Consider a light, single-engine, propeller-driven, private airplane, approximately modeled after the Cessna T-41A. The characteristics of the airplane are as follows: wingspan = 35.8 ft, wing area = 174 ft², normal gross weight = 2950 lb, fuel capacity = 65 gal of aviation gasoline, the parasite drag coefficient C_D,0 = 0.025, Oswald efficiency factor = 0.8 and propeller efficiency = 0.8. The power plant comprises one-piston engine of 230 hp at sea level. Calculate the maximum velocity of the airplane at sea level.

7. If the govt. wants to decrease RGDP by $40 billion and MPC equals 0.8, how much must the govt. increase taxes?_______8. If the MPC equals 0.9 and the Pres. and Congress increase fiscal spending by $60 billion, how much will RGDP increase? _______9. If the MPC equals 0.8 and the Pres. and Congress decrease income taxes by $60 billion, how much will RGDP increase? _______10. If the MPC equals 0.75 and Pres. & Congress increases taxes by $30 billion and decreases govt. spending by $30 billion, how will RGDP change?_______

1. Three devices, X, Y and Z are connected in series to a hydraulic pump. Device X operates at 0.4 MPa, device Y operate at 0.8 MPa and device C operates at 1 MPa. Sketch the arrangement and placed a pressure indicator readings. (CO2,PO2,C3)

2. Three devices, X, Y and Z are connected in parallel to a hydraulic pump. Device X operates at 0.4 MPa, device Y operate at 0.8 MPa and device C operates at 1 MPa. Sketch the arrangement and placed a pressure indicator readings. (CO2,PO2,C3)

account cycle

Week Transaction
1 Received $3000 as contribution to the corporation
Purchased Park Place for $350 Purchased St. James Place for $180 Purchased Pennsylvania RR for $200
Purchased house for St James Place $100 and $52 Insurance
2 Received $25 in Rent from Pennsylvania RR
Purchased Kentucky Ave for $220
Purchased Pacific Ave for $300
3 Purchased Boardwalk for $400 Purchased house for Park Place for $200 and $52 insurance
Received $650 for passing go the 1st time
Paid $30 in rent to Oriental Ave
Received $26 rent for Pacific Avenue
4 Received $26 rent for Pacific Avenue
Purchased house for Boardwalk for $200 and $52 insurance
Received $175 in Rent from Park Place
NOTE: Cash on hand before dividend payment is $1,566 Paid required dividend to stockholders
5 Received $200 rent for Boardwalk
Received $200 rent for Boardwalk
Paid $25 rent for BO Railroad
6 Paid $75 for repairs (Misc Expense)
Purchased house for Park Place for $200 and $52 insurance
7 Purchased house for BoardWalk for $200 and $52 insurance
8 Received $25 rent from Pennsylvania Railroad
Received $18 rent from Kentucky Ave
Purchased house for Kentucky for $150 and $52 insurance
Received $650 for passing GO the second time
9 no transactions
10 Received $70 rent for St James
Received $250 for Free Parking
11 Received $600 rent from Boardwalk
Paid $100 rent for Illinois Ave
Received $25 rent for Pennsylvania Railroad
12 Received $26 rent for Pacific Ave
Received $100 (Gain from Lawsuit)
Purchased house for St James Place for $100 and $52 insurance
13 Paid $50 rent for Short Line Railroad
Paid $100 for Luxury Tax
NOTE: Cash on hand at end of week 13 is $2,441

Question Set 1: Two Independent Proportions

Reminder: The standard error is computed differently for a two-sample proportion confidence interval and a two-sample proportion hypothesis test.

Researchers are comparing the proportion of University Park students who are Pennsylvania residents to the proportion of World Campus students who are Pennsylvania residents. Data from a sample are presented in the contingency table below.

