Category Archives: transportation

Hyundai Ends Business in Iran Says Anti Nuke Weapons Group

In the view of many, this is a perfect example of the hypocritically bad behavior of global corporations supporting terrorism and repression abroad in the pursuit of profits against the policies of their home governments. These policies resulting from democratic laws  protect them financially and provide for the well being their major stockholders and executives.

The 12 automakers displayed in the Watch List’s “Virtual Showroom” are Fiat, Isuzu, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Porsche, Renault, Suzuki, Toyota and Volvo. Combined, they sell more than 650,000 vehicles per year in the country, making it the second-largest sector of Iran’s economy, according to UANI.  With the exception of Fiat controlled Chrysler, General Motors and Ford are supporting U.S. foreign policy. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, news, news analysis, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ruling against Chevron in $18 Billion Toxic Oil Waste Case

In February 2011, after an eight-year trial that produced 220,000 pages of evidence, an Ecuador court found Chevron liable for deliberately dumping more than 16 billion gallons of toxic waste into Amazon waterways when it operated in Ecuador from 1964 to 1992 under the Texaco brand. The dumping severely hurt indigenous groups and caused an outbreak of cancer and other diseases, according to the evidence. Continue reading

Posted in litigation, news, news analysis, people, results, safety, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

California Drivers Cut Gasoline Use. Tax Revenues Hurt

Because of the recession, increases in California’s sales taxes and more fuel efficient vehicles, among other variables, taxable gallons of gasoline used in California – at 14.7 billion gallons in 2011 – was at the lowest level in more than a decade, a declining trend that has been going on since 2005. Politicians with their insatiable need for more taxes are concerned, which means hang on to your wallet as they figure out how to make you pay more for using less gasoline. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, economy, fuel economy or emissions, results, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Anti Nuke Weapon Org Targets Automakers Selling in Iran

In the view of some, this is a perfect example of the hypocritically bad behavior of global corporations supporting terrorism and repression abroad in the pursuit of profits against the policies of their home governments, whose democratic laws financially protect them and provide for the well being their major stockholders and executives. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, fools 'n frauds, news, news analysis, people, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lockheed Martin Fined $15.85 Million for Taxpayer Rip-off

“It is troubling that a large defense contractor with long-established contractual ties with the United States failed to undertake appropriate measures to ensure the integrity and validity of the costs it submitted to the United States,” said Stuart F. Delery, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Division. It is more troubling that seven years of fraud when revealed took another seven years for the Federal government to resolve. Continue reading

Posted in aviation, fools 'n frauds, litigation, news, people, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Colorado Volt Buyers Eligible for $13,500 in Taxpayer Subsidies

The core environmental problem here is an economic one. The slow selling $40,000 Volt – even with subsidies – remains overpriced and not competitive in the marketplace. No wonder that the Volt plant in Michigan is currently down for five weeks. More troubling is the sales of the smaller Prius c hybrid. In the first three days since the small Prius c went on sale this month it sold 1,201 units, bypassing sales of the much more expensive – two times the price – Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf for the entire month of February. Continue reading

Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, economy, electric vehicles, news analysis, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

EU Automakers Protest Globalization as Trade Policy

Call it pragmatism or pure hypocrisy, but the Association of European Automakers – ACEA – is protesting trade negotiations to open markets. This is the so-called globalization that many – if not all- of its parent automaker companies previously used to break or weaken unions as they moved jobs away from their older, established manufacturing sites. Now, the effect of globalization is coming home to an impoverished European roost as the EU opens up formerly protected markets to developing countries, some of which produce automobiles. Management and remaining workers are in danger of losing their jobs this time. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, economy, labor issues, news, news analysis, people, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Anti Nuke Group Protests Iran Business Ties of Mazda

Mazda is tied to the IRGC through its long-standing partnership with the Bahman Group, a Tehran-based manufacturing conglomerate that is licensed to manufacture Mazda vehicles. Bahman is 45.5% owned by the IRGC’s Sepah Cooperative Foundation, according to UANI. In 2010, Bahman produced a total of 36,891 Mazda vehicles in Iran. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, news, news analysis, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Airline On-Time Performance Improves in January

Flights to or from Phoenix (PHX) operated by Southwest or United had the dubious distinction of posting the most delays of greater than 30 minutes in January more than 50% of the time. Continue reading

Posted in aviation, customer satisfaction, news, results, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Honda to Build Another Automobile Plant in Indonesia

Honda is also a force in the Asian motorcycle market. PT Astra Honda Motor, Honda’s joint venture company in Indonesia responsible for motorcycle production and sales, is now going to build its fourth Motorcycle Plant in Indonesia. Total production capacity with the addition of 1,100,000 annual production will be 5,300,000 motorcycles and scooters when the plant opens next year. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, manufacturing, motorcycles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

BizJet Pays $11.8 M Fine under Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

BizJet International Sales and Support will pay an $11.8 million criminal penalty to resolve charges under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act for bribing government officials. The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based aircraft maintenance company with links to Lufthansa was under investigation by the Department of Justice for bribing government officials in Latin America to secure contracts to perform aircraft services for government agencies. Continue reading

Posted in aviation, litigation, news, news analysis, people, results, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Focus Electric Approved for $10,000 in Taxpayer Handouts

The California Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Resources Board (CARB) has dictated that owners of the new 2012 Ford Focus Electric can drive in high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. Owners also will be able to receive up to $10,000 in tax credits between the state’s new $2,500 rebate and a $7,500 federal tax incentive – both funded by taxpayers at a time of soaring deficits. Critics call this socialism for the rich. These subsidies appear to be crucial for sales success of the Focus Electric. Without them, the car lists starting at $39,995. This means a typical payment to buy the compact car – with $4,000 down – is almost $800 per month for 48 months at Ford’s 7% interest rate. The gasoline-fueled Focus starts at just over $17,000. Continue reading

Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, environment, fuel economy or emissions, new vehicle, news analysis, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Airlines Profitable as Passenger Fees Continue to Rise

As part of their third-quarter revenue, the airlines collected almost a billion dollars – $898 million – in baggage fees and $603 million from reservation change fees from July to September 2011. Baggage fees and reservation change fees are the only ancillary fees paid by passengers that are reported to BTS as separate items. Other fees, such as revenue from seating assignments and on-board sales of food, beverages, pillows, blankets, and entertainment are reported in a different category with other items and cannot be identified separately. Continue reading

Posted in aviation, financial results, marketing, news analysis, results, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

DOE Nixes Carbon Motors Loan in Midst of Taxpayer Subsidy Storm

How you view this depends on what you think of the role of government should be – if any- in nurturing the U.S. economy and promoting energy independence, among other thorny issues. Herewith, two, admittedly simplified interpretations:

– a needed correction after the ‘green jobs’ that were supposed to be established by such subsidies were revealed as just the latest lies from politicians;
or
– simply the squealing of corporate pigs when feeding at the taxpayer trough was stopped

And there remains another real issue about whether there is much – if any – thinking behind the proper role of vast government subsidies, but don’t look for that debate in the sound-bite campaign now under way. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, economy, news, news analysis, people, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Will Rising Gasoline Prices Hurt New or Used Car Sales?

What this means for the recovering U.S. vehicle market is unclear. New vehicle sales have been slowly rising but are still far below pre-Great Recession rates. What is clear is that this is bad news for drivers and energy consumers, is that global liquid fuels consumption is at historically high levels. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, energy, news, news analysis, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment