Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

December 2, 2008 10:11:04 PM CST

Learn about Newser Points »

Department of Transportation

Department of Transportation news stories

5 Stories

ANALYSIS

How Cheap Gas Hurts Green Initiatives, Feds' Bottom Line

Driving less not great for gov't coffers

Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal Nov 24, 08 9:15 AM CST
(Newser) - Americans are driving less and burning less fuel, but it could be too soon for conservation fans to celebrate. That dip, and global economic gloom, has sent oil and gas prices spiraling down, Joseph White writes in the Wall Street Journal , depriving the government of taxes it needs for transportation infrastructure—and perhaps sapping consumers’ motivation to buy more fuel-efficient vehicles. More »

More about:  Barack Obama • Financial Crisis • President Obama • gas prices • oil price • conservation • gas tax • Department of Transportation • gasoline prices

States Consider Leasing Roads as Upkeep Takes Toll

$12.8B deal could make Penn. Turnpike largest such public-private partnership

Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal Aug 26, 08 2:15 PM CDT
(Newser) - With Pennsylvania legislators set to vote next month on a $12.8 billion deal that would put the 537-mile Pennsylvania Turnpike under private operation, such public-private partnerships are accelerating across the US, the Wall Street Journal reports. Often bankrolled by infrastructure funds—which have $160 billion under management—the projects provide relief to states hamstrung by ballooning budget deficits. More »

More about:  Pennsylvania • highways • transit • Department of Transportation • Indiana Toll Road • road budget

Gas Prices Drive Americans
Off the Road

Motoring takes record drop: 11B fewer
miles in March

CNN CNN May 27, 08 3:31 AM CDT
(Newser) - The summer driving season that kicked off over Memorial Day weekend will see significantly fewer Americans hitting the road, reports CNN: Figures from March released yesterday show the biggest decline in driving since the federal government began keeping records in 1942—down 4.3% or 11 billion miles from last year. Gas consumption for the first 3 months of 2008 is estimated to be about 0.6% lower than the previous year, and the summer consumption is projected to be down 0.4%. More »

More about:  gas prices • gas • driving • cars • drivers • Department of Transportation

Key Inspector Says FAA
Crackdown Long Overdue

Agency's renewed inspection efforts long overdue, sweeping changes needed

Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal Apr 10, 08 2:26 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Federal Aviation Administration is too lax, and its recent toughening-up long overdue, the Transportation Department’s inspector general Calvin Scovel told senators today. The agency should not rely, as it has until recently, on airlines to voluntarily disclose safety oversights, and shouldn’t provide loopholes for the appropriate penalties when they do, according to the Wall Street Journal . More »

More about:  airline industry • American Airlines • FAA • oversight • Department of Transportation

Southwest Faces Record Fines

Airline found several cracks after skipping required safety checks

Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal Mar 6, 08 4:18 AM CST
(Newser) - Southwest Airlines faces at least $3 million in fines sought by the FAA for failing to inspect 46 older Boeing 737-300 jets for structural flaws identified in a 2004 safety directive, reports the Wall Street Journal. The expected penalty would be the largest imposed on an airline in 20 years. When the planes were finally inspected last spring, six had cracks up to 4 inches long in the fuselage. More »

More about:  safety • FAA • Southwest Airlines • inspection • fine • Department of Transportation • Boeing 737-300 • maintenance • House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

5 Stories

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser a team of editors and writers culls the most important stories from hundreds of U.S. and international sources and reduces them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. It's the Newser guarantee: we can take any report or column or video and pack what you need to know into 120 words or less. Newser's short-form aggregation, visual format, and unique information tools help you get more of the kind of news you want, in a quicker and more entertaining way. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »