Today's Transportation Pulse
U.S. Navy rescues 14 Indian mariners near Hormuz as political tensions flare
The U.S. Navy saved 14 Indian sailors from a distressed merchant vessel on the Hormuz shipping lane. Following the rescue, U.S. Senator Rubio defended continued Hormuz enforcement amid protests from India over recent seafarer deaths.
Also developing:
By the numbers: MIAA acquires Terminal 3 property for $890M
California Gives Truck Makers an Ultimatum: No Price Transparency, No Money
California’s Senate Bill 1213, passed unanimously by the Environmental Quality Committee, requires zero‑emission medium and heavy‑duty truck manufacturers to publish manufacturer‑suggested retail prices to qualify for state incentive programs. Starting Jan 1 2027, OEMs must submit itemized purchase orders and MSRP data, which the state will post online and use to verify incentive eligibility. The bill also empowers the state to recover incentive funds and suspend model eligibility for non‑compliance. The measure targets hidden pricing practices that have obscured true costs for fleet operators.
Big Front Seat May Disappear This Week
The most underrated first-class seat might disappear this week. Would anyone else miss the Big Front Seat?👇
What Does The FAA Define As An Airport ‘Hot Spot,’ And How Many Are In The US?
The Federal Aviation Administration classifies more than 150 "airport surface hot spots" across the United States—areas with a history or potential risk of runway incursions or collisions. These hotspots are typically found at complex taxiway‑runway intersections and are concentrated at...
QOTD: Did Wealthy Buyers Kill Small Cars?
Economist Clifford Winston argues that affluent buyers and protectionist policies have accelerated the demise of affordable small cars in the United States. He notes automakers, especially the Detroit Three, prioritize higher‑margin SUVs and luxury trucks because they are cheaper to...
Schneider Electric Launches On-Machine Variable Frequency Drive
Schneider Electric unveiled the Altivar Machine ATV350, an on‑machine variable frequency drive designed for conveyor and material‑handling equipment. The drive mounts directly on the machine, offering IP66/UL4X protection, multi‑protocol Ethernet (EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, EtherCAT, Modbus TCP) and plug‑and‑play wiring. By eliminating...
UN Official Warns Strait of Hormuz Dispute Is Disrupting Global Food Supply
U.N. Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva warned that the ongoing dispute in the Strait of Hormuz is choking the flow of fertilizer shipments, jeopardizing the planting season for key agricultural regions. He estimates that more than 45 million people could...
Chicago Flight Cuts Coming: FAA Orders Airlines to Reduce O'Hare Schedules to Cool Turf War
The Federal Aviation Administration ordered airlines to cut roughly 12% of takeoffs and landings at Chicago O'Hare International Airport for the May 17‑Oct 24 summer window, removing hundreds of daily flights. The directive follows an aggressive schedule expansion by United and American...
State Capture Still Stinging SOEs
South Africa’s state‑owned enterprises Transnet and PRASA remain mired in the fallout from the Zondo state‑capture inquiry, with debt soaring to roughly $7.8 billion and operating deficits expanding to $449 million. Audits reveal persistent irregular spending, massive maintenance backlogs and governance lapses,...
U.S. Coast Guard to Homeport First Two Arctic Security Cutters in Alaska
The U.S. Coast Guard announced it will homeport its first two Arctic Security Cutters in Alaska, a milestone toward fielding a new generation of icebreakers. The cutters are slated for delivery by early 2028, with the program encompassing 11 vessels...
Amtrak Skips Secaucus, Missing World Cup Revenue
Why is Amtrak not stopping at Secaucus for the World Cup? Seems like a missed revenue and congestion relief opportunity.
Tecnam Opens Early Delivery Slots For MOSAIC-Era Aircraft
Tecnam has launched a priority slot deposit program for two aircraft in its MOSAIK59 line – the Astore GT and the P2008 Next Generation – allowing customers to secure production slots ahead of the FAA’s upcoming MOSAIC certification changes. Deliveries...
Trump Administration Releases Second Avenue Subway Funding
The Trump administration released $58 million of federal funds that had been withheld for seven months, allowing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to move forward with Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway extension. The release clears the way for the MTA to...
SpaceX Bought Nearly 20% Of Tesla Cybertrucks Sold In Q4
Tesla recorded just over 7,000 Cybertruck deliveries in Q4 2025, a sharp decline from the 39,000 units sold in its first full year. Bloomberg analysis of S&P Global Mobility data shows SpaceX purchased 1,279 trucks, and related Musk ventures added...
Recall Alert: Genesis
Hyundai Motor America announced a safety recall affecting roughly 94,760 Genesis luxury vehicles due to a potential fuel‑pipe to fuel‑rail leak that could ignite in the engine compartment. The recall spans the GV70 (2022‑2026), GV80 (2021‑2025), G80 (2021‑2025) and G90...
AVL To Open Partial Baggage Claim
Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) will open the first phase of its new partial baggage claim on Friday, April 17, marking a key milestone in the AVL Forward renovation program. The upgraded facility is designed to streamline passenger handling as traveler...
New York Loses Nearly $74 Million for Not Revoking 33,000 Illegal Licenses for Immigrant Truckers
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that New York will forfeit more than $73.5 million in federal funds because the state has not revoked roughly 33,000 commercial driver’s licenses issued to non‑domiciled immigrant truckers. An audit found that over half of...
Railway Track and Structures Welcomes Dr. Riley Edwards to Editorial Board
Railway Track and Structures announced that Dr. J. Riley Edwards, an assistant professor at the University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign’s Rail Transportation and Engineering Center, has joined its Editorial Board. Edwards, who also serves as deputy associate director for the U.S....
This Chinese Automaker Just Made The Most Efficient Engine Ever
Geely announced a new i‑HEV hybrid powertrain that delivers a record‑breaking 48.4 percent thermal efficiency, verified by Guinness. The system provides a combined fuel economy of roughly 105 miles per gallon and can be fitted to both 1.5‑liter and 2.0‑liter engines. This...
Chaotic DMV ICE Raid, 'BS' Canadian CDLs: FMCSA's Non-Domiciled Ban, One Month Later
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s ban on issuing non‑domiciled commercial driver’s licenses took effect on March 16, 2026, targeting roughly 194,000 foreign‑licensed drivers. Within a month, an ICE raid at a Pennsylvania DMV underscored the heightened enforcement climate, with 13...
People News: Alstom, RailPros, STV, STB/NCTD
Rail industry leaders announced a series of senior appointments across North America. Alstom promoted Susie Lévesque to VP of Procurement for the Americas and Noah Heulitt to VP of Services in North America, both effective in early 2026, while also...
Global Energy Crisis Hits Developing Nations Hardest, Europe Barely Notices
iea: this is the largest energy crisis we have ever faced. europe: ~6 weeks of jet fuel. flight cancellations coming. developing countries in asia, africa, latin america: already hit harder, heard less.
Tech Firms Blur Tool vs Solution; AVs Aren’t Salvation
“Tech companies deliberately obfuscate the distinction” between a tool and a solution, says Peter Norton. This applies to AVs, he notes. [they may be a tool for something, but we need to define what that thing is in NYC.] High-tech...
Fuel, Fertiliser, Freight – What the F Is Going On?
The Rural Press Club of Queensland is hosting a lunch on May 1, 2026 to examine severe disruptions in fuel, fertiliser and freight supply chains caused by the Middle East conflict, the Russia‑Ukraine war, and a fire at one of...
What’s the Deal With I-80 and SF’s Central Freeway? Here’s a Brief History
Caltrans will close eastbound I‑80 between 17th and Fourth streets, along with U.S. 101 connectors, for extensive repairs, prompting concerns about Bay Area congestion. The shutdown echoes the 1996 Central Freeway closure, which proved traffic could be rerouted with a strong...
70-Vehicle Pileup on Colorado I-70 Sends Eight to Hospital
A 70‑vehicle collision on eastbound Interstate 70 near the Eisenhower‑Johnson Memorial Tunnel sent eight people to hospitals and shut the highway for up to six hours. Colorado officials urged drivers to avoid the area as emergency crews worked to clear...
Like-Original '76 Peterbilt COE Stands Proud
Luke Rethwisch and his family revived a 1976 Peterbilt 352H cab‑over for the 2026 Mid‑America Trucking Show Build‑Off. The truck was mounted on a 2025 Kenworth T680 frame, kept its original Cat 3408 V8 engine, and received selective modern upgrades...
AV Safety Data Ignores Induced Driving, Says Zipper
David Zipper says that the context-free AV boosters on social media are generally engineers. This is all a 20th century throwback to having a singular goal of moving motor vehicles fast. He notes that the AV safety data is meaningless...
Safety Debate Distracts From Proven Transit Solutions
“The safety question is actually a distraction” on AVs, says RPA’s Rachel weinberger. “We have the technology to make motor vehicles much safer. … we have speed governors … the safest way is to get more people on transit....
High Gas Prices Are Already Helping Hyundai Sell More EVs, CEO Says
Hyundai’s U.S. electric‑vehicle sales surged 40% between February and March 2026, a jump the company’s CEO attributes to record‑high gasoline prices. The Ioniq 5 recorded a 27% rise to 4,425 units in March, while Ioniq 9 sales more than doubled to 905...
Gas Prices Surge, Hyundai EV Sales Jump 40%
Gasoline is going to $5/gallon on average throughout the USA in 2 weeks. -JP Morgan
Budget Reservation Vanished, Left Paying Extra and Renting U‑Haul
🚨 @Budget took my prepaid reservation - then had zero cars available at pickup. Told me to pay $130 more + fund my own ride elsewhere. Had to book a U-Haul just to complete my move. This isn’t acceptable. Case ID: 81160798
NYC AV Permits Persist Despite Expired State Framework
“The city permit program still exists,” says NYCDOT’s Kelsey Taeckens on testing AVs. It’s basically as of right if you meet the requirements. But the state law framework under which the city issues the permits expired with the (now late)...
