As a Houston mover and freight preparation, we are getting calls about summer moves. Most of the country has started to warm up. After this long cold winter it is time to plan both summer vacations and summer moves. Whether you are moving within the city, out of state or are shipping via international freight, we are going to share a few moving tips.

If you don’t use an item or don’t need the item-donate it or give it away. If it no longer works, then throw it away. No need to move something that you no longer use or want.  If you have not used an item during the past year, you probably do not need to move it.

 Make a list of the items you will need the 1st few days after your move. Make a list of the items you want to take with you.  Moving time is a good time to donate unused items. Ask for a donation receipt.

 Start to plan your move at least 6 weeks ahead of time.

Decide ahead of time if you will need to rent a storage unit. Empty out your old storage unit at the time of your move. 

There may be items that you don't use or need anymore. Maybe you do not have enough space in your new residence, or you are moving to a temporary residence.  If you cannot empty out your storage unit, you may want to take the items that you cannot put in your new residence to the storage unit.

 Make a list before you move of the items that you want to put into storage and the items that you want to retrieve from storage. Moving is the best time to sort out needed and unneeded items. List the items you are going to move. This helps plan out the moving supplies that you will need to have on hand.

Have a tape measure or ruler handy to pre measure items you are moving. Measure items before you purchase your moving boxes. Identify which items will need special packing materials for the move. Examples are lamps and china. Measure your delicate and fragile items. Take these measurements with you when you go shopping for packing supplies.

Look for  inexpensive moving boxes. Shop prices for moving boxes. Just because the boxes are marked sale, or half price does not mean that they are less expensive than a store that consistently sells for a less expensive price.  Boxes that are sold in bundles may cost you more since you may not need all of the box sizes that are included in the bundle. Why not only purchase the box sizes that you need.

Check out your locally owned shipping store. If you are moving dishes, use blank newsprint paper.  Don’t use old newspapers. The print can come off on your valuable items. 
Need your papers moved in an orderly fashion? Place your documents in file boxes. Organize your moving scissors, tape, box cutter and markers all in one container. Move it with you from room to room as you pack.

Moving clothes from your closet? Purchase wardrobe boxes. This way you can hang your clothes during your move. Wardrobe boxes let you hang your clothes during your move.

 When buying supplies for moving, remember to buy a roll of bubble wrap for your fragile items. You may need to purchase double wall boxes for your heavier items. Purchase a tape gun. Ask the clerk to show you how to use it. It will save you time when you tape up your boxes.  Place packing peanuts as a cushion around your delicate items.

While the moving tips listed above can be used for interstate and intrastate move, some of these tips also apply to international freight shipping both from Houston and the rest of the country.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any domestic or international moving questions.

Moving to a new location can be a stressful experience. Getting everything packed and shipped to your new home can take time. Overseas moving can be even harder, but if you plan for your move properly, you can save yourself a lot of stress. There are four things you can do to make your move easier.

1. Get Rid of Things

No matter how far you are moving, going through your clothes and other items before moving is always a good idea. You may find you have clothing you have not worn in quite a while. You may find those books you loved as a child should now go to your younger sister. When moving to another country, often it is a good idea to downsize, simply to make the move a little easier.

2. Consider Storage of Items

If your move is temporary, you may want to consider storage of some items. That way you will not have to move everything you own back and forth. Storage units can often be rented for a reasonable price, or you can store items at a family member’s house or even a friend’s house. Take into consideration what items you will and will not need while you are away. This is a really good idea if you are moving from a warm climate to a cold climate or vice versa. That coat you wear for half the year in the United States probably will only take up space as you are living in the Bahamas for a year.

3. Plan What Needs Shipped

If you are making an overseas move, you may be without anything you are having shipped for a couple of weeks or more. Plan ahead. Make sure you have planned ahead when it comes to things like clothing, your favorite blankets, and entertainment items. As a general rule, if you cannot live without it for a couple of weeks, make sure you keep it with you, packed away in a bag you will take with you on your move. Of course, make sure you do not consider too many items “cannot do without for a couple of weeks.”

4. Hire a Reputable Moving Company

Perhaps the most important part of making an overseas move is hiring the right moving company. Hire someone who has handled overseas moves. Look at a company that specializes in international freight shipping.  If possible, talk to others who have used the company for a similar move. If you are worried about your fragile items, ask the company how they ship this sort of items, and give yourself peace of mind that your precious items will be properly protected. If you are looking for a good overseas shipping company, feel free to contact us.

While pack n send ships to countries throughout the world, we have also developed  lessons for classroom teachers to us with their students. These lessons may also be helpful for parents as they enter the summer with their children. 

There are flags from countries, as well as facts about each country. The link for this program is:   http://www.pack-n-send.com/students-teachers/  

For more information on international shipping, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

  Pack n send is reprinting this article from today’s Houston Chronicle. Since this will directly impact both incoming and out going ships, it is important to note that there will be cargo delays at the Port of Houston this week.

 By ZAIN SHAUK
HOUSTON CHRONICLE

A set of barges crashed into an electrical tower Sunday in the Port of Houston, prompting the U.S. Coast Guard to shut down most of the nation’s second-largest maritime shipping complex, possibly until Wednesday.

A towing vessel pushing three barges of scrap metal through the Houston Ship Channel about 6 a.m. hit a 300-foot-tall electrical tower, which carries lines across the artery, said Petty Officer Richard Brahm, a spokesman for the Coast Guard. No injuries were reported.

The crash happened at the narrowest point in the waterway, leaving three-fourths of the port’s terminals inaccessible.

“Maybe if it was wider we could have got boats around it, but it’s not, so it’s a logistical problem,” Brahm said. “It’s a bad place for it to happen.”

There was no risk of electricity-related injuries or effects to the power grid, which is owned by Houston-based CenterPoint Energy, because lines in the area were deactivated prior to the crash for maintenance work, said Penny Todd, a spokeswoman for the company.

CenterPoint was in the process Sunday of moving equipment needed to clear the steel tower and cables from the waterway — work the company expects will be completed Wednesday, she said.

The 25-mile-long port complex is a major economic engine for the region and in 2009 handled more waterborne tonnage than any port in the country, according to the Port of Houston Authority.

About 60 ships carrying $322 million in goods and resources — ranging from crude oil to finished products in containers — move through the port each day, said Chief Warrant Officer Lionel Bryant, a spokesman for the Coast Guard.

19 miles closed

Items shipped through the Port of Houston move to and from destinations in every state, which could mean delays for companies with vessels in the water.

Those ships will have to drop anchor and wait until the steel electrical tower, which was propped up by the barges after the accident, is removed.

At least eight ships were waiting in an anchoring area outside the port after the crash. Five others were waiting to leave.

The Coast Guard closed 19 miles out of the 54-mile-long ship channel, leaving more than 100 terminals — including those for oil giants Shell and Valero — cut off from the sea.

Further delays possible

The few accessible terminals are mostly for container ships and will not be usable by most companies that would need other infrastructure for loading and unloading or that had planned to arrive at terminals north of the crash site, said Tom Pace, presiding officer of Houston Ship Pilots, a labor association.

Three days of backups could result in further delays, even as traffic begins moving through the port again, Pace said.
“It’s going to take probably three days to get everything back to normal after that,” he said.

Crew members from the towing vessel, the T/V Safety Quest, were removed from the boat and tested for drugs and alcohol.

It was unclear how the accident occurred, but the tower’s location has long been known to ship pilots who work in the port, Pace said.

It was one of six towers in the channel, but was the closest to the preferred waterway for traffic.
“The one problem is the tower’s really close to the navigable channel,” Pace said. “That’s probably one of the reasons it had happened.”

For more information about shipping cargo and freight receiving through the Port of Houston, please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

Pack n send is posting this press release issued by the Port Authority of Houston.  Pack n send ships cargo and containers through the port of Houston. 

Freight shipping from Houston has a major impact on the Houston economy.

By unanimous vote, the Harris County Commissioners Court and the Houston City Council today jointly re-appointed James T. Edmonds as chairman of the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority. County commissioners and city council members gathered at Houston City Council Chambers for the re-appointment vote.

"I am deeply honored and grateful for the confidence Harris County Commissioners and the Houston City Council have expressed in me since I was first appointed chairman in 2000," Edmonds said. "I will work even harder over the next two years to ensure that confidence is well-placed."

Initially appointed to the port commission in October 1996 to represent Harris County, Edmonds was first appointed chairman in 2000 by the city and the county. Edmonds is also a member of the board of commissioners for the Houston Pilots Association. Port of Houston Authority (PHA) commissioners serve two-year terms without pay.

Under Edmonds' leadership as chairman, PHA has implemented some of the most innovative initiatives in environmental stewardship, security and facility operations while experiencing the most aggressive growth, capital expansion and profitability in the organization's 96-year history.

"I'm glad to see Jim Edmonds reappointed for another term as chairman of the Port of Houston Authority," said Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. "It's in times of economic uncertainty like these that Jim's foresight and calm, steady guidance are most needed. All of us in Harris County benefit from Jim's experience and wisdom."

The port authority made history in 2002, when it became the first U.S. port facility to implement an Environmental Management System (EMS) that meets the rigorous parameters of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001 system. Under Edmonds' leadership, the port authority continues to set standards in environmental stewardship and security measures. In 2008, PHA became the world's first port authority to initiate a Security Management System worthy of certification for ISO 28000:2007. In 2009, the recertification of its EMS raised the bar yet higher, with the additional certification of the Bayport Container Terminal. Opened in February 2007, the Bayport terminal has added to PHA's capability to process 1.8 million in container TEUs annually.

Houston Mayor Annise Parker stated, "I am pleased to join Harris County Commissioners and Houston City Council in reappointing Jim Edmonds as chairman of the Port of Houston Authority. He is a proven leader who has guided the port through a period of unprecedented growth and environmental advances. Keeping him at the helm will help ensure this progress continues."

In addition to operating or leasing the public port facilities, the Port of Houston Authority is the sponsor of the Houston Ship Channel. In 2009, Chairman Edmonds worked closely with U.S. Rep. Gene Green and other members of the Texas congressional delegation to help the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers receive $98.8 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It was the largest single allocation of federal funding for infrastructure projects the channel had ever received. The waterway's impact on the region includes about 785,000 jobs and $118 billion in economic activity. Across the U.S., 1.5 million jobs and $285 billion worth of economic activity are related to the ship channel.

Edmonds' leadership also enabled the port authority to play a major role in advancing railroad transportation efficiency by helping create the state's first Gulf Coast Rail District. The Houston Ship Channel Security District also gained state legislative approval during Edmonds' tenure. Both projects are highly regarded for setting standards of excellence in public- private partnerships.

The completion of the $700 million Houston Ship Channel deepening and widening project in 2005 is considered a testament to Edmonds' strength in building coalitions among congressional members and various local stakeholders. In addition to enhancing navigational safety for commercial vessels, the project created more than 4,200 acres of wetlands and wildlife habitats.

PHA's opportunities with small businesses also were elevated under Edmonds' leadership. In 2002, PHA created and implemented its Small Business Development program with a 35 percent participation goal and - since its inception - the program has awarded nearly $285 million in PHA eligible contracts to registered firms.

In addition to his civic service with the Port of Houston, Edmonds also serves as a board member of the Memorial Hermann Hospital System, Gulf Coast Rail District, I-69 TxDOT Advisory Committee, and the Alliance for I-69 Texas. Edmonds is president of Edmonds & Company, a business consulting firm. business consulting firm.

For more information on shipping freight through the Port of Houston, please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

US - The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) will conduct its annual Roadcheck event, June 8-10, at more than 1,500 locations across the United States, Mexico and Canada. Roadcheck is the largest targeted enforcement program on commercial vehicles in the world. The event mobilizes thousands of federal, state, provincial and local inspectors to conduct comprehensive North American Standard (NAS) Level I Inspections and other related roadside enforcement activities.

The CVSA is an international not-for-profit organization comprised of local, state, provincial, territorial and federal motor carrier safety officials and industry representatives from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It has representation on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee and the mission of the organisation is to promote safety in the field of commercial vehicle safety.

The majority of Roadcheck safety inspections are not performed at random. Inspectors target trucks and drivers for inspection based upon the safety record or previous inspection records of the motor carrier, the driver, or upon the observation skills of the trained inspectors.

Last year, 9,683 CVSA and FMCSA certified inspectors at 2,145 locations across North America performed a record 72,255 truck and bus inspections. Of that total, there were 56,486 NAS Level I inspections, the most comprehensive roadside inspection. Road check 2009's record total of overall inspections and Level I inspections showed significant declines in vehicle and driver OOS rates, as well as a significant drop in safety belt violations. Data show the highest overall vehicle compliance rate - 80.4 percent - since 1996, and the highest overall driver compliance rate - 95.7 percent - ever. For NAS Level I inspections, the compliance rates of 77.8 percent (vehicles) and 96.1 percent (drivers) were both records for Roadcheck, and represented 7.1 and 20.4 percent improvements respectively over 2008's totals.

The event is supported by a wide spectrum of interested commercial vehicle industry parties including the American Trucking Association's (ATA), FMCSA, state enforcement agencies, and other safety organizations all of whom will kick off the event at an international press conference at Fed Ex Field in Landover, Maryland at 10am on the 8th June.

"ATA has supported CVSA's annual Roadcheck since its inception and has worked cooperatively with CVSA to determine emphasis areas," American Trucking Associations (ATA) Vice President of Safety Policy Rob Abbott said. "Roadcheck is a very beneficial program since it spotlights the importance of roadside enforcement and focuses limited state and local resources on unsafe operators. ATA looks forward to this year's Roadcheck results which we anticipate will reflect the industry's improved safety record, as they have consistently done in years past."

This article was printed in Handy Shipping Guide. Pack n send has re printed it here as a service to our customers. If you or your company need help with domestic  or international shipping, crating and or freighting, please fell free to call pack ‘n send at 713 266 1450.

Pack n send is updating information about  freight movement throughout Europe.  With air traffic returning to normal freight is once again moving throughout Europe.

As we receive updated information, we will continue to post it on our website.

The current article was taken from Handy Shipping Guide 

UK - One of the UK's largest  movers  of export airfreight shipments, Air Menzies International (AMI), has reported that they are getting shipments back on track after the disruption caused by the eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano last week.

As more air lines re-establish normal operations in Europe, AMI state that they are rapidly clearing backlogged cargo at their warehouses, mainly thanks to their holding of large amounts of pre-booked space aboard flights, and are able to accept new booking and cargo consignments.

Sharon Wright, AMI's Vice President Europe, said: "Now the airlines are flying again, our pre-booked allocations with most major carriers will help to move our customers' traffic quickly."

She added that this situation should serve as a warning to both industry and the authorities on the importance of contingency planning saying that:

"Hopefully we have all learned some lessons. Airlines - particularly freighter operators - need to look at ways of working around a problem like this, by quickly adopting alternative gateways outside the no-fly zone, which we could then feed by road.

"On a government level, there must be a Europe-wide contingency  plan  in place, should such a situation ever arise again."

For your freight forwarding or custom packing needs needs, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

Pack n send is still waiting for definitive times for airport openings.  As seen by just a few sentences from A Reuters article, governments are working together in order to  open airspace. There has been no word from our freight forwarding partners as to when freight will move on schedule.

Both Fed Ex and UPS are monitoring the situations on an hourly  basis, but have not yet established time timetable when freight will move on schedule.

As soon as pack n send has this information at hand, we will pass it on to our customers.

Part of an article from Reuters follows:

BRUSSELS - European officials carved up the sky Monday, creating three zones to more quickly break the flight  deadlock caused by volcanic ash flowing from Iceland over Europe. Many more flights will be able to take off on Tuesday, the bloc said.

European countries can resume airline traffic in designated "zones" where the threat of ash is considered less dangerous, French officials said after a meeting of the bloc's 27 transport ministers.

Under the accord, one area - defined by the European air traffic control agency Euro control - will remain entirely off limits to flights. Another area will be open to all flights and a third area will be a caution zone in which some flights will be allowed.

If we can answer any questions about Houston packing, Houston freight, or shipping internationally, please feel free to contact us at 713 266 1450.

Pack n send is posting this article that was found in the Handy Shipping Guide.  It emphasizes that nations are now working together in order to protect worldwide freight shipments.

SOMALIA - In a significant development the Chinese have agreed to integrate their anti-piracy patrols off of the Horn of Africa with those of the EU, NATO and the US. Up until now the Chinese had largely limited their operations to protecting their own shipping in the region and this latest move is a major step for international cooperation in combating the menace.

The Chinese will now fully join the Shared Awareness and Deconfliction (SHADE) alliance which defends shipping in a protected route through the waters close to Somalia where attacks are frequent.

The three Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships currently patrolling the area will now coordinate fully with other nation's convoy efforts and the Chinese will take part in the rolling chairmanship of the naval task force.

The new level of consensus is part of a plan agreed last year and a result of an increasing awareness in China of the need for their military to play a greater role in world security issues in order to protect their interests internationally.

The new agreement is also hoped to assuage the concerns of other nations in its own geo-political region, as well as the USA, who for several years have voiced concerns over China's navy turning from a modest ‘white-water', or largely coastal fleet, to one with significant power-projection potential.

It should also help quiet the increasing clamor amongst the Chinese public who become increasingly vocal about their nations need to assert itself more fully on the international scene, especially after the seizure of the bulk vessel De Xin Hai last year by Somali pirates.

