America’s Road Team Provides Holiday Safety Tips for Winter Conditions

Truck Drivers are Santa’s Other Helpers – Help Them by Making Safe Driving Decisions

American Trucking Associations and America’s Road Team Captains are spreading holiday cheer—along with critical safety tips for traveling through adverse weather conditions.

“Inclement weather conditions on the road create driving hazards that require extra attention during the winter months,” said America’s Road Team Captain Rhonda Hartman, of Old Dominion Freight Lines. “When traffic volumes increase around some of the major travel holidays, it makes driving safely even more difficult. So, as professional truck drivers, we have some tips for you and your family.”

 ATA’s Our Roads, Our Safety coalition partners at AAA project more than 107 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles this holiday season, making this year a 3% increase from 2016. High traffic volume can contribute to increased risk for congestion and accidents. Winter weather amplifies the danger of being stranded, broken down or involved in an accident, and not being properly prepared with basic travel needs like food, blankets and water can lead to life-threatening scenarios.

 “As a truck driver, I am one of the last people out on the road helping Santa with his presents during the holiday season,” said America’s Road Team Captain Tim Melody, of ABF Freight Systems Inc. “Having an informed motoring public that understands and adjusts to the hazards of winter driving makes my job easier.”

 Snow and ice pose unique challenges for drivers. Being acutely aware of the weather conditions and forecast can prevent unexpected circumstances and make for a safer trip. Practicing caution at all times, even when traveling at low speeds on city streets, can prevent property damage and injury.

 Impaired driving also puts the general motoring public at risk, including the professionals tasked with delivering holiday gifts, decorations and foods. Arranging safe methods of transportation this holiday season is very important.

 “As a truck driver from the chilly state of Minnesota, I have to be prepared to make quick decisions when confronted with snow, ice and other forms of wintery weather, and I count on the people around me to make quick, safe decisions as well,” said America’s Road Team Captain Bill Krouse, of YRC Freight. “It’s important to be constantly aware of your surroundings, the weather and the flow of traffic. We all share the road with families, neighbors, friends and colleagues who are trying to celebrate 2017 and the coming new year, and it is irresponsible to put other people in danger by being neglectful of your duties as a driver.”

 ·         Remove ice and snow from your vehicle: Clear your windows and roof of snow to ensure you have maximum visibility and avoid creating a hazard for the vehicle behind you. Do not allow ice and snow to create additional blind spots on your vehicle.

·         Slow Down: Chances of a crash nearly triple when driving faster than surrounding traffic. Skidding becomes more likely at increased speeds, especially on icy roads, or if you are driving a sleigh like Santa.

·         Buckle Up: A safety belt will not prevent a collision, but it will save a life.

·         Do not drive impaired: Driving is a great responsibility and your fellow travelers are relying on safe, attentive drivers to respectfully share the road and make good decisions. Lay off the egg nog if you plan to drive.

·         Avoid impaired drivers: Report drunk drivers to 911 – after safely pulling over – and stay on the line to help locate the suspected vehicle. A call can save lives. Erratic breaking, weaving between lanes, straddling the center line or taking excessively wide turns can all be signs of impaired driving.

·         Be aware of truck blind spots: Trucks deliver all of your favorite holiday traditions. Pass on the left where the truck’s blind spot is much smaller.

·         Keep your eyes on the road: Distracted driving is a major cause of traffic accidents and one of the leading causes of death amongst teenagers. Even just two seconds of distraction time doubles the chances of an accident. Use your cell phone when stopped and never text while driving. Technology gifts are popular during the holiday season, but should not be operated while driving.

·         Do not cut in front of large trucks: Remember trucks are heavier and take longer to make a complete stop, so avoid cutting quickly in front of them. Consider this while watching the bowl games: fully loaded tractor-trailers can take the length of a football field plus both end zones to make a complete stop. ATA partnered with AAA, the American Bus Association and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on this recently released video about stopping distances.

·         Prepare your vehicle for long distance travel: Before you head out to see your aunts, uncles and cousins, check your wipers and fluids and have your radiator and cooling system serviced. Simple maintenance before you leave your home can prevent many of the problems that strand motorists on the side of the road.

·         Prepare yourself for long distance travel: The vehicle needs maintenance and the driver needs plenty of rest and hydration to function at his or her best. If you feel drowsy, pull over and wait until you are more alert.

·         Leave early and avoid risks: Leave early to reduce anxiety about arriving late. Road conditions may change due to inclement weather or traffic congestion.

·         Be aware of the vehicle in front of you: Leave extra room between you and the vehicle ahead. 

Drivers at XPO in Albany, New York Seek Teamster Representation

Drivers at XPO Logistics in Albany, N.Y. filed for Teamster representation today with Local 294, the latest action by workers across the U.S. who are banding together to fight for fair treatment at one of the largest transportation and logistics companies in the world.

The 34 drivers at the former Con-way Freight are planning to join XPO freight workers in Laredo, Texas; Vernon, Calif.; Miami, Florida; Aurora, Ill.; King of Prussia, Pa., and Trenton, N.J. and warehouse workers in North Haven, Conn. who have already joined the Teamsters.

“Like the XPO workers in other locations, the Albany drivers are fed up with higher health care costs and reduced coverage and no voice on the job,” said Ernie Soehl, Director of the Teamsters National Freight Division. “Workers around the country are fighting back and we will fight alongside them in their campaign.”

“The XPO workers in Albany reached out to us because they are tired of having no say on the job,” said John Bulgaro, President of Local 294 in Albany. “We look forward to helping these workers form their union and then negotiate a first contract that improves their livelihoods.”

Port, freight and warehouse workers at XPO are coming together across the country in their fight for a more secure future.

UPS Pre-Orders 125 Tesla Electric Trucks

UPS has announced it has placed a reservation for 125 of Tesla’s new fully-electric Semi tractors. The new tractors will join UPS’s extensive alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicle fleet, comprised of trucks and tractors propelled by electricity, natural gas, propane and other non-traditional fuels.

“For more than a century, UPS has led the industry in testing and implementing new technologies for more efficient fleet operations. We look forward to expanding further our commitment to fleet excellence with Tesla,” said Juan Perez, chief information and engineering officer. “These groundbreaking electric tractors are poised to usher in a new era in improved safety, reduced environmental impact, and reduced cost of ownership.”

UPS has provided Tesla real-world UPS trucking lane information as part of the company’s evaluation of the vehicle’s expected performance for the UPS duty cycle. UPS frequently partners with suppliers of emerging vehicle technologies to help them develop solutions that prove ready for stringent UPS use-cases.

Tesla’s Semi tractor claims up to 500 miles range on a single charge, an unparalleled cabin experience for drivers, enhanced on-road safety and significantly reduced long-term cost of ownership. Safety features include: automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, automated lane guidance, and brake-by-wire and steer-by-wire with redundancy. Tesla’s driver-assistance features have been found by the U.S. government to reduce crash rates by 40%. Tesla expects to begin production of the vehicles in 2019 and UPS will be among the first companies to put the vehicles into use.

UPS’s preorder of Tesla vehicles complements and advances the company’s overall commitment to reduce its absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from global ground operations 12 percent by 2025, a goal developed using a methodology approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.

