CROWLEY TO ACQUIRE 53-FOOT TRAILERS FOR U.S./PUERTO RICO SERVICE

CROWLEY TO ACQUIRE 53-FOOT TRAILERS FOR U.S./PUERTO RICO SERVICE    Crowley Liner Services said it will acquire 350 new 53-foot trailers through the end of February for use in the carrier's U.S./Puerto Rico service.
   Jacksonville, Fla.-based Crowley, which provides service to Canada, the Caribbean and Latin America as well, already has about 1,600 53-foot trailers in its fleet.
   The new trailers are being built by Hyundai Precision America in Tijuana, Mexico, under the same specifications as Crowley's existing fleet.
   “Customer demand in the U.S. and Puerto Rico for 53-foot trailers remains consistent as many of our shippers want the additional cubic space offered by these larger trailers,” said Mike Lucero, vice president of purchasing for Crowley.
   Trailer Bridge, a Jacksonville-based competitor of Crowley's in the U.S./Puerto Rico trade, said Wednesday it had securing financing to expand its fleet of 53-foot containers and chassis.