1. Construct a 95% confidence interval to estimate the difference between the proportion of all University Park students who are Pennsylvania residents and the proportion of all World Campus students who are Pennsylvania residents. If assumptions are met, use the normal approximation method. Show how you checked assumptions. You should not need to do any hand calculations. Use Minitab Express to construct the confidence interval. Remember to copy+paste all relevant Minitab Express output and always clearly identify your final answer. [15 points]

B. Interpret the confidence interval that you computed in part A by completing the following sentence. [5 points]

I am 95% confident that…

C. Use the five-step hypothesis testing procedure given below to determine if there is evidence of a difference between the proportion of University Park students who are Pennsylvania residents and the proportion of World Campus students who are Pennsylvania residents. If assumptions are met, use the normal approximation method. Use Minitab Express. You should not need to do any hand calculations. Remember to copy+paste all relevant Minitab Express output. [30 points]

Step 1: Check assumptions and write hypotheses

Step 2: Calculate the test statistic

Step 3: Determine the p-value

Step 4: Decide to reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis

Step 5: State a real-world conclusion

Sidneyland is a popular theme park in Southern California that is now planning for its eventual re-opening after closing during Covid-19. In years past, New Years Eve was the single largest day of revenue earned by the park due to the high sales volume of NYE themed merchandise. However, this year it is uncertain if Sidneyland will even be opened on New Years Eve, and the time to order the 2021 apparel is approaching. The first purchase deadline is at the end of October, at which point Sidneyland can either buy the goods in full for​$100,000 or defer the decision until the end of November. At the end of November, the rush order price rises to​$150,000​. There is ​no cost nor profit if no purchase is made​. Sidneyland’s public health and data science consultants estimate that there is a​40% chance that the local Covid-19 situation improves from the end of October to the end of November, a​60% ​chance that it stays in the current most restrictive tier. If it improves, the experts predict a​90% ​chance the park is open on NYE, compared to a ​30%​ chance if it stays in the current most restrictive tier. Assuming that all goods sell for ​$200,000 if the park is open on NYE but are otherwise unsellable, answer the following questions about Sidneyland’s purchasing strategy if their goal is to maximize expected merchandise profit.

A) What are all of the different times to make a decision, and what decisions can be made at those times? ​

B) Supposing that Sidneyland defers and waits to make a decision at the end of November and supposing further that the public health scenario improves from October to November, what strategy should they take and what is the resulting expected earnings (or losses)?

C) Using the projections from the end of October, what are the expected merchandise earnings (or losses) if Sidneyland elects to defer the decision from October to November? ​

D) Using the projections from the end of October, what are the expected merchandise earnings (or losses) if Sidneyland buys the merchandise at the end of October?

E) What decision should Sidneyland make at the end of October? Explain.

The Inn at Prescott Ranch is a small, boutique hotel located in Prescott, Arizona. It opened in 1998. The Inn has identified the main competition as the Prescott Resort, owned and operated by the Yavapai Nation, and the Hassayampa Inn, a historic hotel in downtown Prescott, adjacent to Whiskey Row.

The Inn has 65 rooms on two floors—each with a private balcony. The nightly room rates are the highest in Prescott. The Inn offers a full array of amenities—both in the public areas and in the rooms. The Inn offers complimentary van service to the Gateway Mall, Bucky’s Casino, and Whiskey Row; and valet parking services with covered parking. There is nightly entertainment in the lobby. In-room amenities include high-thread-count linens; terry robes; organic soaps and toiletries; flat-screen TVs with DVD players; and Bose® stereo systems.

The Inn maintains a full bar and has an agreement with Wildflower Bakery to provide daily continental breakfast for an additional charge to nightly rates or included in the Bed & Breakfast Special. Boxed lunches may also be pre-ordered from Wildflower Bakery. The Inn is not “flagged” or branded. The management is highly involved in local organizations. There is an existing contract with Yavapai College for sponsorship of its performing arts series with Paramount Studies for a project being filmed in the Prescott area. In addition, the Inn at Prescott Ranch has been featured on Arizona Highways TV, Arizona Highways magazine, and in the Arizona Republic travel section. The Inn also participates in the local chamber of commerce and tourism promotional efforts for the Prescott area.

Management is looking for a marketing plan for 2021.

Questions:

1. If you were preparing a marketing plan for this hotel, how would you describe the company, its positioning strategy, and its value proposition?

