Today's Transportation Pulse
Denver International Airport and Southwest launch TSA PreCheck Touchless ID Bag Drop
Denver International Airport and Southwest Airlines have added dedicated touchless bag‑drop lanes at the airport’s West and East security checkpoints. The system uses facial‑comparison technology to verify a passenger’s identity, allowing eligible travelers to print tags and drop bags with minimal physical contact.
Also developing:
By the numbers: DeepWay raises $310M in pre‑IPO round
VinFast Adds 14 Distributors to Accelerate Philippine EV Scooter Launch
VinFast announced the addition of 14 new motorcycle distributors, bringing its Philippine dealer network to 19 partners as it prepares for a June 2026 launch of its electric scooter lineup. The move ties inventory to local logistics routes and underpins a plan for 30,000 battery‑swap stations, aiming to make swapping 1.5 times more common than fuel stations.
SiFly – Senior Flight Controller SW Engineer
SiFly announced a senior Flight Controller Software Engineer opening to advance its long‑endurance UAV platform. The role centers on hands‑on development within the open‑source PX4 stack, MAVLink integration, and full‑cycle validation from simulation to live flight. Candidates must bring at...
UK CAA Publishes Draft Decision on Heathrow Expansion Early Costs Recovery
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has released a draft decision outlining how early‑stage costs for Heathrow’s third‑runway expansion can be recovered. It sets a £320 million (≈$406 million) cap for Heathrow Airport Limited’s 2025‑26 planning and design spend, and allows Heathrow West...
Kuwait Declares Force Majeure on Crude Shipments After US Seizes Iranian Vessel
Kuwait Petroleum Corp declared force majeure on crude and refined product shipments following the US Navy's seizure of the Iranian‑flagged cargo vessel TOUSKA. The move cuts Gulf oil supply at a time when the Strait of Hormuz is effectively blocked,...
IATA Expands Presence in Central Asia with New Uzbekistan Office and BSP Launch
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has opened a new office in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and announced the upcoming launch of its Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) in the country. The move aims to boost aviation safety, operational efficiency, and financial...
Trafikverket Signs Contract for New Overnight Fleet
Sweden's transport authority Trafikverket signed a contract with Spain's Talgo to supply a new overnight fleet, including 91 sleeping cars and ten 220 km/h Vectron locomotives from Siemens. The trains are slated for delivery by 2030 and will initially run the...
2026 Nissan Leaf Video Review -- How Does New Leaf Stack Up?
The 2026 Nissan Leaf has been completely redesigned, offering a sportier look, larger dimensions, and a top‑range of 303 miles (488 km) on the base battery. Three trims—S+, SV Plus, and Platinum Plus—share a 214‑horsepower drivetrain, with the mid‑level SV...
JetBlue Isn’t Using “Surveillance Pricing” Today But The Technology Is Already Here
A JetBlue employee’s ill‑phrased tweet suggested the airline used “surveillance pricing,” prompting public outrage and a senator’s call for legislation. JetBlue quickly clarified that fares are not based on cached data or personal information, attributing the price jump to a...
First AI Driverless Trucks Deployed to Tackle Hong Kong Port Labour Shortage
Hutchison Port Holdings Trust has introduced Hong Kong’s first AI‑powered driverless trucks, deploying six electric autonomous vehicles at Kwai Tsing Container Terminal 4. Since their January launch, the fleet has moved over 8,000 containers, helping alleviate a chronic shortage of commercial‑vehicle drivers. The...
UK Has More EV Chargers Than Gas (Petrol) Nozzles
The United Kingdom now hosts over 118,000 public electric‑vehicle (EV) charging points, more than double the roughly 60,800 petrol‑pump nozzles available nationwide. The number of petrol stations has been falling for decades, stabilising at about 8,500 sites after a steep...
Toyota Still Sets the Standard for Supply Chain Resilience
Toyota remains the benchmark for supply‑chain resilience because it built risk management into its core operating system, not as an add‑on. After the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, the automaker expanded visibility into lower‑tier suppliers with tools like the RESCUE database...
