Transportation: Page 22

  • A futuristic flying boat painted white above and on the wings, with multiple blue strips below, and six electric propellers on the left wing, sits inside an industrial building.
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    Courtesy of REGENT
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    Flying electric boat closer to takeoff as Regent unveils full-scale mock-up

    With more than 500 orders to date, the company’s CEO said commercial service is expected to begin by mid-decade, starting in Hawaii.

    By • April 14, 2023
  • A row of electric vehicle chargers in a parking lot.
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    Aranga87/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
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    The costs and surprises of EV charging, according to convenience store retailers

    Read the EV charging station maintenance challenges, lessons learned and more from convenience and fuel operators, who are a big part of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure nationwide.

    By Brett Dworski • April 14, 2023
  • smart city, smart cities Explore the Trendlineâž”
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    jamesteohart via Getty Images
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    Trendline

    Top 5 stories from Smart Cities Dive

    From worsening climate change to a shifting transportation landscape and the housing affordability crisis, cities have their work cut out for them.

    By Smart Cities Dive staff
  • A photo of FedEx's roxo delivery robot shared with us OCt. 2020
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    Courtesy of FedEx
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    Deep Dive

    FedEx and Amazon still haven’t figured out sidewalk delivery robots. Will mass adoption ever come?

    Delivery giants' tests of autonomous bots fizzled out. But many logistics experts still believe that the technology can catch on, creating potential challenges for cities.

    By Max Garland • April 13, 2023
  • Several vehicles lined up along a curb are blurred while in the foreground a white and silver electric vehicle charger is in focus.
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    Permission granted by Enel X Way North America
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    Booming EV sales amp up the pressure on cities and companies to meet charging demand

    “This is a wake-up call,” an executive at an energy management company said. “The transformation required to enable widespread vehicle electrification will be a massive challenge.”

    By • April 13, 2023
  • The entrance to the Department of Transportation in Washington, D.C.
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    Retrieved from GAO.
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    $1 billion in grants to prevent traffic deaths available: DOT

    This year’s application process differs significantly from last year’s, including a new portal to submit applications and an updated definition of underserved community, the Transportation Department said.

    By Michael Brady • April 12, 2023
  • Construction worker wearing safety harness and safety line working at high place.
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    Pakorn_Khantiyaporn via Getty Images
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    On infrastructure jobs, OSHA steps up workplace safety enforcement

    As federal funds flood into construction projects thanks to the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is concerned about protecting workers in the infrastructure sector.

    By Julie Strupp • April 12, 2023
  • A sign on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency building in Washington, D.C.
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    Gromit702/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
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    Tighter EPA vehicle emissions standards may speed up electric vehicle transition

    The new emissions standards would apply to 2027 through 2032 model-year vehicles, but they would not mandate EVs, leaving it up to automakers to decide how to meet the rules.

    By • April 12, 2023
  • An aluminum New York City subway train at an underground station.
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    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
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    Transit projects not meeting ridership projections: GAO report

    While transit agencies have gotten better at estimating project costs, less than half of projects correctly predicted weekday ridership.

    By • April 11, 2023
  • Passengers walk along a platformat a station next to a bilevel Amtrak train with hillside trees in the background.
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    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
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    Amtrak long-distance passenger rail study groups report back from six regions

    Adding routes and increasing service frequency were common themes emerging from the series of meetings with government officials, railroads and NGOs.

    By • April 10, 2023
  • A row of electric vehicle chargers.
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    Young777 via Getty Images
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    The country’s most EV-friendly metro areas

    Electric vehicle charger availability varies widely across the U.S. Of the top 10 U.S. metro areas for electric-vehicle friendliness, more than half are in California, a new report found.

    By Mary Salmonsen • April 10, 2023
  • A line of white cargo vans along an assembly line.
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    Courtesy of BrightDrop
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    With electric delivery vehicles in high demand, GM’s Brightdrop sold out for the year

    The company has over 30 commercial customers covering parcel delivery, retail, rental and service-based utilities.

    By • April 7, 2023
  • The curved banner of a Walmart store, the brand name in white letters and the characteristic yellow sunburst logo to the right, against a blue sky.
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    Daphne Howland/Smart Cities Dive
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    Walmart to install EV chargers at thousands of stores by 2030

    The company noted that there’s “a store or club located within 10 miles of approximately 90% of Americans,” putting these chargers in easy reach of most electric vehicle drivers.

