The co-pilot of an American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Albuquerque experienced a medical issue during landing and died shortly after reaching the gate. [More]
Transportation & Infrastructure
Ford Recalls 441,000 Vehicles Over Fire Risk, Door Latch Issues
By 3.29.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Driving a car that is on fire or that has doors popping open is impressive, but not recommended. For that reason, you should be aware of Ford’s latest recalls. [More]
Woman Says TSA Pat-Down Of Son Was “Horrifying”
By 3.28.17
Last month, the Transportation Security Administration unveiled a new, more “comprehensive” pat-down procedure, but a Texas woman says that the physical security check she requested for her special needs son crossed the line. [More]
Uber Leaves Denmark Over New Taxi Law
By 3.28.17
Uber is again taking its toys and going home, this time leaving the entire country of Denmark after the country passed new taxi regulations that require drivers for hire to have meters and seat sensors, which apply to app-based transportation networks. [More]
18 Injured After Mall Escalator Reverses Direction, Speeds Up
By 3.27.17
Escalator chain reactions can happen when one person stumbles and falls, or when people use a non-working escalator as a staircase and it suddenly starts moving again. In Hong Kong over the weekend, a 150-foot mall escalator abruptly reversed direction and flung screaming shoppers to the ground, injuring 18 of them. [More]
DOT Apologizes For Billing Dead Teen $3K For Highway Guardrail
By 3.27.17
State officials in Tennessee have apologized to the family of a dead teenager after sending a bill in her name for $3,000 in damages her car caused to the guardrail that some — including her family — blame for the young woman’s death. [More]
Lyft Adding Option To Let Passengers Round Up Their Fares For Charity Donations
By 3.27.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
For decades, retailers have had charity donation jars at checkout points, giving customers the option to quickly support a helpful organization with the change from their purchase. Now Lyft is looking to apply that same model to ridesharing, by letting passengers round up their fares with the extra money going to non-profit groups. [More]
Uber Halts Self-Driving Car Tests After Arizona Crash
By 3.27.17
Days after one of Uber’s self-driving test vehicles was involved in a crash in Arizona, the ride-hailing company says it will halt its autonomous experiment, at least for now. [More]
Pilots’ Union: American Airlines Left 20K Standby Passengers Behind At The Gate
By 3.24.17
For an airline, taking off on time is crucial to maintain a good on-time performance rating. But in an effort to keep those numbers up, a pilots’ union says American Airlines is abdandoning thousands of standby passengers at the gate. [More]
Uber’s Plan To Let Drivers Ask For Tips May Be Illegal In Some States
By 3.22.17
Unlike traditional taxis, Uber passengers aren’t expected to tip; you can’t even add a tip on the app. However, Uber did recently settle a class-action lawsuit by allowing drivers to solicit and receive tips, but only in cash. One big problem: This policy appears to be illegal in multiple states. [More]
United Airlines Opening Fully Automated Airport Screening Lanes
By 3.22.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
In an effort to ease congestion at security checkpoints — like last year’s unholy traffic jams during the busiest season for travel — United Airlines has outfitted an entire airport terminal in New Jersey with automated screening lanes. [More]
Uber President Leaving Company After Just Six Months
By 3.20.17
It’s been a rough couple of months for Uber, with the brief-but-viral #DeleteUber campaign, and the company’s CEO being caught on camera berating one of his own drivers. Now comes news that Uber President Jeff Jones is exiting the company after less than a year on the job. [More]
You Can Soon Buy Giant Picnic Basket Building In Foreclosure
By 3.16.17
Do you long to own a novelty office building in Ohio? Then your dream may soon become a reality, as the giant, basket-shaped former home of direct sales housewares company Longaberger is slated for foreclosure. [More]
Public Broadcasting, Arts Endowment, Others Make Case Against Proposed Defunding
By 3.16.17
President Trump’s new “skinny” budget puts more than a dozen well-known publicly funded agencies and corporations — ranging from public broadcasting to legal services to chemical safety — on the chopping block. With nothing to lose, the heads of these organizations are now firing back, hoping to convince Congress to keep their funding intact. [More]
Marriott Bringing Boutique Hotel Rooms To Coachella Tents
By 3.16.17
In the past, Coachella concert-goers interested in getting a bit of a taste of the hotel life would have had to trek away from the music festival to an actual hotel. Now, Marriott is bringing its boutique hotel flare to the festival’s field with a handful of luxury tents. [More]
Hyundai Recalls 1 Million Cars With Possibly Defective Seatbelts
By 3.16.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
After at least two incidents where Hyundai seatbelts detached during a collision, the carmaker is recalling nearly one million sedans to address a possible defect. [More]
6 Things Consumers Should Know About The White House’s Proposed ‘Skinny’ Budget
By 3.16.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
The Trump White House has released its first big-picture public proposal on federal spending for 2018. This initial pass — the so-called “skinny” budget — is basically an outline that doesn’t get into the finer details. However, the changes that are described in the document are nonetheless wide-sweeping, recommending significant cuts or culling of a number of programs you may currently take for granted. [More]
Lawsuit Claims Ford Trucks With Alleged Door Latch Defect Are Not “Ford Tough”
By 3.16.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
For the better part of three years Ford has endured federal investigations and rather large recalls related to its ongoing saga of doors that just won’t stay shut. While those issues centered on the carmaker’s smaller models, a recently filed lawsuit claims the company’s trucks also contain a door latch defect that contradicts the company’s “Ford Tough” mantra. [More]