Tesla Full Self Driving (Supervised) Australian Style
A Queensland couple drove their 2026 Tesla Model 3 Long‑Range (85 kWh, 625 km range) on a 1,546 km round‑trip using hands‑free Full Self‑Driving (Supervised). The vehicle handled roundabouts, traffic lights, speed‑humps and highway merging without driver input, only intervening when needed. Four fast‑charging...
Truckload Spot Rates Surge to Cycle High, Diesel Drop Irrelevant
Truckload spot rates hit new cycle high on the daily at $3.22/mile, the highest levels since early March 2022. A week ago, daily truckload rates were at $3.07/mile. Spot rates are cooking despite diesel costs cooling, proof that the surge...
Mekong Delta Ports to See Major Box Terminal Capacity Expansion
Vietnam’s Greater Mekong Delta is set for a major container‑terminal boost as CMA CGM’s Gemalink Phase 2 will nearly double capacity from 1.7 m to about 3 m TEU by Q4 2027. The Vietnamese government also approved a $5 bn Can Gio International Transhipment and Gateway Port,...
Cottbus Deploys First Hydrogen Buses on Public Routes
Cottbusverkehr has begun testing four Wrightbus Kite Hydroliner fuel‑cell buses on regular city routes, marking the first hydrogen‑powered service in the area. A mobile hydrogen refueling station was commissioned this month to keep the buses running until a permanent depot is...
1Q26 LEAP Deliveries +63% to 520 Engines
GE Aerospace reported a 63% year‑over‑year jump in CFM LEAP engine deliveries for Q1 2026, moving from 319 units in Q1 2025 to 520 engines. The previous year’s output had been constrained by a Safran‑related supplier issue, which also caused 2024 deliveries to...
Truckload Rates Hit Two-Year Highs as Diesel Costs Surge
Truckload freight rates have surged to two‑year highs in March, propelled mainly by rising diesel costs. Spot rates climbed to $2.52 per mile for vans, $2.97 for reefers and $3.09 for flatbeds, with fuel surcharges accounting for most of the...
Get Ready for More Canceled Flights
Airlines across Asia and Europe are scrambling to cancel flights as jet‑fuel supplies tighten, a development analysts say mirrors the early COVID‑19 shock in Italy. The International Energy Agency warned Europe could run out of jet fuel within six weeks,...
CargoLand by LGG Targets Taiwan as a Strategic Hub for Semiconductor Flows Between Asia and Europe
CargoLand by LGG reported handling 1.32 million tonnes in 2025, a 14% increase, and is expanding its 100% freighter‑focused model to serve high‑value, time‑sensitive cargo. The company is positioning Taiwan‑Europe semiconductor flows as a strategic corridor, leveraging airline partnerships and its...
China Eastern Airlines Launches Vienna–Xi’an Route, Boosting Cargo Capacity at Vienna International Airport
China Eastern Airlines has inaugurated a nonstop service between Xi’an and Vienna, operating three times weekly with an Airbus A330‑200. The inaugural flight carried about 12 tonnes of cargo, highlighting immediate demand. The route adds substantial belly‑hold capacity for e‑commerce, pharmaceuticals...
China's Great Wall Motor Seeks European Comeback with Launch of 10 New Cars
Great Wall Motor (GWM) announced a European comeback plan, targeting the launch of at least ten new models over the next two years. The lineup will span electric, hybrid, and conventional petrol vehicles, beginning with the Ora 5 in early 2026,...
Cargo Theft ‘Way Way up’ as Crime Gangs Get Ever More Sophisticated
Global cargo theft surged in 2025, with trucks responsible for roughly 70% of incidents and U.S. losses climbing to an estimated $725 million—a 60% year‑over‑year increase. Rail‑freight theft doubled its share in the United States, while sea piracy rose 85% in...
Amazon Adding Heavy-Duty EV Trucks From Einride as It Spreads Bets on Freight Decarbonization
Amazon Relay is integrating 75 manually operated electric heavy‑duty trucks from Sweden’s Einride, expanding the retailer’s middle‑mile freight network. The trucks are expected to travel up to three million electric miles each year, powered by zero‑tailpipe emissions and managed with...
Tested: 1993 Honda Prelude Goes VTEC
Honda’s 1993 Prelude receives a VTEC upgrade, boosting power from 160 hp to 190 hp and raising the price to about $23,000. The new variable‑valve‑timing system kicks in around 4,800 rpm, delivering a smoother high‑revving character and shaving 0.3 seconds off the 0‑60 time...
Blume: Volkswagen to Cut One Million More Units of Capacity
Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume announced a further cut of one million vehicles from the group’s global production capacity, lowering the target to nine million units per year from an original 12 million. The reduction follows a previous million‑unit cut in China...
Port of Long Beach Awards Contract to Improve Heavy Haul Route Infrastructure
The Port of Long Beach has awarded a $5.5 million contract to Sully‑Miller Contracting to widen and realign the Heavy Haul Route, the key corridor for oversized and overweight trucks. Construction is slated to start in May 2026 and finish early...
German Bike Maker Riese & Müller to Exit U.S. Market
German e‑bike specialist Riese & Müller announced it will cease all U.S. business activities by July 31, 2026, shifting its focus to the European market. The company cited volatile market conditions, pricing pressure and a fragmented dealer network as primary reasons...
Bring On the Jet Fuel Shortages
Peter Zeihan warns that even if the Iran ceasefire holds, a months‑long global jet‑fuel shortage is already baked in. The shutdown of medium‑heavy sour crude production in Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia—key feedstock for jet fuel—has removed the primary supply...
Talking Transports: Girteka on Europe’s Trucking Stabilization
Girteka CEO Edvardas Liachovicius told Bloomberg Intelligence that Europe’s trucking market is finally stabilizing after a two‑year slump, but driver shortages remain the dominant constraint. Overcapacity and weak demand in 2023‑24 depressed freight rates, yet early signs of balance appear...
Horse Powertrain Unveils Hybrid System for BEV Platforms
Horse Powertrain, the Renault‑Geely joint venture, unveiled the X‑Range C15 Direct Drive hybrid system at Auto China 2026. The modular unit combines a 1.5‑litre four‑cylinder engine, transmission, power electronics and two electric motors, allowing BEV platforms to be reconfigured as...
OnStar Partners with Skywards Everyday to Turn Everyday Drives Into Everyday Rewards
OnStar, General Motors' connected‑car platform, has partnered with Emirates Skywards Everyday in the UAE, allowing subscribers to earn airline miles for using the service. The program awards one Skywards Mile for every AED 3 (approximately $0.81) spent on an OnStar Core...
FedEx Conducts India's First Intra-City Drone Delivery Trials in Bengaluru
FedEx announced the successful completion of India’s first intra‑city drone delivery trial in Bengaluru, partnering with IIT‑Madras and securing DGCA clearance. The drone flew a 39‑42 km direct route in about 21 minutes, cutting a typical one‑hour ground trip. In the same...
108mph Train Narrowly Misses Maintenance Van
A passenger train traveling at 108 mph narrowly missed a parked maintenance van by just one to two feet on the fast line near Millbrook, Bedfordshire. The van, occupied by a Network Rail site warden, was positioned after a night‑shift crew...
EU Mulls Fuel-Sharing as Airlines Juggle Costs and Capacity
EU transport ministers are debating a bloc‑wide jet‑fuel‑sharing scheme as Middle East tensions threaten both fuel prices and availability. Airlines such as Lufthansa CityLine have already suspended routes, while KLM plans to cut about 80 European return flights to protect...
Gadkari Calls for 100% Ethanol Blending as West Asia Crisis Exposes Supply Vulnerabilities
India’s transport minister Nitin Gadkari urged the country to target 100% ethanol blending in gasoline, citing the West Asia war‑driven energy crunch. He highlighted that India already runs an E20 blend with modest engine adjustments and imports about 87% of...
Hormuz Crisis Drives Coal Surge, Lifts Dry Bulk Rates
Dry bulk freight rates poised to rise as Hormuz crisis bolsters coal demand ▶️A substitution effect could occur where power plants burn more coal instead of crude oil products or gas to mitigate rising costs ▶️One industry player expects dry bulk freight...
Iranian Shadow Fleet Sends Over 20 Ships Past US Blockade
At least 26 Iranian shadow fleet vessels bypass US blockade ▶️More than 10 vessels have transited past the US blockade line since the terms were expanded last week ▶️Eleven tankers laden with Iranian cargo have left the Gulf of Oman or Middle...
How the Aviation Industry Is Turning Captured Carbon and Sunshine Into Jet Fuel
The aviation sector, responsible for about 4 % of global emissions, is turning to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to meet rising demand while cutting its carbon footprint. SAF is produced via Fischer‑Tropsch synthesis, merging captured CO₂ with hydrogen, but the process...
Trump Warns Airline Consolidation Breeds Laziness, Opposes United‑American Merger
"It makes them lazy." Trump comes against a possible United Airlines-American Air merger. Says Spirit should be acquired by someone, the defense base is too consolidated. https://t.co/HEddc2ZFLN
Three Vessels, Including Iranian Ship, Attempt Hormuz Passage
Three Ships Including an Iranian Vessel Attempt Hormuz Transits. Two cargo ships and a tanker. https://t.co/IsqvgCzJb8
PG&E and Tesla Integrate Cybertruck Into V2G Programme
Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and Tesla have added the Cybertruck to PG&E’s residential vehicle‑to‑everything (V2X) program, allowing bidirectional AC charging that lets the truck feed power to homes and the grid. The integration uses Tesla’s Powershare Gateway and Universal...
Uncover Distracted Driving History and Solutions Live
I explore the history of #distracteddriving and what we can do about it. Learn more by tuning in live at 12 pm CT at: https://t.co/ykUbRecoZO #TPSS #IoT #sustainability #5G #cloud #edge #digitaltransformation #PeggySmedley #podcast #JustDrive #DistractedDrivingAwarenessMonth
Define Operations First, Then Layer In Technology
Don't get lost in tech. Define your operating model first: workflows, roles, and responsibilities. Then, layer in the technology. This approach prevents wasted time and money on unused tech that disrupts operations. #SupplyChain #BusinessStrategy https://t.co/LhPqnk4ZfT
Asian Empty Tankers Queue up From Cape to Gulf
Empty tankers mainly from Asia form long lines from Cape of Good Hope to US Gulf Coast. Find out more in the Chartbook Top Links today. https://t.co/otCxFTFsEp
Maritime: The Untapped Frontier Amid Trump’s
Case made for maritime as the last great uninvested industry. Is Trump creating a new trade, supply chain, and maritime world scenario with his reactionary transactions? https://t.co/GHcSYLFqmF
Airlines Demand Ratings without Giving Attendants Proper Tools
Airlines don’t provide flight attendants with the tools they need to do the job, but they want passengers to rate crew performance. Tell me what’s wrong with this picture?
Clean Aviation Forum Highlights Competitiveness, Sustainability, Sovereignty
'Competitiveness, Sustainability and Technological Sovereignty' - 3 key topics at the Clean Aviation Annual Forum in Brussels. RAeS Head of Research Naomi Allen reports. #avgeek https://t.co/74ypOdKVw1 https://t.co/QAGBajr8Ps
Schrödinger's Strait: Is the Hormuz Passage Open or Closed?
Schrödinger's Strait: Is It Open or Closed | Week 7 Strait of Hormuz Recap (April 12 to 19) 🚨This video was filmed prior to the US seizure of Touska on April 19🚨 https://t.co/S1MyLGxu6t
Supply Chain Digitalisation Fails when You Never Start
The biggest risk in supply chain digitalisation isn't picking the wrong technology. It's not starting at all. Davy Baars from @ConnectedLoadCarrier on what actually needs to happen before the first sensor is installed 🎧 https://t.co/DBWWiDVpOg
Volkswagen Introduces Voice AI in China Cars
JUST IN: Volkswagen is launching voice AI in their China-market cars starting later this year.