TRANSPORT ACTIVITY INCREASES
2010-07-28

Freight transportation activity increased in June and July, with volume gains in several regions, the Federal Reserve said today.

The Fed releases this 'beige book' report eight times a year. Today's report, covering the period of May 28 through July 19, was preapred by the St. Louis Fed.

Click Here for more information SERVICE SECTOR GROWING
2010-06-04

The Institute for Supply Management's index of nonmanufacturing activity came in at 55.4 in May, unchanged from April. Anything above 50 represents expansion. Growth in the service sector shows that the recovery that began in manufacturing has broadened. [Wall Street Journal]

MANUFACTURERS BUYING MORE
2010-05-27

Orders for durable goods, long-lasting items such as semiconductor chips and semitrailer trucks, rose 2.9% in April from March, putting them 21.6% above the year-earlier level. That was the biggest annual gain since 1976. Orders for capital goods other than defense and aircraft fell 2.4% in April from March, but were up 23.5% from a year ago. [Wall Street Journal]

FREIGHT BOOST THROUGH 2021
2010-05-19

Fueled by renewed growth and manufacturing sectors, trucking will resume solid growth between now and 2021, according to a new study released on May 13 commissioned by ATA and written by IHS Global Insight. The latest Freight Forecast projected freight tonnage growth across all transport modes of 25% and growth of 30% for trucking between now and 2021.

"Trucking will continue to dominate the transportation industry," ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said.

PCI Indicates Economy on 4% Growth Track
2010-04-15

Minneapolis, MN, April 13, 2010 – The Ceridian-UCLA Pulse of Commerce Index (PCI) by UCLA Anderson School of Management staged a healthy comeback in March. The March PCI shows growth over the prior year period for the fourth consecutive month. This follows 22 consecutive months of year-over-year declines experienced prior to December 2009.

Based on the PCI alone, expected GDP growth for the first quarter of 2010 is 4%, putting the economic indicator at the high end of forecasts (fewer than 10% of forecasters see GDP growth at 4% or greater).

The PCI is based on an analysis of real-time diesel fuel consumption data from over the road trucking tracked by Ceridian, a global provider of electronic and stored value card payment services and human resource solutions.

The index is build by analyzing Ceridian’s electronic card payment data that captures the location and volume of diesel fuel being purchased by over the road trucking operations. This provides a detailed picture of the movement of products across the United States.


Click Here for more information CLASS 8 TRUCK ORDERS JUMP 21%
2010-04-13

Orders for new Class 8 trucks in March jumped 21.1% over year-ago levels and surged 25.9% over February's total as business levels continued to lap 2009s anemic pace, said FTR Associates. The market research firm also renewed its forecast for a 3% increase in annual demand this year, followed by a 50% leap in 2011.

Several truck-making executives said recently that 2010 sales should grow by much more than 3%.
[Transport Topics]

BIGGEST GAIN IN SIX YEARS
2010-03-26

The U.S. economy expanded at a 5.6 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter of 2009, and corporate profits climbed, setting the stage for gains in employment that may broaden and preserve the expansnion.

[Bloomberg Newss]

FREIGHTLINER LIBERAL LLC
2009-10-14

Omaha Truck Center, Inc., in business since 1975, has sold its Kansas Truck Center dealership in Liberal, Kansas to Maupin's Truck Sales, which also has a dealership in Dodge City, Kansas. Going forward, the dealership will do business as Freightliner Liberal LLC, a subsidiary of Maupin's Truck Sales.

"After talking with Maupin's Truck Sales management, I became convinced that it was in the best interests of Omaha Truck Center, Inc. and the Liberal employees to accept Maupin's offer," said Trey Mytty, OTC, Inc. president. "I know we're leaving the employees in good hands."

Mytty added that the Maupin and OTC dealerships have a good working relationship and he expects that to continue. "We can send work their way in southwest Kansas, and they will do the same for us in our locations in eastern Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa."

"Our plans are to grow the Omaha Truck Center family of dealerships in markets that make geographic sense and offer solid opportunities for growth," Mytty said.


WHY OMAHA?
2009-10-07

Omaha, Nebraska ranks #1 in the U.S.A for the lowest unemployment rate when compared to 100 of the largest metropolitan areas in the country. Omaha's cost of living is 10-13% below the national average. The median household income in Omaha is 10% higher than the national average while the median price on existing home sales is 34% below. Omaha is a great place to live, work and play!

NAVISTAR CALLS SCR VIABLE
2009-09-18

The Truck Rental and Leasing Association hosted a presentation by all of the major heavy-duty truck and engine manufacturers for its members regarding the EPA mandated 2010 emission changes.

Navistar intends to be the sole U.S. truck manufacturer not to use selective catalytic reduction (SCR) to meet 2010 diesel emissions requirements. The company has instead chosen to use high levels of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) to meet new NOx emissions limits.

Before reaffirming Navistar's choice to use EGR, Tim Shick, director of business and product strategy at Navistar, told the TRALA audience that Navistar thinks SCR is a very viable technology, and "We can't find anything negative about it."



FLEETS LEAN TOWARD SCR
2009-08-11

Heavy Duty Trucking, July 2009 issue, reports a national research study conducted in May shows more than half (51.2 percent) of all respondents said thay are likely or very likely to consider SCR for their EPA 2010 engine purchase, compared to 31.2 percent that are likely or very likely to consider increased EGR.

IS THE EARTH FLAT, OR ROUND?
2009-08-04

Dave McKenna, director of powertrain sales and marketing for Mack, said in the August 3, 2009 Transport Topics -- "There are us folks who believe that the world is round and that SCR is good technology, and there are those who believe the Earth is flat and that massive EGR is the best technology. I challenge anyone who thinks the Earth is still flat to a fuel economy test."

TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENT CENTER
2008-04-07

Omaha Truck Center, Inc. has opened a training center for diesel technicians next to its corporate headquarters to address what it calls a nationwide shortage of such skills.

The truck dealer - which operates 11 locations in Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas - built the facility at 10560 I St., which replaced its training facility in Lincoln.

The company considered seeking State of Nebraska accreditation for its technician program but is leaning against taking the extra step, said Trey Mytty, president.

Instead the company will work closely with community colleges to train technicians without competing with the college programs, Mytty said. Community colleges don't have the same equipment and tools that the truck center offers, he said.

The Omaha Truck Center can offer classes that count toward associate's degrees, even though it doesn't have accreditation, Mytty said. "If we're an accredited location, then we're in competition with community colleges."

The Omaha Truck Center also is providing information about diesel technicians jobs to area high school guidance counselors and contacting former members of the military who may have mechanical experience but need training to work on over-the-road tractors.

The 9,000 square-foot facility includes two classrooms, shop space for four tractors and room for stand-alone engines, rear-ends and other equipment.

The facility is the company's response to changing technology, growing freight demand and more trucks on the road, Mytty said. "Our need for technicians seems to grow all the time."

TREY MYTTY NAMED NEW OWNER
2008-01-01

Trey J. Mytty is the new owner of Omaha Truck Center, Inc., a leading Freightliner dealer based in Omaha, Neb. Mytty purchased the business in January 2008.

Employed full-time with Omaha Truck Center since 1996, Mytty has held several increasingly responsible positions, most recently as executive vice president. He previously worked at OTC part time while obtaining his marketing degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Mytty was named the Midlands Business Journal's Young Business Person of the Year for 2006. He and his wife Jennifer have three children, Avery, Talen and Beau.