There are few certainties in this world — we live, we die, that’s about it — but one thing is for sure: if the voice behind AOL’s “You’ve got mail!” greeting is your Uber driver, you’re gonna make him recite those famous words so you can post a video of it on the internet. [More]
Transportation & Infrastructure
After Hanjin Bankruptcy Crisis, Shippers Seek Out Large, Stable Companies
By 11.7.16
The sudden bankruptcy of Hanjin Shipping left billions of dollars’ worth of cargo, potentially including all of your holiday gifts, floating on container ships in the ocean in legal limbo. Now the companies that ship cargo don’t want to risk having that happen again. [More]
Large Green Snake On A Plane Surprises Passengers On Aeromexico Flight
By 11.7.16 — Updated: 1.9.17
Pardon me a moment, while I pull out the usual Samuel L. Jackson reference and dust it off: passengers on an Aeromexico flight experienced a real life Snakes On A Plane moment on Sunday after a large green snake slithered from the ceiling to greet his captive audience. [More]
New Emissions-Cheating “Defeat Device” Reportedly Found In Audi Vehicles
By 11.7.16
Volkswagen’s recently approved $15 billion settlement with the U.S. government was seen by some as the final chapter in the carmaker’s “defeat device” emissions scandal, but officials in California may have found evidence that VW used a second device to skirt carbon dioxide emissions restrictions in certain of its Audi vehicles. [More]
Uber, Lyft, Zipcar Offer Free Or Discounted Rides To Polls On Election Day
By 11.7.16
Election Day is nearly here, and millions of Americans will head to their respective polling places on Tuesday. You might be able to drive, walk, bike, or jetpack to your voting site, but for those who need a ride (or just a car), a handful of companies are offering free or discounted options. [More]
No More Free Ride: Tesla Will Charge For Supercharging On New Cars
By 11.7.16
Tesla’s electric vehicles aren’t cheap, but for years drivers have been able to charge up their Teslas quickly and for free at thousands of free Tesla Supercharger stations. This morning, the company announced all that free Supercharging will soon come to an end, at least for new cars. [More]
Ride-Hailing Services Are Legal And Regulated In Philadelphia: Now What?
By 11.4.16
Ride-hailing apps, or transportation network companies (TNCs), have been in sort of a legal gray area in Philadelphia, but as of today, hailing a ride will be completely legal. Earlier today, the governor of Pennsylvania signed legislation that regulates the services. Like all laws, it’s imperfect, and stakeholders including taxi drivers and people with disabilities have complaints about it. [More]
Uber Settles Lawsuit Brought By Two Passengers Who Accused Drivers Of Sexual Assault
By 11.4.16
Six months after a judge rejected Uber’s claim that it wasn’t responsible for its drivers’ actions after they turned the ride-hailing service app off, the company has settled with two passengers who sued it for hiring drivers accused of sexually assaulted them. The court didn’t reveal the terms of the settlement. [More]
Volkswagen Splits With Researcher It Hired To Chronicle Company’s Nazi Connections
By 11.3.16
A number of popular German brands — including Hugo Boss, Daimler-Benz, Porsche, and BMW — had connections to or business arrangements with the Nazi party and/or the German military under Hitler. But the brand that may be most commonly linked with the Third Reich is Volkswagen, a company that had, for the last 18 years, contracted a noted historian to research VW’s embarrassing origins, including its use of forced labor. However, at a time when an ongoing emissions scandal has called the carmaker’s commitment to transparency into question, VW and the academic have gone their separate ways. [More]
Air France Creating Budget Airline To Serve U.S., Asia Starting In 2017
By 11.3.16
Given that most big airline news seems to involve consolidation, it may be a nice break to hear news of a new-ish, (hopefully) lower-cost carrier entering the market. [More]
Travelers Can Now Earn Delta Miles When They Book An Airbnb Stay
By 11.2.16
Following in the footsteps of fellow carriers Qantas and Virgin Atlantic, Delta Air Lines says it’s also teaming up with Airbnb to reward travelers who book stays through the home-sharing service. [More]
Honda Needs To Do More About Cars With Explosive Airbags
By 11.2.16 — Updated: 11.3.16
Five months ago, tests revealed that each time certain older model Honda and Acura vehicles’ Takata airbags deploy, there’s up to a 50% chance that it will rupture, shooting shrapnel at drivers and passengers. Yet, according to federal safety regulators, more than 300,000 of these vehicles — deemed to be at the most risk for explosions — have yet to be fixed, and that’s a problem. [More]
Creepy Uber Driver Allegedly Gropes Passenger, Shows Up Outside Her House Later
By 11.2.16
A Silicon Valley Uber driver has been arrested and accused of sexual battery and stalking after not only allegedly groping and kissing a female passenger, but then showing up outside of her house later that evening. [More]
Airlines Expecting More Travelers To Fly This Thanksgiving
By 11.2.16
Planning on flying to visit friends or family this Thanksgiving? You’ll have plenty of company, airlines say, but there will be enough seats for everyone. [More]
Uber Teaming Up With GM To Offer Car-Sharing Program For Drivers
By 11.2.16
Although GM has already invested $500 million in Lyft and has a $99/week program to rent cars to drivers on that platform, it seems the carmaker isn’t interested in playing favorites: GM has now teamed up with Uber to offer a car-sharing program for its drivers as well. [More]
A Weird Way To Celebrate Halloween: Nabbing Gas From NJ Before Prices Go Up
By 11.1.16
A $0.23 tax hike per gallon of gasoline is finally happening in New Jersey today, and that meant a weird form of adult trick-or-treating took place last night: people from other states — okay, pretty much just New York — rushed over the border to get their last cheap fill-up before the higher tax went into effect. [More]
Lyft Passengers Can Earn JetBlue Frequent Flyer Points On The Way To The Airport
By 11.1.16
Everyone likes getting a ride to the airport; no parking, no trudging from the garage to the terminal, but do you really care if it’s Lyft, Uber, a taxi, or your cousin Ralph who takes you there? Lyft is trying to make that decision easier for JetBlue passengers by offering them frequent flyer points by using the ride-hailing service. [More]
Feds Deny Petition To Recall 850,000 Nissans Over Transmission Issue
By 11.1.16
Four years after a consumer group asked federal safety regulators to recall more than 850,000 Nissan vehicles based on hundreds of owner complaints that the cars would unexpectedly lose speed or stall, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declined to pursue the issue, despite finding there was a mechanical problem with the vehicle transmissions. [More]
