Insights - October 2015 - (Page 11)

FREIGHT - from page 9 record. The all-time high of 135.8 was reached in January 2015. Year-on-year, the index for July was up 3.7 percent, and same-month comparisons for June 2015 vs. June 2014 showed a 1.9 percent rise. Year-to-date, tonnage was up 3.4 percent through July when compared with the same period in 2014. "After several soft months starting in February, tonnage really snapped back in July," said Bob Costello, ATA chief economist. "July was the single best monthly gain since November 2013." Costello said a few factors added to July's strength, including better retail sales, factory output, and housing starts. "However, I remain concerned in the near term about the high level of inventories throughout the supply chain. This could have a negative impact on truck freight volumes over the next few months." POLB Completes Green Port Gateway The Port of Long Beach has completed a $93 million rail project that allows greater use of on-dock rail at the port's southeast terminals. Begun in early 2013 with state funds as well as federal TIGER III funds, the "Green Port Gateway" project includes almost six miles of new track, eliminating a bottleneck for rail serving the port. Every on-dock rail train takes as many as 750 truck trips off regional roadways, according to the port. "This project will enable us to reach our goal of moving 35 percent of containerized cargo via on-dock rail this decade," said Port of Long Beach CEO Jon Slangerup. "It will also support our long-range ambition to eventually move 50 percent of our goods directly from terminals by train." CN Sustainability Recognized CN announced its sustainability practices have earned it a place on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North Sustainability - continued on page 13 Sustainability News Penske Expands Natural Gas Use Penske Truck Leasing announced in June it had ordered 100 compressed natural gas Freightliner Cascadia tractors equipped with Cummins Westport 12-liter engines. The natural gas tractors will be used by Penske's full-service truck leasing and commercial truck rental customers at various locations across the United States, the company said. The company also expects to add 10 to 15 new natural-gas maintenance facilities by the end of 2015, bringing its total to 30 to 35. Penske says it offers fleet operators considering natural gas trucks: vehicle specification expertise, lease financing, grant application assistance, a nationwide network of maintenance facilities, and more than two decades of experience maintaining fleets of commercial natural gas vehicles. October 2015 | Intermodal Insights 11 http://www.IMCCompanies.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Insights - October 2015

Fed Update
GAO Report Expresses PTC Concern
Positive Note for Positive Train Control
Peak Charges Proposed at Oakland
Intermodal EXPO 2015 Addresses Stakeholder Needs
Nominations for Election to the 2016 Board of Directors
University of North Texas Three-Peats at Intermodal EXPO
Gooden Presented with Silver Kingpin Award
Freight Reports
Sustainability News
Port News
People in the News
In Brief
2015 Sponsors
Welcome New Members
Size and Weight Comments Due Oct. 13th
Intermodal Calendar

Insights - October 2015