September - 2017

Archive

Congress Faces FAA Deadline, Eyes Taxes, Infrastructure

The House and Senate is expected to extend the Federal Aviation Administration's authorization before it expires Sept. 30, and then soon turn to such issues as tax cuts and perhaps an infrastructure investment plan. Lawmakers were reportedly largely agreed that they would approve another simple extension of the FAA by month's end without tackling controversial proposals to spin off its air traffic control functions to a new nonprofit corporation. However, various reports said

Senators introduce measure to spur transit innovation

Dive Brief: Two U.S. senators have introduced legislation that would use competitive grants to encourage cities to develop better transportation systems, according to The Hill. Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) used the Obama administration's Smart City Challenge as a model for their bill, which would award two large and mid-size cities up to $80 million annually and two rural and regional areas up to $20 million each year. The measure would also mak

Intel Can Provide Waymo’s Vehicles with the Power to Reach Full Autonomy

When Intel Met Waymo Intel and Alphabet’s self-driving division Waymo announced on September 18 a new partnership that would see both companies working together on self-driving car technology in the future. As noted by Reuters, the move marks a first for Waymo, which has done most of its development internally. Click to View Full Infographic “With so much life-saving potential, it’s a rapid transformation that Intel is excited to be at the forefront of along with other indust

Why Cities Are Concerned About Self-Driving Vehicle Legislation in Congress

WASHINGTON — Some city government officials and advocacy groups say they are uneasy about aspects of self-driving vehicle legislation that is taking shape in the U.S. Senate. They’re worried the legislation could undercut the ability of cities to enforce local traffic laws. They also want to ensure that states and localities have ample access to self-driving vehicle data, which might be used to identify safety risks and to manage roadways. There are other questions as well. L

An Infrastructure Deal Should Be Easy, But Isn't

The stars should be aligned for a big infrastructure deal. The lingering devastation from the hurricanes that crippled Houston and Florida underscored the national problems of crumbling roads and bridges, inadequate transportation systems and aging electrical grids. President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats both want Washington to spend billions on repairs and construction. The need is critical. The American Society of Civil Engineers recently gave the country's infr

Hyperloop One names 4 potential US routes

Dive Brief: Hyperloop One has selected 10 routes — including four in the U.S. — as part of its Hyperloop One Global Challenge, according to the company. It wants to have three full-scale systems operational by 2021. Officials issued an open invitation to public and private groups in May 2016 to develop a plan for a hyperloop system in their respective localities. The company will now allocate resources to each team to determine the top three commercially viable routes. The U.

August trade heats up in Brunswick, Savannah

Savannah, Ga. - Auto and container volumes at the U.S. Southeast's busiest ports in Brunswick and Savannah experienced impressive growth in the month of August. Colonel's Island Terminal in Brunswick moved 53,675 units of roll-on/roll off cargo, an increase of 7,109 or 15.3 percent more than August last year. In its busiest August on record and the Authority's second busiest month ever for container trade, Savannah handled 348,297 twenty-foot equivalent container units, an in

FAA Airport Grants

WASHINGTON U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao today announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $264 million in airport infrastructure grants to 95 airports in 31 states across the United States as part of the FAAs Airport Improvement Program (AIP). The Airport Improvement Program helps to maintain our aviation infrastructure and supports safety, capacity, security and environmental improvements, said Secretary Chao. This is an impor

Self-Driving Car From GM, Cruise Is Ready For Mass Production

(TNS) -- General Motors’ purchase last year of San Francisco self-driving startup Cruise Automation appears to be bearing fruit. The two companies on Monday unveiled a jointly developed self-driving car that — unlike the autonomous prototypes already being tested on California roads — is fully designed for large-scale production. Kyle Vogt, Cruise’s co-founder and CEO, referred to the vehicle as “the world’s first mass-producible self-driving car.” “This is the big jump it ta

AUTOMATED VEHICLES: U.S. DOT to unveil streamlined AV guidelines

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao is expected to unveil streamlined safety guidelines for automakers that want to deploy self-driving vehicles today. The new Transportation Department policy is expected to offer the lighter regulatory touch that automakers have pushed for. For example, the Transportation Department is expected to state that automakers do not have to seek approval from regulators before putting self-driving vehicles on the road. Separately, the Nationa

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