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AAA projects 72.2 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home for Independence Day between Saturday, June 27 and Sunday, July 5. This year’s domestic travel forecast surpasses last year’s record of 71.8 million travelers, but the increase is smaller than recent year-over-year gains. The number of travelers driving and flying to their destinations is relatively flat compared to last year, while travel by other modes, including cruises, is the category seeing the biggest increase.*
“For many Americans, traveling the week of July 4th is tradition,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “The 9-day travel forecast includes travelers who are vacationing all week and people just getting away for the long holiday weekend. While the overall number of Independence Day travelers appears to be plateauing, we’re still expecting record volumes this year.” Continue reading
Ford Recalls Expand – Six More Covering ~172,000 Vehicles
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is conducting six more recalls according to data released today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration taken from the mandatory safety defect recall filings with the division of the U.S. Department of Transportation (NHTSA recalls 26V373 or 26V-373 sequentially through to 26V378.) Ford is operating under a NHTSA consent decree. [The Ford NHTSA consent order is a binding agreement issued on 14 November 2024, resolving allegations that the automaker failed to comply with federal recall requirements regarding defective rearview cameras. It includes a $165 million civil penalty, marking the second-largest in the agency’s 54-year history – AutoCrat.]*
The latest safety defects are headlamps, power windows, gear selector indication, transmission failures, and the lane center assist system transmission downshifting unexpectedly into first gear. Approximately 172,000 vehicles are affected. Several of the recalls are the result of improperly repaired previous Ford Motor safety defect recalls. Continue reading →