Whatever the Geo-political reasons, any agreement that improves security in the waters of Somalia and Yemen will be welcome by those involved in the shipping industry. Last year saw  217 reported incidents and 47 vessels hijacked off of the coast of Somalia.

For help with your international freight or Houston shipping, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

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BG Freight Line Adds Second Freight Sailing Between UK And Europe  

Pack n send looks at global trends.  Added service indicates an increase in demand. This is indicates  a significant change in business since last year. Any increase in the way that freight is moved is a good sign for the world economy.

UK- BG Freight Line (BG) has launched a second weekly direct service linking Teesport with Rotterdam to meet rising demand on the route. The initial service had been established by BG, part of the Peel Ports Group, in April last year.

David Robinson, group chief executive officer of PD Ports, says: "Such was the success of the initial service linking Rotterdam with Teesport, it was clear that a second service was needed to meet our customers'  requirements. This is a growing market and the need for extra sailings is both a vote of confidence in PD Ports to handle the additional traffic and in the North East as a place to do business."

The service accepts all types of container and tank traffic. With the specially fitted vessels in the fleet, BG can offer space for 45ft long, 2.55m wide, high cube containers as well as any length tank or bulk container.

The new rotation will see vessels depart from Rotterdam on Tuesdays and Saturdays and they will arrive in Teesport on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Pack n send has reprinted this article from handy shipping guide.  We look for any signs of economic improvement in freight movement both internationally and in domestic freight movement.

If you have any questions about freight packing and shipping, please feel free to contact pack n send at  713 266 1450.

www.pack-n-send.com

Pack n send is posting this article word for word from Chron.com.  Since  the Houston Ship Channel has a major impact on freight handling, we think this is a very timely article.

By JIM EDMONDS - Chron.com editorial page

Keeping the Houston Ship Channel navigable on an ongoing basis is of utmost importance to Houston, the state of Texas and the nation. Not only is the world's second-largest petrochemical complex located here, but the U.S. economy depends on the critical flow of waterborne commerce over the port's docks.

The Port of Houston Authority partners with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to maintain the waterway's navigational safety. Each year, there are about 7,700 oceangoing commercial vessel calls and 150,000 barge movements at the PHA's cargo facilities. And there are 150 private properties in Houston's seaport complex. That level of traffic ranks the port first in the U.S. in foreign waterborne tonnage and second in overall tonnage.

Unfortunately, we've fallen behind on federal funding for Houston Ship Channel maintenance, mainly due to increased competition for those dollars. That is despite strong and valiant efforts by our entire congressional delegation, which works on a bipartisan basis on those issues. Federal funding levels for Ship Channel maintenance activities just have not kept pace with the damage to the channel caused by storms and normal siltation. For 2010, the need was nearly $36 million, but Congress appropriated only $19 million. In 2011, because of shortfalls in previous years, more than $41 million will be required to catch up.

And the Houston area isn't getting its fair share to begin with. Houston receives only 8 cents per ton of cargo, compared with other ports along the U.S. Gulf and East coasts that receive an average of 42 cents per ton. As a result, more than 80 percent of the Houston Ship Channel is either not as deep or not as wide as it is authorized to be.

This is unacceptable. In response, we are taking a more direct and coordinated approach to this issue in Washington, where recently we met with regulatory officials and congressional members who represent districts throughout Harris County. We strongly stated our case for equalized funding for the Houston Ship Channel. Continued funding shortfalls could threaten navigational safety in coming years. Potential vessel incidents could result in human casualties, property damage or environmental harm that could lead to staggering liabilities for the PHA. Inadequate Ship Channel maintenance could also drive away current and potential port customers, which would put Houston at a competitive disadvantage in the marketplace and ultimately undermine PHA's state-chartered mandate to promote regional economic development.

The news isn't all bad. In 2009, economic stimulus legislation provided $98 million in funding targeted to help make the Ship Channel more accessible. While those funds helped tremendously, the channel still needs more dredging.

The long-term answer may lie with proposed legislation to ensure that all future annual revenue collected by the federal government and put into the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund is appropriated for its authorized purpose, which is maintaining the nation's waterways. Since 2002, there has been a growing gap between revenue deposited into the fund and the annual appropriations to waterway maintenance. Some $126.7 million in harbor maintenance tax is collected annually from the Port of Houston alone, yet the funds needed for adequate maintenance of the ship channel have not been made available. This needs to be addressed through federal legislation.

