Posts Tagged ‘Indiana’

Widespread Food Contamination Demonstrates Need for Safe Transportation Practices

Monday, October 3rd, 2011

Any food manufacturer knows that one widespread case of contaminated food products can damage their company name, placing a hefty financial burden on them, sometimes resulting in a shut down.

As was the case in 2009 when salmonella was found in peanut butter manufactured by the Peanut Corporation of America.  With nine people dying and nearly 22,500 getting sick from eating the product, the corporation was forced to shut its plants in Georgia, Virginia, and Texas.

Along with a manufacturer’s reputation being ruined, comes a financial loss from suits filed by those who ingested the contaminated product, along with the loss of your freight.  Look at last year when over 500 million eggs were recalled due to salmonella.  Now that’s a lot of freight.

cantaloupe

Most recently, a case of contaminated cantaloupe has struck a widespread alert, already killing 17 people and causing more than 80 to become sick.  These cases have spread nationwide, found in 19 states including Colorado, Texas, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Indiana, Montana, North Dakota, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and New Mexico.

The Food and Drug Administration, however, explains how hard it is to track down the source of contamination due to multistops and traceability problems.

As Forbes notes, these cantaloupes alone could have made five stops, between packaging, distribution, processing, retailer, etc, before consumers even purchase it, and who knows how many more times the food has been handled by carriers.  Road Scholar Transport, on the other hand, cuts back on the handling of your products, which could lead to contamination, by offering 24-hour expedited service, dock-to-dock with NO transfers.

The FDA explains that “the more steps there are the harder it can be to link up each step to identify the source of an outbreak” (http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/10/02/general-us-listeria-farm-to-fork_8712631.html).  With that being said, food associations are placing an emphasis on traceability throughout the supply chain.

One thing you can be assured of is that your food products did not get contaminated during transport when shipping with Road Scholar Transport.

reefertrak

Road Scholar can provide the exact route that the truck took with a time log noting every door opening/closing, temperature conditions within the trailer at any given time, and its exact location (right down to the breadcrumbs).

Do you know what was being transported before your products?  Was there garbage in the trailer previous to your food?  Or how about a chemical spill where your food is now placed?  Road Scholar can provide a history of what was inside our trailer prior to your shipment, prior to that shipment, and so on.  Talk about safety measures.

Over 48 million people develop illnesses from food contamination every year with nearly 3,000 dying from it (http://www.foodborneillness.com/).

Why risk your good name and the health of your customers by choosing the cheapest, most ill-equipped carrier to transport your freight?  Visit www.roadscholar.com to learn more about Road Scholar’s services and security features.

On a scale of 1 (“not at all”) and 10 (“very”), how important is it for you to choose a knowledgeable, safe carrier to deliver your food products?

Number of Refrigerated Food Trucks Exceeding Legal Transport Temperatures Becoming Large Problem, Authorities Seek Action

Thursday, September 22nd, 2011

The problem is happening everywhere…carriers are being caught transporting food products at unsafe temperature conditions, but out of the numerous carriers being cited, several more are slipping by due to a large loophole in the system.

food transport

Over 85 million shipments of food are transported each year according to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), with many of these shipments becoming contaminated due to improper refrigeration units.

As Scott DeFife from the National Restaurant Association explains, “Restaurants and their suppliers should have internal policies and procedures about food temperature” as well as “work closely with their vendors and be vigilant about the integrity of their supply chain” to “ensure that the products they receive meet food quality and safety standards” (http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44616701/ns/today/t/statements-made-response-today-investigation-food-delivery-trucks/)

Not transporting food under specific temperature settings can be very dangerous to a consumer’s health, with salmonella and other conditions at stake.  As time goes by, more and more cases of unsafe equipment are operating on the road.

Just two months ago, MSNBC revealed a series of trucks in Indiana delivering foods that surpassed the state’s law requiring reefers to maintain a temperature of 41 degrees or lower.  The trucks were transporting food products at 70 degrees, well above the limit.

If that’s not enough, authorities have also caught a truck traveling to Indianapolis from Chicago with cargo that included meat, eggs, and produce, operating at trailer temperatures measured at 94.7 degrees, MSNBC’s TODAY notes.  As the trooper who uncovered the illegal temperatures noted, “Upon opening the door, I immediately saw flies and we were overcome with a strong odor of rotten food… All the juices have run down on the rest of the load.  It is not safe at all.”

But how are so many of these trucks slipping by?  The answer involves a major loophole that prevents health inspectors from stopping these trucks and state inspectors, who can, from having any authority on the ones they do find in violation, letting them continue onto their destination if the board of health does not show up, the news station explains.

Road Scholar Transport’s staff monitors the temperature within the trailer (and your freight) with their ReeferTrak system, being alerted of even the slightest change in degree of temperature.  Our ReeferTrak system will provide you, the customer, with the ability to see the temperature of your freight, as well as its location, at any given time, with accessibility months after delivery so you don’t have to deal with the problem of disposing your freight due to contamination.

But not everyone will ship with a secure carrier like Road Scholar, which is why MSNBC states that authorities are urging a new law from Congress or rule form the U.S. Department of Transportation, giving troopers more authority.

news

Watch Eyewitness News’ coverage on the issue by clicking on the video to the right.

Why risk your food products being ruined due to improper transport conditions when you can ship with a safe company who recognizes and abides by rules and regulations?

Learn more about Road Scholar’s temperature-regulated trailers at http://www.roadscholar.com/and to view our certifications.

What do you think needs to be done to prevent refrigerated service carriers from operating at unsafe temperatures?  Let us know below.

Rising Fuel Prices and Cheap Rates Have Trucking Companies Closing Their Doors

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011

With the price of diesel surging and carriers offering cheap rates in order to maintain business, it’s no wonder whyBrandt many trucking companies are closing their doors for good.  As was the case Tuesday for one trucking company.

Brandt Truck Line, who has been in business for over 80 years servicing the Kentucky, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Indiana areas with LTL service, broadcasted on their website yesterday that they were closing their doors stating:

“We regret to announce that Brandt Truck Line ceased operation effective 3/22/11.  We made no pickups Tuesday and will do our best to deliver any freight that is still in our system.  Thank you for your past business.”

The company began in 1923 transporting kerosene by mule and later specialized in LTL (less-than-truckload) service in the 1980s, but their freight was “not enough to fill a truck on their own” (http://www.pantagraph.com/business/local/article_fe0b3bb6-54cd-11e0-80c6-001cc4c002e0.html).

Several drivers and office employees in the Bloomington location were shocked when they found out that the company they worked for was closing immediately.  Nicolet Souza, a customer service rep, was one of them, whose boss approached her and told her that they “were done,” which Souza took as “a shock,” The Pantagraph notes.

But the company’s closing wasn’t a shock for all employees.

According to one person, who posted a comment on truckingboards.com under the codename “wizzard-100,” it was no surprise that Brandt Truck Line decided to cease operations.

Working at the company until yesterday, when he/she and other employees found out that they no longer had a job through an article they found online, “wizzard-100” states that “Brandt’s big problem was they didn’t spend any money on maintenance.  It didn’t get fixed until it broke.  Then it was fixed using pulled parts from other units that were down.  Bubble gum and bailing wire repairs will only go so far…They also hauled real cheap freight for too long and it finally bit them in the a**. Guess I’ll just file for unemployment and take my time finding another job” (http://www.truckingboards.com/forum/trucking-industry-news/11034-brandt-truck-line-closes-down.html).

Unfortunately, this is the case for many trucking companies who offer bottom-feeder rates in order to get business.  The problem is, as “wizzard-100” notes, you get what you pay for.  If you want low rates, you are also getting trucks that are not maintained and easily prone to breaking down or causing an accident.

With Road Scholar Transport, you will receive competitive rates for a quality service.  We can assure you that our trucks undergo daily maintenance, ensuring only the safest equipment on the road when shipping your LTL and TL freight.

Here’s a fact, Road Scholar has never been cited for a piece of faulty equipment in an accident, which demonstrates the full attention we give to our trucks and equipment.

If you want to ship with a company you can trust to give you a fair price for the quality of service they provide, then go to www.roadscholar.com today to chat with an online transportation expert or get a quote.

