ATA: Trucking industry reverses two months of tonnage drops

August 26, 2010 By Steve Kornspan

From The KC Business Journal

Wednesday, August 25, 2010, 2:44pm CDT | Modified: Wednesday, August 25, 2010, 3:14pm
ATA: Trucking industry reverses two months of tonnage drops
Kansas City Business Journal

The trucking industry ended a two-month tonnage slide in July, returning to its improvement on levels from a year ago.

Trade group American Trucking Associations said Wednesday that its advance index of for-hire truck tonnage rose 1.5 percent last month, up from a revised 1.6 percent drop in June. The index is adjusted for seasonal variations.

With the July increase, the index moved to 110. The base year of 2000 equals 100.

ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said that although he welcomes an improvement in freight levels, he still thinks the recovery for trucking is going to be long process.

“The economy is slowing, and truck freight tonnage has essentially gone sideways since April 2010,” Costello said in a release.

He added, however, that the second half of the year will see gains: “After accounting for the reduction in supply over the last few years, even small gains in tonnage will have a larger impact on the industry than in the past.”

Compared with July 2009, tonnage rose 7.4 percent, the eighth straight year-to-year improvement.

For the first seven months of the year, tonnage was 6.7 percent better than during the same period last year.

Not seasonally adjusted, the ATA index fell 5 percent to 109.9 between June and July.

Earlier this month, Overland Park-based YRC Worldwide Inc. (Nasdaq: YRCW) said tonnage for its regional division was up 4.6 percent from a year ago in the second quarter, leading to positive adjusted earnings before taxes and other expenses. It expects higher operating profits in the third quarter.

Trucking has been a leading indicator of the U.S. economy’s health, hauling 68 percent of tonnage carried by domestic modes of freight transportation.

davidtwiddy@bizjournals.com | 816-777-2204 | Twitter: @dtwiddy71

Filed Under: Misc

Senior Downsizing Tips – Moving Tips

August 20, 2010 By Steve Kornspan

Smooth Move: 11 Ways to Make Moving a Breeze

By Charlie Morris, CMC
Relocation.com Staff

Relocation.com’s Charlie Morris is a certified moving consultant (CMC) with over 30 years of experience working with moving customers on local moves and long-distance moves. He’s seen it all, and in this column he shares some of the most important tips for a smooth move.

Get Organized:

1. Decide in advance what things you want to take to your new home and what is best left behind. If you have not used that bread maker you got as a wedding gift three years ago, you will probably not use it at your new home — why pay to have it moved? If you think the major appliances will be moved but are not 100% sure, include those items for now; they can always be removed from your list of things to be moved at a later time. Particularly in long-distance moves, weight matters.

Work With Your Moving Company:

2. Do an in-home walk-through with your moving company representative(s) in order to get moving quotes. This is not something that can be done easily over the phone or by filling out an Internet inventory. You are likely to forget things, and your moving company representative is a trained professional. Be thorough: Make no assumptions about the care given an item for which you have a concern, and ask your movers questions about the handling of those items.

3. If you are getting several moving quotes, the same person should do the walk-through. You want your estimates to be equal. Also, pay attention to suggestions from the moving company representative. How the survey is conducted should be a factor in your selecting a trustworthy moving company — a representative who did not seem to be giving his full attention and then prepares an estimate with charges considerably lower than others you receive has probably forgotten something.

Get Ready:

4. As moving day approaches, check the forecast. If you live in a colder climate with a chance of snow or ice in the winter months, make sure driveways and sidewalks are cleaned off before your movers arrive. Most movers will have protection for the floors in your house. Discuss the protection of your home with your moving company representative during your in-home survey/walkthrough.

Moving Day:

5. Notify your current and new neighbors of loading and unloading dates. Most trailers are 53 feet long, and with a tractor attached they take up a fair amount of space. Managing the parking situation as well as neighborhood children and animals will help the process.

6. Whoever met with the moving company representative should work with the moving crew. This will ensure the items to be moved are the same items identified in the walk-through. Also, when the driver arrives at your home, he will probably want to do a complete tour of the home. Walk along so you can answer questions as they arise — to make your move a success, work with your movers.

7. Prepare refreshments and snacks for the moving crew at both origin and destination. It is money well spent: The crew will be most productive if they do not have to leave the job site, and they will appreciate your consideration. Minor things can have a major effect on the move. You may want to let only the driver know where you have those things; normally the crew is on the driver’s clock and he determines break time.

