Today's Transportation Pulse
Logistics costs dip to $2.4 trillion as volatility becomes the new normal
The 2026 State of Logistics Report finds U.S. logistics expenses fell to $2.4 trillion, or 7.8% of GDP, down from $2.6 trillion in 2025. The study declares supply‑chain volatility a permanent condition driven by uneven global growth, tighter finance, geoeconomic shifts, labor constraints and energy price swings.
Also developing:
By the numbers: US IDFC partners with Chubb on $20B maritime reinsurance plan
Fleet Risk Is Changing Fast. Are You Keeping Up?
The Insurance Journal and Risky Future are hosting a free virtual event on March 31, 2026 to explore how telematics and artificial intelligence are reshaping fleet risk management. Featuring experts from The Hartford, Motive and TAKKION, the session will showcase current telematics capabilities, AI’s impact on underwriting and claims, and the gaps hindering broader adoption. Attendees will also hear about the biggest regulatory and operational barriers fleets face and get a preview of predictive risk models. The event targets insurers, fleet operators and risk professionals seeking actionable insights.
The 1.3-litre Engine Saving the Internal-Combustion Race Car
Horse Powertrain, backed by Renault, Geely and Aramco, is scaling its 1.3‑litre H13 turbo engine from road‑car applications to motorsport. The H13, originally delivering 130 bhp in a Caterham Seven, now produces roughly 200 bhp on 100% ethanol for a...
Straight Down, Somewhat Askew
The Lakeshore East GO corridor is undergoing a major upgrade, adding a fourth GO track and two dedicated Ontario Line tracks near the Don River. Metrolinx is also building a new structure, the Lower Don Crossing bridge, positioned slightly askew...
Only 5% of Companies Choose Intermodal in Three Italian Key Regions
An annual Contship‑SRM study of firms in Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia‑Romagna shows intermodal transport remains marginal, with usage below 5% in three of the past four years and a one‑off 20% peak in 2023. Across 2019‑2025 the average share of...
British Airways To Offer Pilots Bonus For Burning Less Fuel: Smart Or Risky?
British Airways will introduce a pilot incentive program that offers up to a 1% bonus on basic salary if collective fuel‑burn reductions meet a target of 60,000 tonnes of CO₂ below 2025 levels, slated to begin in 2027 after a...
Namma Yatri Parent Moving Tech Acquires Automicle to Enter Europe
Moving Tech Innovations, the Bengaluru‑based parent of Namma Yatri, has acquired Netherlands‑based Automicle Holding BV to launch its zero‑commission, community‑led mobility platform in Europe. The deal gives Moving Tech a foothold in European cities, where it plans to replicate its...
Families Flock to the UK for Easter Weekend as Air Bookings Increase by 13% From 2025
Air bookings to the United Kingdom for Easter 2026 are up 13% compared with Easter 2025, according to Amadeus Demand360 data. Hotel reservations rose 15% over the same period, with London’s occupancy reaching 50% for the holiday week. Families and...
Hitachi Rail to Build a Premium Dining Railcar in Japan
Hitachi Rail will build Seibu Railway’s new premium dining car, the Fine Dining Train “vies,” slated for service in March 2028. The design draws on Hitachi’s Laview express train platform, leveraging large windows, spacious interiors, and advanced control systems. The project...
Metrolinx's $27B GO Expansion Delayed and Scaled Back: Confidential Report
Metrolinx’s $27 B CAD (≈$20 B USD) GO Expansion, launched in 2018 to convert the commuter rail into a 15‑minute rapid‑rail network, is now pushed beyond its 2032 target and scaled back. Only the Lakeshore West and East corridors will see electrification...
Ford Expands EV Line-Up with Sub-£30k Transit City
Ford has launched the Transit City, an electric‑only van priced just under £30,000 (about $34,000), built on a dedicated EV platform from its Chinese JV partner Jiangling Motors in Nanchang. The model targets last‑mile delivery fleets with three body styles,...
Rail Industry and British Transport Police Set Out Actions to Tackle Violence and Intimidation Against Women and Girls in New...
