Today's Transportation Pulse
Uber expands robotaxi rollout to Houston, targeting mid‑2027 launch
Uber, Nuro and Lucid have chosen Houston as the second city for their robotaxi service after the San Francisco Bay Area debut later this year. The fleet will consist of Lucid Gravity electric SUVs equipped with Nuro’s Level‑4 autonomous driving platform and will be accessed via the Uber app. Uber has secured a 50,000‑square‑foot depot in Houston for charging and maintenance.
Also developing:
By the numbers: US IDFC partners with Chubb on $20B maritime reinsurance plan
Boeing’s Forgotten Jumbo Jet Is Now Worth Less Than $150 Million
The Boeing 747‑100, the original “Jumbo Jet,” entered service in 1970 and saw 167 units built. Today, its market value has fallen to under $150 million, far below the inflation‑adjusted $190 million original price and the $418 million list price of a new 747‑8. Only three airlines still operate passenger 747s, marking the end of an era for the iconic airliner. Boeing’s upcoming 777X is positioned as the next high‑capacity, fuel‑efficient successor.
Porter Doubles Sun Destination Capacity for 2026 Winter Season
Porter Airlines is set to double its sun‑destination capacity for the 2026/27 winter, targeting nearly 5,000 flights to Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. The airline adds four new leisure cities—Aruba, Los Cabos, Montego Bay and San José, Costa Rica—and launches its first non‑domestic...
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Bluebox Delivers Flexible Future IFEC Options with Blueview
Bluebox Aviation Systems won the 2026 PAX Readership Award for Best IFE by a Supplier with its Blueview Cloud solution, a cloud‑based integration layer that hosts the full IFE suite on the ground and removes the need for onboard hardware....
Antwerp Light Rail Tunnels Close for Major Renovation
Belgian public‑transport operator De Lijn has begun an 11‑month shutdown of Antwerp’s pre‑metro tunnels, including the 1975 city‑centre section and the 1990 cross‑river tunnel under the Scheldt. All track, ballast and overhead electrification will be stripped, asbestos removed, and new...
Nigerian Ports Blocked by Collision Between Maersk Feeder and Small Tanker
A Maersk feeder containership, the 23,359‑dwt Maersk Valparaiso, ran aground after colliding with the small tanker Lady Martina in Nigeria’s Bonny Channel. The incident has blocked access to both Port Harcourt and Onne’s West Africa Container Terminal, halting vessel movements. Five crew...
Bedford Pushes Back On ADS-B Fee Collection
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told a Senate subcommittee that ADS‑B was created solely as a safety and situational‑awareness tool, not for revenue collection. His remarks come as Congress drafts aviation safety legislation following the January 2025 mid‑air collision near Reagan...
ADG 5/21: Price Check
The U.S. Justice Department has charged four major shipping‑container manufacturers—including Hong Kong‑based Singamas and China’s CIMC—accusing them of a multi‑year price‑fixing conspiracy that doubled container prices from 2019 to 2021. In parallel, Walmart reported first‑quarter results that missed consensus, with...
Here’s How Regulations Accidentally Killed Small Trucks in America
Regulatory measures, notably the 1960s Chicken Tax and the 2010 EPA footprint model, have unintentionally squeezed the U.S. market for compact pickup trucks. The tariff discouraged imports of small pickups, while the fuel‑economy formula rewarded larger vehicles, prompting automakers to...
Fiat X1/25: The Electric City Car That About Forty Years Too Early
In 1972 Fiat unveiled the X1/23, a two‑seat electric city car that could hit 70 km/h and travel 70‑80 km on a charge. The prototype featured a 13‑14 kW motor, lead‑acid batteries, and an early regenerative‑braking system. Despite its forward‑looking design, the model...
Railroads Oppose Safety Bill Backed by Biden, Democrats
.@RepTroyNehls says the large railroads are trying to kill his rail safety bill, despite support from @POTUS and Democrats: "This is the right thing to do"
Tesla Model Y Becomes First-Ever Car to Reach Legendary Milestone
The Tesla Model Y became the first vehicle in Norway to surpass 100,000 new registrations, reaching 100,224 units as of May 20, 2026. By population, one in every 29 passenger cars on Norwegian roads is now a Model Y, highlighting...
