Home » » “Safety Advocates File Petition to Initiate U.S. Action to Curb Use of ... - Biloxi Sun Herald” plus 4 more

“Safety Advocates File Petition to Initiate U.S. Action to Curb Use of ... - Biloxi Sun Herald” plus 4 more

“Safety Advocates File Petition to Initiate U.S. Action to Curb Use of ... - Biloxi Sun Herald” plus 4 more

Safety Advocates File Petition to Initiate U.S. Action to Curb Use of ... - Biloxi Sun Herald

Posted: 24 Sep 2009 08:30 AM PDT

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (Advocates) today filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Transportation to initiate federal rulemaking to prohibit or restrict the use of unsafe electronic devices, for talking, texting and other purposes, by operators of commercial motor vehicles, such as tractor trailers, motorcoach buses, and large vans.

Advocates (www.saferoads.org) filed the petition for rulemaking with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), calling on the agency to:

 -- Immediately open a rulemaking proceeding to determine the safety of electronic devices used by drivers operating a CMV; -- Evaluate all wireless electronic devices used for telecommunications, telematics, entertainment and driver assistance (regardless of whether they are mobile or installed into the vehicle electronics platform) that can be used by drivers while operating a CMV; -- Determine which devices interfere with the safe operation of CMVs; -- Permit exceptions only in emergency situations, and exempt law enforcement and emergency responders who operate CMVs in the conduct of their official duties; -- Make the violation of using a prohibited or restricted device while operating a CMV a safety violation that automatically triggers the issuance of an Out-of-Service (OOS) order; -- Apply the rule to all CMV drivers under FMCSA jurisdiction;

-- Issue a rule to prohibit or restrict the use of devices that interfere with the safe operation of CMVs, and explain the conditions under which devices that are restricted can be used.

"Driver distraction is a serious and growing safety problem," said Advocates vice president Jacqueline Gillan. "If safety is indeed our nation's number one transportation priority, now is the time for FMCSA to act to stem the rising tide of distracted driving crashes, deaths and injuries."

Nearly 5,000 people are killed and 100,000 more are injured each year in crashes with large trucks. Trucks are only 3 percent of registered vehicles, but are involved in 12 percent of all traffic fatalities.

Gillan cited a growing number of scientific studies that have repeatedly verified the serious, adverse impact on driver and passenger safety as a consequence of using one or more types of electronic devices.

For example, a Virginia Tech study issued this year, which was the first to investigate the effects on crash risk of reading and sending text messages, found that texting increased the risk of a safety-critical driving event for truck drivers by 23.2 times. Another study conducted in 2006 found that drivers using cell phones failed to stop at stop signs 10 times more often than drivers not using cell phones.

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General Motors CEO sees modest sales growth in '10 - Miami Herald

Posted: 24 Sep 2009 08:23 AM PDT

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Few GM dealers refuse request to close

About 96 percent of General Motors dealers who were asked to close their businesses have agreed to do so, Chief Executive Officer Fritz Henderson said Friday.

The consent, from most of the 1,350 dealers selected for closing, came verbally or in writing, Henderson said in testimony for the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee.

Meanwhile, Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida wants GM and Chrysler to compensate dealers forced to close.

A's to retire Rickey Henderson's 24

The Oakland Athletics will retire Rickey Henderson's No.24 jersey in a pre-game ceremony on August 1, the team announced Thursday.

Henderson was elected to the Hall of Fame in January and will be enshrined at Cooperstown on July 26. The following weekend, he will become the fifth Oakland player to have his number retired, following pitchers Jim "Catfish" Hunter (No. 27), Rollie Fingers (34) and Dennis Eckersley (43), and outfielder Reggie Jackson (9).

"This is a dream come true," said Henderson. "When I was a kid growing up in Oakland, I could never have imagined this happening. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the Oakland Athletics organization for retiring my number 24. I would like to thank Jackie Robinson for opening the gates and allowing me to be to play the game of baseball. I would like to thank my family, friends and fans for their loyal support over all these years. This honor is for them, as well."

Pacific Rim mining suing El Salvador

Canadian mining company Pacific Rim will take the Salvadoran government to international arbitration court for alleged losses caused by government ''inaction'' due to permit delays for what would be El Salvador's biggest mine to date.

The company has been waiting for four years for final permits for the underground gold mine, which faces staunch opposition from Salvadoran environmentalists and church leaders as the first large-scale mine in 70 years in Central America's smallest country.

The case is among the first international investment disputes under the Central American Free-Trade Agreement, or CAFTA, which eliminated barriers to trade and laid ground rules for such disputes. The Vancouver-based company invested $77 million in exploration after it received initial permits in 2005.

Gulfstream announces 2010 stakes schedule

Gulfstream Park on Wednesday announced the stakes schedule for its 2010 race meet, which will run from Jan. 3 to April 23.

The Hallandale Beach Thoroughbred track will have live racing every Wednesday through Sunday during the period.

