Welcome summertime. I hope you are all taking some time to enjoy the weather, although I must say it has been pretty hot up here in the East Coast where we have spent the week sweltering in a severe heat wave. But at least it makes you slow down a bit – because it is too hot to move very fast.
This month we report:
OUT OF SERVICE REPORTS – Here is this month’s list of carriers identified as imminent hazards and put out of service by the FMCSA. The number is lower than last month but the focus continues to be on passenger carriers. These passenger carriers were put out of service: Advanced Ventures LLC of Springfield, VA as an imminent hazard to public safety, Lucky River Transportation Corp d/b/a Lucky Star of Boston, MA as an imminent hazard to public safety and Midnight Express, LLC of Olathe, KS because “company’s owners, Adam Breidenthal, Derrick Hansroth and Edward Goetz, were operating an unauthorized and unsafe commercial transportation service.” . There was one trucking company, E & K Trucking, Inc. of Commerce City, CO, which was declared an imminent hazard because it was still operating despite having it operating authority revoked for safety reasons in December 2012.
POLITICAL CHANGES – As of press time the DOT does not have their newest leader. Mr. Foxx is still awaiting the expected Senate nomination. With the recent passing of Sen. Frank Lautenberg, there was a space in the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security. Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia will chair that subcommittee.
CARGO THEFT REPORT – Freightwatch has reported that cargo thefts from commercial trucks are down in the U.S. for the second quarter. However, the average value of those losses has increased. In the period from March through May 2013, FreightWatch recorded a total of 185 thefts in the United States, with 79 thefts in March, 44 in April and 62 in May, according to its latest report. The average loss value per incident during this period was $156,408. Compared with the previous quarter, thefts fell by 16 percent, although the average loss value increased by 9 percent.
In the period from December 2012 through February 2013, FreightWatch recorded a total of 199 thefts in the U.S., with 77 thefts in December, 53 in January and 69 in February. The average loss value per incident during this period was $133,711. Compared with the previous quarter, thefts fell by 20 percent and average loss value dropped by 39 percent.
Food and drinks, were once again the most commonly stolen type of load, with 50 thefts reported in the quarter. These thefts composed 27 percent of all incidents from March to May. The pharmaceutical industry experienced 21 thefts, 11 percent of the total, and 19 thefts, 10 percent of all thefts, of electronics.
California remained the state with the most thefts, followed by Texas, Florida, Illinois and Georgia. The 49 thefts in California alone accounted for 26 percent of all thefts nationwide.
Unsecured parking was the most common spot targeted by cargo thieves in the incidents in which location types were recorded. Incidents involving theft of trailer, 126 in all, accounted for 68 percent of all thefts. The clothing/shoes category had the highest average loss value at $432,750.
