Transportation

QUIZ

Which company is the world's largest package carrier: (a) FedX Corp.; (b) DHL Airways; (c) United Parcel Service, Inc.?

(Scroll down for answer)

Part of BWI Airport Delayed by Maryland Budget Woes

Two years ago, when economic conditions weren't so bad, officials with the Baltimore/Washington International Airport announced a $1.8 billion expansion. Improvements nearly finished include a new terminal access road, and a 3,000-space parking lot. However, the centerpiece of the expansion included a people-mover system and a planned intermodal transportation center that would tie together MARC, Amtrak and light rail trains, buses and shuttles. Those projects are now tied up in the state's budget crisis, which is expected to reach a shortfall of $500 million this year. Airport officials now say they do not know when the rest of the improvements will be made at the airport.

D/FW Metroplex Officials to Take Transportation Plan to Texas Legislature

Regional cooperation in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex is hard to find. In fact, competition for corporate locations among almost 20 cities in the region can be brutal. Take Frisco for example. Other cities in the Metroplex have recently gone to the state level to try and stop Frisco officials from conducting what they called "corporate raiding," or more specifically, luring companies with attractive incentives from one city to another in the same market.

But there's one thing D/FW officials agree on and that's a seamless transportation plan. At this time, they don't have it. Officials in the Metroplex want to merge the Dallas Area Rapid Transit with the Fort Worth Transit Authority to create a new transportation agency for the region. Currently, the two transportation agencies serving 17 cities have unequal taxing authority. Officials in the region may seek a one-cent increase to the state's 8.25-cent cap on sales taxes in order to fund the transit transition. They may take their plan to the Texas Legislature in the 2003 session.

Florida and Texas Loosing the Most in Transportation Funds

The South's two largest states and two of its fastest growing are getting a raw deal from the federal government when it comes to return on federal gas tax dollars. Both mega-states receive less than 90 cents back for every federal gas tax dollar they send to Washington. Currently, both Southern states are scrambling for roadway funds. The situation is especially grim for Florida, which has $29 billion in unfunded projects on the Florida Intrastate highway system. It gets even more frustrating for Florida and Texas officials when they know that sparsely population states such as Montana, South Dakota and North Dakota all receive more than $2 dollars back for each $1 dollar they send to Washington in gas taxes.

Amports Moves HQ

American Port Services, better known as Amports, is moving its headquarters from Baltimore to Jacksonville. The company will retain its 400 dockside workers at the Port of Baltimore and will remain the port's largest vehicle processing company. Jacksonville is the nation's No. 1 port for automobile business.

Triangle Regional Rail May End Up Costing $1 Billion

Struggling to finish the Raleigh-Durham Triangle rail system on schedule may add to its final cost. To date, total cost of the project is at $832 million and officials with the project cannot discount the fact that total cost of the project may reach $1 billion. The regional rail project is expected to open as scheduled in 2007.

Boeing Officials Bully on Air Cargo Traffic

Despite the worst year in history, officials with The Boeing Company estimate that air cargo traffic will grow at an average of 6.4 percent over the next 20 years. Boeing issued its World Air Cargo Forecast 2002/2003 at the International Air Cargo Forum and Exposition in Hong Kong in November. The report cited expanding Asian air cargo markets will continue to lead the world in air cargo growth. Air cargo began to drop in 2000 with a six percent decline in 2001, the lowest drop in modern history.

QUIZ ANSWER

The answer is (b), DHL Airways. Most of DHL's business is global, while FedX and UPS are just now significantly tapping the global market. DHL's U.S. service is relatively small, however, the Brussels-based carrier is trying to expand in the U.S. over UPS and FedX objections that the company is government-owned.