The rail industry and British Transport Police have launched a two‑year strategy to curb violence and intimidation against women and girls (VIAWG) on UK railways. The plan introduces enhanced CCTV connectivity, a specialised BTP unit for high‑harm sexual offences, and...
Cops at Every Station. Millions on Anti-Suicide Doors. Inside One Councillor’s TTC Subway Safety Pitch — and Why Critics Call...
Toronto councillor Brad Bradford proposes a safety overhaul for the TTC, including a pilot for platform‑edge doors and police officers at every subway station. While overall subway assaults have fallen, public perception of insecurity remains high, prompting the motion. The...
Airlines and Airports Gain Early Warning of Baggage Disruptions
SITA has introduced Bag Radar, a cloud‑based analytics platform that consolidates baggage data from BIMs, WorldTracer, BRS and DCS to deliver real‑time and predictive insights. By applying historical analysis and AI, the solution flags potential mishandling, missed connections and bottlenecks...
Helping Airports Make the Most of Their Data
Airports are producing unprecedented volumes of data, yet much of it remains inconsistent, incomplete, or unverifiable. NACO’s new white paper introduces the NACO Data Dictionary, a structured, standards‑based framework that turns fragmented asset information into validated, interoperable data. By aligning...
COSCO Resumes Gulf Bookings
China’s state‑backed COSCO Shipping Lines announced it will resume new bookings for standard freight containers from the Far East to the Gulf, covering the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq. The decision reverses a March 4 suspension triggered by...
High-Tech Switches as the Key to Project Success
Europe’s rail networks are facing higher traffic, tighter construction windows, and the need for uninterrupted service. Voestalpine Railway Systems addresses these challenges by fully pre‑assembling and testing turnouts in a factory environment, shifting complex work off the track. The company...
The World Is Watching Shipping — Now What?
The Maritime Attention Index (MAI) shows five spikes in public interest over the past five years, with two occurring in early 2026 due to sanctioned tanker seizures and the Hormuz closure. The index, which aggregates Google searches, Wikipedia views, social...
DB Cargo Has Equipped 60 Diesel Locomotives with the LEADER System in Just Four Months
DB Cargo has completed a rapid retrofit of its entire Class 77 diesel fleet, installing the LEADER driver‑assistance system on all 60 locomotives within four months. The digital tool, first proven on electric units since 2016, is designed to cut fuel...
Uber Discontinues Shuttle in Delhi NCR, Shifts Focus to B2B Employee Transport Services
Uber announced the discontinuation of its Shuttle bus service in Delhi NCR, effective March 27, marking the exit of its bus‑based commute offering from India’s last remaining market. The move follows similar shutdowns in Mumbai and Hyderabad, which were attributed...
Registration Opens for Splash Singapore
Registration opened for Splash Singapore, the first edition of an Asia‑focused shipowner conference slated for September 24 at Singapore’s Fairmont Hotel. The event, built on eight Maritime CEO Forum editions, promises a slide‑free, sales‑free format featuring senior CEOs from Performance Shipping,...
Hyundai Plots US Model Expansion, Doubled Sales in China
Hyundai announced a $26 bn investment to launch 36 new models in North America by 2030, up from the current 25, and to localise production of a midsize pickup and long‑range EVs exceeding 600 miles. The automaker also aims to more...
Mayan Train Advances Freight Ambitions
Mexico’s 1,500‑km Mayan Train, originally built for tourism, is now testing freight operations. Night trials employ three Wabtec‑supplied ES44AC diesel locomotives, each delivering 3.3 MW and equipped with European Train Control System (ETCS). The tests focus on coupling and positioning of...
Renfe Invests €25 Million in Local and Metric Gauge Stations
Spain’s state‑owned rail operator Renfe is committing roughly $27 million to upgrade 110 suburban and metric‑gauge stations under its “A Punto” programme, with work starting in May and lasting 18 months. The modest interventions—ranging from new façades and shelters to improved parking, bike...
Leo Express and Lux Express Launch Joint Tickets to the Baltic States
Leo Express and Lux Express have teamed up to sell a single ticket that combines Leo Express’s train service with Lux Express’s coach network, linking the Czech Republic, Poland and the three Baltic capitals. The partnership routes passengers from Prague...
