What You Missed in the Biz Brief This Week: September 11, 2013

In today’s information-overloaded business world, we often find ourselves deluged with literally hundreds of news items from dozens of sources. While it is likely impossible to read every article and remain productive, by not doing so we risk missing the one article that could change a key business practice or thought process. And that is where the NATSO Foundation’s newest publication, Biz Brief, provides assistance! The NATSO Foundation's Biz Brief is a daily collection of the most relevant business intelligence for truckstop and travel plaza operators. 

While we think the Biz Brief is a must-read every day, if you only read ten news articles this week, these ten most-clicked Biz Brief articles are the ten to read. 

1. Sacramento 49'er Truck Travel Plaza Electrifies
   The Sacramento Municipal Utility District has installed 30 shore power electric outlets at the Sacramento 49'er Truck Travel Plaza. Sixteen outlets were installed at this location by SMUD roughly 10 years ago. The expansion is an effort to encourage anti-idling behavior by the travel plaza's truck customers. Click here to read more >
   
   
2. When Is a Truck Stop Not a Truck Stop?
   A truck stop is not a truck stop if a planning commission calls it a service station. Coburg, Okla., has decided that Love's Travel Stop is disallowed by zoning code from building a new facility in the town. Zoning rules allow no more than two service stations at the same intersection. Love's argued that the differences between a service station and truck stop were large enough that its business should not be categorized as the former. The company may still appeal the decision to the Oklahoma Land Use Board of Appeals. Click here to read more >
   
   
3. Miles Traveled Drops 7% In Last Decade
   Forty-six states experienced an average vehicle miles per person decrease over the last 10 years. Eighteen states included double-digit drops while four states actually saw increases. There appears to be no correlation between the impact of the economic recession and vehicle miles traveled. Rather, the evidence suggests a more structural shift in individual driving habits. Click here to read more >

4. What Drives Gasoline Demand?
   Gasoline consumption for the first half of 2013 dropped .6 percent from the same period in the prior year. Economic strength, gasoline price and fuel efficiency are the most critical drivers of gasoline demand. The economy's growth and reduced pricing have both had positive impacts on gasoline consumption and would have grown demand by 1.1 percent. At the same time, efficiency gains have measured 1.9 percent over the one-year period. This improved efficiency reduced consumption as the combination of the three factors resulted in a decrease of .6 percent. Click here to read more >

5. TA's CEO Touts Move to Natural Gas
   TA has identified the first 20 sites for natural gas installations. TravelCenters of America President and CEO Thomas O'Brien announced that the chain will locate natural gas dispenser systems in California, Texas and Nevada and develop a network of sites from those linchpin locations. TA, in partnership with Shell Oil, has planned 100 natural gas fueling lanes at its TA and Petro Stopping Centers locations. O’Brien thinks that many large fleets are testing or converting to natural gas and some are predicting that gas could reach 40 percent of the heavy-duty market. Click here to read more > 

6. Technology Trends in Trucking
   A recently published white paper takes a look at the technology trends that are impacting thetrucking industry. XRS Corporation has categorized the trends into four areas - mobile technology, social interaction, cloud computing, and big data information. A study of the trends provides a predictive look at possible behavior changes of the trucking industry and its workers. Click here to read more >

7. ATA Expects Roller Coaster Economy 
   American Trucking Associations (ATA) expects the U.S. economy to grow at a rate of 2.8 percent through 2018 but only 2.4 percent from 2019 to 2024, according to its newly released freight tonnage forecast through 2024. The optimistic forecast is a significant expansion from the GDP growth the nation has experienced over the past several years. Economic growth drives freight tonnage in ATA's models. 2012 freight levels were still 12 percent below the pre-recession 2006 tonnage.Click here to read more >
   
   
8. Driver Shortage Deepens
   There are 3 million truckers on America's highways. And that is 30,000 too few, according to the American Trucking Associations, which believes the shortage will worsen in coming years. An aging workforce and growing demand for drivers is causing the gap to grow. The recent growth in truck oil shipments has exacerbated the workforce shortage. Click here to read more >
   
   
9. Google's Driver-Less Car Becomes Reality
   Google's self-driven automobile is moving out of the laboratory and into the real world. Google is involved in discussions with car manufacturers regarding production plans. The concept's ability to provide owners and drivers with improved productivity and possible safety-related technology features are two of the more significant benefits. Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster recently experienced a 30-mile ride in a vehicle using similar technology. Click here to read more >
   
   
10. Retailer Opens 15th CNG Station
    Kwik Trip has opened its 15th compressed natural gas station in Janesville, Wisc. The company has natural gas filling stations in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin and plans to open 10 additional locations in 2013. Kwik Trip currently operates 50 natural gas powered vehicles in its corporate fleet. Click here to read more >

I might be biased, but I think if you aren't receiving Biz Brief, you are missing out! Not a subscriber? Be sure to submit a request to be added to the email list. Already receive it and have feedback for me? Be sure to email me at editor@natso.com.