The $750,000 Florida Derby (Grade 1), Gulfstream's traditional highlight race, will be on Saturday, March 27. That 1 1/8 mile stakes for 3-year-olds is one of the major preps for the Kentucky Derby.

Former friend's tip finally solves a 23-year-old mystery

Kristy Henderson always wondered what happened to her childhood best friend. She knew Serena Harmon's husband had a violent temper and was plagued by fears that something terrible had happened to the girl.

Henderson did a quick search on the Internet and was stunned to find an artist's sketch of Serena's face. Authorities were trying to identify the teen who was hit by a truck and killed in an accident near Orlando 23 years ago.

Henderson e-mailed investigators two months ago, bringing to end a decades old mystery with no DNA and little other evidence.

The Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. -- General Motors Co.'s CEO says he expects "modest improvement" in sales of cars and light trucks nationwide next year.

Fritz Henderson expects the auto industry to sell 11.5 million to 12 million cars next year, compared with about 10 million to 10.5 million vehicles this year.

Henderson says the credit market for auto financing is improving and that there should be greater demand as the economy comes out of the recession.

Henderson spoke to reporters in Orlando on the last stop of a nine-city tour.



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DRIV3R Hints XI (PS2) - Softpedia

Posted: 24 Sep 2009 06:43 AM PDT

DRIV3R, also known as Driver 3, is a videogame created by Reflections Interactive and published by Atari. It was released for the PlayStation 2 console from Sony, the original Xbox from Microsoft, the Game Boy, the PC (a Game Cube version was also in production, but got canceled). The game was also later ported to mobile phones. It was initially released in June 2005 and classed as a racing title played from a first- and a third-person perspective. Driver 3 incorporates elements of a shooter, fighting and spy-adventure game.

The third iteration in the series builds upon the legacy of Driver 2, allowing the gamer to again play the undercover cop who infiltrates an international band of thieves and is determined to get them to face justice. The main character is Tanner, the cop known from the previous releases, but one mission allows players to also control Tobias Jones.

Some of the cars that could be used in the game, although not named as such, are: 1969 Ford Mustang, 1975 Pontiac Firebird, Citroen CX, Aston Martin DB5, U-Haul Semi Truck, Ferrari Testarossa Convertible, Renault Alpine, Lamborghini Jalpa, BMW 507, Seat Ibiza, General Motors New Look Bus, Lamborghini Countach, Ford GT40, Shelby Cobra, a go-kart, Volkswagen Microbus, a hot rod, a forklift, a pre-war Auto Union race car and a Bugatti Royale.

DRIV3R was widely criticized by the gaming press because of the poor implementation of the missions that did not involve driving around a car and due to the Artificial Intelligence, which relied very much on cheating.

GAMEPLAY HINTS

Timmy Vermicellis

Look for the bridge closest to the word "Istanbul" on the map. When you are looking at the map from North to South, go to the alleys to the southern end of the brown spot at the southern end of the bridge. Go to the alley in the eastern direction to where it comes to a "T." Directly in front of you, to your left, should be a brick/fence. Follow the fence to the left behind the buildings to find the Timmy Vermicellis.

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Curbing Fleet Costs - CFO.com

Posted: 24 Sep 2009 07:26 AM PDT

Paula Morisey doesn't just have a company car, she has about 6,000. As fleet manager for Xerox, Morisey spends most of her time trying to ensure that the vehicles — mostly service vans filled with copier and printer parts — are operating as efficiently as possible, in all senses of the word "efficient." Her job comprises everything from buying vehicles via reverse auctions to deciding when to replace them — as well as bottom-line efforts like how to save money while running a top-notch fleet. Morisey says that she is constantly on the look-out for improvements, and this year, expects to see a 5% reduction in costs, year over year.

Fleet managers at all types of companies are looking for ways to reduce spending, and given the complexities of buying, selling, and maintaining thousands of vehicles, that quest can take on many forms.

Xerox, for one, is switching from 6-cylinder vehicles to 4-cylinder ones where it can, says Morisey, who expects to save three miles per gallon of gas per vehicle by making the switch.

Charlie Szymanski, manager of global insurance and fleet for PPG, found a second company to help finance his fleet to keep lease rates flat when his primary financier increased rates. Lewis Tree Service, meanwhile, is stocking up on about two years' worth of trucks now, ahead of a change in engine design next year that will add $6,000 to each one, according to Mike Moser, director of fleet and purchasing for the tree-clearing company.

Surprisingly, the turbulence in the automotive markets, including the bankruptcies of General Motors and Chrysler, hasn't made much of a dent in vehicle prices or supplier relationships. Manufacturers "have been more willing to negotiate even if they're not getting all your business" for the past four or five years, says Morisey, and there "wasn't necessarily a big change with the bankruptcies." Companies that continued buying vehicles despite the bankruptcies, "were concerned about vehicle delivery, model availability, residual values and, of course [car makers'] long term viability," says Clarence Nunn, CEO of GE Capital Fleet Services. Now, that GM and Chrysler have emerged from bankruptcy, "we are seeing a return to normalcy in the way [car makers], commercial customers, and fleet management companies interact."

