Know What's Happening in Transportation
Know What's Happening in Transportation
Brightline West earmarks $21B for high‑speed LA‑Las Vegas rail
Brightline West is allocating roughly $21B to build a high‑speed rail line linking Los Angeles and Las Vegas, targeting completion before the 2028 Olympics. The two‑hour service will compete with a three‑hour door‑to‑door flight that carries about two million passengers each year, with fares ranging from $80 to $250.
Also developing:
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 suborbital flights, has proven its flexibility and cost advantage. The proposed ramp‑up reflects a strategic shift toward leveraging defense launch assets for private customers. Potential upgrades could enable multiple launches per month, aligning military capacity with market growth.
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 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’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,...
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...
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...
$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...
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
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...
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 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...
Hong Kong lawmakers have criticised the lack of a public car park at the newly upgraded Huanggang border crossing, which sits on the Shenzhen side of the border. Transport officials say a parking site may be located near the San Tin...
![Slush Pits and Snowball Fights: Slate’s Upcoming Pickup Endures Winter Testing [Video]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/03/Slate-winter-testing-slush.jpg?resize=1200%2C628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Slate Auto, the young American EV startup, released a video showing its Bare Slate pickup prototypes undergoing extreme winter testing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The tests included a slush pit, sub‑zero cold chambers, and even a snowball fight, with engineers...
Volvo’s 2027 EX90 electric SUV will carry over the 2025 model’s design and powertrain lineup, with pricing ranging from $79,000 for the base single‑motor to $91,000 for the top‑trim Ultra. The 2026 update introduced an 800‑volt charging system that can...
Tata Motors, BMW, Audi and other automakers will raise vehicle prices in India next month as material and logistics costs surge amid Middle‑East tensions and a weakening rupee. Tata plans up to a 1.5% hike for commercial vehicles and a...
Waymos are encountering the tyranny of the bottom quintile. This morning’s Waymo smells like someone puked in it and the depot did their best to cover it up. I imagine there are already internal teams spinning up projects to address. I would...
The Thai‑flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree, a 30,000‑dwt vessel owned by Precious Shipping, was struck by two projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz on March 11, igniting an engine‑room fire and forcing abandonment. Twenty crew members were rescued by Oman’s navy,...
China’s Carmakers Return to Growth in Europe With EV Sales When will they be available in the US? https://t.co/kCFXgE8I5r
Vertical Aerospace announced a strategic partnership with Italy’s Isoclima S.p.A. to design and manufacture the complete transparency suite for its upcoming Valo eVTOL, including pilot and passenger canopies and glazing systems. The agreement secures long‑term supply stability and technical continuity...
Flatbed rejections remain extremely elevated as we head into the weekend. Half of all flatbed loads are being turned down by operators. https://t.co/RMKQZhvvwh
A new Predictive Reliability Index (PRI) framework uses machine learning to forecast carrier‑level pickup defects, achieving an 85% accuracy rate and a 30% reduction in high‑risk defects. The model ingests over 147 data points, distills them to 20 key predictors,...
LOGISTEED will integrate the domestic freight forwarding functions of ALPS Logistics into LOGISTEED Express, effective April 1 2026. The consolidation aims to simplify operations, standardize processes, and improve consistency amid increasingly complex supply chains driven by geopolitical risks and market volatility. By...
Volkswagen has launched pre‑sales in China for the ID. UNYX 08, its first EV built on Xpeng’s Edward platform. The five‑metre SUV is priced between ¥239,900 and ¥299,900 (approximately $33,000‑$41,000) and features two Xpeng‑designed Turing AI chips delivering over 1,500 TOPS for...
Qatar Airways has parked a fleet of 22 aircraft at Spain’s Teruel Airport between March 18 and 24, marking a sharp surge in storage activity. The influx follows the escalation of the Iran‑Gulf conflict, which prompted widespread airspace closures and...
Missouri-based Piston Aviation abruptly shut its three locations, leaving dozens of students who prepaid up to $90,000 for flight training in limbo. The school’s refund policy promises reimbursements within 180 days, but many, like Drake Polacek and Chris Harness, report...
U.S.-flagged Great Lakes freighters are immobilized in the St. Marys River and Whitefish Bay after the Soo Locks opened, as ice up to two feet thick—covered by three feet of snow—blocks passage. The sole U.S. heavy icebreaker, the Coast Guard cutter...
UK airports are increasingly adopting smart security technologies to protect aircraft, workers, passengers, and cargo amid rising traffic volumes. Biometric ID cards, mobile access apps, and connected cameras enable real‑time credential updates and granular tracking of staff across airside and...
Shandong Airlines, an Air China subsidiary, announced a lease of ten Boeing 737‑800 jets valued at about $400 million. The move aims to replace aging aircraft and modernize its domestic network. The lease comes weeks before President Donald Trump’s planned trade...