Teamsters, ABF Kick Off National Contract Negotiations

Union, Company Exchange Initial National Contract Proposals

The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) exchanged initial national contract proposals with ABF yesterday, kicking off national negotiations that will continue next month.

“We exchanged initial contract proposals and we will review the documents as we prepare for negotiations to begin in earnest next month,” said Ernie Soehl, Director of the Teamsters National Freight Division and Co-Chairman of TNFINC.

“I want to thank our ABF members for helping us get to this point with the contract by submitting member surveys. These negotiations will be difficult but our committee is prepared to make sure our members’ priorities are fully addressed in negotiations.”

The current ABF—National Master Freight Agreement runs through March 31, 2018 and covers more than 8,000 members.

Following today’s initial contract proposal exchange, negotiations will take place on January 8.  Multiple weeks have been set aside for bargaining.

Hoffa, Teamsters Call for Quick Action on Pension Reform

Mike Walden knows what’s at stake for Teamster retirees and workers trying to hold onto their hard-earned nest eggs. The former truck driver and Local 24 retiree recognized years ago that pensions like the one he currently receives from the Central States Pension Fund were in dire straits, so he got involved in trying to save them.

He noted many seniors and retirees already face significant challenges trying to make ends meet. Walden, who is President of the National United Committee to Protect Pensions and Chairman of the Northeast Ohio Committee to Protect Pensions, says any cut in pensions would devastate their well-being and force many out of their homes and into a life that at their advanced age they cannot handle.

“Many of us are old, we can’t go back to work because we’ve had joint replacements or some of us have lost our eyesight. We have medications that wouldn’t allow us to drive the trucks or work in warehouses like we used to,” he said. “Many can’t afford their medications if you reduce their pensions. They’ll die.”

Walden spoke of those challenges during a Capitol Hill press conference Wednesday, where he joined Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), bill sponsor Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and others in urging the enactment of a Teamster-backed multi-employer pension reform legislation.

Hoffa said it is essential that the measure be included as part of federal spending bill facing a deadline for passage next week. He argued that Teamster members and other workers deserve quick action that protects their pensions.

“We are in the stretch right here,” he said. “We really need to get to work and get out and talk to our congressmen, because they really respond to that. We’ve got to put the pressure on them. There is no ‘no’ on this. Whether you are a Democrat, Republican or independent, it shouldn’t matter. This is about Americans, about the people who played by the rules and worked hard every day.”

The “Butch Lewis Act of 2017,” introduced by Brown and Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.) last month, would provide a path to fixing the country’s growing pension crisis by providing the financial support the plans need to avoid insolvency.

It would create a new agency, the Pension Rehabilitation Administration (PRA), to provide loans to “critical and declining” multi-employer pension funds. The loan terms will require plans to make interest payments for 29 years with final interest and principal repayment due in year 30.

Pelosi said workers deserve a better future, and that comes with a secure retirement this legislation provides. “This is central to America’s working families,” she said. “You worked for it, you deserved it, you earned it, it’s a promise, and it will be kept.”

Share the Road Drivers Deliver Wreaths to Arlington Cemetery

American Trucking Associations and ATA’s Share the Road Highway Safety Program celebrated the arrival of the Wreaths Across America convoy at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Dec. 16.

“The trucking industry is one of the most patriotic industries in the country, full of veterans, and we are honored to be able to pay our respects to those who sacrificed for this country and our freedom,” said ATA President Chris Spear. “The Share the Road Program is grateful for this opportunity to salute the fallen heroes of America and will continue to support Wreaths Across America.”

Share the Road professional truck drivers Ralph Garcia of ABF Freight System Inc., and UPS Freight’s Henry Bruster drove the program’s Mack truck from the wreath loading dock in Maine to Arlington, making many stops on the route to emphasize the importance of Wreaths Across America and teaching students the value of our freedoms.

“It is a great honor to be a part of this journey again and honor the great men and women who protected this country with their lives,” Garcia said. “Having the opportunity to travel down the East Coast through patriotic towns and communities and being able to see all the support the nation shows to our veterans is an amazing experience for me.”

This year, Wreaths Across America delivered more than one million wreaths to veterans’ graves across the globe.

“Wreaths Across America gives us a special chance to reflect on what we stand for as a nation and unite behind our veterans,” Bruster said. “Being both a veteran and a truck driver, this trip was very meaningful to me and it was a great honor to represent my fellow military servicemen and servicewomen.”

Local 710 YRC Road Driver Roy Lincoln Reaches 5-Million Accident-Free Miles Driven

Illinois Teamster Honored for Important Accomplishment, Commitment to Safety

In an era where distracted driving constantly threatens safety on the roads, it is always an important accomplishment when our Teamster brothers and sisters reach a milestone for safe driving. Roy Lincoln, a 47-year road driver out of YRC Freight in Chicago Heights, Ill. has gone above and beyond in his own safe driving accomplishment: 5-million accident-free miles driven.

To put that number into perspective, that’s like driving to the moon and back more than ten times. Lincoln is only the third driver in the entire YRC organization to reach this milestone.

“Roy is a fantastic role model to all of our 710 drivers, particularly the new drivers just starting out,” said Mike Cales, Secretary-Treasurer Elect of Local 710. “He definitely knows the ropes and is always happy to help drivers on the path to success. His dedication to safety is truly an inspiration, and I am proud to call him my brother.”

Lincoln was honored at a ceremony yesterday at the terminal surrounded by fellow Teamsters and supporters. Leaders from YRC spoke to Roy’s achievement, along with IBT Central Region Freight Coordinator Michael Hienton, who presented a letter and signed tractor-trailer model from General President James P. Hoffa.

“I know your job is demanding, and more importantly, I know that without truckers, America stops,” wrote Hoffa. “Your accomplishment is particularly impressive given how few have matched this driving milestone. This excellence demonstrates your commitment to your craft.”

In honor of reaching this milestone, one car seat was donated to the Illinois State Police Department for every 100,000 miles Lincoln has driven – That means 50 families in the state will receive a car seat on his behalf.

Lincoln is joined by three more drivers at the Chicago Heights barn who have reached 4-million accident-free miles: Jim Banner, Stanley Collins, and Rich Allee, who is a close friend of Lincoln’s. There are only 28 drivers throughout the YRC organization that have reached the 4-million milestone.

Lincoln credits his inspiration to his father, who was a 4-million mile safe driver himself. When asked how many more years he plans on driving, Lincoln smiled and said, “Until I can’t pass the physical.”

YRC Worldwide Announces James Welch Intends to Retire in July 2018

Darren Hawkins to be named President and Chief Operating Officer of YRCW

TJ O'Connor to be named President of YRC Freight

Bob Stone to be named President of Reddaway

YRC Worldwide Inc. announced that James Welch, the company's CEO, has informed the Board of Directors of his intention to retire from the company July 31, 2018.  Welch intends to remain CEO of YRC Worldwide until that date.

Effective January 1, 2018, YRC Freight President Darren Hawkins will assume the transitional role of President and Chief Operating Officer of YRC Worldwide.  In this newly created role, Hawkins will oversee YRC Freight, Holland, Reddaway and New Penn in addition to other responsibilities.  At the regularly scheduled July 2018 board meeting, the Board of Directors intends to name Hawkins as the successor to Welch as CEO of YRCW.  Hawkins will report to Welch during the transition.