2. What do you want to know about the market—demographics and psychographics?

3. Describe each of the 4Ps.

4. Without doing further research, who is the perceived target market?

5. Does the hotel have a brand image? If so, define.

please write the code in C format avoid using (<<count>>)

Assume that you work for a travel agency. Write a C program that performs 7 different tasks described below
for this company. The flights have the following
daily departure and arrival times:

a) Based on the time entered by the customer, the closest departure time is displayed using 12- hour format.

b)the customer is asked if they would like a hotel and for how many days. hotel cost is mentioned above. Calculate the total cost (before taxes) and display it (flight + hotel for n number of days +ride).

c) now there is 2 types of discount:
Discount1: If the total fee is a multiple of 11, then the
customer gets a 6% discount.
Discount2: An additional discount of 7% is given to those customers whose subtotal
after discount1 is a multiple of the sum of digits of the customer’s day of birth.
Three examples are given below for your convenience. See Sample Input / output
for more clarification.
• Ex1: If the day of birth entered is 3, the customer will get an additional 7%
discount if the sub-total of their purchase after discount1 is a multiple of 3.
• Ex 2: If the day of birth entered is 12, the customer will get an additional 7%
discount if their purchase after discount1 is a multiple of 3 (since sum of digits of
day of birth (12) is 3).

c)13% tax is applied to the total cost and the final bill is?