8. Respect your driver and crew. I’ll never forget a crew that came back to the office about 30 years ago extremely upset that a customer clutched her purse the entire day; it immediately gave them the feeling she did not trust them. They were offended and I’m certain it had an effect on the move. Being a mover is not easy — it requires heavy physical exertion with a gentle touch.

9. Walk through your home with driver as he is preparing the inventory. This is the best time to ask questions and express concerns. The driver will do a condition report of your furnishings. The inventory is not one-sided – yes, it will protect the driver and the moving company, but it can also make the claims process easier for you should there be damage to any of your furnishings during the move.

10. Have room schematics of where you want your furniture placed in your new home. This will help the crew as they move in the furniture. Enlist the assistance of other family members or friends to help with furniture placement. Also, check items off the inventory as they are brought into your home; occasionally something can turn up missing or be damaged. Checking off the items at delivery will make the claims process easier, should that be necessary.

11. I’m often asked by customers about how much to tip movers, and it’s never an easy question. Gratuities are not required, but they are appreciated by the driver and his crew. A gratuity should be equated with the quality of the service provided. You may want to take some notes throughout the move to help you determine if a gratuity is warranted and how much it should be.

Filed Under: Senior Relocation

Kansas Childrens Service League – We can make a difference

August 20, 2010 By Steve Kornspan

Kansas Children’s Service League – KCSL – Foster Care – Child Abuse Prevention, Head Start

Filed Under: KS Children's Service League, Video

Letter From Blue Valley School Superintendent Tom Trigg

August 19, 2010 By Steve Kornspan Leave a Comment

Today was a great day as we kicked off what I know is going to be a tremendous school year in Blue Valley. Our executive team and I visited every school this morning, and this school year could not have started off any better. My thanks to our staff who have done an outstanding job in preparing for and making this a great first day of school.

I also want to [Read more...]

Filed Under: Feature Story, Local News

Overland Park cuts budget 7.4 percent

August 19, 2010 By Steve Kornspan

Withstanding a year of dim financial news, the city of Overland Park passes a budget that reduces staff, freezes pay increases, keeps services at the same level without raising taxes.

The City Council approved a 2011 budget of $218.2 million, 7.4 percent less than the 2010 budget.

“The most important issue is maintaining current service levels to all of our citizens,” Mayor Carl Gerlach said.

The city’s operating budget is $101.5 million, 3.6 percent less than last year. The segment hit hardest in the budget was community development, including planning, parks and recreational services.

The planning department was reduced $1.4 million, which included eliminating 16 of the 57 positions.

The parks and recreation services cut $450,000, including the reduction of 11 positions. Jobs lost included a parks maintenance supervisor, a park attendant, a recreation supervisor, a customer service representative and a fitness supervisor.

Seven positions were eliminated in the police and fire departments, including five cops, a latent finger print examiner, a crime analyst, a fire battalion chief and a public education specialist.

Overall, the city’s work force will be reduced to 844 in 2011 from 901 in the current budget.

It is harsh but at least the did did not have to raise taxes. Keep your eye on the school board. They will likely raise your property taxes.

OP has delayed road projects and spent less on street maintenance as it weathers the dim economic forecast.

The city also has eliminated funding for public art and has delayed new projects at its arboretum because of a lack of sufficient private support.

The city has already made many of the cuts reflected in the proposed 2011 budget, including jobs eliminated in January when 42 employees were let go.

The current city budget didn’t provide for a pay raise this year. And while a pay raise wasn’t built into the 2011 budget, the city is holding out the possibility of using money from its contingency fund for raises later this year depending on the city’s financial outlook.

A decision on pay raises isn’t expected to be made until later this year as the city develops a new five-year financial plan.

Thanks Overland Park, the City Council, and the employees, most of the citizens of OP are not getting raises either. We are working harder, living more stressful lives and making less. But with all of us pulling together we will easily navigate the turbulent economic times and emerge as a strong and successful community.

We have one of the best cities in the country, a good economy, great services for our residents, great schools, we will thrive!

Excerpts taken from

Filed Under: Feature Story, Local City Info, Local News

Kansas shines in Business Facilities magazine’s 2010 Rankings Report

August 19, 2010 By Steve Kornspan Leave a Comment

Kansas earns Top 10 ranking in eight of 20 categories

Kansas has been named a Top 10 state in eight of 20 categories in Business Facilities magazine’s 2010 Rankings Report, officials announced today.

The annual Rankings Report rates the 50 states on their economic development efforts, with an emphasis on states that are leading the way in emerging industries such as [Read more...]

Filed Under: Feature Story, Local News

Kansas grabs No. 3 ranking in “Top Deals and Hot Markets” report

August 19, 2010 By Steve Kornspan

Just Released – Overland Park identified as most prolific suburb in 17-state region

Kansas has been ranked No. 3 in Southern Business & Development magazine’s annual “Top Deals and Hot Markets” report, the state’s highest-ever finish in the survey, officials announced this week.

The annual ranking examines 17 Southern states on their business recruitment and retention [Read more...]

Filed Under: Feature Story, Local City Info, Local News

Mission City Council Passes ‘driveway’ tax

August 19, 2010 By Steve Kornspan

Excerts from the article from By BRAD COOPER of the Kansas City Star

The Mission City Council just approved the so-called “driveway tax” to pay for roads.

The council voted 7-1 to begin a tax based on how much traffic properties produce instead of depending as much on property and sales taxes.

The fee, which starts in December, will run $72 a year for single-family homes. Larger businesses that generate lots of traffic, like Mission Bank, could pay $5,659 a year. A drive-thru fast food restaurant could pay $12,200 a year. Target could pay $64,750 yearly.

Commercial Properties will be charged more than residential homes, which don’t generate as much traffic.

The fee also affects tax exempt organizations like churches, schools and government buildings.

Statistics show that a single-family home generates about 91/2 vehicle trips a day. A Target store, generates nearly 8,500 trips a day. McDonald’s is predicted to produce 2,700 trips a day.

The fee is expected to raise $1.2 million a year with the proceeds going to a $38 million plan to improve the city’s roads during the next 10 years. It also will help fund a new express bus service between Overland Park and the Country Club Plaza that will run through Mission.

The fee was part of the city’s $23.1 million budget that the City Council approved.

City officials say they need the money for deteriorating streets. Some residents said poor economic times make it bad for what’s essentially a tax increase.

Mayor Laura McConwell and city council members said they are besieged with complaints about the condition of city roads. Delaying work on the roads will just increase the cost in the future, McConwell said.

“It’s something we have to do to save money for our families in the long run,” the mayor said.

Many people believe this type of tax unfairly taxes businesses, and non-profits.

Filed Under: Feature Story

NCOA Brochure and Assessment Tools Now Required for Reverse Mortgages

August 19, 2010 By Steve Kornspan

New HUD Protocol Offers Older Adults More Information and Deeper Financial Assessment, Using Tools and Materials Developed by NCOA

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) now requires all HUD-approved reverse mortgage counselors to provide their clients [Read more...]

Filed Under: Feature Story, Mortgage & Finance

Dick LeBeau’s NFL Hall of Fame Speech

August 16, 2010 By Steve Kornspan

To save time I have only shared a brief portion of his speech if you get interested and want to read more the link is attached below.

Born September 9, 1937 Dick was recently inducted into the National Football league Hall of Fame. He spent 14 years in the NFL as a player for the Detroit Lions and at the age of 72 he is entering into his 36th year as a coach as the defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Dick Lebeau

As far as my playing ability, I was known as the guy who was just going to come to work every day, I was going to play hard every day. Might not always play good every play, but I was going to play the next play as hard. I learned that from London, Ohio, a small town about two hours from where we’re standing. Honesty and hard work, that’s about all they value down there. It sure has stood me in good stead.

I’ll leave you with one thing. Life is for living, folks. Don’t let a number be anything other than a number. Don’t let somebody tell you that you’re too old to do this or too old to do that. Stay in life. Life is a gift. It’s a joy. Don’t drop out of it. Don’t let somebody else tell you and don’t let your mind tell you.

If I would have gotten out of my life’s work at 65 or 67, when they say is the age of retirement, here is what I would have missed, folks. I would have missed not one but two World Championship football teams that I got to be a part of. I got to be a part of a No. 1 defense that statistically had the lowest numbers in the last 35 or 40 years. I had my number retired from my high school. Had a building named after me in my hometown. I made the Detroit Lions all 75 year team. I was accepted into the Ohio State University Athletic Hall of Fame. Now tonight I guess when I sit down, get off this speaking, which I’m gonna do, I’ll be in the NFL Hall of Fame.

My mother always said, Onward and upward, age is just a number. God love y’all. Thank you.

Link to Full Text

Filed Under: Feature Story, Interesting, Misc