In addition, effective January 1, 2018, Reddaway President TJ O'Connor will become President of YRC Freight, and Bob Stone, currently Vice President of Operations at Reddaway, will become President of that company.

"During his tenure, James assembled a strong team of leaders at YRCW, YRC Freight, Holland, Reddaway and New Penn and worked to change the trajectory of the company, paving the way for significant investment in technology and equipment," stated Jim Hoffman, Chairman of the YRC Worldwide Board of Directors.  "The board and I appreciate his leadership and his commitment to stay and work with Darren over the upcoming transition period.  We wish James the very best; he has our utmost respect for all he has done to serve our customers, stakeholders and employees," Hoffman said.

"I believe this is the right time for YRCW and me to make the transition," Welch stated.  "I have gotten to know personally so many of the employees who work daily to serve our customers safely.  There's more work to be done but I am proud of what has been accomplished.  I am especially proud of Darren and look forward to working with him during the transition.  He is a true leader and his vast experience in the LTL industry has prepared him well to be CEO," said Welch.

Retired Teamsters facing dramatic pension cuts see hope in new federal legislation

Retired Teamsters around the nation who are facing dramatic cuts to their monthly pensions are keeping their fingers crossed that proposed federal legislation will keep them from financial ruin.

The legislation, called the Butch Lewis Act and introduced last month by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, is now subject to intense lobbying by union members and others on Capitol Hill with the hope that it becomes attached to the new spending bill Congress is expected to soon enact.

On Wednesday, retired Teamsters in Akron were updated on the act by Mike Walden of Cuyahoga Falls who with others has spearheaded national efforts over the last four years to rescue union retirees from gut-wrenching drops in their financially troubled Central States multi-employer pension plan. A 2014 federal law allows multi-employer pension plans to significantly reduce retiree payments as a means to remain solvent.

Retirees in the Teamster’s Central States pension plan have been facing possible monthly pension cuts of as much as 69 percent. There are about 48,000 retired Teamsters in Ohio, with thousands in the Greater Akron area and hundreds of thousands more around the nation. Other troubled union pension plans already have cut monthly payments to retirees.

This latest federal plan to prevent that scenario is named for the late Butch Lewis, retired head of Teamsters Local 100 in Evendale, Ohio, who died in 2015 and was part of the movement to save union retiree pensions.

“We’re going to need more support,” said Walden, head of the Northeast Ohio Committee to Protect Pensions. He urged the hundred-plus retirees at the meeting in the Knights of Columbus Hall on Glenmount Avenue to write and call their congressional representatives.

“We need this done by the end of the year,” Walden said, explaining that it will take time for the act to be implemented. Passage by Dec. 31 would likely mean that the plan could be put into place by early summer.

Actuaries who have looked over the math in the Butch Lewis Act say it will work, Walden said.

The act creates a new office, the Pension Rehabilitation Administration, in the U.S. Treasury Department. The office would allow troubled pension plans to borrow money at low interest rates and in turn continue making payments to retirees.

According to Brown’s office, the money for the loans and the cost to run the pension office would come from selling Treasury bonds to financial institutions such as banks. The PRA would provide 30-year loans at low interest rates to financially troubled union pension plans. The pension plans are expected to repay the loans as their financial health improves.

The plan was initially developed by the Teamsters and then refined by Brown and his staff, Walden said.

The Teamsters next week will bus retired union members to Washington, D.C., and put them up overnight in a hotel as part of an effort to urge congressional members to support the Butch Lewis Act.

“We have some Republicans that are very, very close to signing on to the Butch Lewis Act,” Walden said.

Republicans have been largely concerned about what happens if a loan in the program created by the act defaults, Walden said. Getting their support might require a change in part of the proposed law to create a safety net, he said.

Joe Kline, 69, a Suffield Township resident and retired driver with USF Holland, said the Butch Lewis Act is not a taxpayer bailout of the Central States plan.

“We paid into it [Central States]. This will help salvage it,” Kline said. The Butch Lewis Act ultimately could ensure more comfortable retirements for as many as 10 million Americans, he said.

Ed Barker, 68, retired two years ago as a driver with ABF Freight. The Austintown resident and retiree from Teamsters Local 377 in Youngstown said he became involved in the fight to save the union pension plan fairly recently.

He said the U.S. government failed in its obligation to make sure the Central States Pension Plan remained solvent.

The Butch Lewis Act looks like the right approach, he said. If no action is taken, the subsequent drastic cuts in pension payments will force retirees to become more dependent on government money, he said.

“I think this will make everybody happy,” Barker said. “I was going to lose 60 percent of my money. … It’s not a taxpayer thing. I’m a taxpayer. I passed on pay raises to put into retirement.”

Teamsters Support Brown-Neal Legislation to Solve Pension Crisis

The “Butch Lewis Act of 2017” Will Provide a Path to Recovery for Hundreds of Pensions Facing Insolvency

The Teamsters Union strongly supports legislation introduced today by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) that would establish a new agency within the U.S. Treasury Department authorized to issue bonds in order to finance loans to pension plans in financial distress.

The “Butch Lewis Act of 2017,” named after a Teamster retiree leader who passed away two years ago, would provide a path to fixing the country’s growing pension crisis by providing the financial support the plans need to avoid insolvency. Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa expressed the union’s full support in a video statement.

“The Teamsters Union proudly endorses the Butch Lewis Act without any reservations,” Hoffa said.
“Between the hard work of Sen. Brown and Rep. Neal’s offices and our Teamster pension task force, I believe we have found a solution to this very difficult challenge.”

The agency, named the Pension Rehabilitation Administration (PRA), would provide these loans to “critical and declining” multiemployer pension funds. The loan terms will require plans to make interest payments for 29 years with final interest and principal repayment due in year 30.
“This is a plan that will work,” Brown said. “This is a plan that will work without cuts.”

“Americans who worked hard their entire lives and planned for secure retirements should not have the rug pulled out from under them,” Neal said. “With this bill, we responsibly shore up multiemployer pension plans and guarantee retirees the full benefits they earned.”

Rita Lewis, the widow of Butch Lewis, spoke passionately about the four-year fight her husband led to save the pensions of thousands of active and retired Teamsters in the Central States Pension Fund.

“No one should have to suffer through the past four years of stress,” Lewis said. “This bill must be passed by the end of the year – this is not a partisan issue. We’ve been held hostage long enough. A promise is a promise is a promise.”

New bill aims to shore up Teamsters pension plan

A bill introduced by Democrats in Congress on Thursday aims to help more than 30,000 Michigan current and retired Teamsters union members avoid pension cuts related to the distressed Central State Pension Plan.

Financial problems have left the pension plan severely underfunded and could force cuts in pension payments to hundreds of thousands of retirees nationwide.

Sponsors of the bill, including Reps. Debbie Dingell of Dearborn and Dan Kildee of Flint Township, say the legislation would shore up the Central States Pension Fund and 200 other multiemployer pension plans in danger of insolvency in the next 10 years.

The Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act would create a new office in the U.S. Treasury Department to issue bonds to finance loans to distressed pension plans, allowing them to remain solvent and continue to provide benefits for retirees and workers.

“The No. 1 thing is there would be no cuts for workers,” Dingell said in an interview. “They put their money in for a lifetime. Can you imagine what it’s like to work a lifetime, live by the rules, get to your 70s and suddenly have no retirement security?”

Dingell said she hopes to convince some Republican colleagues to sign onto the bill, increasing its chances of getting a vote on the House floor.

Last year, the Treasury Department rejected a Central State Pension Plan proposal that would have cut retiree benefits by as much as 70 percent, affecting an estimated 273,000 retirees.

Treasury rejected the proposal based on a review by outside attorney Kenneth Feinberg, a victim compensation expert, who concluded the plan didn’t demonstrate how the reductions would keep the pension plan from becoming insolvent or show they were being equitably distributed.

The lead sponsors of the legislation are Democratic Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts and Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio.

ABF Freight Announces Negotiations Start Date with Teamsters

Current agreement expires March 31, 2018

ABF Freight, the less-than-truckload carrier operated by ArcBest, announced that ABF and the Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) have agreed to exchange initial proposals on December 18 and 19, 2017, and begin negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement the week of January 7, 2018.

TNFINC is the negotiating committee of local unions that are affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. ABF Freight is the largest subsidiary of ArcBest and was founded in 1923.

“We look forward to working with the Teamsters’ leadership to reach a new collective bargaining agreement that appropriately reflects the competitive environment in which we operate,” said ABF Freight President Tim Thorne.

The current collective bargaining agreement, known as the ABF National Master Freight Agreement, expires at midnight on March 31, 2018. It covers approximately 8,600 ABF Freight Teamster employees in various locations across the United States, including road drivers, city drivers, dockworkers, mechanics and clerical personnel.

Brown, Ryan outline plan to salvage pension funds

Sen. Sherrod Brown plans to introduce a bill as early as this week that he says will guarantee thousands of retirees in Ohio receive the pensions they originally were promised.

At a news conference Monday in Youngstown with Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Niles, Brown said he wants Congress to create a new federal office that would allow no fewer than seven pension funds in the state to borrow enough money to remain solvent and continue providing pensions for retirees.

The office, which would be called the Pension Rehabilitation Fund and placed inside the U.S. Department of Treasury, would supervise the loans which would come from the sale of U.S Treasury bonds from private investors. Brown, D-Ohio, hopes to attach the bill to a larger spending bill expected to be passed at the end of the year by Congress.

“All of you here today and the thousands of retired Teamsters, miners, builders, and others across Ohio earned your pensions over a lifetime of hard work,” Brown said.

“Now those pension plans are underwater,” Brown said. “It’s bad enough that Wall Street squandered workers’ money — and it’s worse that the government that’s supposed to look out for these folks is trying to break the promise made to these workers.”

“Not on our watch,” Brown said. “We won’t allow that to happen.”

Ryan said, “We in Congress must do everything in our power to protect the retirement these Americans have earned.”

Most of those impacted are Teamsters covered by the Central States Fund, a multi-employer fund that serves trucking companies and covers 400,000 retirees across the country. Central States has warned it might have to cut pensions by an average of 22 percent for retirees because it has $35 billion in liabilities and just $17.8 billion in assets.

But, the bill also is aimed at propping up a number of other pension funds, including the United Mine Workers Pension Plan, the Ironworkers Local 17 Pension Plan, the Ohio Southwest Carpenters Pension Plan and the Bakers and Confectioners Pension Plan.

Brown’s bill is considered a more realistic approach than one he co-sponsored in 2015 with by Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, who wanted to prop up the plans by closing loopholes in the estate tax and ending a tax break on the sale of art. That bill had no chance of congressional approval.

UPS Revenues Rise, but Profits Flat in Third Quarter

UPS Inc. reported third-quarter profits that were nearly flat compared with a year ago after easing 0.5%. And the parcel giant also announced a 4.9% rate increase to match other less-than-truckload carriers.

UPS earned $1.26 billion during the period ended Sept. 30, compared with $1.27 billion the year before. On a per-share basis, income rose a penny to $1.45 because there were as much as 12 million fewer shares outstanding than a year ago due to company buybacks.

Revenue grew 7% to $16 billion, surpassing a $15.6 billion forecast.

“Our e-commerce and cross-border solutions helped UPS deliver strong revenue growth of 7% on a 4.6% increase in daily shipments. In the U.S., increasing demand for UPS Next Day Air and Ground products drove revenue growth,” said David Abney, UPS chairman and CEO.

“Focus on fundamentals, combined with the benefits of recent investments produced good results, especially when you consider the unexpected headwinds we faced,” he said.

Atlanta-based UPS ranks No. 1 on the Transport Topics list of the top 100 for-hire carriers in North America.

UPS announced that it would raise rates 4.9% on UPS Ground, UPS Air, UPS Air Freight and international services, effective Dec. 24, matching similar announcements from leading less-than-truckload carriers such as Old Dominion Freight Lines.

UPS also plans to hire 95,000 seasonal employees for the holidays and highlighted that over the last three years about 35% of those workers get offered permanent jobs.

In the UPS Domestic Package segment, revenue grew 3.9% to $9.6 billion, but operating income slipped 5.6% to $1.2 billion. The division, which includes UPS Next Day Air, UPS Ground and UPS Deferred, saw a 3.4% increase in volume to 15.9 million packages and a 2% price increase to $9.64. The company blamed lower profits on a $50 million financial hit from natural disasters and $40 million for construction of new buildings and “deployment of Saturday operations.”

UPS Chief Financial Officer Richard Peretz attributed the $50 million to the recent hurricanes in Texas and Florida and the wildfires in California.

The UPS International Package division, which has fueled growth in recent quarters, continued to record a strong performance this time around, too. Revenue climbed 11% to $3.4 billion and operating income expanded 8.9% to $627 million. Exports generated the best results in the international division with a 12% hike in revenue to $2.6 billion on a 19% increase in volume to 1.4 million packages. International Domestic daily shipments increased 5.7%, led by double-digit growth across several European countries.

UPS also highlighted a joint venture with SF Express, a small-package carrier in China. Regulators in China recently approved the partnership, opening up the large population to the UPS International network.

“We were excited that we did get approval in a timely fashion. It’s so important because there are so many opportunities between China and the United States,” Abney said.

UPS also received two Boeing 747-8 aircrafts in October with a third scheduled to be delivered in late November, planes that will be used for Trans-Pacific shipments.

The UPS Supply Chain Solutions and UPS Freight segment also produced significant growth during the quarter, outpacing all other divisions on a percentage basis. Revenue grew 13% to $3 billion and operating income climbed 9.7% to $22 million.

The segment encompasses the third-party logistics operations, including freight broker Coyote Logistics, and the less-than-truckload business.

UPS Supply Chain Solutions grew revenue 15% year-over-year to $2 billion and UPS Freight revenue improved 11% to $778 million.

Within UPS Freight, less-than-truckload revenue increased 9.3% to $673 million and total shipments rose 1.5% to 2.6 million. Weight per LTL shipment also grew 3.9% to 1,062 pounds and revenue per 100 pounds of freight rose 3.6% to $24.47.

UPS slightly raised full 2017 earnings per growth forecasts a nickel on the low end to $5.85 to $6.10.

Abney made a brief mention of the ongoing talks with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters on a new contract covering package and freight employees. The current five-year collective bargaining agreement expires July 31, 2018. Formal negotiations will officially begin in January.

“We’ve worked with the Teamsters for more than 80 years with the objective of providing industry-leading service to our customers, so we can create new jobs and reward employees for contributing to the company’s success. We expect the negotiations to move forward in a constructive matter,” Abney said.

UPS commits to expanding use of collision mitigation technology

UPS plans to outfit more than 60 percent of its Class 8 tractor fleet with collision mitigation technology that alerts drivers when a stationary object is in front of the vehicle, or when a moving object is nearby, the company announced on Tuesday.

Every new Class 8 tractor purchased by UPS since 2015 has been outfitted with the technology, which features blind spot alerts, lane departure alerts, electronic stability control and automatic brake application with forward collision warnings.

The company announced that it would expand its use of advanced collision mitigation technology to an additional 5,700 existing tractors. When the expansion is complete, UPS will have more than 11,000 Class 8 tractors outfitted with the technology.

“UPS has some of the safest drivers on the road, and some of our best drivers have told us that collision mitigation systems help make them even better drivers,” Carlton Rose, the president of global fleet maintenance and engineering at UPS, said. “This investment is indicative of UPS’s commitment to the safety of our employees, their families, our customers and the motoring public.”

The collision mitigation technology package will supplement pre-existing safety features on the vehicles like adaptive cruise control that slows the vehicles to help avoid collisions and promote fuel economy.

“As truck drivers, we all know the right side of our vehicle is our largest blind spot,” John McKown, a UPS Freight driver and captain of American Trucking Association’s America’s Road Team, said.

“Now we have technology that watches this every second of the day. Initially, I thought the blind spot alarms would be an annoyance, but now that I’ve driven with this technology I’ve become a believer."

"Words can’t describe how much I appreciate UPS’s commitment to safety and investing in this technology.”

ArcBest Announces Third Quarter 2017 Results

Third quarter 2017 revenue of $744.3 million, and net income of $14.8 million, or $0.56 per diluted share.  On a non-GAAP basis, third quarter 2017 net income of $15.5 million, or $0.59 per diluted share.

Increased revenue and profit in Asset-Based services positively impacted by improved pricing 

Third quarter Asset-Light revenue increase and operating income improvement impacted by positive Expedite trends

ArcBest reported third quarter 2017 revenue of $744.3 million compared to third quarter 2016 revenue of $713.9 million.  Third quarter 2017 operating income was $24.3 million compared to operating income of $20.4 million last year.  Net income of $14.8 million, or $0.56 per diluted share, compared to third quarter 2016 net income of $12.9 million, or $0.49 per diluted share.   

Excluding certain items in both periods as identified in the attached reconciliation tables, non-GAAP net income was $15.5 million, or $0.59 per diluted share, in third quarter 2017 compared to third quarter 2016 net income of $12.6 million, or $0.48 per diluted share. On a non-GAAP basis, operating income was $27.0 million in third quarter 2017 compared to third quarter 2016 operating income of $21.7 million.  Cost controls resulting from the enhanced market approach implemented at the beginning of the year continue to be in-line with expectations. 

“Our enhanced market approach, tighter capacity and a generally favorable pricing environment all contributed to improved third quarter results,” said ArcBest Chairman, President and CEO Judy R. McReynolds. “Our expedited business was particularly strong, and on the asset-based side, we continue to make progress on the implementation of our space-based pricing initiative, which took effect August 1. While we experienced some negative effects in our asset-based business from hurricanes in the southern U.S. and Puerto Rico, customers seeking total logistics solutions and guaranteed capacity are increasingly looking to ArcBest to fulfill their supply chain needs.”

Full Third Quarter Results.......................

YRC Worldwide Reports Third Quarter 2017 Results

YRC Worldwide Inc.’s net income tumbled during the third quarter of 2017 to $3 million, down 78 percent from $13.9 million a year prior, as the company faced headwinds from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma during the quarter, according to the firm's most recent financial statements.

Despite the plunge in net income during the quarter, YRC Worldwide’s consolidated operating revenues ticked up 2.4 percent year-over-year to $1.25 billion, with revenues growth in both YRC Freight and the company’s regional segment.

At YRC Freight, tonnage per day rose 0.7 percent from the third quarter of 2016, while revenue per hundredweight rose 3.4 percent, and revenue per shipment rose 3.8 percent.

Meanwhile, YRC Worldwide’s regional segment saw tonnage per day rise 4 percent from last year’s third quarter, while revenue per hundredweight inched up 1.3 percent and revenue per shipment increased 4.1 percent.

As of Sept. 30, YRC Worldwide’s outstanding debt totaled $962.4 million, down from $1.06 billion for the third quarter of 2016.

“This month, YRC Freight is implementing a significant change of operations that includes transitioning eight terminals to regional distribution centers, which is expected to help strengthen customer service and reliability while adding capacity and reducing cost within its network,” YRC Worldwide CEO James Welch said.

Looking ahead, Welch said, “We believe YRC Freight, Reddaway, Holland and New Penn will be positioned for tighter capacity due to the recovery and restoration efforts from the hurricanes and the ELD mandate.”

Full Third Quarter Results....................

YRC Worldwide Updates 2017 Financial Projections

YRC Worldwide Inc. announced that it has updated the projected financial information for full-year 2017 that was provided as part of the process to extend the Company's Term Loan Credit Agreement.

The Company is also providing preliminary financial results for third quarter 2017.

The primary factors contributing to the update include:

The occurrence of significant weather during the third quarter 2017;
A shortage of revenue equipment;
Higher than expected purchased transportation expense;
Higher than anticipated maintenance expense;
Higher than expected employee overtime; and 
Underperformance by one of the Regional operating companies.

"We are updating the financial projections now that we have a preliminary view of our third quarter 2017 results," said James Welch, chief executive officer of YRC Worldwide. "Hurricanes Harvey and Irma impacted operations at YRC Freight and Holland during the third quarter leading to the temporary closing or limited operations at 28 terminals. The hurricanes also had a cascading effect on the networks that delayed the delivery of shipments and unfavorably impacted productivity over roughly a five-week period. Additionally, we incurred costs associated with relocating revenue equipment to the impacted facilities as well as incurring employee overtime in order to properly initiate recovery efforts in response to these extraordinary weather events. While it is difficult to fully quantify the lost revenue and incremental costs associated with these natural disasters, they have had an unfavorable impact on our results. As we move into 2018, we expect the recovery and restoration efforts to contribute to an already positive economic environment.

"We have also been adversely impacted by higher than expected purchased transportation expense in the third quarter primarily attributable to a shortage of revenue equipment. The impact has been more acute as capacity has tightened more quickly than anticipated across the trucking sector. The shortage of revenue equipment has led to higher than expected local purchased transportation and short-term rental expense and an increase in maintenance expense on the existing fleet. The onboarding of new revenue equipment in 2017 has been weighted towards later in the year as the Company focused on successfully amending and extending the term loan. We expect to take delivery of more than 800 new tractors and 2,400 new trailers in fourth quarter 2017 and first quarter 2018 which we anticipate to help mitigate the increase in purchased transportation and maintenance expense.

"Finally, we recently named Howard Moshier as President of New Penn. He most recently served as Senior Vice President of Operations at YRC Freight and we look forward to working with him in his new capacity. We continue to believe in the strength of New Penn and in its reputation for exemplary customer service," concluded Welch.

For the three months ended September 30, 2017, the Company expects to report consolidated operating revenue of approximately $1.25 billion and consolidated operating income of approximately $40 million.  The Company also expects to report Adjusted EBITDA of approximately $81 million.