Case Study

Over-land Trucking and Freight: Relevant Costs for Decision Making Background Over-land Trucking and Freight has a long-established and mutually beneficial business relationship with a major international automotive parts company, FHP Technologies. Management at FHP has approached Over-land with a request to provide additional routes that are important to the efficiency of its supply chain. Over-land’s management wishes to nurture the business relationship with FHP but is concerned about the available capacity to service the new routes, potential risks, and profitability associated with FHP’s request. Introduction Alan James founded Over-land Trucking and Freight in 1968 and has grown the business into a sizeable operation with 90 trucks and 180 trailers. His largest customer, FHP Technologies, has submitted a proposal to him to add delivery routes that would improve the efficiency of FHP’s supply chain. Alan was not certain that Over-land could handle the additional routes since the company currently was operating at (or near) full capacity. FHP offered a total of $2.15 per mile (including fuel service charge and miscellaneous fees) for the new route. But Alan knew that to accept the offer he would have to add more trucks and perhaps incur additional debt. The question was whether the rates offered by FHP were high enough to offset the associated risks of growing the fleet. Although the business had been grown organically through the years by reinvesting profits, it incurred debt from time to time to replace older equipment (usually in blocks of five trucks). Alan knew the slim profit margins associated with trucking, coupled with a downturn in the economy, could spell disaster if saddled with too much debt. See Exhibits 1 and 2 for the company’s most recent statement of income from operations and the balance sheet, respectively. Roger Simmons, Over-land’s operations manager for the past 16 years, had been reviewing the FHP proposal and approached Alan. “Alan, we need to discuss this offer from FHP. I think it is a great opportunity for our company, and we need to find a way to make it work.” Within 10 minutes Alan and Roger were in a closed-door meeting discussing the pros and cons of FHP’s offer. Roger began by stating the obvious: “Alan, this is a huge opportunity for us to grow the business. Not to mention, as FHP becomes more dependent on our services, we will be in a stronger position to negotiate future rate increases. I know you are opposed to debt, and I understand the risks of carrying more debt, but there is more than one way to grow our fleet. If you would consider using independent contract drivers, we could grow the fleet enough to accept FHP’s offer without incurring more debt.” Alan cringed at the thought of using independent contract drivers. Although independent contractors owned their own trucks, Alan viewed them as difficult to deal with and not worth the headache. “Roger, I hear you, but this new route will not last a week if we cannot give FHP great service. Independent contractors call the shots, not us. They own the rig and will sit at home if they want to. I would rather deal with our own company’s rigs and drivers. The rewards just do not justify the risks of damaging our relationship with FHP. “But I am not sure we should take on any more debt at this point to purchase additional rigs. The economy is in the tank, and it is a bad time for us to leverage the balance sheet any further. Roger, my success in this business was not built by jumping on every offer that came along. Sometimes you have to say no, even to your biggest customer. Unless you can find a way to squeeze out more capacity within our current fleet, I just do not think we can accept FHP’s offer at this time,” Alan concluded. As the two men left the room, Roger was convinced that Alan was wrong. Roger knew that Alan was leaving money on the table. He just needed to prepare a financial analysis that would prove it. Was it 1 possible to squeeze out more capacity from an already fully utilized fleet? Perhaps they could shift trucks from another account. Was taking on more debt truly “risky” given the profit potential of this new route? Roger knew he had to make a convincing argument before FHP took its offer to another truck line. Industry Terms • A tractor-trailer rig is a truck that consists of a tractor attached to a trailer. The tractor typically is powered by a diesel engine. • A flatbed trailer is long flat platform with no sides. • A dry van trailer is a boxed cargo compartment designed for nonrefrigerated freight. • Trucking companies often have a revenue-generating load in one direction but need a revenue-generating contract for the return trip. The return trip is known as a backhaul. Often trucking companies contract with freight brokers to acquire backhauls. Industry Background and Cost Structure Trucking firms generate a variety of revenue types from hauling goods for their clients. Presented next is a brief overview of key types of revenues included in the 2013 income from operations of Over-land Trucking and Freight. Line haul revenue is earned from hauling freight. Fuel prices in recent years have been volatile. Because trucking companies are exposed to fuel price volatility when they sign a long-term contract with their customers, they may charge an additional fee associated with fuel costs when prices exceed predetermined levels. Thus, the primary purpose of the fuel surcharge (FSC) revenue is to protect the truck line from fuel price increases during the contract term. Included in miscellaneous revenue are the following: Storage fees are collected when Over-land stores a loaded trailer on its lot for a customer. Lumper revenue is collected if a driver assists with unloading a trailer. Certain flatbed loads, such as drywall, unpainted steel, and some types of wood products, that would be damaged by rain must be covered. Trucking companies typically charge a tarping fee for such loads. Additional insurance is required when transporting high-value cargo. Practices vary throughout the industry. If a load is above a company’s standard cargo insurance limits, many companies simply will not haul it. Trucking companies that are willing to bind additional cargo coverage normally do so for a fee that covers only the extra cost of insurance. (Alternatively, this revenue line item could have been booked as a reduction to the “Insurance” expense account.) Loads transported on flatbed trailers must be secured by straps or chains. These types of loads often are associated with higher worker’s comp claims. Thus an extra strapping and chaining fee is charged only for a flatbed load. If a truck sits idle at the dock for more than two hours, customers can be charged a fee that is classified as detention revenue. Placing a detention revenue clause in the contract encourages customers to load trailers efficiently in order to avoid further constraints on Over-land’s tractor capacity. 