Transportation

Pressures on Fuel Ethanol Production Capacity

November 18, 2009 -- Capacity to produce fuel ethanol from corn nearly tripled between January 2006 and January 2009. However, over the past 18 months, a combination of surplus production capacity, the decline of gasoline prices from their mid-2008 peak level, and high corn prices that boosted producers’ input costs have resulted in a sharp decline in ethanol margins. The combination of economic pressures on capacity led some producers to idle plants, and in some cases, file for bankruptcy.    » read more »

November 16, 2009 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation today released its Motorcoach Safety Action Plan which lays out concrete steps for improving motorcoach safety across the board. The action plan addresses major safety issues such as driver fatigue and inattention, vehicle rollover, occupant ejections and oversight of unsafe carriers.

"We are committed to making sure that bus travelers reach their destinations safely," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "These improvements will not only help reduce the number of motorcoach crashes, it will also help save lives and reduce injuries."    » read more »

Chrysler’s Congressman Says He’ll take Former Presidential Candidate up on His Offer, “anybody believes that Chrysler is going to survive, I'd like to meet them”

November 17, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Congressman Gary Peters, whose district is home to Chrysler Group LLC World Headquarters in Southeast Michigan, today challenged Senator John McCain’s prediction that Chrysler will soon fail and that preventing the collapse of American auto companies was a mistake.

As reported in the Detroit News this week, while serving as grand marshal of a NASCAR race in Arizona, Senator McCain said “anybody believes that Chrysler is going to survive, I'd like to meet them.”    » read more »

Partnership Positions GE as first U.S. High-Speed Rail Locomotive Manufacturer

Erie, Pa., USA and Beijing, China (Nov. 17, 2009) - GE and China’s Ministry of Railways today announced that they signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly advance high-speed rail (HSR) opportunities in the United States. This collaboration will allow GE Transportation to be the first U.S. locomotive manufacturer to more effectively compete for high-speed rail projects against global competitors.

In addition, the partnership would accelerate GE’s passenger rail technologies and create in the near future up to 150 high technology jobs in the U.S. The announcement was made as part of "GE's Clean Technology Week in China" activities.    » read more »

New requirement to win is good rating for protection in rollovers

ARLINGTON, VA — Nineteen cars and 8 SUVs earn the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick award for 2010 For the first time, good performance in a roof strength test to measure protection in a rollover is required to win. Top Safety Pick recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, rear, and now rollover crashes based on good ratings in Institute tests.

Winners also must have electronic stability control, which research shows significantly reduces crash risk. This is the second time the Institute has tightened criteria since announcing the first recipients in 2005.    » read more »

November 16, 2009 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation today released its Motorcoach Safety Action Plan which lays out concrete steps for improving motorcoach safety across the board. The action plan addresses major safety issues such as driver fatigue and inattention, vehicle rollover, occupant ejections and oversight of unsafe carriers.

“We are committed to making sure that bus travelers reach their destinations safely,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “These improvements will not only help reduce the number of motorcoach crashes, it will also help save lives and reduce injuries.”    » read more »

November 16, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, General Motors announced that it plans to start repaying its government loans more than five years ahead of schedule and that it generated $3.3 billion in cash in the third quarter. Although the automaker did not post a profit, it exceeded expectations and increased revenue by 21 percent from the second quarter.

As Co-Chair of the Congressional Automotive Caucus and a native of Flint, MI, the birthplace of G.M., Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) has worked tirelessly to return the company to productivity and profitability and welcomed this encouraging news. Congressman Kildee released the following statement:    » read more »

Veteran Congressman Asks: Why Are Republicans Rooting for GM To Fail?

November 16, 2009 -- Washington, DC - Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) made the following remarks after General Motors (GM) announced the company would repay the United States more than $1 billion dollars next month, years earlier than required.

“Today, General Motors has come forth with good news. The company is on its way to fulfilling its promise to America’s taxpayers – much sooner than expected or required. The new GM has a healthier balance sheet, reduced inventories and a competitive cost structure, putting it on a path towards repaying its debts and rebuilding the company’s value. The company is better situated to deal with economic hardship.    » read more »

ExpressJet to Operate 22 Aircraft as Replacement Flying for United Express

November 16, 2009 -- CHICAGO, Nov. 16, 2009 – UAL Corporation (NASDAQ: UAUA), the holding company whose primary subsidiary is United Airlines, today announced that ExpressJet Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of ExpressJet Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: XJT) will operate 22 ERJ-145 aircraft under the United Express brand.

This new flying, which will begin on May 1, 2010, will replace flying previously done by other United Express partner carriers whose contracts have expired and is consistent with the 2010 capacity outlook United provided in its third quarter earnings conference call.    » read more »

Operating actions result in EBIT loss before special items of $261 million and managerial net loss of $1.2 billion; Accelerated plan to repay U.S. and Canadian taxpayers; first $1.2 billion payment in December

November 16, 2009 -- DETROIT – General Motors Company (GM) released today preliminary non-GAAP managerial results1 for its first 83 days of operation, providing an initial look at its financial performance since it began operations as a new company on July 10, 2009.    » read more »

November 12, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Vice President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that the Department of Transportation has jumpstarted more than 10,000 transportation projects across America thanks to its swift allocation of Recovery Act dollars. As of this week, state agencies reported a total of 10,041 approved    » read more »

System Traffic Down 4.1 Percent from August 2008

November 13, 2009 - The number of scheduled domestic and international passengers on U.S. airlines in August 2009 declined by 4.1 percent from August 2008, dropping by 2.8 million to 65.0 million, the Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today reported . August was the 17th consecutive month with a decrease in passengers from the prior year .

BTS, a part of DOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration, in a release of preliminary data, reported that U.S. airlines carried 4.1 percent fewer domestic passengers than in August 2008. International passengers on U.S. carriers decreased 4.5 percent .    » read more »

Saudi Aramco Announces New U.S. Pricing Formula

November 12, 2009 -- The U.S. imported slightly more than 1 million barrels of crude oil per day from Saudi Arabia during the first 8 months of 2009. Despite a decline of more than 33 percent compared to the same period in 2008, Saudi Arabia was still the third largest source of U.S. crude oil imports during the first 8 months of this year, according to EIA import data.    » read more »

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Nov. 12, 2009-- In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, US Airways’ (NYSE: LCC) Chairman and CEO Doug Parker responded to Secretary LaHood’s invitation to attend the Future of U.S. Aviation Forum being hosted today by the Department of Transportation. In the letter, Parker shares the airline and industry’s views about the future competitiveness of the U.S. aviation industry. The letter in its entirety follows:

November 11, 2009

The Honorable Ray LaHood
Secretary of Transportation
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20590

Dear Secretary LaHood:    » read more »

Airplane begins preparations for flight test

EVERETT, Wash., Nov. 12 -- Boeing (NYSE: BA), on Thursday afternoon, towed the first 747-8 Freighter out of the factory in Everett, Wash. The airplane, ultimately destined for Cargolux, will be painted and begin preparations for flight test.

"It is very rewarding to see this airplane transition to the flight test phase," said Mo Yahyavi, 747 program vice president and general manager. "Our employees, suppliers and customers have put a lot of work into making the 747-8 Freighter a reality."    » read more »