For full-year 2017, the Company continues to project consolidated operating revenue of approximately $4.8 billion to $5.0 billion.  The projected full-year 2017 consolidated projected operating income has been lowered from approximately $150 million to $170 million to approximately $100 million to $120 million. The Company also lowered the projected Adjusted EBITDA from approximately $320 million to $340 million to approximately $280 million to $300 million. Investment in capital expenditures and new operating leases for revenue equipment continues to be projected to equal 6% to 8% of operating revenue in 2017.

Teamsters Local 769 Takes Charge in Florida Keys After Irma

Business Agents and Members Coordinate with Community to Help Residents

At a park in the Bahama Village neighborhood of Key West, the fact that it’s 90 degrees and humid isn’t discouraging Teamster members and their community partners from unloading a packed freight truck. Time is of the essence, and nobody can wait for the sun to go down.

“When people see a trailer coming in here, you see a look of surprise and pure happiness on people’s faces,” said Stefan McLane, a member of Local 769 in Miami  who drove down the truck from Port Everglades. “We are happy to have such a great relationship with these communities, so we don’t mind sharing. Teamsters are hardworking and grateful people. Whatever we can do when the times call for it, let’s go out and do it, because that’s what being a Teamster is all about—helping each other out, building each other up, and being stronger together.”

The bustle of activity seems of out of place in the otherwise placid atmosphere of the South Florida island chain following Hurricane Irma. While it seems oddly quiet, there are vulnerable people on Key West, and they are in desperate need of supplies.

Zack McCart is a Local 769 Shop Steward at UPS, and a Key West resident. The Florida Keys were evacuated before the hurricane hit, and he’s been taking a lead on helping his coworkers re-adjust to life on the island since they’ve returned.

“When we came back, it was just pure devastation,” McCart said. “Some houses just weren’t there anymore. There were trailers blown over, trees blown over, boats blown over, it was crazy. This is the worst it’s been in a long time.”

David Renshaw, Business Agent for  Local 769, led a team of volunteers in a housing complex a few blocks from the park. They canvassed the apartments, delivering hot meals, water, and toiletries to the elderly residents.

“The Keys will rebound and rebuild, but right now we’re looking to give people here a quick stepping stone to be headed in the right direction,” Renshaw said. “We’ve had all sorts of people come out to assist, even some of retirees are out here delivering these supplies. I know that this will only bring people closer together with the continued involvement of our labor union.”

John Bellera has been a Key West resident for over 30 years, and he was thrilled that the Teamsters were in his community handing out food, water, and other items at a time when he otherwise would be unable to get them.

“All the local greenery is gone, and things here look like the dark side of the moon now, but the people here are wonderful,” Bellera said. “I was a union member before I retired, and they took care of me. They paid for my kids to go to the doctor, they paid for us to go to the dentist, and they paid for us when we got sick. It’s the best thing that ever happened to this country.”

ABF Members at Teamsters Local 667 Reach Milestone

100 Percent of ABF Workers Join Union in Right to Work for Less State

In a big victory against “right to work for less,” 100 percent of the ABF Freight System bargaining unit members at the Memphis, Tennessee terminal have signed up as members of Teamsters Local 667.

“The last worker had been holding out but thanks to the efforts of his coworkers he is now a member, making the unit of about 90 drivers, dockworkers and office staff 100-percent Teamsters,” said James Jones III, President of Local 667 in Memphis. “I am proud of all our ABF Teamsters. This is a great feat in our union’s fight against ‘right to work for less.’”

The victory at ABF in Tennessee, a “right to work” state, comes as the workers prepare for negotiations for the ABF National Master Freight Agreement (NMFA) and regional supplemental agreements.

“By being 100 percent Teamsters, this gives all our ABF workers a stronger voice on the job,” Jones said. “With all the anti-worker, anti-union forces we are up against, we need to organize and build Teamster power.”

In the wake of the victory at ABF, Local 667 is launching a campaign to fully organize other work locations. The effort is called “The race to 100.”

“To many workers, the benefits of being members may not immediately be obvious, but we plan to educate our members about the importance of joining the union and building worker power,” Jones said. “This is all about fighting for a more secure future for our members and their families.”

"I am proud of my coworkers for all being united and strong here at ABF," said Bob Watkins, chief steward. "Together, we can work as one group and have a stronger voice to address the issues that matter to all of us."

XPO Workers Demand Fairness, Respect at XPO Logistics’ Terminals Nationwide

Employees ‘March on the Boss’ to Demand Fair Bargaining

Workers at multiple locations across the nation “marched on their bosses,” delivering a clear message to management and demands that XPO Logistics, Inc. bargain their contracts in good faith without delays. They also want the company to respect the rights of its workers to organize and form a union without intimidation or harassment.

“As Americans get ready to celebrate Labor Day, the XPO workers’ actions today remind us that the long, hard struggle for workers’ rights is far from over,” Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said. “XPO continues to be the poster child of corporate greed, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on union busters while outsourcing and eliminating jobs and cutting workers’ benefits. At the same time, CEO Bradley Jacobs continues to enrich himself with a huge stock bonus and a 481 percent wage increase while workers continue to be squeezed.”

“The workers who took part in today’s actions recently voted to form their union as Teamsters and they are standing up to XPO’s anti-worker, anti-union tactics,” said Ernie Soehl, Director of the Teamsters National Freight Division. “Our campaign continues to gain momentum as XPO profits on the backs of its workers.”

XPO workers worldwide are standing up and coming together to expose XPO and Jacobs as the exemplars of corporate greed in the U.S. This Labor Day, freight, warehouse and port workers in the U.S. are joining together with XPO coworkers around the globe to show XPO Logistics and CEO Jacobs that the company’s anti-union, anti-worker stance will not be tolerated.

YRC Freight Change Of Operations Decisions

The following are the decisions from the YRC Multi-Region Change of Operations MR-UE-01-08/2017 and YRC Multi-Region Change of Operations MR-CO-01-08/2017 which was heard on Thursday, August 24, 2017 in Rosemont, IL

YRC - MR-CO-01-08/2017

YRC - MR-UE-01-08/2017

ABF Contract Survey Flier for Members

ABF Teamsters will be receiving a letter in early September with information about the ABF contract bargaining survey. Here is a flier (link) that should be posted at terminals to let ABF Teamsters know the survey letters will be arriving in mailboxes soon, and encouraging members to participate.

ABF Survey Flier

YRC Worldwide Reports Second Quarter 2017 Results

Results include Operating Income of $50.0 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $91.1 million

YRC Worldwide Inc. reported consolidated operating revenue for second quarter 2017 of $1.261 billion and consolidated operating income of $50.0 million, which included a $1.0 million gain on property disposals. As a comparison, for the second quarter 2016, the Company reported consolidated operating revenue of $1.208 billion and consolidated operating income of $57.2 million, which included an $11.1 million gain on property disposals.

In July 2017 the Company completed an amendment to extend the maturity of its Term Loan Credit Agreement from February 2019 to July 2022.

Financial Highlights

On a non-GAAP basis, the Company generated consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of $91.1 million in second quarter 2017 for an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 7.2% compared to $91.4 million and 7.6%, respectively, in the prior year comparable quarter (as detailed in the reconciliation below).