HHLA: Rail Growth Outpaces the Road in 2025
HHLA reported 2025 results showing a 10.9% rise in intermodal volume to 1,982 TEU, with rail freight expanding 11.2% to 1,719 k TEU and overtaking trucks. Total revenue climbed 12% to €797 million (≈$870 million) and group revenue reached €1.756 billion (≈$1.915 billion). EBIT surged...
London Travel Disruption This Weekend: Full List of Tube and Train Closures for March 28-29 2026
London’s Transport for London (TfL) will suspend several key services on the weekend of March 28‑29, 2026, including the Elizabeth line between Stratford and Shenfield and a full closure of Liverpool Street’s main concourse. The Metropolitan line, DLR, and entire...
State Aid for Investment: A Driving Force for Railway Infrastructure
The European Commission has released new guidelines on state aid for railway infrastructure, updating the 2008 framework to include explicit rules for financing new lines, upgrades, and digital traffic‑management projects. The rules differentiate aid for interoperability from rolling‑stock modernization and...
Skoda to Exit China by Mid-2026 After 95% Sales Collapse
Skoda confirmed it will leave China by mid‑2026 after sales plummeted from 341,000 units in 2018 to just 15,000 this year, a drop of more than 95 %. The brand’s market share fell below 0.1 % as domestic rivals like BYD and...
Elkann Calls 2025 a “Year of Reckoning” For Stellantis
Stellantis chairman John Elkann labeled 2025 a “year of reckoning” after the automaker posted a $25.8 bn loss, driven by $28.9 bn of balance‑sheet charges tied to an over‑ambitious electrification push. The losses exposed misaligned product strategy, strained dealer relations and costly...
Tesla’s Newest “Folding V4 Superchargers” Are Key to Its Most Aggressive Expansion Yet
Tesla has introduced a folding V4 Supercharger that lets 33% more units fit on a single truck, slashing deployment time by half and cutting installation costs about 20%. The new V4 cabinet delivers up to 500 kW per stall for passenger...
Iran's Hormuz Fee Push Spurs Focus on Malacca
Iran's bid to start charging a fee to vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz (Tehran never ratified the UNCLOS despite signing it in 1982) is making other countries ensure they don't encounter such risks in other chokepoints -- the Straits...
Volz Servos Developed Custom Actuator Technology for Twister eVTOL
Volz Servos has engineered a custom version of its DA 15‑N actuator to power the wing‑flap ailerons on Quantum Systems’ Twister short‑range eVTOL. The servos incorporate the ARINC 825 CAN protocol, delivering aerospace‑grade timing, prioritisation and reliability for certification‑ready operation. Twister,...
Hormuz: Open — But No Longer Free
The Strait of Hormuz is still physically open, but ships now sail only with explicit clearance. A new geopolitical filter has turned the waterway into a controlled corridor, requiring vessels to obtain permission before transiting. This system prioritizes certain cargoes—especially...
Pandora Selects Hardis WMS to Unify Global Jewelry Supply Chain
Pandora, the world’s largest jewelry retailer, selected Hardis Supply Chain as its global warehouse management system partner to modernize a complex, multi‑region supply chain. The configurable WMS will replace a rigid platform across manufacturing in Thailand, European distribution, and North...
Truck Upgrades for the Field: Suspension
Upgrading a pickup’s suspension delivers the most noticeable on‑road improvement, especially on washboard or pothole‑ridden routes. The author chose the FOX 2.5 coilover leveling kit from BDS for a Silverado 1500, seeking a modest front lift, better ride quality, and...
BMW M3 Touring
BMW’s 2026 M3 Touring received a mid‑life facelift that adds a more aggressive front end, updated wheel designs and a flat‑bottom steering wheel, while the twin‑turbo S58 engine now delivers 523 bhp – a 20‑bhp gain – and 479 lb‑ft of torque....
