Topic: U.S. Department of Transportation

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Thanksgiving travel: Top 3 ways to spot delays

Thanksgiving Day is one of America's most cherished holidays, yet the 24 hours before the celebration begins seem to create the biggest challenges. Will you get to your destination safely? Will you be on time? It's no surprise that Americans encounter snags. Some 42.5 million people will be traveling more than 50 miles this year to their Thanksgiving destinations, according to AAA, a 4 percent increase over last year. Here are three methods to help you plan ahead and avoid travel delays:
From marijuana to 'sexting': new laws set to take effect Jan. 1

In all, 45 states, the District of Columbia, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico passed 31,005 new laws in 2010. Some of them will come into effect with the new year. Here is a sampling of some of the trends in lawmaking in 2010.
In Pictures: Tiny Cars

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Change Agent
Boom in biking benefits everyone, not just bicyclists

All Americans are better off because biking and walking foster public health, stronger local communities and economies, less traffic congestion, safer streets, lower energy use, and a cleaner environment.
Modern Parenthood
Texting and driving: the role of teenage passengers

Texting and driving is not only more common among young people, it seems to be more accepted – at least tacitly. A new study says that younger teenage passengers are least likely to speak up if a driver is texting and driving.
Best service ever? Airline industry sets surprising record.

A new report on the US airline industry found that, by four major measures including lost baggage and overbookings, customer service has never been better.
Monster snowstorm buries Colorado, closing parts of I-70 and I-25

Colorado is facing what could be one of the10 biggest snowstorms to hit the state. Already parts of I-70 and 1-25 have been closed. Blizzard warnings are in effect through Saturday.
Thanksgiving travel: Top 3 ways to spot delays

Thanksgiving Day is one of America's most cherished holidays, yet the 24 hours before the celebration begins seem to create the biggest challenges. Will you get to your destination safely? Will you be on time? It's no surprise that Americans encounter snags. Some 42.5 million people will be traveling more than 50 miles this year to their Thanksgiving destinations, according to AAA, a 4 percent increase over last year. Here are three methods to help you plan ahead and avoid travel delays:
Does your car get 54.5 miles a gallon? That's what EPA wants for 2025.

The Obama administration on Wednesday formally unveiled a plan that would chop greenhouse-gas emissions, heavy reliance on oil, and fuel costs.
JetBlue flight sits on tarmac for seven hours. Will anyone be fined?

Airlines can be fined $27,500 per passenger for flights that sit on the tarmac for more than three hours. But critics say enforcement has been too soft. The JetBlue delay could be a test.
The Vote
Rick Perry and 'treasonous': Is the folksy campaigner gaffe-prone?

Rick Perry scored high style marks in his initial campaign swing as a candidate for president. But a number of near-gaffes suggest he could be spending a lot of time doing damage control.
The Circle Bastiat
Privatize the highways. And every other road, too.

Unfinished roads around the country suggest that perhaps the private sector is better suited to complete projects
Drought and wildfire threaten America's cattle capital

Ranchers face the risk of starving cattle after drought, wildfire, and prolonged high temperatures scorch parts of the heartland. Water reserves were used to fight fires, leaving little for farmers.
Yellowstone River oil spill: US to test air in nearby homes

Yellowstone River oil spill: About 150 people showed up at an EPA meeting Wednesday night with questions about health risks, the duration of the cleanup, and whether the oil will permanently damage their livestock or property.
Landmark US-Mexico trucking agreement resolves 15-year conflict

After years of wrangling, US and Mexican officials signed an agreement Wednesday that allows trucks from each nation to travel on the other country’s highways – a key provision of NAFTA.
US: Canadian oil pipeline hazardous to the environment

A controversial oil-sands pipeline operated by a Canadian oil company was ordered shut down Friday on charges that its continued operation would be hazardous to lives and the environment.
Feds had eye on Sky Express before Tuesday's deadly bus crash

US regulators had begun work to suspend operations of the Sky Express bus line even before a company bus flipped over Tuesday on an interstate highway in Virginia, killing four.
Will smart-phone friendly mileage stickers help car buyers make smarter choices?

The EPA's next generation of mileage labels are smart-phone friendly and were designed to give consumers more ways to compare the efficiency and pollution levels of vehicles of all engine types.
Southwest Airlines, despite cracks in planes, among Top 5 airlines

Southwest ranks No. 5 in new airline quality report. The annual report points to a new No. 1 in airline performance.
Tsunami waves produce flooding surge in Hawaii and California boat damage

Tsunami warnings on the US west coast kept most people away from the water, but tsunami waves damaged boats in northern California and flooded parts of Hawaii. Some California surfers ignored a tsunami warning and tried to find bigger waves.
Alaska oil pipeline has safety and environmental risks

The US Department of Transportation’s pipeline safety division says the 800-mile trans-Alaska pipeline is corroded and poses a severe public safety and environmental risk.
Winter storms zap city budgets. Will FEMA help with snow plowing costs?

As another mega-storm bears down on a large swath of the US, snow-encrusted cities and states scramble to cover rising costs of snow plowing. FEMA might help, but qualifying for aid isn't easy.
From marijuana to 'sexting': new laws set to take effect Jan. 1

In all, 45 states, the District of Columbia, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico passed 31,005 new laws in 2010. Some of them will come into effect with the new year. Here is a sampling of some of the trends in lawmaking in 2010.
Airport outrage: Will airlines be fined for three-hour delays on tarmac?

The US Transportation Department can fine airlines that force passengers to wait in an airplane on the tarmac for more than three hours. The blizzard aftermath could be a test case.
The Vote
Senate ban on budget earmarks: Can it really work?

Pressure on senators to direct money to their states can be tremendous, whether it's done by budget earmarks or some other way. Appropriations bills are only one avenue to deliver the goods.
The Vote
Now that Mitch McConnell is aboard, how much would earmark ban save?

Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell has agreed to back a ban on earmarks. 'Pork barrel' projects in appropriations bills account for between 1 and 2 percent of total federal spending.
Election tally: Glenn Beck won. Progressivism lost.

Glenn Beck and the Republican Party scored big in the midterm elections by attacking progressive values – even, it seems, the very concept of the federal government. Now Americans may find out just how many features of 'big government' they actually value.
The Vote
Obama: Abraham Lincoln would have no place in today's GOP

In a California campaign stop Obama says Abraham Lincoln would not have fit in among this year's GOP candidates. Perhaps. But would Thomas Jefferson have made a good modern Democrat?