Last twelve month (LTM) consolidated Adjusted EBITDA is $277.5 million for an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 5.8% compared to $319.4 million and 6.8%, respectively, in 2016.

The total debt-to-Adjusted EBITDA ratio for second quarter 2017 was 3.61 times compared to 3.32 times for second quarter 2016.

Reinvestment in the business continued during second quarter 2017 with $22.7 million in capital expenditures and new operating leases for revenue equipment with a capital value equivalent of $6.9 million, for a total of $29.6 million.
Operational Highlights

The consolidated operating ratio for second quarter 2017 was 96.0 compared to 95.3 for the same period in 2016. The operating ratio at YRC Freight was 96.5 compared to 96.2 in the second quarter 2016 which included an $11.2 million gain on property disposals. The Regional segment's second quarter 2017 operating ratio was 94.6 compared to 93.2 in the prior year.

Second quarter 2017 tonnage per day increased 2.7% at YRC Freight and 3.6% at the Regional segment compared to second quarter 2016.

At YRC Freight, excluding fuel surcharge, second quarter 2017 revenue per hundredweight increased 1.1% and revenue per shipment was essentially flat with a decrease of 0.1% when compared to the same period in 2016. Including fuel surcharge, revenue per hundredweight increased 2.2% and revenue per shipment increased 1.0%.

At the Regional segment, excluding fuel surcharge, second quarter 2017 revenue per hundredweight increased 0.2% and revenue per shipment increased 1.9% when compared to the same period in 2016. Including fuel surcharge, revenue per hundredweight increased 1.3% and revenue per shipment increased by 3.0%.

Liability claims expense decreased by $6.3 million primarily due to certain prior year claims that unfavorably impacted second quarter 2016.
Liquidity Update

At June 30, 2017, the company had cash and cash equivalents and Managed Accessibility (as defined in the company's most recently filed periodic reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q) under its ABL facility totaling $253.4 million compared to $278.8 million as of June 30, 2016.

For the six months ended June 30, 2017, cash provided by operating activities was $38.4 million compared to $47.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2016.
"Following a couple of challenging quarters, the second quarter 2017 results include our efforts to return YRC Freight's year-over-year revenue per hundredweight, excluding fuel surcharge, to positive territory," said James Welch, chief executive officer at YRC Worldwide. "The consolidated quarterly results were also favorably impacted by our plan to streamline overhead costs, an increase in volume driven by an improving industrial economy and a decrease in liability claims expense. These factors helped offset contractual wage and benefit increases to deliver consolidated Adjusted EBITDA results that were consistent with last year.  We continue to believe the fundamentals of our business remain intact and are improving," stated Welch.

"As we look to the second half of 2017, we expect that meeting our customers' needs, pricing for profitability and diligently managing costs should contribute to improved year-over-year financial performance. The industrial economy appears to be moving forward at a moderate pace and we continue to see signs of a stable pricing environment in the less-than-truckload sector.

"We constantly look for opportunities to enhance the Company's long-term success and last month we took another step in that direction when the term loan was amended to extend the maturity from February 2019 to July 2022.  We were able to utilize our strong liquidity position to retire a portion of the term loan in conjunction with the refinancing amendment and reduced the outstanding balance to $600 million," concluded Welch.

Key Segment Information - second quarter 2017 compared to second quarter 2016

Hoffa: Despite Committee Approval, Autonomous Vehicle Bill Needs Work

As Lawmakers Continue to Mull Measure, Revisions Must Be Made

The following is a statement by Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa on the approval of legislation by the House Energy & Commerce Committee yesterday that would begin the process of streamlining rules around the testing and development of certain autonomous vehicles.

“The Teamsters Union will continue working with lawmakers to improve the initial legislation that was recently passed out of the House Energy & Commerce Committee. Much work remains to be done and the bill faces a long path forward where numerous issues must be addressed. However, the Teamsters commend the committee and members of Congress for recognizing that a starting point for any discussion on this subject was that no legislation should impact commercial motor vehicles or traditional commercial drivers.

“The wide range of issues that are inherent with vehicles used for commercial purposes warrants an entirely separate discussion and one that the Teamsters will be at the center of. Congress has wisely recognized that any such dialogue is entirely premature and must be done gradually, in the public view, and with the full engagement of all stakeholders. The millions of workers who make their livelihood in these industries will have an active role to play in shaping the future of their jobs and their industries. It is vital that Congress ensure that any new technology is used to make transportation safer and more effective, not used to put workers at risk on the job or destroy livelihoods and chip away at the middle class.”

Holland Named 2017 True Value LTL Carrier of the Year

Holland earns inaugural nod by True Value

Holland, a leader in Central and Southeastern next-day delivery, has been named 2017 LTL Carrier of the Year by True Value, one of the world's largest retailer-owned hardware cooperatives. Holland received this inaugural award at the carrier conference held at True Value headquarters in Chicago on June 28.

"Our entire team is honored to receive this distinction from True Value and Holland is proud to be its most trusted LTL transportation partner," said Holland Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Jim Ferguson. "Striving to meet and exceed our customers' expectations is always our main goal and this award motivates us to continue providing our best to all of our customers."

The winner was selected based on the following categories: claims ratio, on-time service, customer service and communication, and positive comments on the monthly feedback sheets.

YRC Worldwide Completes the Amendment to Extend Term Loan

YRC Worldwide Inc. announced that it has completed an amendment to extend the maturity of its Term Loan Credit Agreement from February 2019 to July 2022.

"As our financial performance has improved in recent years, we reduced our debt to the lowest level in more than a decade while at the same time reinvesting back into the Company," said James Welch, chief executive officer of YRC Worldwide. "Extending the term loan is an important step as we continue to position the Company for long-term success. We believe it is prudent to take the refinancing risk off the table before the term loan matured in early 2019, to focus on executing operationally and improving our financial results. We plan to continue evaluating additional opportunities to strengthen the Company for our customers, employees and investors," concluded Welch.

In addition to the extended maturity, the most substantial changes as a result of the amendment are:

A reduction of the outstanding principal to $600 million following a $35.2 million payment at the time of closing the amendment;

An increase in the annual amortization from 1% ($7 million) to 3% ($18 million);

An increase in the interest rate from LIBOR + 750 basis points to LIBOR + 850 basis points; and
If the Company's Contribution Deferral Agreement notes are not extended to at least late October 2022, the term loan maturity will be reset to within 60 days before the CDA's scheduled maturity.

"Extending the maturity of the term loan and reducing the outstanding principal considerably strengthens our capital structure," said Stephanie Fisher, chief financial officer of YRC Worldwide.

"With the successful extension of the term loan, we have met the conditions for extending the maturity of our asset based loan facility from February 2019 to June 2021. I would like to thank our lenders who have been supportive of our long-term vision for the Company," concluded Fisher.

Second Quarter 2017 Earnings Conference Call

On Thursday, August 3, 2017, at 4:30 p.m. ET, company executives will host a conference call with the investment community to discuss second quarter 2017 financial results.  Second quarter earnings will be released the same day, Thursday, August 3, 2017, following the close of the market.

The call will be webcast and can be accessed live or as a replay via YRC Worldwide's website www.yrcw.com.

ArcBest Reports 2Q Profit of $15.7M

ArcBest Corp reported second-quarter profit of $15.7 million, or 60 cents per diluted share, an increase from the $10.2 million profit, or 39 cents per diluted share, in the same quarter a year ago.

