Transportation in the United States

• United States Department of Transportation (DOT)
• Automobiles (US market)
• Electric Vehicles (US Market)

Chronicle

2024

Workers strike against port automation paralyzes half of U.S. shipping

In late September 2024, dock workers at east coast USA ports began strike action to increase wages and reduce the pace of automation. That strike has paralyzed half of U.S. shipping and could trigger a new round and inflations lead to a shortage of goods if it lasts longer than a few weeks. More here

In salons, 99% of cars in the United States found cancer-causing substances

99% of cars made in the United States contain potentially carcinogenic flame suppressors found in seat coverings and other interior details. This was reported on May 8, 2024 by Newsweek, citing a scientific study in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. Read more here.

2023

Washington police start giving out trackers for free to protect cars from theft

On November 1, 2023, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that Washington police had begun distributing free Apple AirTag wireless trackers to local residents for installation on vehicles. These tags will make it easier to track cars in case of theft.

It is noted that the number of vehicle thefts has sharply increased in the District of Columbia. So, from January 1 to November 1, 2023, approximately 5,800 such crimes were recorded, which is twice as much as in the same period of the previous year. Often, thefts occur with the use of firearms, which creates a direct threat to the lives of car owners.

Apple AirTag tracker

According to law enforcement agencies, many cars produced between 2011 and 2021 do not have a standard anti-theft system, and therefore become easy prey for criminals. We are talking primarily about Kia and Hyundai cars. According to statistics, from December 2019 to October 2022, the number of car thefts of these brands during any of the months did not exceed 32. However, then there was a sharp surge: for example, in May 2023 alone, 368 Kia and Hyundai cars were stolen in the District of Columbia. And in the first three months of 2023, the number of thefts of such machines exceeded the number of incidents in the previous two years combined.

AirTag labels are designed to protect such machines. Washington residents can get a tracker for free by simply confirming their place of residence. The location of the tag will not be available to the police - residents themselves will have to report information about the location to law enforcement agencies in case of theft. True, tags are distributed only in areas with the highest number of vehicle thefts. Residents of other zones Bowser calls for the purchase of such trackers on their own: their cost as of November 2023 is approximately $30.^[1]

US approves rules for training and certification of flying taxi pilots

On June 7, 2023, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved rules for training and certification of flying taxi pilots. We are talking about electric devices with vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL), which are considered as "future air mobility in megacities."

The new rules, according to the FAA, are necessary for the reason that many flying taxis have a hybrid design. They take off and land like helicopters, but move along the route like airplanes. The developed document meets the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization, and therefore pilots trained in the United States will be able to work in other countries.

US approves rules for training and certification of flying taxi pilots

These proposed flight rules will usher in a new era of safe aviation and lay the foundation necessary for the development of the industry, said Acting Assistant Administrator for Aviation Safety David Boulter.

The FAA says commercial operation of the first air taxis will begin by the end of 2024 or early 2025. Such aircraft are planned to be used primarily for rapid movement in urban conditions (bypassing traffic jams), as well as for urgent delivery of passengers to airports. At first, air taxis will rely on already deployed infrastructure, including existing routes, helipads and vertoports. The flight speed of such machines will be comparable to the speed of movement of conventional helicopters.

The adopted rules also state that pilots working for eVTOL manufacturers could act as flight instructors to speed up training in flight schools. For air taxis, the same set of operating requirements is provided as for traditional aircraft, which are used for private and commercial flights and aircraft.^[2]

Notes