News Briefs

Diesel Engine Owners to Hold Rally
Hundreds of Ford diesel pickup truck drivers will gather August 4 to 6 for a national rally at Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Indiana, sponsored by International Truck and Engine Corporation, which builds the Power Stroke diesel engine for Ford trucks. Participants will be able to tour the International engine plant, take a pit tour at Indianapolis Raceway Park, and exchange information with other truck owners. For information, visit www.powerstrokedieselstuff.com.

Travel Site Posts Personal Journals
Travelers who want to keep family and friends informed about their trip can create a travel Web site to post journals, photos and maps through MyTripJournal.com. The service offers a 45-day Web site for free. The service enables travelers to plot their journey on maps with the IntelliMap System, store and display photos, exchange messages with family and friends, control who visits their personal travel Web site and obtain a permanent archive of the trip. For information about the service, visit www.MyTripJournal.com.

Monaco Adds New Director
Monaco Coach Corporation has announced the election to its board of John F. Cogan, an Ely Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and professor in the public policy program at Stanford University. Cogan is a former deputy director for the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and served as a senior economic adviser during the 2000 election campaign of President George W. Bush. Monaco, which is headquartered in Coburg, Oregon, is one of the nation’s leading RV manufacturers and employs more than 5,900 people.

Hood Canal Bridge Undergoes Repairs
The Hood Canal Bridge on State Route 104, which is a major access point on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, is undergoing repairs that will require its closure twice late this summer, with each closure lasting 78 hours.

The Washington State Department of Transportation is installing wider bridge approach spans in preparation for the replacement of the east half of the floating bridge. The closures are tentatively scheduled for August. Information about the closures and alternate routes are available at www.hoodcanalbridge.com or by phone at (360) 704-6305.

RV Friendly Symbol Spreads
Tennessee has become the latest state to embrace the idea of putting an “RV Friendly” sign on highway road signs to alert RVers to businesses that have parking to accommodate motorhomes and trailers. The Tennessee House of Representatives passed a bill instructing the state Department of Transportation to establish the signs. Louisiana has adopted similar legislation. In addition, the State of Oregon is conducting a two-year test of RV friendly signs along Interstate 5 and other major highways.

Winnebago Cuts Production
Winnebago Industries, the nation’s largest motorhome manufacturer, said revenue for the first nine months of 2005 slipped by 8.5 percent because of lower demand and an industry-wide oversupply of motorhomes. The revenue dip was especially sharp in the past three months, declining 17.8 percent.

Revenue for the nine-month period ending May 28 amounted to $760.5 million. Net income for the period was $49.7 million. Chairman and CEO Bruce Hertzke said the company cut production in the third quarter and will continue to adjust its factory schedule to correspond to demand.

Thor Reports Sales Gains
Thor Industries reported that its RV sales reached $1.7 billion for the first nine months of fiscal 2005, ending April 30. This was a 23 percent gain over the previous year. Net income, from both RV and bus sales, amounted to $88.6 million for the nine-month period, a gain of 20 percent over last year.