Today's Transportation Pulse
Hormuz minesweeping could delay oil flow for weeks
A preliminary U.S.-Iran agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz includes a minesweeping phase that may take 40‑50 days, using conventional minesweepers and advanced underwater drones to locate up to 1,000 Iranian naval mines. The delay could hold tens of millions of barrels of oil, while daily vessel traffic remains at 12‑15 ships.
Also developing:
RS&H Welcomes Tang Fang as Principal Architect, Further Strengthening Its Aviation Market Team
RS&H has appointed Tang Fang, AIA, LEED AP, as a principal architect for its aviation market, adding more than two decades of design experience to the firm. Fang previously led the $130 million expansion and renovation of Key West International Airport, overseeing the architectural team. Her arrival expands RS&H’s capabilities in terminal design, operational readiness, and passenger experience across U.S. airport projects. The hire underscores the firm’s strategy to deepen expertise and capture growth in the aviation infrastructure sector.
F.H. Paschen to Begin Taxiway And Bridge Project at Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport
F.H. Paschen has launched a two‑month, $2.2 million project at George Bush Intercontinental Airport to repair erosion‑damaged taxiway bridge retaining walls and modernize the associated electrical system. The scope includes soil stabilization, concrete replacement, waterproofing, and new electrical components, all performed...
Trader Books Large Vietnamese HDG Cargo for UK
A trader has secured roughly 15,000 t of Vietnamese hot‑dip galvanised (HDG) coil for delivery to the UK, despite ongoing uncertainty over the UK’s tariff‑rate quota. The booking follows a leaked proposal that would raise Vietnam’s duty‑exempt quota to about 174,000 t,...
Nissan Recalls a Batch of New LEAF EVs in Japan Due to a Battery Defect
Nissan announced a recall of 171 newly produced 2026 LEAF electric vehicles in Japan after discovering improperly manufactured electrode plates that could short‑circuit and potentially cause overheating or fire. The defect affects models built between Dec. 1, 2025 and Mar. 7, 2026, and one...
How a US Truck Components Maker Is Handling Tariffs
U.S. truck‑components maker TCCI is navigating a fragmented tariff regime after the Supreme Court struck down some Trump‑era duties, but Section 232 tariffs on heavy‑duty parts remain. The company invested $45 million in a Clean Energy Innovation Hub to produce electric compressors...
WCI Rises for Fourth Straight Week to $2,279
Drewry’s World Container Index jumped 5% to $2,279 per 40‑foot container, marking a fourth consecutive weekly rise. Asia‑Europe lanes led the surge, with Shanghai‑Genoa rates climbing 12% to $3,474, while Transpacific routes also posted gains. Only three blank sailings are...
As Diesel Prices Surpass 91 Petrol, Truckies Say Goods and Groceries Will Start Going up Too
Diesel prices in New Zealand have surged 80% since February, reaching $3.24‑$3.45 NZD per litre (about $1.94‑$2.07 USD), overtaking 91 petrol for the first time. Petrol has risen only 35% in the same period. Trucking firms are absorbing extra costs—up to $150 NZD (~$90 USD) daily...
Guest: Ian Massey of S-RM on the Ongoing Supply Chain Impacts From the War Against Iran; What Is “Port Proximate”...
In this episode, Ian Massey of SRM explains how the ongoing war with Iran is destabilizing global supply chains, especially in energy, shipping, logistics, and related downstream industries. He outlines three possible conflict scenarios—escalation, protracted low‑intensity fighting, and de‑escalation—and advises...
Utah Launches $2.8B Construction Season With 176 Projects Statewide
Utah’s Department of Transportation is committing $2.8 billion to 176 construction projects across the state, with more than 50 already breaking ground. The centerpiece is a $621 million freeway link between Mountain View Corridor and I‑15 in Utah County, complemented by major...
Much of Dutch Fishing Fleet Stands Idle Amid High Diesel Prices
Dutch beam‑trawler operators are grounding roughly half their fleet as diesel prices double following the Iran‑Russia conflict. Weekly fuel bills have surged from about $14,000‑$15,000 to roughly $34,500 per vessel, eroding profit margins for high‑value flatfish catches. The situation mirrors...
