Tag Archives: dot

Hyundai, Kia Fined Record Amount for Fuel Economy Cheating

Posted on 3 November 2014 by Ken Zino

The Korean scofflaws Hyundai and Kia will pay a record $100 million penalty for selling vehicles that emit more greenhouse gases because of false fuel economy ratings. Continue reading →

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Pork or Progress as FAA Funds Natural Gas Shuttles?

Posted on 31 July 2014 by Ken Zino

The grant gives money to purchase six compressed natural gas buses to transport airport passengers and employees from the terminal to parking and rental car facilities. This project is part of the airport’s program to minimize vehicle emissions within the airport footprint. Continue reading →

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NHTSA Rule Tells Automakers to Reveal Uncompleted Recalls

Posted on 15 August 2013 by Ken Zino

A new regulation issued by NHTSA requires automakers and motorcycle manufacturers to provide information on uncompleted vehicle safety recalls online. During a speech at the Washington Automotive Press Association, NHTSA Administrator David Strickland said that the safety information would be searchable by the Vehicle Identification Number, aka VIN, free of charge. Continue reading →

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DOT Wants to Eliminate Needless Trucking Paperwork

Posted on 2 August 2013 by Ken Zino

In what has been a largely symbolic act, President Obama launched the Administration’s regulatory initiative in January 2011 by issuing Executive Order 13563. That called for a government-wide review of regulations on the books, with the goal of eliminating or modifying out-of-date, ineffective or overly burdensome regulations. Not much of substance came from the bureaucracy. Continue reading →

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U.S. DOT Publishes Distracted Driving Guidelines

Posted on 23 April 2013 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Department of Transportation finally released today distracted driving guidelines in an attempt to “encourage automobile manufacturers” to limit the distraction risk connected to electronic devices built into their vehicles, such as communications, entertainment and navigation devices. These are of course among the most profitable and sought after accessories in new cars and trucks. Continue reading →

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DOT Secretary Ray LaHood Resigns

Posted on 29 January 2013 by Ken Zino

Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced to the employees of the DOT that after serving for four years in President Obama’s Cabinet, he is leaving. LaHood’s successor is thus far unknown. People who have been rumored as replacements for LaHood include Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, chair of last year’s Democratic National Convention; Debbie Hersman, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board; ex congressman Jim Oberstar of Minnesota, once head of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Continue reading →

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More Than 17.8 Million Safety Recalls During 2012 in U.S.

Posted on 20 January 2013 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that manufacturers conducted 650 safety recalls, affecting more than 17.8 million vehicles, child seats and equipment during calendar year 2012. Toyota at 5.3 million vehicles recalled, Honda at 3.4 million, General Motors at 1.5 million, Ford at 1.4 million and Chrysler at 1.3 million have the dubious distinction of leading the recall list. The record year for recalls remains 2004 when almost 31 million safety actions were taken. Continue reading →

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FAA Finally Grounds Boeing 787. Reluctant Regulator Acts after Two Fires. De Havilland Comet like Tragedy Avoided – for the Moment

Posted on 17 January 2013 by Ken Zino

The FAA has finally grounded the Boeing 787 Dreamliner after yet another life threatening incident, the apparent failure and fire of a lithium ion battery-pack during the flight of a Nippon Air 787. The reluctant safety regulator finally acted only days after the DOT head, Republican Ray La Hood, claimed that the so called Dreamliner was safe to fly in the face of a growing number of troubling incidents that included the fire on the ground of a 787 at Logan Airport in Boston. Continue reading →

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Santa One Cleared for Flight by FAA

Posted on 24 December 2012 by Ken Zino

AutoInformed salutes the real elves at the FAA, the hard working men and women who are our air traffic controllers. In spite of an FAA management bureaucracy that is often clueless and ineffective, these elves know how to move the aluminum or in this case a wooden sleigh without worrying about fine points of regulations while using demonstrably deficient equipment. Therefore, AutoInformed sends season’s greetings to some of the hardest working civil servants in the U.S. And to all a good night, err flight. Continue reading →

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Distracted Drivers and Vehicle Design Briefing offered by CAR

Posted on 20 September 2012 by Ken Zino

The automotive electronics evolution has seen increasing emphasis on connected vehicle systems, driver assistance systems, and infotainment systems. Given the potential for these systems to cause huge drops in customer satisfaction, as Ford Motor learned with its My Touch and My Sync systems, it is not surprising that auto companies are now hiring people with experience in human factors engineering, human-machine interface, and mobile device technology. The latest briefing is one of a series CAR offers on relevant topics of interest to industry professionals. Continue reading →

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U.S. Airline Employment Rises Slightly in June

Posted on 29 August 2012 by Ken Zino

U.S. scheduled passenger airlines employed 1.4% more workers in June 2012 than they did in June 2011 but still remain below pre-Great Recession levels, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today. Continue reading →

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DOT and EPA Issue Record 54.5 MPG Fuel Economy Standards

Posted on 28 August 2012 by Ken Zino

Realistically, the fuel economy average will likely be in the 38-40 mpg range. Therefore, your mileage not only can vary but will vary from big numbers being touted in a closely contested Presidential election year. This, by the way, is where European fuel economy is right now, so if you want to know what the roads will look like a decade hence, travel to Spain or Italy whose governments desperately need tourist revenues to cover their massive deficits. Continue reading →

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BP, Marathon, Exxon Mobil, Monsanto, BASF, and Other Hazardous Waste Polluters to Pay for Texas City Superfund Cleanup

Posted on 17 July 2012 by Ken Zino

The Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced have reached an agreement with more then three dozen companies and government agencies that will result in a $56.4 million cleanup of the “Malone Services Company” Superfund Site in Texas City, Texas. The former waste-disposal site is near the shore of Galveston Bay. The deal avoids costly and time-consuming litigation. Continue reading →

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Airline On-Time Performance Improves in May

Posted on 10 July 2012 by Ken Zino

The largest airlines in the U.S. reported an on-time arrival rate of 83.4% in May, up from the 77.1% on-time rate of May 2011. This was down from April 2012’s 86.3% rate, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report released today. Continue reading →

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Volaris Fined by DOT for Failing to Disclose Baggage Fees

Posted on 22 June 2012 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Department of Transportation today assessed a fine of $130,000 against the Mexican airline Volaris for failing to inform consumers that they may have to pay baggage fees when buying a ticket on the carrier. This is the first penalty assessed for a violation of the provisions of the Department’s new aviation consumer rule that took effect this past January. Continue reading →

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