The NATCO Blog

Ideas in Transit

May 16, 2017

Categories

General

Transportation Pride

Stamps of Approval. In 1952, the U.S. Postal Service issued a three-cent stamp commemorating “125 YEARS OF RAIL TRANSPORTATION.” Yes, the cost of postage in 1952 was three cents (today: 49 cents). And gas was 20 cents a gallon, bread […]

May 9, 2017

Categories

General

Our NATCO Acronym

What’s in a Name. The 3PL world is very competitive, and it’s a competition that we welcome with confidence and experience. To be sure, our version of NATCO stands for “North American Transport Concepts.” We’ve been here, based in Arlington, […]

May 2, 2017

May 2, 2017

Categories

Technology

Enhanced Truck Stop Message Boards

Or: We’re Not in Dire Straits. Here’s a good story: The British rock band Dire Straits was looking for its big break in the mid-1970s. The musicians heard a music producer was having a backyard barbecue in Los Angeles. They […]

April 25, 2017

Categories

Carriers

Trucking Compliance, Safety, Accountability

With Emphasis on Accountability The US Department of Transportation established FMCSA—The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration—on January 1, 2000 as a replacement to the Interstate Commerce Commission. Its mandate is to regulate the trucking industry toward reducing large truck and […]

April 18, 2017

Categories

Technology

Terrestrial Transport Concepts

Or: Why We’re Not Changing Our Name to MATCO Anytime Soon. We’ve explored the possibilities and possible implications of new vehicles in this space. Some seem very promising, like the Nikola One hydrogen-powered semi-truck. And some give us eyebrow-raising pause, […]

April 11, 2017

Categories

Technology

Convention Invention

Turning Talk Into Action. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas…unless you happened to be at the TIA Conference last week. Sponsored by a number of innovative companies, this was a record year for attendance, with 1,175 people at the […]

April 4, 2017

April 4, 2017

Categories

Freight Logistics

Alternate Routes

The Fire Next Time. A hornet’s nest of problems arose last week after a fire caused a portion of Interstate 85 in Atlanta to collapse. The fire, now being investigated as possible arson, brought down a section of highway overpass […]