Truckstops Exploit Tax-Driven Diesel Price Gaps; West Coast Policies Blamed
The major truckstops already do this arb. They will move their diesel purchases between PADs to take advantage of price deltas at the rack. But a good portion of the diesel cost delta is actually tax and transportation related. The...
Where Drivers Still Beat Autonomous Systems, and Why It Matters
Autonomous vehicles excel in repeatable, data‑rich environments but still lag behind human drivers when faced with unpredictable edge cases such as stray objects or unmarked detours. Human intuition leverages analogy and cultural cues, allowing rapid adaptation to informal traffic negotiations...
Hormuz Ship Traffic Stays Frozen Despite Move to Start Fees
Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains virtually halted four weeks into the Iran‑Israel conflict, with only six vessels recorded on March 26 versus the pre‑war average of nearly 60 daily transits in 2025. Iran announced a toll system demanding...
Lyft Launches 60-Day Gas Relief Program for Drivers Offering up to 98 Cents per Gallon in Savings
Lyft has launched a 60‑day gas‑relief program for its drivers, running from March 27 to May 26. The initiative provides cash‑back on Lyft Direct debit card purchases (1% for Gold/Platinum, 2% for Elite) plus an additional 14 cents per gallon through Upside and...
SEPTA To Begin M Line Rehabilitation Project March 29
SEPTA will launch a $55 million rehabilitation of the historic Bridgeport Viaduct on the M Line starting March 29, replacing train service with shuttle buses through May 9. The 3,525‑foot, 1911‑era bridge will undergo structural steel repairs, bearing replacements, deck and abutment work,...
US Apathy Sparks Panic, May Force Strait Reopening
Over the past 24 hours, I’ve talked to a number of leading shipping and energy sources in Europe and Asia. Overall mood: panic. Talked to dozens of key people in the USA. Overall mood: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Allied navies might have to reopen the strait...
BART Hides Equity Consultant Fees Behind Fare Enforcement Claims
BART is claims they always took fare enforcement seriously. Why won't they respond to kane's public records request asking them how much they paid equity consultants to argue it didn't matter (and had "detrimental effects on the community")? https://t.co/wAHE5AYPf5
Graphite-Dispensing Lube Gadget Promises Clean Bicycle Drivetrains
Barcelona startup CHA has introduced a 3D‑printed nylon bracket that dispenses compressed graphite powder onto a bicycle chain when the rider back‑pedals. The device uses replaceable capsules that claim to lubricate up to 180 km (112 miles) of riding without attracting dirt,...
Truckers Praise Sec. Duffy as First Supportive DOT Leader
@SecDuffy is a rockstar among truckers who feel that he is the first DOT Secretary that has their back...
Complete Guide To Train Travel In Europe | How To Travel Europe By Train
James Feess’s guide breaks down European rail travel, highlighting city‑center stations, electronic tickets and the convenience of boarding without airport queues. It explains how variable‑price high‑speed tickets can drop from €135 (≈$149) to €54 (≈$59) when booked 6‑8 weeks ahead, and...
Empires Rose on Ships and Salt; Britain Now Lacks Both
If you study the rise and fall of empires the two most important things are ships and salt. Now the UK barely has either.
San Diego MTS: $60.4MM to Advance Modernization Projects
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) secured $48.3 million from California’s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIRCP) program for Phase 2 of the Orange Line Improvement Project, bringing total allocated funds to roughly $60.4 million. The Phase 2 upgrades, covering the eastern 18‑mile corridor...
China Detains Nearly 70 Panama-Flagged Vessels Amid Canal Dispute
China has detained close to 70 Panama-flagged ships at its ports since March 8, a move U.S. officials say is retaliation over Panama Canal terminal leases. The detentions, largely of older bulk carriers, come as Panama sues for over $2 billion...