Spring 2026 Shipping and Energy Newsletter
The Spring 2026 Shipping and Energy Newsletter surveys a wave of UK court rulings that reshape risk allocation in shipbuilding, charter parties and offshore contracts, including the innominate classification of refund‑guarantee obligations, stricter scrutiny of force‑majeure notices, and market‑rate damages for...
Why Cities Need More ‘Agile’ Streets
Santa Monica’s broken plastic bollards are being reframed as real‑time data points that expose mismatches between street design and driver behavior. The city’s "agile" or quick‑build approach treats these temporary installations as experiments, using their survival—or destruction—to decide where permanent...
Road Rage Cascades: One Aggressive Move Sparks Chaos
This morning I encountered a driver with serious anger issues. I signaled early to filter out, but instead of slowing down, he stepped on the accelerator. Perhaps he was upset that a Tesla still managed to filter out. Guess what he did next. He...
Tanker Carrying Russian Oil Hit By Drone Attack in Black Sea
A Sierra Leone‑flagged Suezmax tanker, the Altura, was struck by drones near the Bosporus, damaging its bridge and engine room but causing no crew injuries. Turkish officials say the attack likely involved an unmanned underwater vehicle, a rare method in...
Saudi Arabia Ramps Yanbu Exports Toward 5 MMbpd as Hormuz Disruption Forces Rerouting
Saudi Arabia is accelerating crude exports from its Yanbu Red Sea terminals, aiming for a 5 MMbpd target as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed by Iran. The East‑West pipeline linking Abqaiq to Yanbu can handle 7 MMbpd, but 2 MMbpd are...
Two Bulkers Collide on Mississippi Near New Orleans
Two bulk carriers collided on the Mississippi River near Hahnville, Louisiana, on March 23. The geared bulker African Buzzard’s anchor became embedded in the bow of the downbound freighter Pac Dubhe, leaving both vessels entangled and the African Buzzard aground. No injuries or pollution...
Journalist Breaks New Ground: First to Drive Jeep Wrangler 392
I've had a lot of first: first journalist to complete the nuclear triad, first to film and fly in the B-2 stealth bomber. And now, the first journalist to film and drive the Jeep Commando Wrangler 392! #jeep #wrangler #392 #itsajeepthing
EVs Charge Cheaper than Petrol, Urging UK Renewable Push
as gas and oil prices surge, I managed to charge up two EVs yesterday for far less than 1 litre of petrol (gasoline) 🙃 I hope the UK government follows Portugal and Spain and invests heavily in renewable energy https://t.co/9xuUvHpp9C
Do Most Cars Have 900 Degree Steering Wheels?
Most production cars use a lock‑to‑lock steering range of roughly two and a half to three full turns, translating to about 720‑1080 degrees. While many passenger vehicles sit near the 900‑degree mark, there is no universal standard dictating that exact...
Grass-Covered Tram Tracks Boost City Aesthetics and Quiet
Germany has installed 'green tram tracks' covered with grass to improve urban aesthetics, reduce noise and improve the #Environment. Your thoughts? Would it work well in your city? #Urban #GreenSpace https://t.co/f3Cr9Za0IC
Rising Airfares Threaten Future Vacation Plans
Soaring airfares are about to ruin a whole lot of vacations https://t.co/qxtqm1jOwU via @oanhha https://t.co/VAx5U3K3yr
Jet‑Suit Paramedics Cut Helvellyn Rescue Time to Minutes
“Someone called for a doctor?!” Jet suit paramedics can reach the top of Helvellyn in 3.5 minutes instead of 1 hour 15 minutes. https://t.co/LLwiZQIeTj
Donald Shoup’s Idea Sparks Chicago Parking Reform Hurricane
A butterfly named Donald Shoup flaps his wings in 1999 and 27 years later a hurricane of parking reform hits Chicago. https://t.co/g1LTjVy6jw
Iran's $2 Million Strait Fee Shows Mutual Benefit
Finally, a little commerce is moving in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranians benefit by charging up to $2 million for free passage and those who pass obviously benefit or they wouldn’t pay the transit fee. THREE CHEERS FOR COMMERCE. https://t.co/hzDa6MSkxF