Some in Washington seem to equate funding to keep the Ship Channel open with negative earmarks that too often are simply pork barrel politics. The infamous "bridge to nowhere" in Alaska comes to mind. But that is hardly the case here. Mother Nature's rains and human activity fill the channel, creating the need for regular dredging to keep it open. Make no mistake - funding for the channel is a bridge to somewhere - keeping commerce flowing strong for the benefit of not only the region but the nation as well.

An enormous portion of the economy of Texas relies on the Port of Houston. More than 785,000 jobs throughout the state are in some way related to Ship Channel activity. The overall economic impact of the port on the region is nearly $118 billion. Nationally, the port generates $285 billion in economic activity, $16.2 billion in tax revenue and 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs.

The build-out of PHA's Bayport terminal facilities will increase those impacts. The port authority has just received a 10-year extension from the Corps of Engineers that will allow the dredging and construction at Bayport to continue. As the economy struggles to recover, cargo levels at Houston's port facilities are rising. We already attract almost 70 percent of the containerized cargo that moves through the Gulf of Mexico, and our customers rely on our ability to provide quality facilities and service to move their goods to market efficiently and cost-effectively. We expect further economic growth, which is why we have $340 million in capital improvement projects planned for 2010 and 2011. That will lay the foundation for increased cargo volume in 2014, when Panama Canal expansion is expected to be completed. Conservative estimates are that volume will increase anywhere from 10 percent to 15 percent as a result of the canal expansion.

To advance our foresight and preparation for economic challenges and opportunities, PHA has recently added to its management team a professional economist whose quantitative analyses are expected to provide powerful reinforcement to the focused direction of the long-term strategic marketing plans for the port. We are determined to ensure that the economic engine that is the Port of Houston continues to drive full steam ahead.

Edmonds is chairman of the Port of Houston Authority.

If you need to ship freight via ocean either by cubic meters or in containers, please feel free to  contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

We are posting excerpts from this article found on handy shipping guide.  It shows our industry's concern with both business and a cleaner environment.

US - The American Trucking Assn. (ATA) praised the leadership of the Port Authority of NY and NJ for developing a Clean Trucks Program designed to improve air quality at the port.

As from 1st January next year pre-1994 model trucks will no longer be able to call on Port Authority terminals; and on January 1, 2017, all trucks hauling freight from the port must meet or exceed 2007 federal emissions standards. This gives sufficient time for trucking firms to wind down their assets, and to assist with replacement vehicles.

The Port Authority designed a $28 million program to help companies and drivers transition into cleaner vehicles. Drivers that regularly call on the Port's marine terminals are eligible for assistance. While NY/NJ moves toward full program implementation, ATA urges port officials to continue evaluating freight volume movements and projections to insure that sufficient operational revenues are indeed available to cover the new truck purchase obligations that now will be generated by the Clean Truck plan.

 While fully supportive of the clean air goals, the drayage industry is in a particularly vulnerable position that may counsel for a go-slow approach until the economic climate improves."

Hopefully the changes, which all consider an essential step forward, given evidence of the harm to the health of the poorer communities who reside dockside, will proceed as scheduled. 

For more information on going green and pack n send recycling efforts, please feel free to call us at 713 266 1450.

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The heart of the dispute is taxation.The increase is described by the AITMC as "abnormal, unbearable and intolerable, which will further deteriorate the already dwindling condition of the Truckers."

The AITMC went on to say that: "More than 85% of the trucking community constitutes owners with one or two trucks who are trying to survive in the present highly inflationary and competitive environment. The Government is well aware that when the vehicles of poor truckers are seized by bank officials because of non-payment many have taken the extreme step of committing suicide.

The AITMC is also arguing that the current fees that  haulers pay in road tolls is also unfair and disproportionate, arguing that by already paying a multitude of  permit fees and taxes  the road haulage industry has already more than paid its fair share for road construction and maintenance.

Combined with this is a great deal of anger that previous promises by the Indian government to deliver a ‘New National Permit Scheme' by the 1st of January this year, which they agreed to in February 2009 to solve a dispute with the truckers, have apparently not come close to implementation.

"Therefore, if our demands are not addressed by the Government before March 31, 2010, we will be left with no alternative but to take action from midnight of April 5, 2010."

Portions of this article were posted on the Handy Shipping Guide.

As pack 'n send ships internationally, we try and keep our customers informed  about  issues that concern them  throughout the world.

For help with international shipping , please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.