Second Metro Line for Palma De Mallorca Confirmed
The Balearic Islands government approved a second metro line (M2) in Palma de Mallorca, a 6‑km route from Plaça d’Espanya to Secar de la Real with four new stations. The project costs about €230 million (≈$250 million), rising to €300 million (≈$327 million) including...
Uber, Pony.ai and Verne Launch Europe's First Robotaxi Pilot in Zagreb
Uber, Chinese autonomous‑driving company Pony.ai and Croatian robotaxi startup Verne announced a joint pilot in Zagreb, Croatia, using Pony.ai’s Gen‑7 system and Arcfox Alpha T5 vehicles. The partnership targets a fleet of thousands of driverless taxis across Europe within the next...
Pacific Islander Workers Stumble Over REAL ID Requirements, Threatening Mobility and Hiring
Pacific Islander residents of the U.S. under the COFA treaties are hitting legal roadblocks as the 2025 REAL ID mandate limits their ability to travel and work. Advocacy groups warn the lack of passports and enhanced driver’s licenses could cripple...
‘ERTMS Is Not a Product, It’s a Mindset’: Experts on How It Should Evolve
European rail leaders at RailTech Europe 2026 warned that the cost of retrofitting trains for the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) has doubled in four years, threatening wider adoption. The European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) and industry players...
LaGuardia Runway Reopens After Fatal Air Canada Jet‑fire‑truck Collision
New York’s LaGuardia Airport reopened its main runway on March 27 after a three‑day shutdown following a deadly runway incursion that killed two Air Canada pilots and injured dozens. Investigators say a combination of staffing shortages, a fire‑truck clearance and...
Port of LA Volumes Surge 3% in Two Hours
Sharing some charts from the Port of LA's Port Optimizer Signal platform. Volumes into the port are rising in the two weeks ahead (notably that week 14 number literally rose 3% from 9 am ET this morning to when I...
Tales From The Beat Episode 135: Auto Journalist Gerry Conover
Gerry Conover, a former Ford product‑planning executive and 45‑year veteran journalist, appears on TTAC’s "Tales From the Beat" episode 135. He shares insights from his newsletter Cars Smart News, covering oil market volatility, the $50,000 average new‑car price, and the practical limits...
Ferrari Resumes Shipments to the Middle East Amid Ongoing Iran War
Ferrari announced that shipments of its supercars to the Middle East have resumed after a brief pause caused by the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran. The automaker resolved temporary logistical challenges by re‑routing sea freight and...
Chrysler Delta: How FCA's Misfit Bombed in the UK
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles introduced the Chrysler Delta in the UK in 2011, rebadging the Lancia Delta built on a Fiat Bravo platform. The company aimed to sell 2,500 units but withdrew the model after three years with just over 900...
Fleet Electrification Is Running Into the Grid. Planning and Operations Need to Catch Up.
U.S. fleets are accelerating electrification, but grid interconnection and capacity constraints are emerging as the primary bottleneck. Utilities such as SoCal Edison ($436 million for 30,000 ports) and DTE Electric (19,300 chargers) are offering incentive programs, yet distribution upgrades and interconnection...
Newark TSA Line Unusually Short After Two Decades.
No Problem- I’ve been traveling internationally in and out of Newark for close to 20 years - I’ve never seen a TSA line this SMALL. https://t.co/KO41B7uvrz
BNSF Customers Invest More Than $5.3B in 2025
BNSF announced that customers invested over $5.3 billion in rail‑served projects during 2025, completing 117 initiatives—the highest count in six years. The projects generated more than 1,200 jobs across industrial, agricultural and consumer sectors, boosting production capacity and supply‑chain resilience. Notable...
SecDuffy Returns, Fueled by Loud Truckers' Social Voices
You heard the man, @SecDuffy tells you all to keep tagging him here Back when I interviewed him in June of last year, he told us one of the biggest reasons he came by was because of “all those loud trucker...
Logistical Complications for Russian Energy Exports
Russia's oil export revenues have resumed growth after four years of decline, buoyed by higher energy prices and a temporary U.S. sanctions easing. However, the country's ability to capitalize on this rebound is constrained by aging western pipelines and ports...