Czech private rail operator Leo Express has secured a seven‑year contract to run a cross‑border passenger service linking Prague, Plzeň and Munich. The award, granted jointly by the Czech Ministry of Transport and German railway authorities, calls for four daily...
Electric‑vehicle owners can stretch each kilowatt‑hour by adopting disciplined driving habits and leveraging built‑in technologies. Techniques such as gentle acceleration, regenerative braking, pre‑conditioning while plugged in, proper tire inflation, and moderate highway speeds can shave significant range off the battery’s...
London’s iconic pink Albert Bridge will remain closed to vehicles until 2027 after engineers discovered a cracked cast‑iron component that destabilises a key joint. The Grade II‑listed crossing, opened in 1873, will undergo a £8.5 million (£10.8 million USD) repair programme lasting about...
ITA Airways announced its first net profit for 2025, posting €209 million (≈$230 million) after a €436 million swing from the prior year. The carrier achieved the result while operating 11% fewer flights and carrying 8% fewer passengers, lifting its load factor to...
A lot of people think it would be better if we had private security with TSA just setting standards. This is true, but misses the biggest opportunity. We deserve an air travel security system that is as lightweight as for...
G6 Hospitality, the parent of Motel 6 and Studio 6, has unveiled G6 Marketplace, an enterprise‑grade procurement platform for its US and Canada franchise network. The digital hub consolidates suppliers, inventory, pricing and ordering, allowing franchisees to source supplies, lock...
Dutch startup GoVolta has launched budget train services linking Amsterdam with Berlin and Hamburg, offering one‑way fares as low as €19 (≈ $22). The routes run three times weekly starting March 19‑20, 2026, with plans to increase to daily departures in summer 2026....
The ongoing Middle East conflict has wiped about $53 bn off the market value of the world’s 20 largest airlines in just three weeks, while jet fuel prices have jumped from $87 to $150‑$200 per barrel, doubling one of the sector’s...
Iona, founded by French entrepreneur Etienne Louvet, is set to launch Ireland’s first commercial drone delivery service by the end of 2026. The startup has raised nearly €4.5 million (about $4.9 million) and is classified as a high‑potential venture by Enterprise Ireland....
Sam Rutherford, a veteran single‑engine ferry pilot, shared vivid stories from his global aircraft delivery career, including a surprise wedding invitation in Sudan, an engine failure over the Atlantic, and an F‑18 intercept near Iran. The interview highlights the unpredictable...
The Trump administration granted a 60‑day waiver of the Jones Act to ease oil market disruptions amid rising crude prices and supply‑chain strains from the Iran conflict. The Jones Act, a 1920 cabotage law requiring U.S.-flagged, U.S.-built vessels for domestic...
Air Alderney has applied for a ground‑handling licence that would let it base up to ten BN‑2 Islander aircraft on the Channel Island of Alderney. The plan earmarks one aircraft for year‑round medevac missions while the remaining nine would serve...
A partial U.S. government shutdown has left TSA workers unpaid, triggering three‑hour security lines and prompting travelers to look beyond flights. The article highlights a suite of travel‑search apps—Wanderu, Omio, Rome2Rio, Virail, Vivanoda and Seat 61—that aggregate bus, train, ferry and...
Bombardier has delivered the inaugural Global 8000 business jet to NetJets, its fleet launch customer. The aircraft’s 8,000‑nautical‑mile range and four‑zone cabin set a new luxury benchmark, and NetJets plans to build a 24‑aircraft fleet while upgrading its Global 7500s.
Datalogic announced that its newly launched Matrix 830/930 barcode reader has been selected by a leading European courier and parcel operator for high‑volume logistics. After a rigorous head‑to‑head technical evaluation, the operator plans to deploy dozens of the devices across its...
Ford Motor Co. is adding a third shift at its Dearborn Truck Plant to produce an extra 50,000 F-150 pickups in 2026 after a fire at aluminum supplier Novelis crippled output. The shortage has forced the automaker to prioritize high‑margin...
![[UPDATE] Senate Approves Funding for TSA](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/articles/99acd9c093d6c5fd425f757c48799849.webp)
After six weeks of a partial DHS shutdown, the Senate approved a funding package that restores pay for TSA agents and funds most DHS components, including FEMA and the Coast Guard. The bill deliberately omits funding for Immigration and Customs...
Iran announced a new toll of up to $2 million for commercial ships passing the Strait of Hormuz, a move that threatens to raise shipping costs and tighten global oil supplies. The fee comes amid heightened missile attacks, diplomatic deadlock and...
Spokane County Fire District 9 will launch its own ambulance service on July 1, offering free transport to district residents after American Medical Response doubled its rates. The district has purchased three new cherry‑red ambulances at roughly $385,000 each and expects the...
UK average petrol price reached 150.11 pence per litre (≈£1.50/$1.88), with diesel at 177.68 pence (≈£1.78/$2.22), the highest levels since May 2024. The surge, tied to the Iran‑Israel conflict and rising crude, is inflating motorists’ travel costs and feeding broader inflation worries. At...
