Booz Allen: America Needs to 'Reimagine' Infrastructure - Truckinginfo.com

From Truckinginfo.com
January 2012

As the nation prepares for Obama's 2012 State of the Union address, Booz Allen Hamilton, a strategy and technology consulting firm, outlined items it says should be included in any discussion about the country's aging infrastructure.

"There is consensus across the political spectrum that infrastructure is critical to economic development, job creation, national security and competitiveness," says Mark Gerencser, Booz Allen's executive vice president. "But a lack of harmony in the political process is limiting our ability to accomplish the big things that are required to re-build America's infrastructure."

Booz Allen is hopeful that Obama will address the nation's infrastructure in the State of the Union on Jan. 24, and it says the following eight principals are vital to any discussion on the topic:

1. Create a shared and comprehensive national vision. America needs a comprehensive vision that inspires and guides planning and action at the regional and local levels. The vision should be a living framework that describes what could be achieved, expected timelines, and how success will be measured. It must also define new mechanisms, in addition to Public/private partnerships, to engage government, industry and civil society in flexible, adaptable, and innovative ways

2. Think innovation, not shovels. We will not solve our problems with repairs or extensions. America must re-imagine its infrastructure to meet the needs of its citizens in a future that abounds with both opportunities and competitive challenges. Building world-class infrastructure upgrades at home also prepares American industries to compete successfully in the mammoth wave of new infrastructure development in China, India, Brazil, and other fast-growing emerging economies.

3. Take the long and integrated view. Short-term thinking is a recipe for failure. While there is undeniable immediate pressure to create jobs through infrastructure projects, creating a wish list of short-term projects has proven to be a mistake. For decades, the federal government has provided states and localities with funding for one-off projects - and now nearly every city has a series of unconnected transportation and energy systems.

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COMMENTARY: I am not saying I agree with everything here, but we definitely need some creative thinking in Washington.

Both parties keep rehashing the same old battle plans and you see the result...

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Truck Paper for CC XL Jan 2012 LR




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Specialized Hauler For Sale:

This Specialized Hauler is also known as the Cheater

Some highlights of this heavy haul trailer are:

• Seven different ride height positions
• Custom-designed by XL engineers
• Oversized donuts and tapered load pins
• 7 different ridge height positions
• Excellent flexibility for the unpredicatable cargo associated with Specialized Hauling

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Toll Running Not Recommended For Heavy Haul or Specialized Hauling Drivers

Image via Wikipedia        As Americans I truly believe we have a natural animosity to tolls, fees, and taxes. Our independent rebellious nature makes us rebel against any organized attempt to grab small amounts of lose change when we drive on a road, buy food, or just live in a particular area. The thought of paying shipping costs turns our blood cold. Look at all the free shipping offers. Many people will pay more for a product to get FREE shipping. It must go back to Colonial times. I picture the Boston tea party as the American people’s first war against tolls when angry locals dumped the very tea they wanted to drink into the sea to avoid paying taxes on it. The amount of the tea tax was unimportant. The penalty of getting hung for tossing tea into the harbor was worth the cost. The principle of fighting against oppressive fees motivated us to get creative in our attempt to fight the toll system. 

          Well, I think that spirit of rebellion is alive and well today. Our first story is how some creative Americans are fighting back against tolls using ILLEGAL DANGEROUS and ridiculous methods. Forget the fact that they will spend 100X the money in legal fees if they get caught trying to cheat the toll system. Forget the physical risk incurred to avoid paying that dollar. Regardless, I have an amusing story about a recent toll runner and some creative methods to avoid paying tolls. Read on and don’t try this at home…ever.

Sincerely,

Michael Saks

Editor of Haulin

A Virginia truck driver has been caught running the New York / New Jersey toll system using inventive Hollywood inspired methods to hide the license plate. The driver used a cable to retract the front license plate when going through the toll. The driver folded the corners of the rear license plate as well. Unfortunately it did not work and I don’t know how many CSA points you get for defrauding the transit system but I would imagine a lot. The CSA points are pale in comparison to the fact the driver is getting booked with criminal charges. I doubt the money saved on the toll will cover the amount of legal costs and penalties.

The story piqued my interest as to what other methods have been tried to elude tolls. Before I begin I must give this disclaimer:

PLEASE, PLEASE DON’T TRY THIS!

I scoured the internet to see just how far people are going to avoid tolls.I know that most of these methods would be impractical in the realm of specialized hauling or heavy hauls, but it is pretty entertaining to read. Here is a list of methods I discovered

• Take alternate routes
• Putting a reduced amount in the toll change pouch
• Taping an I.O.U. to the toll pouch (You are not a bank executive asking for a government bailout, you will go to jail for that)
• Taping two pictures of the rapper 50 cent in the toll pouch to pay the dollar toll (2 x .50= $1.00)
• Putting in foreign money or Chuck E. Cheese tokens( if you have kids you will need these)
• Putting oranges into the toll pouch
• Fake a hand motion of throwing change in without doing it (I saw someone do this in Virginia Beach when they still had tolls )
• Driving off road onto a walkway
• Driving between barricades…with no road
• Tape over the license plate
• Use a cd to cover the license plate
• Sending the car airborne over a barricade (this technique is also known as the ‘General Lee’ from Dukes of Hazard fame)

Many of these were inspired by this website. Go there for ‘proof’ of some of these methods http://www.zug.com/pranks/turnpike/index2.html. Just don’t do them. This person is nuts!

Original source of toll runner concept inspiration

http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=27865

China Imperils Shipping Sector (DRYS, DHT, FRO, TORM, EGLE) : Small Stocks Radar

From SmallCapNetwork.com
By J. Yates

Like John D. Rockefeller with Standard Oil, China is moving to dominate the shipping industry with profound implications for companies, no matter their business line, such as Dry Ships Inc (NASDAQ: DRYS), DHT Holdings (NYSE: DHT), Frontline Ltd (NYSE: FRO), TRMD (NASDAQ: TRMD) and Eagle Bulk Shipping (NASDAQ: EGLE).

At China's last national congress for the Communist Party in 2007, it was decreed that 75 percent of the seaborne import and export trade to the country be carried on Chinese-controlled ships. China is now using its pricing power as the world biggest manufacturer to accomplish this goal. China's Cosco has recently "reneged unilaterally on payments on many of its highest-priced contracts to charter ships..." At the peak of its economic boom in 2008, Cosco signed contracts for charter ships at $80,000 a day. Due to The Great Recession, rates have hit as low as $10,000 a day for the short term spot market.

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--This is bound to effect us in the heavy haul / Specialized hauling industry if trade volumes from China Drop but considering whats happened in the past few years, why worry about?





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