Tennessee Airport Boards Face Possible State Takeover
Tennessee lawmakers advanced an amended Senate Bill 2473 that would dissolve existing regional and metropolitan airport authority boards and replace them with new panels appointed primarily by state officials. The proposal creates nine‑member boards for metropolitan airports, with appointments split...
TSA Chaos, Spain Strikes & Cyclone Warning: 8 Travel Alerts Americans Need To Know
U.S. travelers are facing severe TSA security delays at major hubs such as Atlanta, Houston, Chicago, Dallas, Orlando and Los Angeles, with staffing shortages forcing 4‑5 hour wait times. Simultaneously, airport strikes in Spain, single‑runway operations at LaGuardia, and extreme weather—including...
Space Force Considers Boosting Wallops Launch Cadence to Meet Commercial Demand
Space Force is evaluating a significant increase in launch cadence at NASA’s Wallops Island range to satisfy rising commercial demand, Gen. Stephen Whiting told the Senate Armed Services Committee. Wallops, long used for niche missions such as small‑satellite and hypersonic...
New Map Shows Diesel Cost Per Mile by Location
We've created a new map, which tracks the estimated cost per mile for buying diesel, depending on where you purchase fuel. https://t.co/JKDNneabWc
Toyota’s China JVs Recall 560,000 SUVs Over Seat Safety Risk
Toyota’s Chinese joint ventures are recalling more than 560,000 SUVs after regulators identified a faulty second‑row seat‑back adjuster spring that may not lock during a crash. The recall covers 317,990 Highlander models and 242,170 Crown Kluger SUVs built between July 2021 and...
Sound Transit Approves Contract for New Operations and Maintenance Facility
Sound Transit’s board approved a progressive design‑build contract with Hoffman Construction to build a new Operations and Maintenance Facility South in Federal Way. The $350 million agreement covers final design, site work, roadway upgrades and construction staging on a 70‑acre site,...
U.S. Navy Finalizes Requirements for T-45 Replacement Trainer
The U.S. Navy issued its final request for proposals on March 26 for a next‑generation Undergraduate Jet Training System to replace the aging T‑45 Goshawk fleet. The service set an aggressive acquisition timeline and a firm cost target while dropping the...
Gaming Out Transportation Funding
Transportation leaders and rating agencies are watching the pending surface‑transportation reauthorization that will replace the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). A study by IHS Markit shows roughly 40% of IIJA spending will occur after the September 30 deadline, extending the construction...
Tesla Model Y/3 Deliveries Expected Flat, Street Overestimates
$TSLA deliveries out next Thursday. The key metric is Model Y/3, which I believe will be flat y/y (324k). The Street is looking for 351k, up 8%. It's the first read on true demand after last September’s EV tax credit...
Official Sources, Not Clickbait, Confirm Major Incidents
UNVERIFIED CLICK BAIT @JimFergusonUK If this happened, it would be announced by shipping trackers, insurers, naval statements, & major wire services NOT by a social media predator
2026 Ram 1500s Can Be a Rolling Billboard for America's 250th Birthday
Ram announced three America250‑themed 2026 Ram 1500 models—Big Horn, Laramie and Rebel—to commemorate the United States’ 250th birthday on July 4, 2026. Each truck features a flag‑adorned sport‑performance hood, blacked‑out exterior accents and commemorative emblems, while interiors showcase denim‑blue or leather seats with red‑white‑blue...
Damen Delivers a Very Green Combi Freighter to Bernd Sibum
Reederei Bernd Sibum has taken delivery of the second of four Damen CF 3850 Combi Freighters, built at Damen’s Yichang shipyard and designed for ultra‑efficient operation. The vessels can run on 100% biofuel and are being equipped with hybrid PTO/PTI...
World Star Leases Boeing 737-400SF to Sky One
World Star Aviation has delivered a leased Boeing 737‑400SF to UAE‑based cargo carrier Sky One, marking the third such aircraft in their partnership. The converted freighter offers a 20‑ton payload and a 3,700 km range, suited for short‑ and medium‑haul routes. Sky...