Although Irma has now been downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm, it’s still got plenty of juice in it as it continues to rage in Florida and move towards Georgia and South Carolina. And that means trouble may still be tricky in the coming days, as some airports remain closed and airlines cancel hundreds of flights. [More]
Transportation & Infrastructure
Tesla Extended Range Of Cars So Customers Could Escape Hurricane Irma
By 9.11.17
As Hurricane Irma drew closer to Florida, many of those in the storm’s path just wanted to get as far away as possible. In an effort to help its customers put some distance between themselves and Irma, Tesla pushed out an update last week to its Model X and S electric vehicles, intended to squeeze more mileage out of a single charge. [More]
FBI Reportedly Investigating Uber For Spying On Lyft, Others
By 9.8.17
For about two years, Uber allegedly used a tool dubbed “Hell” to keep an eye on Lyft and other rivals, while also trying to lure away their drivers. This program caught the attention of federal law enforcement, who are now reportedly investigating whether Hell crossed any legal lines. [More]
Airlines Capping Fares For Travelers Evacuating Florida Ahead Of Hurricane Irma
By 9.7.17
After many travelers complained that prices for flights out of Florida ahead of Hurricane Irma were suddenly skyrocketing, several airlines are now capping fares and, in some cases, opening up more seats to meet demand. [More]
United Airlines Won’t Be Fined Over Passenger-Dragging Incident
By 9.7.17
The federal government won’t fine United Airlines for the forcible removal of a ticketed passenger from an overbooked flight last April, an incident that prompted the carrier to implement a slew of policy changes. [More]
Lyft Will Soon Offer Free Rides In Self-Driving Cars In San Francisco
By 9.7.17
Ride-hailing service Lyft is nudging its way into the world of self-driving cars, announcing today that it will soon be offering rides in autonomous vehicles to customers in the San Francisco Bay Area. [More]
Airfare Prices Out Of Florida Skyrocketing Ahead Of Hurricane Irma
By 9.6.17
As Hurricane Irma barrels toward Florida, many people are rushing to get out of the state before it hits. But as that demand increases, travelers are complaining that ticket prices are skyrocketing. [More]
Hurricane Irma To Create Massive Travel Headaches In Florida, Caribbean
By 9.5.17
For the second time in as many weeks, a major hurricane is heading toward the southeast U.S. coast. This time, it’s Hurricane Irma that has its bullseye aiming towards us, and it’s expected to come through the Caribbean and up to the Florida coast. [More]
Honda To Pay $484M To Reimburse Some Drivers For Takata Airbag Recall Costs
By 9.5.17
Honda must pay more than $484 million to resolve customers’ financial losses related to vehicles equipped with shrapnel-shooting airbags from Takata and step up its efforts to ensure the dangerous safety devices are repaired. [More]
Feds Hit Tesla With Complaint For Allegedly Violating Workers’ Rights
By 9.1.17
Months after some Tesla employees interested accused Tesla of illegally intimidating them, the National Labor Relations Board has taken their side. [More]
Samsung Joins Everyone Else, Starts Testing Self-Driving Cars In California
By 9.1.17
Putting “California” and “cars” together in one sentence evokes a nice mental image of a convertible cruising down the scenic coastal curves of state Route 101. These days, though, the big thing in the Golden State is less about drivers having fun in the sun, and more about taking drivers out of the picture altogether. [More]
Mom Spots 2-Year-Old In Hot Car At Target, Alerts Police
By 8.31.17
Even though summer is winding down, temperatures can still be pretty hot, and it’s especially dangerous to leave children or pets behind in your car. That’s why it was fortunate that one shopper at an Ontario, CA, Target store happened to notice a small child in the backseat of a locked car in the store’s parking lot. [More]
Uber, Mall Team Up To Offer Dedicated Pickup Spots, Human Customer Service Reps
By 8.31.17
In a move designed to lure shoppers back to brick-and-mortar stores, mall giant Westfield is patterning up with Uber to offer dedicated drop-off and pick-up spots in 33 shopping centers — and some will feature real live humans to help with customer service. [More]
Unruly Passenger Owes Hawaiian Airlines $98,000 For Interfering With Flight Crew
By 8.31.17
The next time you’re even thinking about doing something you shouldn’t on an airplane, take a second and ask yourself: Is this worth tens of thousands of dollars? One Hawaiian Airlines passenger has learned not to mess with flight crew the hard way, and is now on the hook for almost $98,000. [More]
Limited Flights To Houston Resume; Full Service Will Take Several More Days
By 8.31.17
You can fly over floods… but only if there’s a place to take off and a place to land. Houston’s airports, like the rest of the city, have been dealing with high water and torrential rain caused by Hurricane Harvey, and while the runways are dry, it’s going to take some time for air travel to and through the area to get anything like back to normal. [More]
NYC Delivery Guy Biked Through Lincoln Tunnel Because His Phone Told Him To
By 8.30.17
Repeat after me: Map apps can be useful, but you should not follow their advice blindly. For example, if you’re on your bike and it tells you to cycle through a tunnel meant only for cars. Don’t do that. [More]
Did Uber Violate Bribery Laws Involving Foreign Officials?
By 8.30.17
Uber’s brand new CEO already has a lot to deal with: The U.S. Justice Department is in the first stages of investigating whether managers at the company ran afoul of a federal law that prohibits companies and their employees from bribing foreign officials in the course of doing business. [More]
Hurricane Harvey Cancels Thousands Of Flights, Disrupts Shipping
By 8.29.17
Flooding in the Houston area continues today, as remnants of Hurricane Harvey continue to unleash unfathomable torrents of rain on the Gulf Coast. In addition to the destruction facing local homes and businesses, all travel into or out of the nation’s fourth-largest city — both for people and for things — has been hampered, and will likely continue to be for some time. [More]