ArcBest said its second-quarter revenue was $720.3 million, up from $676.6 million in the same quarter this past year. ArcBest had reported a first-quarter loss of $7.4 million in May.

"We are pleased to see improved results in the second quarter," said Judy McReynolds, who is CEO and president at ArcBest.

The company reported revenue for ABF Freight, its asset-based freight business, was $514.5 million, an improvement from $486.2 million in the same quarter a year ago. Total shipments increased 3.5 percent to 1.37 million in the quarter, compared to 1.32 million a year ago.

Overall tonnage shipped dropped slightly but tons of shipments per day increased slightly because ArcBest billed one less half-day during the quarter.

ArcBest's consolidated asset-light division — formerly known as Panther Premium Logistics, ABF Logistics and ABF Moving — reported revenue of $175.9 million, up from $154.3 million in the second quarter of 2016. The asset-light maintenance division, FleetNet, reported revenue of $36.5 million, down from $41.7 million a year ago.

The total quarterly revenue for ArcBest's asset-light divisions was $212.4 million, up from $196.1 million a year ago.

ArcBest reported a 14.3 increase in revenue per shipment and a 4 percent increase in shipments per day in Expedite service. The company reported a 6.8 percent increase in revenue per shipment and 17.7 percent increase in shipments per day in its Truckload and Dedicated Truckload segments.

YRC Freight to add eight DCs to relieve stress on existing locations

Proposed operational changes to divert 7,000 daily shipments to new facilities

YRC Freight, the long-haul unit of less-than-truckload carrier YRC Worldwide Inc., is planning to add eight distribution centers (DCs) to its network, according to a proposal made public today. The additional DCs would handle 7,000 daily shipments that will be redirected from existing DCs.

Under the proposal, YRC Freight will open DCs in Columbus, Ohio; Hagerstown, Md.; Orlando, Fla.; Omaha, Neb.; Richmond, Va.; St. Louis; San Antonio, Texas; and South Bend, Ind. Once the DCs are added, Overland Park, Kan.-based YRC Freight will be operating 31 such facilities in the United States. The proposed change will add 962 dock doors to the carrier's network, it said.

YRC Freight said it regularly incurs severe backups at seven existing locations: Chicago; Charlotte, N.C.; Kansas City, Mo.; Akron, Ohio; Dallas; Indianapolis; and Harrisburg, Va. Adding the eight DCs will relieve freight-flow pressure at those facilities, especially during the hectic end-of-month and end-of-quarter periods, as well as during severe weather events, YRC Freight said in a letter to the Teamsters union dated July 25th.

Under the terms of their collective bargaining agreement, YRC Freight must inform the Teamsters of all planned operational changes. YRC Freight said it would implement the changes no sooner than Oct. 8. Although the union can offer input, there is little it can do to prevent the changes from taking place.

Full Story..........

YRC Freight Change Of Operations Information

The IBT Freight Division has been advised that YRC Freight is mailing its proposed multi-region network enhancement change of operations and utility employee change of operations today. The Company is requesting a hearing date of August 24, 2017.

Below are links to the documents about both proposed changes in operations...

 YRC Freight, Inc. 2017 Utility Employee Change of Operations (Article 3, Section 7)
 YRC Freight, Inc. 2017 Network Enhancement Change of Operations (Article 8, Section 6)

Teamsters Call on Lawmakers to Prioritize Workers in Self-Driving Discussion

Lawmakers Craft Early Legislation on Driverless Cars

The Teamsters Union is calling for any federal legislation regarding ‘self-driving’  technology to take into account public safety and the millions of working Americans employed in transportation and related industries.

At a public hearing on Capitol Hill today, House lawmakers discussed 14 pieces of draft legislation on self-driving vehicles. The bills could be combined into a final package for introduction in the 115th Congress.

The Teamsters Union has been closely monitoring all aspects of the technology, urging lawmakers to prioritize safety and transparency in rules concerning the testing phase of self-driving vehicles. The union is calling for comprehensive federal rules regulating autonomous vehicles, including strong minimum safety standards. Under any such legislation, states and cities should retain their authority to regulate the safe operations of vehicles.

The Teamsters Union firmly believes that the interests of all stakeholders, including workers, must be taken into account by legislators and regulatory agencies as they explore and address developments in automation.

“If anyone needs to be at the table for a discussion on self-driving technology, it’s the package car driver, the longhaul truck driver and the taxi driver,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. “We are encouraged that legislators are soliciting feedback on early proposed legislation, and we firmly believe it’s important that their constituents—and that includes Teamsters—are involved in the process and listened to throughout.”

There are currently no concrete federal laws governing automated driving technology or the testing of such technology. A number of states have enacted varying rules and guidances concerning semi-autonomous and autonomous vehicle testing.

As the rules are shaped, the Teamsters Union will be continually urging lawmakers and regulatory agencies to take a thoughtful and measured approach to ensuring safety on the roads, and hold operators testing self-driving technology to high standards of transparency and accountability.

“Federal safety laws and the laws governing our roadways have been developed over many years. We see no positive outcome that could come from any rush to implement laws due to urgency from the companies that have a profit interest in the rollout of their technologies,” said Lamont Byrd, Director of the Teamsters Safety and Health Department. “Technological advancements, like automatic braking and lane departure warnings, have helped drivers in many ways, but wholescale and expansive changes that are not properly vetted and overseen by public officials will not serve anyone when it comes to safety.”

Teamsters Blast XPO Logistics’ Plan to Expand Operations, Increase Debt

Union: Serious Problems Persist at Company’s Biggest Acquisitions

The Teamsters believe XPO Logistics, Inc.’s stated plan to buy more companies and expand its global operations to Asia and beyond is fraught with risk because of the company’s record of integrating businesses while implementing unsustainable policies and practices that harms its workforce.

“My message to XPO CEO Bradley Jacobs is clear: before you buy up more companies in your endless zest to make even greater profits, fix the problems that are wreaking havoc on your existing workers,” Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said. “XPO freight workers in the U.S. have lousy health insurance, no retirement security and the company spends hundreds of thousands of dollars to deny workers their federally protected right to form a union, while port drivers are illegally misclassified as independent contractors and are subject to wage theft.”

Last month, port drivers at XPO and other companies went on strike to protest the illegal misclassification and wage theft. Meanwhile, workers at six freight terminals and one warehouse have formed their union as Teamsters, despite the company spending hundreds of thousands of dollars—$3,000 per day for each union buster it hires—to stomp on workers’ rights to form their union. The company has stooped to new lows by firing three freight workers in Trenton, N.J. who supported the successful union drive at that terminal.

During recent media interviews, Jacobs said he wants to acquire more companies. However, he is facing shareholder revolts in the U.S. and in Europe. In May, a near-majority of independent shareholders opposed XPO’s “say-on-pay” measure, and in Europe an investor called for the removal of XPO executives from the board and whose minority ownership of XPO Logistics Europe may impede Jacobs’ plan for further acquisitions.

These plans are further hampered due to the company’s heavy debt load (over $5.3 billion).
Meanwhile, Jacobs has received a $20 million mega-equity and got the board to rubber-stamp a $110 million stock-bonus plan (the largest in the U.S. in 2016) for himself and a chosen few.