RTGX celebrates 1 year, moves into larger office

Columbia-based Ross Technologies Inc. (RTGX) celebrated its first anniversary by moving to expanded office space.

The information technology services firm, which opened for business in October last year, was recently certified by the Small Business Administration as a minority-owned enterprise. Its concentration is in Department of Defense contracts, although it also has state and local government and commercial clients.

President and CEO Kathlyn Adams hopes the company, which has 50 employees, will grow to 200 employees.

Airlines to report causes of delays for first time

Major airlines soon will have to start telling the government why flights are late, a requirement stemming from the delay-filled summer of 2000.

One in four flights arrived or departed at least 15 minutes later than scheduled that year, when planes were full and storms were frequent.

Information about why flights are late or canceled may help build public support for more runways, said David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association and a member of a task force that looked into the problem of air travel delays.

Delays fell 18 percent from 2000 to 2001 because fewer people, and planes, were flying because of a weak economy and the Sept. 11 attacks.

There were 44 million, or 6.6 percent, fewer passengers boarding flights in 2001 than in 2000, when 666 million passengers flew commercially.

Passengers have been slow to return to the air. The 10 biggest airlines scheduled 13 percent fewer flights in August of this year than in August 2001, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' most recent data.

Transportation officials, though, expect congestion and delays to return.

Airlines will be required to report cancellations within four categories: circumstances within the control of the air carrier, such as maintenance; extreme weather; problems with the national aviation system, such as airport operations or heavy traffic; and security breaches or malfunctioning security equipment.

For delays, airlines must report problems in a fifth category as well: when an aircraft arrives late from its previous flight.

About one in five flights were canceled or delayed more than 15 minutes last Thanksgiving season, a time when new security procedures were being implemented.

Airlines have been reporting their on-time performance since 1987.

Gasoline prices fall 5.56 cents in 2 weeks

The price of a gallon of gas fell more than a nickel nationwide over the last two weeks as crude oil prices stayed low and supply outpaced demand, an industry analyst said.

It was the largest two-week drop in about a year.

The average price of gas nationwide, including all grades and taxes, was about $1.44 a gallon on Friday, according to the Lundberg survey of 8,000 stations nationwide.

That was down 5.56 cents a gallon from Nov. 8, the date of the last Lundberg survey, when the average cost of a gallon of gas stood at $1.49, said analyst Trilby Lundberg, who is based in Camarillo, Calif.

"The two main reasons for the lower retail gasoline prices are lower oil prices and flush gasoline supplies," Lundberg said. "Crude oil prices of late were not falling.

"However, over recent weeks they have fallen appreciably, and these price cuts have been working their way down to the gasoline pump."

Lundberg also cited the lower seasonal demand for gas that is typical of the winter months. She said the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday probably won't affect gas prices.

Drivers are likely to see continued price reductions in the weeks to come, barring any unexpected events affecting crude oil prices, Lundberg said.

"Prices were extraordinarily steady from early April forward, showing almost no change," she said. "Moderate rises between late September and October have now been more than offset by this drop of more than 5 cents."

Still, gas costs more than it did a year ago, when motorists were still feeling the effect of a post-Sept. 11 price slump. On Nov. 16, 2001, the weighted average price of a gallon of gas was $1.23.

The national weighted average price of gasoline, including taxes, at self-serve pumps Friday was about $1.41 a gallon for regular, $1.50 for mid-grade and $1.59 for premium.

In the region

Transit agency wins grand prize for video on Howard service

The Corridor Transportation Corp. received the AdWheel Grand Prize Award for Electronic Media from the American Public Transportation Association at the organization's annual meeting in Las Vegas.

The corporation, which competed in the category for public transportation systems with 1 million or fewer passenger trips annually, was recognized for a training and public awareness video, titled Howard Transit: The Bus Stops Here.

The video, produced in cooperation with Howard County government and Comcast, was developed as a training tool to teach senior citizens, students and individuals with disabilities how to use Howard County's public transit system, specifically the fixed-route buses.

CTC, an affiliate of the Baltimore-Washington Corridor Chamber of Commerce, manages two local transit systems, Connect-A-Ride and Howard Transit.

Regional events

'Bodacious!' author to speak at Dec. 5 event

The Executive Women's Network will sponsor a talk by Mary Foley, who retired at age 33 from America Online as a multimillionaire, at 6:15 p.m. Dec. 5 at the Columbia Hilton, 5485 Twin Knolls Road, Columbia. She will speak during dinner. A networking session begins at 5:30 p.m.

Foley's book, Bodacious!, was published last year. She will discuss the power of being a "bodacious" woman in today's business environment.

The cost is $35 for members; $45 for guests. Registration is required.

Information: 410-653-5067, or www.ewn.org.

Business women's group to hold Holiday Auction

The Columbia chapter of the American Business Women's Association will hold its Holiday Auction on Dec. 9 at the Sheraton Columbia Hotel, 10207 Wincopin Circle. Professional women in all fields are invited.

A social hour will start at 5:30 p.m. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m.

Information or to reserve a place: 443-756-5467, or kcoven@ email.com.

Regional calendar

Computer training: Carroll Community College is offering free computer training courses for farmers and farm businesses. "E-Record Keeping for Diversified Market Farms" will be offered from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Dec. 4 and Dec. 11. Ginger Myers, 410-313-6500.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.