NORTH AMERICAN TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL APPROVES RATE INCREASE

NORTH AMERICAN TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL APPROVES RATE INCREASE    The North American Transportation Council Inc., which represents m ore than 90 general freight carriers, has announced a 5.9-percent rate increase on U.S./Canada freight, effective August 5.
   The increase is needed to cover rising costs of security and insurance that motor carriers have faced handling cross-border freight since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
   'Increased insurance premiums of 50 percent or more, combined with increased spending on all aspects of security have increased carriers' total costs by over 1 percent in some cases,' the council said. Meanwhile, labor costs have increased an estimated 4.3 to 4.5 percent.
   Fuel cost increases have been excluded in the calculations used to determine the increase, the council said.
   The council represents freight carriers on issues of economics, costing, pricing and finances, as well as motor carrier statistics. 'Both carriers and shippers feel that fuel cost increases are best handled separately by the current fuel surcharge program,' the council said.