    By Jessica Loder • April 7, 2023
  • An accessible pedestrian signal.
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    mirror-images/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
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    Chicago’s lack of accessible pedestrian signals at crosswalks violates ADA: federal judge

    The city defended itself by claiming it planned to install more accessible pedestrian signals, but a federal judge rejected that argument, saying Chicago failed to provide “meaningful access” to people with visual impairments.

    By Michael Brady • April 7, 2023
  • A photo of a Lyft logo on a car's dashboard.
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    Kelly Sullivan/Stringer/Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
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    Lyft expands electric-vehicle option to riders in 14 cities and counties

    Business riders will be able to request hybrid or electric vehicles beginning April 17.

    By • April 6, 2023
  • The right rear corner of a white car is parked on a street plugged in to an electric vehicle charging post.
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    Permission granted by itselectric
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    States’ transportation electrification plans fail to consider grid needs: report

    Managing charging will be vital because transportation could represent more than a quarter of global electricity use by 2050, the Energy Systems Integration Group said in its report.  

    By Robert Walton • April 5, 2023
  • A wildlife crossing overpass in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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    Susan Vineyard/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
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    To prevent wildlife-vehicle collisions, US DOT launches $350M pilot program

    There are “proven practices to prevent crashes between vehicles and wildlife” and make roads safer for both rural and urban communities, a federal official said when announcing the first program to address the problem.

    By Michael Brady • April 4, 2023
  • An Amazon delivery van made by Rivian sits in a neighborhood.
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    Courtesy of Amazon
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    Amazon deliveries made by Rivian EVs surge to 75M

    More than 3,000 electric vehicles are making Amazon deliveries in over 500 cities and regions across the U.S., Amazon said.

    By Max Garland • April 3, 2023
  • A protected bike lane in a city.
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    EvgeniiAnd/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
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    Rising cycling, pedestrian deaths the focus of bike infrastructure bill

    The proposed legislation would allow states to fully fund bike and pedestrian safety projects with federal money from the Highway Safety Improvement Program and allow local governments to recommend projects for funding.

    By Michael Brady • April 3, 2023
  • A man in a yellow jacket wearing a gray cabbie hat stands behind a white car plugged into an electric vehicle charger with a sign reading "bp pulse - Uber."
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    Permission granted by Uber
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    Uber and bp to provide fast EV chargers to the ride-hailing company’s drivers

    Uber drivers use electric vehicles at a rate more than eight times that of the general population in the U.S., an Uber spokesperson said.

    By • March 31, 2023
  • A woman using a tablet in a cafe.
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    SDI Productions/E+ via Getty Images
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    NYC launches online portal for city services, benefits

    Mayor Eric Adams said the online portal, dubbed MyCity, would make it easier for residents to apply for benefits by reducing bureaucracy and red tape.

    By Michael Brady • March 31, 2023
  • A DroneUp pilot overseeing drone delivery at Walmart store
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    Courtesy of Walmart press kit DroneUp announcement
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    Deep Dive

    Drone companies gearing up to meet lofty delivery goals

    Zipline and Alphabet's Wing aim to scale up and reach more customers, which could soon lead to millions of deliveries each year, according to the companies.

    By Max Garland • March 31, 2023
  • View from above of an advanced electric takeoff and landing, or eVTOL, aircraft, parked.
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    Courtesy of Archer Aviation
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    As air taxi routes for Chicago and New York take shape, Congress and the White House weigh in

    Aiming for commercial eVTOL flights in 2025, developers are advancing plans for aircraft production and certification.

    By • March 31, 2023
  • A blue bus parked on a road lined with palm trees, with a modern glass-facade building in the background.
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    Courtesy of Anaheim Transportation Network
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    All-electric bus fleet is Southern California transit agency’s goal

    The city of Anaheim — home to Disneyland — created its transit agency to address environmental issues spurred by the city’s rapid growth. Its next bus order will result in a 90% electric fleet.

    By • March 30, 2023
  • A man standing at a bus stop while a silver and orange bus is stopped across the street in front of trees and a white buildng.
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    Courtesy of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
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    Zero-emission bus fleet transition accelerated by Washington, DC, transit agency

    Starting with 12 electric buses in a pilot program, WMATA will spend $7.4 billion to achieve a 100% zero-emission fleet by 2042.

    By • March 29, 2023
  • Three separate elevated highways lead to the Houston skyline in the background.
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    The image by Famartin is licensed under CC BY 4.0
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    Controversial $9.7B I-45 highway expansion in Houston to resume

    The Federal Highway Administration halted the highway project two years ago to investigate potential civil rights violations.

    By Julie Strupp • March 28, 2023