How would you feel if the company you shipped with suddenly shut down and left you stranded with a dock full of freight?

Exactly How High Are Diesel Prices?

Tuesday, December 28th, 2010

Diesel prices are creeping higher and higher, ranging from costs of $3.15 a gallon in some states to $3.60 in others.  diesel fuelAlthough these prices are the highest they have been in two years, compare that with diesel rates back in October of 2008 when they reached almost $5-per-gallon.

According to truckinginfo.com, the average diesel fuel price of $3.294 is an impact of higher crude oil prices, which are at $91 per barrel and are predicted to increase to $100 per barrel next year (http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=72539).

The following are the current average diesel prices in each state provided by http://www.etrucker.com/apps/promiles/fuelprices.asp.

Fuel Prices Averages For Tuesday, December 28, 2010

State Tax Rate
4th qtr.
Fuel Prices
As of
12/28/2010
Ex-Tax Fuel Price
As of
12/28/2010
Difference
From
12/27/2010
Fuel Price
As of
12/27/2010
Alabama 0.19 3.23 3.04 0.01 3.22
Arkansas 0.225 3.269 3.044 0.025 3.244
Arizona 0.26 3.329 3.069 0.008 3.321
California 0.373 3.492 3.119 0.006 3.486
Colorado 0.205 3.254 3.049 -0.004 3.258
Connecticut 0.396 3.603 3.207 0.692 2.911
Delaware 0.22 3.322 3.102 0.023 3.299
Florida 0.3167 3.391 3.0743 0.023 3.368
Georgia 0.158 3.26 3.102 0.025 3.235
Iowa 0.225 3.27 3.045 0.007 3.263
Idaho 0.25 3.447 3.197 0 3.447
Illinois 0.35 3.405 3.055 -0.001 3.406
Indiana 0.16 3.216 3.056 0.008 3.208
Kansas 0.26 3.252 2.992 0.013 3.239
Kentucky 0.212 3.281 3.069 0.009 3.272
Louisiana 0.2 3.219 3.019 0.015 3.204
Massachusetts 0.21 3.391 3.181 -0.018 3.409
Maryland 0.2425 3.366 3.1235 0.001 3.365
Maine 0.307 3.441 3.134 -0.003 3.444
Michigan 0.304 3.32 3.016 0.001 3.319
Minnesota 0.275 3.384 3.109 0.005 3.379
Missouri 0.17 3.154 2.984 -0.001 3.155
Mississippi 0.18 3.188 3.008 0.016 3.172
Montana 0.2775 3.347 3.0695 -0.005 3.352
North Carolina 0.319 3.274 2.955 0.008 3.266
North Dakota 0.23 3.395 3.165 0.052 3.343
Nebraska 0.271 3.296 3.025 0.026 3.27
New Hampshire 0.18 3.319 3.139 0.003 3.316
New Jersey 0.175 3.231 3.056 -0.014 3.245
New Mexico 0.21 3.289 3.079 0.024 3.265
Nevada 0.27 3.375 3.105 0.01 3.365
New York 0.3855 3.532 3.1465 -0.021 3.553
Ohio 0.28 3.327 3.047 0.003 3.324
Oklahoma 0.13 3.155 3.025 0.003 3.152
Oregon 0 3.13 3.13 0.011 3.119
Pennsylvania 0.381 3.432 3.051 -0.032 3.464
Rhode Island 0.32 3.509 3.189 0 3.509
South Carolina 0.16 3.15 2.99 0.015 3.135
South Dakota 0.22 3.289 3.069 0.012 3.277
Tennessee 0.17 3.222 3.052 0.017 3.205
Texas 0.2 3.213 3.013 0.008 3.205
Utah 0.245 3.382 3.137 0.008 3.374
Virginia 0.175 3.217 3.042 0.014 3.203
Vermont 0.29 3.429 3.139 0 3.429
Washington 0.375 3.527 3.152 0.019 3.508
Wisconsin 0.329 3.358 3.029 -0.002 3.36
West Virginia 0.322 3.364 3.042 -0.019 3.383
Wyoming 0.14 3.263 3.123 0.012 3.251