Delta CEO Brushes Off Elon Musk, Says Amazon Offers More Than Starlink
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian defended the airline’s selection of Amazon’s low‑Earth‑orbit satellite network, Leo, over SpaceX’s Starlink. He emphasized that Amazon offers a lower price and a suite of services—including Prime video, gaming, retail and advertising—that go beyond...
Massive New “Landmark” Alaska Lounge Coming To Seattle In Late 2027
Alaska Airlines will launch a 41,000‑square‑foot, two‑level lounge at Seattle‑Tacoma International Airport in late 2027, making it the airport’s largest lounge and one of the biggest in the United States. The facility will seat roughly 700 guests, offering premium bars,...
Columbus McKinnon Conveyance Solutions Group Showcases Advanced Conveyance
Columbus McKinnon Corporation (CMCO) will showcase its Conveyance Solutions Group at Automate 2026 in Chicago, featuring Dorner, Garvey and montratec brands. The booth will present an integrated pallet‑loop that combines montrac® shuttles, Dorner’s DualMove platform and ERT series conveyors, highlighting flexible,...
Seven Pro‑Palestinian Protesters Face Up to 15 Years for Golden Gate Bridge Shutdown
Seven pro‑Palestinian demonstrators are on trial in San Francisco for blocking southbound traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge for more than four hours on April 15, 2024. Prosecutors say the act was a deliberate obstruction, while defense attorneys argue it...
Oklahoma Approves Five-Year Airport Construction Plan
Oklahoma aviation officials approved a $520 million, five‑year airport construction program that will fund 176 projects from June 2026 through May 2031. The plan includes 99 projects aimed at aviation‑related business development, new hangars at Tulsa International, Chickasha Municipal and the Infinity One...
Joby Sues Archer Over Alleged eVTOL Espionage as Counterclaims Accuse China Ties
Joby Aviation filed a federal lawsuit accusing Archer Aviation and former employee George Kivork of stealing proprietary eVTOL technology. Archer has responded with a counterclaim alleging Joby concealed its dependence on Chinese parts, prompting an International Trade Commission probe and...
Intermodal Volumes Fall Just Short of Annual Growth in April, Reports IANA
Intermodal freight volumes in April 2026 slipped 0.6% year‑over‑year to 1,568,662 units, driven by a 6.4% drop in ISO containers while domestic equipment rose 8.2%. The Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) introduced its Intermodal Volume Index (IVI), posting a...
US Naval Ops in Hormuz Heighten Oil Market Volatility as Prices Breach $100 a Barrel
U.S. warships entered the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions with Iran, prompting merchant‑shipping risk alerts and pushing Brent crude above $100 a barrel, underscoring the geopolitical fragility of global oil supplies.
NTSB Probes Boeing MD‑11 Bearing Flaw After UPS Cargo Crash Kills 14
The National Transportation Safety Board opened a two‑day hearing on the UPS Flight 2976 crash, focusing on a small spherical bearing in the MD‑11’s left engine pylon that showed fatigue cracking for more than 20 years. Investigators questioned whether fragmented...
The Right to Ride Alone
The article contrasts wheelchair accessibility in London’s public transport with the Philippines’ capital, Manila, where legal rights exist but implementation lags. London’s buses and designated spaces allow independent travel, despite occasional infrastructure gaps. In Manila, broken sidewalks, non‑functional ramps, and...
Fertilizer, Grain, and Export Groups Seek Federal Action on Critical Vancouver Corridor
In this episode, Michael Bork, CEO of Fertilizer Canada, discusses the critical vulnerabilities of Canada’s export infrastructure, focusing on the aging Second Narrows rail bridge in Vancouver and other pinch points that threaten the flow of prairie commodities to global...
Manhattan Associates Unveils AI‑Driven Solution Design Studio to Speed Ecommerce Supply‑Chain Setup
Manhattan Associates introduced Solution Design Studio, an AI‑powered platform that translates natural‑language blueprints into live supply‑chain configurations. The tool promises to shrink implementation cycles from months to minutes, targeting warehouse and transportation managers rather than IT specialists.
Chennai Division Accelerates Railway Infrastructure Upgrades
The Southern Railway’s Chennai Division has completed a series of track‑renewal, formation‑strengthening, and curve‑correction projects during the 2025‑26 fiscal year. These engineering works have allowed permanent speed restrictions to be lifted on several key corridors, raising the permissible speed from...