2 Types of Business Arrangements with Drivers Over-land has potentially two arrangements with drivers. They are classified as employees or as independent operators. Employees receive traditional employee benefits and a Form W2 for tax purposes. These persons are typically engaged in work for the company that is considered “permanent.” Alternatively, independent operators are not considered employees and receive a Form 1099 (rather than a Form W2) for tax purposes. These operators typically provide the tractor but generally do not provide the trailer. In addition to driver salaries and depreciation on trucks, expenses incurred by independent contractors include: • Tags (known as International Registration Plan (IRP)) – The independent contractor buys the IRP tag for the tractor, while the shipping company buys the tags for the trailer. • IRS Form 2290 – Heavy Road Use Tax. • Diesel fuel, engine fluids, and all maintenance-related parts and items. • Physical damage insurance. • Non-trucking “bobtail” Liability Insurance (needed for when the truck is not transporting a trailer). • Tolls and scale fees. Independent contractors generally control their own working hours, unlike an employee. Further, independent contractors’ work generally is considered temporary, rather than permanent (unlike for an employee). In the trucking industry, an independent contractor often signs a one-year contract for a temporary job. But an employee is hired permanently under the assumption that he or she will make deliveries until further notice. This arrangement constitutes a permanent job. Capacity Issues and Industry Practices Over-land Trucking typically assigns one driver to one tractor. But this practice can constrain the available hours the tractor can operate. For example, laws require a driver to take a 10-hour break after 11 hours of driving. Further, a driver cannot work more than 70 hours in an eight-day period without taking a 34-hour break. To improve tractor utilization by avoiding constraints based on legal driving time requirements, some trucking companies use “slip seating.” This is a practice that permits greater tractor utilization by placing a fresh driver behind the wheel at the end of the former driver’s shift. Slip seating is similar in practice to an airline company that keeps its planes flying longer by inserting fresh flight crews as the previous crew goes off duty. It also is efficient to utilize “team drivers” that are commonly husband-wife teams. One person drives while the other sleeps. Relative to a single driver, this arrangement basically doubles the amount of miles driven in a given week. Typically, teams are paid more, but additional line haul revenues offset the extra labor costs. Another strategy to improve tractor utilization is to use trailer pools, commonly referred to as “drop and hook” systems. For example, trucking companies will leave an empty trailer with customers, who will load it with products as units are produced. When the trailer is filled, a tractor arrives, drops an empty trailer to replace the trailer just filled, then immediately hooks onto the loaded trailer and departs. Tractor utilization improves because tractors are not sitting idle while a customer loads a trailer. This approach is economically feasible because trailers are far less expensive to purchase and operate than tractors. Most trucking companies keep some tractors “on the fence” as spares, in case one breaks down. There is considerable disagreement, however, over what constitutes too many spares. Some owners believe a truck line should put all available equipment on the road and rent a tractor if a spare is needed. Others disagree 3 and maintain a small number of tractors in reserve. Currently, Over-land Trucking and Freight keeps a small number of tractors and trailers out of service but prepared for duty in case a rig breaks down. Some managers believe this policy is an expensive luxury and that some of these idle rigs could be used to add the new routes requested by FHP. When estimating a tractor’s practical capacity, management at Over-land use 85% of total potential miles driven in a period. Theoretical (or 100%) capacity utilization is virtually impossible in the industry because of factors such as traffic and loading delays. The Proposal and Related Issues Management at FHP has asked Over-land to consider adding two dry van loads per week; each load would require 1,500 round-trip miles. Because FHP is a long-term client with a strong financial position, the company’s management has asked for a very favorable rate of $2.15 per mile including FSC and all miscellaneous fees. Roger believes the potential volume of freight from FHP can be used to grow Overland’s business and profitability. There is also risk associated with not taking the new lines. If Over-land does not accept the new routes, another trucking line will, thus building loyalty with FHP. FHP is a stable, solvent company that presents no question of collection, thus ensuring a reliable cash flow. If FHP decides to restructure its supply chain in the future, Over-land could find itself in the undesirable position of holding dedicated assets (trucks and trailers) for routes that no longer exist. The owner’s aversion to increased debt levels further exacerbates concerns about acquiring additional fixed assets. Perhaps Over-land could service the initial demand with existing equipment. But, as additional routes are added in the future, Over-land must acquire more tractor-trailer rigs or consider outsourcing the miles by using independent contractors.

Questions

Over-land’s management is considering the proposal from FHP. There are many issues involving strategy,
cost, risk, and capacity. Prepare a recommendation to management. Use the following questions to guide
your analysis.

1. Assume Over-land could service the contract with existing equipment. Use Exhibit 1 to identify the
   relevant costs concerning the acceptance of FHP’s request to add two additional loads per week. Which
   costs are not relevant? Why?
2. Calculate the contribution per mile and total annual contribution associated with accepting FHP’s
   proposal. What do you recommend? (Use 52 weeks per year in your calculations.)
3. Consider the strategic implications (including risks) associated with expanding (or choosing not to
   expand) operations to meet the demands of FHP. Analyze this question from a conceptual point of view.
   Calculations are not necessary.
4. After a closer examination of capacity, management believes an additional rig is required to service the
   FHP account. Assume Over-land’s management chooses to invest in one additional truck and trailer that
   can serve the needs of FHP (at least initially). Assume the annual incremental fixed costs associated with
   acquiring the additional equipment is $50,000. Further, FHP would agree to pay $2.20 per mile (total
   including FSC and miscellaneous) if Over-land would sign a five-year contract. What is the annual
   number of miles required for Over-land to break even, assuming the company adds one truck and trailer? What is the expected annual increase in profitability from the FHP contract? (Use 52 weeks per year in
   your calculations.)
5. Over-land has business relationships with independent contractors, though Alan is reluctant to use them.
   Another possibility for expanding capacity is to outsource the miles requested by FHP. One of Overland’s
   most reliable independent contractors has quoted a rate of $1.65 per mile. As with question 4,
   assume FHP would agree to pay $2.20 per mile if Over-land would sign a five-year contract. Further,
   assume Over-land would incur incremental fixed costs of $20,000 annually. These costs would include
   insurance, rental trailers, certain permits, salaries and benefits of garage maintenance, and office salaries
   such as billing. How many annual miles are required for Over-land to break even if the miles are
   outsourced? What is the expected annual increase in profitability from the FHP contract? What are your
   conclusions?
6.     6a Why might Over-land use an independent operator if the variable cost per mile is higher than if the
       company had purchased a rig and hired a driver?

6b. At what point would management be indifferent between the scenarios illustrated in questions 4 and 5? Based on your analysis, would you recommend adding capacity by purchasing an additional rig or by utilizing the services of an independent contractor? Why?

Case Study Over-land Trucking and Freight: Relevant Costs for Decision Making Background Over-land Trucking and Freight has a long-established and mutually beneficial business relationship with a major international automotive parts company, FHP Technologies. Management at FHP has approached Over-land with a request to provide additional routes that are important to the efficiency of its supply chain. Over-land’s management wishes to nurture the business relationship with FHP but is concerned about the available capacity to service the new routes, potential risks, and profitability associated with FHP’s request. Introduction Alan James founded Over-land Trucking and Freight in 1968 and has grown the business into a sizeable operation with 90 trucks and 180 trailers. His largest customer, FHP Technologies, has submitted a proposal to him to add delivery routes that would improve the efficiency of FHP’s supply chain. Alan was not certain that Over-land could handle the additional routes since the company currently was operating at (or near) full capacity. FHP offered a total of $2.15 per mile (including fuel service charge and miscellaneous fees) for the new route. But Alan knew that to accept the offer he would have to add more trucks and perhaps incur additional debt. The question was whether the rates offered by FHP were high enough to offset the associated risks of growing the fleet. Although the business had been grown organically through the years by reinvesting profits, it incurred debt from time to time to replace older equipment (usually in blocks of five trucks). Alan knew the slim profit margins associated with trucking, coupled with a downturn in the economy, could spell disaster if saddled with too much debt. See Exhibits 1 and 2 for the company’s most recent statement of income from operations and the balance sheet, respectively. Roger Simmons, Over-land’s operations manager for the past 16 years, had been reviewing the FHP proposal and approached Alan. “Alan, we need to discuss this offer from FHP. I think it is a great opportunity for our company, and we need to find a way to make it work.” Within 10 minutes Alan and Roger were in a closed-door meeting discussing the pros and cons of FHP’s offer. Roger began by stating the obvious: “Alan, this is a huge opportunity for us to grow the business. Not to mention, as FHP becomes more dependent on our services, we will be in a stronger position to negotiate future rate increases. I know you are opposed to debt, and I understand the risks of carrying more debt, but there is more than one way to grow our fleet. If you would consider using independent contract drivers, we could grow the fleet enough to accept FHP’s offer without incurring more debt.” Alan cringed at the thought of using independent contract drivers. Although independent contractors owned their own trucks, Alan viewed them as difficult to deal with and not worth the headache. “Roger, I hear you, but this new route will not last a week if we cannot give FHP great service. Independent contractors call the shots, not us. They own the rig and will sit at home if they want to. I would rather deal with our own company’s rigs and drivers. The rewards just do not justify the risks of damaging our relationship with FHP. “But I am not sure we should take on any more debt at this point to purchase additional rigs. The economy is in the tank, and it is a bad time for us to leverage the balance sheet any further. Roger, my success in this business was not built by jumping on every offer that came along. Sometimes you have to say no, even to your biggest customer. Unless you can find a way to squeeze out more capacity within our current fleet, I just do not think we can accept FHP’s offer at this time,” Alan concluded. As the two men left the room, Roger was convinced that Alan was wrong. Roger knew that Alan was leaving money on the table. He just needed to prepare a financial analysis that would prove it. Was it 1 possible to squeeze out more capacity from an already fully utilized fleet? Perhaps they could shift trucks from another account. Was taking on more debt truly “risky” given the profit potential of this new route? Roger knew he had to make a convincing argument before FHP took its offer to another truck line. Industry Terms • A tractor-trailer rig is a truck that consists of a tractor attached to a trailer. The tractor typically is powered by a diesel engine. • A flatbed trailer is long flat platform with no sides. • A dry van trailer is a boxed cargo compartment designed for nonrefrigerated freight. • Trucking companies often have a revenue-generating load in one direction but need a revenue-generating contract for the return trip. The return trip is known as a backhaul. Often trucking companies contract with freight brokers to acquire backhauls. Industry Background and Cost Structure Trucking firms generate a variety of revenue types from hauling goods for their clients. Presented next is a brief overview of key types of revenues included in the 2013 income from operations of Over-land Trucking and Freight. Line haul revenue is earned from hauling freight. Fuel prices in recent years have been volatile. Because trucking companies are exposed to fuel price volatility when they sign a long-term contract with their customers, they may charge an additional fee associated with fuel costs when prices exceed predetermined levels. Thus, the primary purpose of the fuel surcharge (FSC) revenue is to protect the truck line from fuel price increases during the contract term. Included in miscellaneous revenue are the following: Storage fees are collected when Over-land stores a loaded trailer on its lot for a customer. Lumper revenue is collected if a driver assists with unloading a trailer. Certain flatbed loads, such as drywall, unpainted steel, and some types of wood products, that would be damaged by rain must be covered. Trucking companies typically charge a tarping fee for such loads. Additional insurance is required when transporting high-value cargo. Practices vary throughout the industry. If a load is above a company’s standard cargo insurance limits, many companies simply will not haul it. Trucking companies that are willing to bind additional cargo coverage normally do so for a fee that covers only the extra cost of insurance. (Alternatively, this revenue line item could have been booked as a reduction to the “Insurance” expense account.) Loads transported on flatbed trailers must be secured by straps or chains. These types of loads often are associated with higher worker’s comp claims. Thus an extra strapping and chaining fee is charged only for a flatbed load. If a truck sits idle at the dock for more than two hours, customers can be charged a fee that is classified as detention revenue. Placing a detention revenue clause in the contract encourages customers to load trailers efficiently in order to avoid further constraints on Over-land’s tractor capacity. 2 Types of Business Arrangements with Drivers Over-land has potentially two arrangements with drivers. They are classified as employees or as independent operators. Employees receive traditional employee benefits and a Form W2 for tax purposes. These persons are typically engaged in work for the company that is considered “permanent.” Alternatively, independent operators are not considered employees and receive a Form 1099 (rather than a Form W2) for tax purposes. These operators typically provide the tractor but generally do not provide the trailer. In addition to driver salaries and depreciation on trucks, expenses incurred by independent contractors include: • Tags (known as International Registration Plan (IRP)) – The independent contractor buys the IRP tag for the tractor, while the shipping company buys the tags for the trailer. • IRS Form 2290 – Heavy Road Use Tax. • Diesel fuel, engine fluids, and all maintenance-related parts and items. • Physical damage insurance. • Non-trucking “bobtail” Liability Insurance (needed for when the truck is not transporting a trailer). • Tolls and scale fees. Independent contractors generally control their own working hours, unlike an employee. Further, independent contractors’ work generally is considered temporary, rather than permanent (unlike for an employee). In the trucking industry, an independent contractor often signs a one-year contract for a temporary job. But an employee is hired permanently under the assumption that he or she will make deliveries until further notice. This arrangement constitutes a permanent job. Capacity Issues and Industry Practices Over-land Trucking typically assigns one driver to one tractor. But this practice can constrain the available hours the tractor can operate. For example, laws require a driver to take a 10-hour break after 11 hours of driving. Further, a driver cannot work more than 70 hours in an eight-day period without taking a 34-hour break. To improve tractor utilization by avoiding constraints based on legal driving time requirements, some trucking companies use “slip seating.” This is a practice that permits greater tractor utilization by placing a fresh driver behind the wheel at the end of the former driver’s shift. Slip seating is similar in practice to an airline company that keeps its planes flying longer by inserting fresh flight crews as the previous crew goes off duty. It also is efficient to utilize “team drivers” that are commonly husband-wife teams. One person drives while the other sleeps. Relative to a single driver, this arrangement basically doubles the amount of miles driven in a given week. Typically, teams are paid more, but additional line haul revenues offset the extra labor costs. Another strategy to improve tractor utilization is to use trailer pools, commonly referred to as “drop and hook” systems. For example, trucking companies will leave an empty trailer with customers, who will load it with products as units are produced. When the trailer is filled, a tractor arrives, drops an empty trailer to replace the trailer just filled, then immediately hooks onto the loaded trailer and departs. Tractor utilization improves because tractors are not sitting idle while a customer loads a trailer. This approach is economically feasible because trailers are far less expensive to purchase and operate than tractors. Most trucking companies keep some tractors “on the fence” as spares, in case one breaks down. There is considerable disagreement, however, over what constitutes too many spares. Some owners believe a truck line should put all available equipment on the road and rent a tractor if a spare is needed. Others disagree 3 and maintain a small number of tractors in reserve. Currently, Over-land Trucking and Freight keeps a small number of tractors and trailers out of service but prepared for duty in case a rig breaks down. Some managers believe this policy is an expensive luxury and that some of these idle rigs could be used to add the new routes requested by FHP. When estimating a tractor’s practical capacity, management at Over-land use 85% of total potential miles driven in a period. Theoretical (or 100%) capacity utilization is virtually impossible in the industry because of factors such as traffic and loading delays. The Proposal and Related Issues Management at FHP has asked Over-land to consider adding two dry van loads per week; each load would require 1,500 round-trip miles. Because FHP is a long-term client with a strong financial position, the company’s management has asked for a very favorable rate of $2.15 per mile including FSC and all miscellaneous fees. Roger believes the potential volume of freight from FHP can be used to grow Overland’s business and profitability. There is also risk associated with not taking the new lines. If Over-land does not accept the new routes, another trucking line will, thus building loyalty with FHP. FHP is a stable, solvent company that presents no question of collection, thus ensuring a reliable cash flow. If FHP decides to restructure its supply chain in the future, Over-land could find itself in the undesirable position of holding dedicated assets (trucks and trailers) for routes that no longer exist. The owner’s aversion to increased debt levels further exacerbates concerns about acquiring additional fixed assets. Perhaps Over-land could service the initial demand with existing equipment. But, as additional routes are added in the future, Over-land must acquire more tractor-trailer rigs or consider outsourcing the miles by using independent contractors. Questions Over-land’s management is considering the proposal from FHP. There are many issues involving strategy, cost, risk, and capacity. Prepare a recommendation to management. Use the following questions to guide your analysis. Assume Over-land could service the contract with existing equipment. Use Exhibit 1 to identify the relevant costs concerning the acceptance of FHP’s request to add two additional loads per week. Which costs are not relevant? Why? Calculate the contribution per mile and total annual contribution associated with accepting FHP’s proposal. What do you recommend? (Use 52 weeks per year in your calculations.) Consider the strategic implications (including risks) associated with expanding (or choosing not to expand) operations to meet the demands of FHP. Analyze this question from a conceptual point of view. Calculations are not necessary. After a closer examination of capacity, management believes an additional rig is required to service the FHP account. Assume Over-land’s management chooses to invest in one additional truck and trailer that can serve the needs of FHP (at least initially). Assume the annual incremental fixed costs associated with acquiring the additional equipment is $50,000. Further, FHP would agree to pay $2.20 per mile (total including FSC and miscellaneous) if Over-land would sign a five-year contract. What is the annual number of miles required for Over-land to break even, assuming the company adds one truck and trailer? What is the expected annual increase in profitability from the FHP contract? (Use 52 weeks per year in your calculations.) Over-land has business relationships with independent contractors, though Alan is reluctant to use them. Another possibility for expanding capacity is to outsource the miles requested by FHP. One of Overland’s most reliable independent contractors has quoted a rate of $1.65 per mile. As with question 4, assume FHP would agree to pay $2.20 per mile if Over-land would sign a five-year contract. Further, assume Over-land would incur incremental fixed costs of $20,000 annually. These costs would include insurance, rental trailers, certain permits, salaries and benefits of garage maintenance, and office salaries such as billing. How many annual miles are required for Over-land to break even if the miles are outsourced? What is the expected annual increase in profitability from the FHP contract? What are your conclusions? 6a Why might Over-land use an independent operator if the variable cost per mile is higher than if the company had purchased a rig and hired a driver? 6b. At what point would management be indifferent between the scenarios illustrated in questions 4 and 5? Based on your analysis, would you recommend adding capacity by purchasing an additional rig or by utilizing the services of an independent contractor? Why?