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:
GM Patents A 'Daisy Chain' Charger To Juice Up Multiple EVs At Once
General Motors has filed a patent for a daisy‑chain charging system that links a single high‑power DC fast charger to multiple low‑power access points (LPAPs). Each LPAP can feed an electric vehicle, allowing two cars to charge from one station simultaneously at reduced power levels. The system includes onboard controllers that assess each vehicle’s state of charge and dynamically allocate power, potentially prioritizing the most depleted battery. If implemented, the technology could halve queue times at busy fast‑charging locations.
Is The Urban Cruiser Toyota’s Placeholder As It Pivots To BEVs In The Philippines?
Toyota Motor Philippines launched the Urban Cruiser EV at PHP 2.135 million, undercutting its own bZ4x and becoming the brand’s cheapest fully electric model. The vehicle is a completely built unit from Suzuki’s Gujarat plant, reflecting a cost‑saving Toyota‑Suzuki partnership. While priced...
This Is All It Takes to Stop a Train (Lock and Code S07E06)
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) experienced three major network failures between May 2025 and February 2026, each shutting down service for thousands of commuters. The outages stemmed from aging networking equipment that lost train‑location visibility, forcing a system‑wide halt. Repeated crashes exposed...
Thailand Post Trumpets EV Fleet as Fuel Costs Mount
Thailand Post, the state‑run logistics provider, is accelerating its shift to electric vehicles for last‑mile delivery as fuel prices surge amid the Middle East oil crisis. Oil now accounts for roughly 30% of the carrier’s operating costs, prompting a plan...
Trump Orders ICE to Staff TSA Checkpoints Amid NY Airport Delays
President Donald Trump announced that ICE agents will be sent to major U.S. airports on Monday to help alleviate severe TSA security line backlogs, especially in New York City. The move comes as the administration faces pressure over staffing shortages...
Frontier Group CEO Unveils Turnaround Plan: Fleet Right-Sizing, $200M Cuts, Loyalty Push
Frontier Group’s CEO Jimmy Dempsey unveiled a multi‑year turnaround plan that right‑sizes fleet growth to high single‑digit percentages and launches a $200 million cost‑savings program through 2027, half of which comes from rent reductions tied to an AerCap deal. The airline...
The SEC Drops Its Four-Year-Old Investigation Into EV Startup Faraday Future
The SEC closed its four‑year investigation into electric‑vehicle startup Faraday Future, despite staff having issued Wells Notices recommending enforcement. The probe had centered on alleged false statements during the 2021 SPAC merger and purportedly fabricated vehicle sales in 2023. The...
Short‑lived Traffic Managers Fuel Impending Carrier Revenge
The issue at many major shippers is that the tenure of the traffic manager is less than two years. They've never seen a carrier's market. They don't know what its like when truckers have the power. Carrier's Revenge is...
Eco Mode Doesn’t Always Save Gas: 5 Reasons to Reconsider Using It
Gas prices have surged past $3.80 per gallon, prompting drivers to seek fuel‑saving tricks. Eco Mode, marketed as an economy feature, reduces throttle response, shifts earlier, and limits climate‑control power. Independent testing shows it rarely improves mileage and can even increase...
Subaru's Small Hybrid SUV Blends Efficiency with Adventure-Ready Capability
Subaru launched the 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid, a subcompact SUV that pairs its 2.5‑liter boxer‑hybrid powertrain with standard symmetrical all‑wheel drive. Priced from $30,625, it offers 194 hp, 8.7 inches of ground clearance, and a suite of premium tech, positioning it as one...
Pilot Keeps Flying After Passenger Dies, Body Stored Onboard
🚨CRAZY 30 minutes into a 13-hour flight, a woman died on a British Airways flight Remarkably, the pilot chose to continue the trip instead of turning around and attending to the unfortunate event Come the end of the flight, passengers began complaining...
The OG Four-Door Porsche Sports Sedan Wasn't Even Built By Porsche
The Porsche Panamera’s roots trace back to a one‑off 1967 four‑door 911 built by a Texas dealer and custom fabricators, not Porsche itself. The dealer, William Dick, commissioned Troutman & Barnes to cut, weld, and add factory doors to a...
Volvo Used to Advertise Dependability. Now It’s Ranked Almost Last
Volvo has slipped to near‑bottom in J.D. Power’s 2026 Vehicle Dependability Study, logging 296 problems per 100 vehicles and ranking 30th of 31 brands. The figure marks a sharp rise from 242 problems per 100 vehicles reported in the 2025...
National Trucking Capacity Is About to Tighten Significantly
National dry‑van spot rates surged to $2.89 per mile, the highest level since 2022, after a $0.12 weekly jump. The rise reflects a 20‑25% year‑over‑year recovery on key lanes and volumes at multi‑year highs. Carrier attrition, driver regulations and tender...