Robinsons Logistix to Build FedEx Facility in Clark
Robinsons Logistix, through its joint venture RL Clark Logistix Inc., broke ground on a 78,000‑square‑meter, built‑to‑suit FedEx logistics hub at Clark International Airport. The 15‑hectare development, slated for completion in the first quarter of 2028, is 85% owned by Robinsons...
A Tale of Two Straits: Sweden and Denmark Are in a Position of Power Over Russia
Sweden and Denmark control the Øresund Strait, through which roughly 60% of Russia’s seaborne oil that funds its war in Ukraine passes. While the Strait of Hormuz remains closed after Iran‑U.S. clashes, the Øresund remains open, offering Europe a lever...
Europe’s Air Safety Watchdog Is Grounding Its Own Airlines — and Dubai Carriers Are Winning
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) extended its Conflict Zone Information Bulletin, barring EU‑registered airlines from flying to the Middle East and Persian Gulf until May 27. As a result, carriers such as Lufthansa, Air France and KLM are grounded,...
Latsis-Linked EuroHoldings Grows Product Tanker Exposure with Second Latsco Purchase
EuroHoldings, the Nasdaq‑listed Greek vessel owner, announced the purchase of the 49,997‑dwt product tanker Hellas Fighter for $39.25 million, with delivery slated for mid‑2026. The deal marks the second MR tanker acquisition from fellow Latsis‑linked shipowner Latsco Shipping, following the November...
Transporters Feel the Heat as Diesel Costs Push Kenya Railways Freight Charges Up
Kenya Railways has lifted its freight tariffs by 12% after diesel prices spiked to a record $1.88 per litre, prompting a new fuel‑indexed pricing formula. The adjustment raises the cost of moving a 20‑foot container from Mombasa to Nairobi to...
BUILD AMERICA 250 ACT: US Congress Bill Aims to Secure Long-Term Transport Funding
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee introduced the Build America 250 Act, a five‑year reauthorisation bill that would lock in federal funding for highways, bridges, transit and rail as the current surface‑transportation authorization expires on September 30. The legislation maintains...
Mitsubishi S12R Engines Used to Repower M/V Hallie M. Merrick
Canal Barge Company has repowered its 75‑foot towboat M/V Hallie M. Merrick with two Mitsubishi S12R Tier 3 engines delivering 1,100 hp each. The upgrade, completed at Sterling Shipyard with Laborde Products, replaces the older Cummins KTA38 units and brings the vessel...
Eagle Vision Launches AI Damage Reporting Tool
Eagle Vision Security unveiled Intelligent Damage Reporting (iDR), an AI‑driven platform that scans trucks and trailers for visible damage in real time. The system combines high‑resolution imaging, video analytics and centralized reporting to automate inspections at logistics yards, terminals and...
Halmar, Skanska Advance Penn Station Rebuild as Delivery Phase Begins
Halmar and Skanska have been chosen by the U.S. Department of Transportation and Amtrak to lead the Penn Station reconstruction through a new joint venture called Penn Transformation Partners. The venture will tackle active‑rail construction, convert the existing concourse to...
US DoT Launches Biometric Trucker Registry with Idemia, Clear Tech
The U.S. Department of Transportation unveiled Motus, a biometric registration platform for truck drivers and carriers, built with Idemia’s facial‑recognition technology and Clear’s data‑analytics engine. Motus replaces the fragmented FMCSA Portal and Unified Registration System, adding identity checks via Login.gov...
New Silicon Battery Partnership Targets Longer-Range Drone Delivery
Amprius Technologies and Matternet have formed a strategic partnership to embed Amprius’s silicon‑anode lithium‑ion cells into Matternet’s autonomous M2 delivery drones. The collaboration has already seen the new batteries installed in the M2 platform, which operates in several urban drone...
Rail Firm Bans Download Festival-Goers From Bringing Wheelie Bins Full of Beer Onto Trains: “While It Might Seem Like a...
East Midlands Railway announced a ban on wheelie bins filled with beer for passengers traveling to the Download festival, citing safety concerns after similar attempts last year. Customer experience director Philippa Cresswell said the bins pose a risk and will...
PSNY Master Developer Team Selected
The U.S. Department of Transportation and Amtrak have selected Penn Transformation Partners – a joint venture of Halmar and Skanska – as the private Master Developer for the Penn Station transformation, with construction slated to begin by the end of...
