If you want to be successful at driving for Uber, Lyft or some similar service, it’s important to not only put in a lot of hours behind the wheel, but to do so in a city where you’re likely to also have a passenger in the backseat. Problem is, dense urban areas where residents have disposable income may be out of your price range. Some drivers are getting around this by spending their brief downtime sleeping in their cars. [More]
Transportation & Infrastructure
Uber Ordered To Pay $20 Million For Allegedly Exaggerating Drivers’ Potential Earnings
By 1.19.17
Popular ride-hailing service Uber has agreed to pay $20 million to close the book on federal charges that it used misleading and exaggerated earnings figures to attract new drivers to work with the company. [More]
Man Burglarizes FedEx Truck In Chicago, Ditches Getaway Car With Baby Inside
By 1.19.17
The string of robberies and burglaries of delivery vehicles in Chicago continues this week, with the latest theft happening to a FedEx truck. Police say that the suspect broke into the truck, took packages, and then abandoned his own vehicle with a 1-year-old child inside when the cops were after him. [More]
Investigation Finds Tesla’s Autopilot Functioned Properly In Fatal Crash
By 1.19.17
As expected, federal safety regulators closed a months-long investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot feature after the fatal crash occurred when the semi-autonomous driving feature was activated, finding that the collision was not the result of a defect in the feature. [More]
Feds Set To Close Investigation Into Fatal Tesla Autopilot Incident Without Recall
By 1.19.17 — Updated: 1.20.17
UPDATE: NHTSA has indeed closed its investigation into this collision and found that the driver was at fault. Click here for more details. [More]
Would Surge Pricing Help Prevent Traffic Gridlock On Busy Roadways?
By 1.17.17
A few months after Lyft’s last manifesto regarding the future of transportation, company executives are once again laying out a plan to tackle traffic issues. Specifically, congestion pricing aimed at preventing traffic jams in our cities’ busiest highways and byways. [More]
Texas Uber Driver Accused Of Raping Passenger After Driving Her Home
By 1.17.17
Another driver for a ride-sharing sharing service has been accused of assaulting a passenger. This time, it’s an Uber driver in Texas who has been arrested for allegedly raping a woman after driving her home. [More]
Group Files Complaint About American Airlines’ Allergy Pre-Boarding Policy
By 1.16.17
In many cases, airlines will do everything they can to accommodate passengers with severe allergies: from refraining from passing out complimentary peanuts to allowing travelers to board early to prepare their spaces. But one group claims that American Airline’s policies aren’t so accommodating, filing a federal complaint against the carrier. [More]
Don’t Forget Your Keys: Tesla Owner Stranded When “Start By Phone” Doesn’t Work
By 1.16.17
Buying a Tesla means you’re buying a whole lot of technology, including the ability to unlock, start, and drive your vehicle through the company’s app. While that’s convenient, one owner recently found that you still shouldn’t leave home without your keys. [More]
Airbus CEO: Flying Car Prototype Will Be In The Air By The End Of The Year
By 1.16.17
Ever since TV viewers first met George Jetson (his boy Elroy; daughter Judy; Jane, his wife) we’ve been fantasizing about zooming around in our very own personal flying cars. While many companies have made strides in that general direction, we have yet to see a true Jetsonian vehicle. Now, Airbus’ CEO thinks he can bring us even closer to our dreams: he expects the company to complete a self-piloted flying car prototype by the end of the year. [More]
Tesla Announces Supercharger Pricing Scheme For New Customers
By 1.13.17
Last fall, Tesla announced that it would soon be pulling the plug on the totally free use of its Supercharger stations, giving prospective Tesla buyers until Jan. 15 to place an order that would lock in this free access. With that deadline looming, the company has finally revealed vague details on what latecomers should expect to pay for fast-charging their pricey electric vehicles. [More]
Toyota Adds 544K Vehicles To Takata Airbag Recall
By 1.13.17
With Takata’s supposed $1 billion criminal settlement looming, another automaker announced plans to expand the number of its vehicles affected by the massive shrapnel-shooting airbag defect: Toyota will add 543,000 cars to the recall list. [More]
Fiat Chrysler Accused Of Using Potential “Defeat Devices” In More Than 100,000 Trucks, SUVs
By 1.12.17
A day announcing criminal charges and a $4.3 billion settlement in the Volkswagen “Dieselgate” scandal, the Environmental Protection Agency is accusing another carmaker, Fiat Chrysler, of using “defeat device” software to skirt emission standards in more than 100,000 vehicles. [More]
Ford Adds 816K Vehicles To Takata Airbag Recall List
By 1.12.17
After what seemed like months with no additional vehicles being added to the ongoing shrapnel-shooting Takata airbag recall, we now have two in two days. The most recent coming from Ford, which added 816,000 vehicles to the list. [More]
Motorists Swarm Over Border With Mexico To Get Cheaper Gas… In California
By 1.11.17 — Updated: 1.12.17
Near the Mexican border, something strange is happening. Motorists are driving across international boundaries to fill their gas tanks with cheaper fuel and save some money, but it’s not Californians driving to Mexico. [More]
Honda Adds 772K Vehicles To Takata Airbag Recall
By 1.11.17 — Updated: 1.16.17
Just when it seemed like carmakers had run out of vehicles to recall related to the deadly Takata airbag defect, more are added to the list: 772,000 Honda and Acura vehicles. [More]
VW Reaches $4.3 Billion Settlement Over Criminal Allegations For ‘Dieselgate’
By 1.10.17
Days after federal authorities arrested a Volkswagen executive in connection with the company’s ongoing “Dieselgate” scandal, the carmaker says it has reached a $4.3 billion settlement to resolve allegations of criminal wrongdoing. [More]
Car Dealers Aren’t Great At Explaining New Safety Features To Buyers, Claims New Study
By 1.10.17 — Updated: 1.11.17
If you’re buying a new car, you expect the salesperson will hit you with all the impressive-sounding lingo and tech phrases that could possibly apply to a vehicle. However, a new report suggests that when it comes to informing car-buyers about new vehicle safety technologies, dealership sales staff might not have all the information. [More]