West Coast Surge Pulls Long‑Haul Truckers Eastward
The West Coast hasn't been participating in the trucking market surge, as the ports were slow this March due to CNY. That is about to change. We are seeing significant tightening in the Los Angeles freight market as containers start...
United Airlines Misses Opportunity With Polaris Companion Ottoman
United Airlines’ Polaris business‑class cabin features a companion ottoman designed to extend the seat for a second passenger, yet the airline has not packaged it with an adjacent economy seat. The omission leaves a gap in United’s product offering, especially...
Europe Faces Jet Fuel Shortage Amid Kuwait Strikes
Forget TSA lines, the real problem with air travel in the coming weeks is fuel. Some cargoes are already diverting toward the U.S. on a Jones Act waiver, so domestic travel might hold. Europe? Different story. About 1.77M barrels/day of jet fuel...
American Airlines AAdvantage Mileage Expiration Policy: How to Keep Your Miles From Expiring
American Airlines’ AAdvantage miles now expire after 24 months of inactivity, but members under 21 and primary holders of co‑branded credit cards are exempt. Any qualifying earn or redemption activity resets the clock, while expired miles can be reinstated for...
Hellmann Expands Freight Forwarding Network in the Americas
Hellmann Worldwide Logistics is expanding its freight‑forwarding network across the Americas through a partnership with ProTrans, integrating TOC's forwarding activities into its global platform. The move bolsters Hellmann’s presence in the United States and Mexico, key markets in a high‑volume...
American’s Hub Problem Is A Credit Card Problem
Airlines now earn more from co‑branded credit cards than from flying passengers, with Delta pulling $8.2 billion and American $6.2 billion in 2025—amounts that dwarf their operating incomes. Executives like Doug Parker admit that traditional hub profitability models ignore the true value...
Tesla Model Y and 3 Triple Sales of BYD Top 2 EV Models in China
Tesla’s Model Y was the second‑best‑selling vehicle in China in February 2026, while the Model 3 placed fifth among electric cars. Only Geely’s $10,000 Xingyuan sold more units than the Model Y that month. BYD’s Yuan Plus, priced around $16,000, moved just over half the...
BMW I3 Electric Range
The Scammer Edition Sam's getting better but his voice is still a bit hoarse as he drove the Infiniti QX60 Sport AWD. Nicole had her turn in the Kia K4 Hatchback GT-Line without a turbo and was still impressed. In the...
Federal Immigration Agents Sent to U.S. Airports to Support Security During Budget Impasse
President Donald Trump announced that ICE officers will be deployed to major U.S. airports to assist the TSA amid a partial DHS shutdown caused by a budget impasse. Hundreds of thousands of TSA, Secret Service and Coast Guard employees have...
Electric Propulsion Innovator Arc Raises $50M in New Funding
Arc, a Los Angeles‑based electric boat and powertrain firm, closed a $50 million Series C round led by investors such as a16z, Menlo Ventures, and Eclipse. The capital will be used to accelerate production of electric tugboat powertrains and to expand the...
Do Dirt Roads Even Have Speed Limits?
U.S. states all impose a default speed limit on dirt, gravel or sand roads that lack posted signs, with limits ranging from 20 mph in New Jersey to 55 mph in Pennsylvania and Wyoming. Municipalities can modify these defaults after conducting speed studies,...
Amazon Sees India as High-Growth Market, Expands Seller Incentives and Logistics Network: Report
Amazon is treating India as a long‑term growth market, expanding its zero‑referral‑fee program to cover roughly 125 million products. The company announced an additional $35 billion investment in India by 2030, on top of the $40 billion already spent. A new air...
Chevy LT1 V8s: A Comparison Of Three Small Blocks
Chevrolet has applied the LT1 badge to three distinct small‑block V8s, each reflecting its era’s engineering priorities. The 1970 LT‑1 produced up to 370 hp with a solid‑lifter cam and high compression, becoming a collector’s holy grail. The 1992‑1997 LT1 introduced...
Trump’s Airport Security Threat Sparks Debate as India Lifts Domestic Airfare Caps
President Donald Trump has floated the idea of deploying ICE agents to U.S. airport security checkpoints, prompting sharp criticism. At the same time, India’s civil aviation ministry lifted temporary caps on domestic airfares imposed after IndiGo’s December service disruptions.
Cavotec Secures €3M Shore Power Order for Southern Italy Ports
Cavotec has won a €3 million contract to install its PowerFeed, PowerReach and PowerMove shore‑power systems across several Southern Italy ports. The equipment will let cruise, container and RoRo vessels draw electricity from the grid while docked, eliminating the need for...
Flighty / 23 Learnings on Community / Keep the Meter Running
The newsletter spotlights a suite of niche tools and ideas: Flighty’s iOS app delivers real‑time flight tracking and proactive alerts for travelers; Patricia Mou’s essay distills 23 community‑building principles; the Keep the Meter Running TikTok series captures authentic New York...