Many companies outsource the financing and other aspects of managing a fleet, such as handling registrations and maintenance. Morisey, who outsources some functions to GE, says the relationship not only helps reduce headcount, but that the GE's benchmarking data can help reduce operating costs, as well.

Taking to the Skies
Increasingly, more companies are also making investments in telematics, or global position systems (GPS) to optimize the performance of the cars, trucks, and utility vehicles. While only a handful of GE's clients currently use systems, Nunn expects the GPS boxes to eventually become "as commonplace as a fuel card in a driver's pocket."

With such devices in service vehicles, managers can monitor not only where the vehicle is, but how long it idles and how aggressively employees are driving, among other things. It can also lead to more efficient dispatching.

Xerox, which just completed a pilot using GPS devices in about 200 vehicles, says that on average, each of its technicians picked up an additional service call per day while using the telematics system; a 20% to 30% increase in work volume. Szymanski, who says drivers of the 200 or so PPG vans that use GPS devices are being more cautious about stop signs and red lights as a result of being monitored.

Moser says an initial GPS pilot program tested on 400 vehicles was so successful that his company is now installing the devices on 2,000 vehicles that primarily dispatched to clear trees that are obstructing utility lines. That's in part because customers (utility companies) are starting to ask for more transparency regarding charges, and Lewis wants to be proactive, says Moser. But he expects the system to pay for itself, and then some, within the first year, combined with the depreciation it generates.

Some of the benefits derived from the in-vehicle GPS: automatic feeds of the number of hours the vehicles have been used, allowing for more-efficient maintenance scheduling; alerts when the equipment is being used during off-hours, or when an engine is overheating; and fuel savings through reducing idling time. Moser also anticipates "at least a 1% reduction in payroll costs just due to supervisors being able to validate time cards," he says.

Of course, privacy issues raise some concerns, particularly when the monitoring yields personal information about employees, such as lunch-hour visits to bars, churches, or doctors' offices. The first line of defense is to notify employees that they are being monitored, and, to the extent possible, confine the monitoring to business hours. Assuming a company does that effectively, "it's then a question of how the company is using the information it gets," says C. Forbes Sargent, co-chair of Sherin and Lodgen LLP's employment law group. That can be a tricky balance. Confronting an employee about bar visits might be within the bounds of company policy, he notes, while pointing out their daily stops at fast-food joints might not be. 



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Antique toys seen fetching millions on auction block - Reuters

Posted: 24 Sep 2009 07:47 AM PDT

By Martinne Geller

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - More than a thousand antique automotive toys will go on the block this week as Donald Kaufman, whose family founded KB Toys, auctions off his private collection.

Kaufman, who began collecting toys in 1950, is among the world's top antique toy collectors, with roughly 7,500 pieces focusing mainly on tin and cast-iron vehicles such as cars, planes, boats and trucks.

The entire collection is being auctioned in a series of sales taking place over the next few years, giving collectors and enthusiasts a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, according to Jeanne Bertoia, owner of Bertoia Auctions in Vineland, New Jersey, which is handling the auctions.

"He was one of the strongest buyers at all the antique toy auction houses and he just really bought the best," Bertoia said. "When his paddle went up, people in the audience would say 'oh darn, Don's in the house'."

The first auction of Kaufman's toys, held in March, raised $4.2 million. The second auction will take place on Friday and Saturday and is expected to bring in roughly $2 million to $2.5 million, Bertoia said.

One highlight is a rare boxed example of Mickey and Minnie Mouse on a motorcycle dating from the early 1930s, which Bertoia estimated at $40,000 to $60,000. She noted, however, that because this is an absolute auction, every lot must sell, even if the offer is lower than estimated.

"In any big auction there's always opportunities for bargains," Bertoia said. She guessed that overall prices for antique toys are now about 15 percent softer than they were before the recession.

This week's auction will include an array of early 20th-century luxury toy cars, many of which are still in their original boxes.

Richard Bertoia, a Bertoia associate, believes a Renault touring car is worth $25,000 to $30,000. He said the toy was found in a Paris factory after a toy show in 1928 and bought by an Italian count. Kaufman picked up the car several years ago at an auction of the count's collection.

There are also several hand-made, hand-painted Marklin cars from around 1905 that "have the $50,000 potential," he said.

"I'm not one to use the word exquisite very often but that would be as close," he said. "It's a visual history in miniature because these cars were duplicated from what the toy masters saw driving on the rough roads back then."

Kaufman's collecting intensified after he retired in 1981 and he and other family members sold their stake in KB Toys.

KB filed for bankruptcy in December, citing a sharp drop in sales and held "going out of business" sales at its roughly 460 stores. Rival retailer Toys "R" Us then bought KB's trademark, logos and Web addresses at a bankruptcy auction for $2.1 million.

In an interview, Kaufman said he was "disappointed" to hear that KB went out of business even though he was not surprised.

About the auction, Kaufman said he expects it to be "great" since toys bring a lot of "interest and excitement" to people's lives, as they did to his. Continued...



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