Autonomous Vehicles Still Depend on Human Remote Control
A couple panelists have said that “autonomous” is yet another purposeful misnomer, like “hosting” or “sharing.” The vehicles require full-time remote human assistance. There are issues of capability, quality control, fatigue here, says prof Wansley. https://t.co/DuPH2RRhk7
93-Year-Old Drives Fearlessly in Tesla Model Y
Age 93, Driving Without Fear: Tesla Model Y Transforms Mobility by @SawyerMerritt #Automotive #Transport #EV #Technology #Innovation https://t.co/7QrkbskKuY
Regulate AVs to Curb Externalities, Protect Privacy
AV regulation must focus on “curbing externalities” (congestion taxes), consumer protection, and the impact on the urban environment, says Prof Wansley. (He’s worried about privacy as an externality, eg companies’ full surveillance of everything that happens on the streets and...
SONAR Expands with Barge Rates and River Market Intel
The world's leading freight market intelligence platform (SONAR) is about to get far smarter for barge shippers: Over the next few weeks, we are releasing: - Barge rates - River market intelligence and conditions - Barge commodity and volume tracker https://t.co/DHZYuwffSw
Manhattan Gig Workers Earn Double Thanks to Unmatched Demand
To Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and similar, “Manhattan streets are paved with gold,” says former deputy mayor for ops Meera Joshi. Constant “demand and very little price sensitivity,” meaning “double” the $$ you’ll make anywhere else. [this little borough is not...
Waymo Matches Human Drivers' Safety, Despite Underreported Crashes
Waymo in SF has comparable safety rate to UberLyft human-driven rides in SF, says Cardozo prof Matthew Wansley, citing academic study, but notes the human-driven crashes in this set are likely underreported. He thinks AVs are making a “positive contribution”...
NYC's Street Network Among World's Most Complex
“We have the most complex street system in the country, among the most complex in the world,” says Kelsey Taeckens, NYC DOT mobility policy analyst. https://t.co/yGY51JORYu
Travel Turmoil: Airline Liquidation, Merger Talks, Fuel Shortage
🌎 17 THINGS TO KNOW IN TRAVEL TODAY 1 Spirit Airlines Could Liquidate As Early As This Week, Sources Say 2 United CEO Floated Idea of United-American Airlines Merger 3 Europe Has 'Maybe 6 Weeks of Jet Fuel Left', Energy Boss Warns +...
Cheap First-Class Tickets Undermine Airline Loyalty Programs
Airlines Keep Selling First Class For $26 — Killing The Reason To Chase Their Top Status - View from the Wing https://t.co/N4857yozle
Waymo’s Years of Scaling Contrast Tesla’s Brand‑new Robotaxi
People forget how long it took Waymo to get to the point where it started scaling seriously. It didn’t happen in the first year. The Tesla Robotaxi service is not even a year old yet.
Regulators, Not Tesla, Allow Misleading Autopilot Labels
David Zipper note that Tesla has gotten away with calling something “autopilot” and “self driving” even though it’s not “autopilot” or “self driving.” Notes that the failure is regulators, not companies.
Waymo's 92% Safer Claim Is Just Marketing
The “92% safer” line from Waymo “is a marketing line,” says Bloomberg’s David Zipper. Any serious academic will tell you, on safety, “we don’t know.”
Europe Boosts Transit Investment; U.S. Falls Behind
“European cities have been doubling and tripling down on transit and we’re not,” says Rachel Weinberger.
Mass Adoption Dulls the Joy of Driving
Everyone keeps saying “oh, the Waymo, it’s so fun, get in!” says Rachel Weinberger. Notes this reasoning ignores the entire history of the 20th century where “the number of people who wanted to use the motor vehicle entirely ruined the...
Buy United 1K for $330, Risk Losing Account
You Can Buy United Airlines 1K Status Online For $330 — But It Could Cost You Your Account - View from the Wing https://t.co/Dk8datEBY6
Business Class Seats with Doors: Luxury or Gimmick?
Do Business Class Seats Need Doors — Or Are They Just A Gimmick? - View from the Wing https://t.co/hCimeYmV1y
Oslo, Helsinki Achieve Zero Traffic Deaths Without AVs
“Oslo and Helsinki had zero traffic deaths last year,” notes David Zipper. [without AVs]. This is not a question of “futuristic technology.” https://t.co/mJXh3YHSoo
Waymo Manager Walks Out, Stifles Critical Debate
Panelists and guests at this Roosevelt House AV summit uniformly disappointed that Waymo northeast policy manager gave his pitch and then left rather than listening to the two more skeptical panels to follow and having a real discussion. https://t.co/pwVnR2g2OA