Volkswagen Reveals More Details About Its New Small SUV
Volkswagen unveiled more details on its upcoming ID. Cross, a subcompact electric SUV set to launch in Europe in fall 2026. The model sits on the new MEB+ platform, offering front‑wheel‑drive and three motor outputs ranging from 114 hp to 208 hp. It will...
Domestic Flight Prices Soaring to $800‑$1500 for Short Trips
Have flight prices gone up a lot lately? I have a few domestic trips I’m taking over the next few months and wanted to book flights yesterday and most flights were $800-$1500 for short, non-stop flights. It seems a little...
Amazon Overtakes USPS in 2025 Package Deliveries
Amazon delivered more packages than the USPS in 2025, a first. Having worked at Amazon until 2004, that's one of those things that's both stunning and doesn't surprise me at all https://t.co/BypxYnlQgk
Airline Puts Woman, Child in Cockpit to Dodge Compensation
Woman And Child Flew Six Hours In Cockpit Jumpseats — Airline Avoided Paying Overbooking Compensation - View from the Wing https://t.co/22hFCb7EkB
Tesla Secretly Uses LiDAR for Vision Training, Not Production
This is getting dunked somewhat unfairly. Tesla is using LiDAR to get training data to improve their vision-only systems. That should raise some eyebrows - LiDAR is clearly valuable in ways Elon denies. But it's not the same as using...
Considering a Used F250 Purchase This Summer
I’ve been in the market for a used F250. Thinking this summer might be a good opportunity. https://t.co/hlsi7GwL5b
Airlines' Abandoned Fuel Hedges Signal Rising Ticket Prices
Oh no! US airlines are no longer hedged against oil price shocks. Now we will all be paying in higher fares. Just like PJM states who didn't hedge against the recent increase. And California in 2000-2001. Hindsight is 20-20 but...
Houston TSA Delays Reach Two‑and‑half Hours
Two and a half hour wait for TSA in Houston? Is it too obvious to say? Houston, we have a problem. https://t.co/rUJvgxQ9c1
Freight Market Flipping: Unprecedented Capacity Churn Sparks Demand
The SONAR team has been telling shipper and broker clients for months that every capacity signal was warning that the freight market was flipping and it wasn't just holiday peaks or weather. Unprecedented capacity churn with early green shoots in...
2026 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Delivers Luxurious Compact SUV Experience
The 2026 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid AWD Premium Plus offers a refined, surprisingly luxurious drive experience. It's a solid compact SUV that I drove for a week. Here are my thoughts and commentary: https://t.co/ezHTzu1mqe #mazda #suv #cars #auto @mazdausa https://t.co/Qbs8FdjBGy
BYD Proves Affordable EVs with 5‑minute Flash Charging Thrive
And amidst the EV slowdown, @BYDCompany is demonstrating that if you can create a product meeting customer needs at the right price point, there is a market to be had... "Flash charging" 70% in 5-min tech provides one such addition......
Routing Guides Collapse, Trucks Vanish, Budgets Suffer
Routing guides getting wrecked. It’s just starting. The “it’s just the weather” crowd is going to have a hard time to explaining to their bosses why trucks aren’t showing up this spring and budgets are getting obliterated.
Canada’s
Is the Royal Canadian “navy” going to send three staff officers to help with paperwork like they did to reopen the Red Sea? Or can they not even manage that anymore?
Why Not Seize Iranian Tankers and Sell Their Oil?
Ok but I still have to ask… why don’t we just seize the Iranian tankers and sell the oil ourselves?
SF Paratransit Bus Illegally Removes Stop Sign, Endangers Riders
This is priceless. SF Paratransit bus that probably makes less than one pickup a day (a jobs program, not a service for the electorate) is illegally daylighting a stop sign in hopes of creating some more paraplegics to not bus...
Imm
FFS CNN, don't just swallow their BS. They are being deployed as intimidation and political blackmail. Immigration agents deploying to airports under border czar as TSA staffing falls short https://t.co/GLyiaot5nW
Unprepared Shippers Face Exploding Transportation Budgets
Shippers that didn’t prepare for higher transportation costs this year are about to have their budgets blown out.
Pilots Spend Most of Flight on Radio Check‑ins
Sad but true. Most of what a pilot does mid flight is to check in and let ATC know they are still in radio contact or changing frequencies.
Skip TSA Chaos with PreCheck and CLEAR
Public Service Announcement: The hack to getting around this TSA madness is TSA PreCheck + CLEAR.
Tourism Surge Threatened by Imminent Jet Fuel Shortage
This’ll do wonders for tourism. But we’re gonna start running out of jet fuel real soon anyway, so… https://t.co/Llcayc1dDX