Chery Targets 1 Million Overseas EV Sales by 2026
China’s Chery plans for 1m EVs sold abroad amid global energy crisis Anhui-based carmaker anticipates 27% increase in foreign deliveries in 2026 as battery ranges improve and oil prices rise No "overcapacity" here, just demand, boosted by Iran conflict.. https://t.co/INi7kzAO6Q
‘Dummy Permits’ Could Overcome Last-Mile Snafus for Project Cargoes
Project cargo shippers in the United States are being urged to submit "dummy permits" up to a year in advance to test bridge clearances and state permitting feasibility. By simulating permit applications, companies can identify infrastructure constraints early and avoid...
Ship Repair USA: Shiplifts Aim to Cut Downtime, Increase Capacity
Marine Log’s Ship Repair USA 2026 conference, slated for June 23‑24 in Jacksonville, will spotlight shiplift technology in a dedicated session led by Douglas Pearlman of The Pearlson Group. The presentation, “Shiplift Economics and Throughput,” will dissect capital and operating...
IMO Adopts First-Ever Global Rules for Autonomous Ships
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted the first global International Code of Safety for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS Code), establishing a non‑mandatory framework for autonomous commercial vessels. The code defines four autonomy levels and addresses safety, cybersecurity, navigation,...
Targeted Thefts Force HPC Charging Stations Offline Near Naples
A wave of targeted thefts has forced several high‑power charging (HPC) stations operated by Enel X Way to go offline across the Naples metropolitan area. Unknown perpetrators dismantled the charging cabinets and stole the internal power‑stack modules that enable fast...
Electric Propulsion System Helps Trainer Aircraft Make Flying Fun and Affordable
Bristell Aircraft’s new Energic trainer swaps the traditional 100 Hp Rotax engine for an H55‑designed electric power plant delivering up to 100 kW. The aircraft carries a 53 kWh lithium‑ion battery that supports roughly one hour of flight with a 30‑minute reserve, cruising...
HyFun Foods Ties up with Adani Logistics, Shifts Frozen Exports From 40 Trucks to Rail Corridor
HyFun Foods has launched a dedicated refrigerated rail corridor from Virochannagar’s inland container depot to Mundra Port, partnering with Adani Logistics and Evergreen Marine. Each train movement is designed to replace up to 40 truck trips, lowering fuel consumption, logistics...
Drewry: Container Spot Rates Continue Climb as Early Peak Season Gains Momentum
Container freight rates kept climbing in early May, with Drewry’s World Container Index rising 6% to $2,712 per 40‑foot box, marking a third straight weekly gain. The steepest jumps appeared on the Asia‑Europe lane, where Shanghai‑Rotterdam rates surged 15% to...
Proterra to Offer U.S. Cell Option for Batteries From 2027
Volvo Group’s Proterra division will add a U.S.-made battery‑cell option to its Onyx platform, with shipments slated for the first quarter of 2027. The move responds to rising tariff pressures and OEM demand for domestic content, while the current South...
2 Chinese Supertankers Join Flotilla Exiting Hormuz as Stand-Off Appears to Thaw
Three fully laden supertankers, including two Chinese VLCCs, crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, suggesting a possible easing of Iran’s restrictions. Iran announced that 26 vessels were permitted to transit the waterway, a notable increase from the roughly ten...
US Publishes National Strategic Freight Plan
On May 19, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy released the 2026 National Freight Strategic Plan, a five‑year roadmap to modernize the nation’s 11.27 million‑kilometer freight network. The plan addresses a system that moves more than 54 million tonnes of goods valued at...
Keyera, AltlaGas, CN Advancing ACE Rail Terminal Project
Keyera Corp., AltaGas Ltd. and Canadian National Railway announced on May 20 that they will move forward with the Alberta Corridor Export (ACE) Rail Terminal, a $240 million CAD (~$177 million USD) investment by Keyera. The terminal, built on Keyera‑owned land in Alberta’s...
What If Driverless Trucks Suddenly Become Cheap and Diesel Stays Expensive??
Rick Mihelic’s speculative piece examines five "what‑if" scenarios that could reshape U.S. trucking. He imagines Tesla ramping up to 50,000 electric Class 8 trucks a year by 2030, a merger that removes 2.8 million diesel rigs from the road, diesel fuel staying...