cleveland's Cargo Volume Grew 31 Percent In 2011

The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority reported that overall cargo tonnage increased 31 percent in 2011, largely the result of growth in steel, iron-ore and oversized “project” cargo handled by port facilities. READ ARTICLE

S.C. legislature seeks to undo Savannah River dredging permit

As South Carolina lawmakers seek to undo a permit allowing Georgia to expand its Savannah port, state House members on Wednesday unanimously approved legislation that would temporarily suspend the state environmental agency's authority on dredging decisions. READ ARTICLE

Scotland can stop painting its Forth Rail Bridge

Reporting from South Queensferry, Scotland — Crossing Scotland's iconic Forth Rail Bridge takes just two minutes. Painting the Victorian-era wonder takes forever. Or so the story goes. READ ARTICLE

Sen. Boxer optimistic on highway bill

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said Thursday that Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has had a change of heart about the prospects of Congress passing a new federal highway bill this year. READ ARTICLE

Senate moves toward agreement on transportation bill

As House Republicans prepared to release a spending proposal intended to overhaul the federal transportation system, Senate Democrats on Thursday rushed to complete a bipartisan effort to end a stalemate that has undermined transportation programs for almost three years. READ ARTICLE

Senator Boxer - 1000 Groups Urging Us to Pass Transportation Bill Now

Senator Barbara Boxer, who chairs the primary Senate committee on surface transportation (EPW) announced she has received a letter from over “1000 organizations, businesses, coalitions and other groups from all 50 states “urging quick action on a strong surface transportation bill before the current extension expires.” READ ARTICLE

Study to focus more on distribution needs in S.C.

Local economic development officials say a logistics and distribution study is needed to help South Carolina plan for its future. READ ARTICLE

Study: Returning soldiers may struggle adjusting to civilian roadways

Those who suffer from road rage, take note: Your stress level might pale in comparison to a returning soldier. READ ARTICLE

Tales in Motion: Ancient Man Has Better PR People Than I Do

Today’s anthropologists, geologists, geographers, archeologists, historians, scientists and assorted researchers are an uncommonly sunny bunch, who seem never to have found an ancient civilization that they didn’t like….and it doesn’t take much to impress them.
READ ARTICLE

That's a lot of transportation news...what's it all mean?

Healthy exports, growth in domestic manufacturing, and a weak dollar go hand in hand, and last week Mr. Bernanke made clear that on one of those fronts we need have no worries….in an unusually frank communication of the Fed’s plans for interest rates for the near and intermediate terms the Chairman said plainly that interest rates, barring other data that makes the FOMC think twice, will remain as low as can be till the end of 2014.
READ ARTICLE

Train in Vain

Mass transit has, according to its fans, a staggering array of benefits. It reduces pollution, improves quality of life, and anchors vibrant walkable communities. It boosts public health and makes people happier. READ ARTICLE

Trucks on federal highways could soon be heavier

Drivers could share the highways with much heavier trucks if Congress decides that the efficiencies of larger loads trump concerns about road damage and safety. READ ARTICLE

U.S. trucking industry posts biggest jump in 13 years

December was a banner month for the trucking industry. READ ARTICLE

A Step Further...

If transportation is the "canary in the coal mine" for the economy the bird must be in full voice these days. The rail sector is having one of the best quarters in years as there have been gains in everything from intermodal to commodities. READ COMMENTARY

Update to the Freight Rail Impact Matrix

Rail Overall Remains Strong – Up 1.9% Over First 3 Weeks of 2011 READ ARTICLE

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That's A Lot of News

What's it all mean? The warning blender.

TranSystems Transportation Activity Index, January 31 2012
Additional Driver for Mass Transit Around the Corner?

One of the things that fuels growth in mass transit demand is a rise in fuel prices that become high enough that consumers look for alternative methods of transportation. Even though the "great recession" moved nearly 4.6 million Americans to the unemployment lines (and historically, 60% of transit ridership is to and from employment), mass transit systems have seen three consecutive quarters of increases in ridership. What the industry may get is an additional catalyst to this increasing baseload - and it will come at the hands of the oil and gasoline situation in the United States. READ COMMENTARY