Michael Crider: A little-known federal act powers our rail advantage
The greater Indianapolis region is a major hub for goods movement, which is a huge asset for attracting and growing companies whose goal is to cover the broader U.S. market.
Transportation
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Biden says Buttigieg will play key role in rebuilding country after pandemic
The choice of Pete Buttigieg, who sought the Democratic presidential nomination and has an ardent following among some members of the party, will bring a dash of star power to what is normally a staid, if important, department.
Biden introduces ex-rival Buttigieg as transportation pick
President-elect Joe Biden introduced Democratic primary rival Pete Buttigieg on Wednesday as his nominee for transportation secretary, calling the 38-year-old ex-mayor of South Bend “a new voice, with new ideas determined to move past old politics.”
Biden to pick Buttigieg as transportation chief, sources say
Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, one of Biden’s rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination, was a breakout star of the primaries.
Westfield moves to flesh out plans for Monon Trail tunnel at 161st Street
The Westfield City Council has once again delayed a vote on whether to install a signalized crosswalk or an underpass where the Monon Trail crosses 161st Street, prompting Mayor Andy Cook to seek more details for the latter.
Retailers urge shoppers to buy early amid shipping crunch
The earlier-than-usual deadlines come as more people turn to online shopping during the pandemic, creating a logjam for shipping companies as well as delivery delays. The U.S. Post Office admits that processing plants are “overwhelmed.”
INDOT awards $101M in local road funding grants
The funding is part of the Community Crossings grant program, which provides matching state dollars for local road and bridge construction projects. Interstate or state highway projects are not eligible for funding.
Southwest warns nearly 7,000 workers of possible furloughs
Southwest Airlines said the workers could lose their jobs unless labor unions accept concessions to help the airline cope with a sharp drop in travel caused by the pandemic.
Hamilton County OKs paying down State Road 37 overruns with initial $5.6M
The Hamilton County Council on Wednesday approved a payment toward an estimated $42 million cost overrun on the State Road 37 improvement project in Fishers.
U.S. tightens definition of service animals allowed on planes
Under the final rule, which takes effect in 30 days, a service animal is defined as a dog trained to help a person with a disability.
Holiday air travel surges despite dire health warnings
Nearly 1.2 million people passed through U.S. airports Sunday, the greatest number since the pandemic gripped the country in March, despite pleas from health experts for Americans to stay home over Thanksgiving.
Many Americans flying for holiday despite CDC pleas
More than 2 million people were screened at U.S. airports on Friday and Saturday, according to the Transportation Security Administration. Friday was only the second time since mid-March that daily airport screenings topped 1 million.
Mazda No. 1 in Consumer Reports 2020 auto reliability survey
Mazda took top honors for the first time in the survey, which this year included Consumer Reports organization members who own more than 300,000 vehicles from model years 2000 to 2020.
FAA clears Boeing 737 Max aircraft to fly again after 20-month review
Regulators around the world grounded the Max in March 2019, after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jet. That happened less than five months after another Max flown by Indonesia’s Lion Air plunged into the Java Sea.
North Split construction, traffic closures to begin in December
The North Split project, which was first announced in 2017, will reconfigure the Interstate 65/Interstate 70 interchange on the northeast side of downtown.
Future of business travel unclear as virus upends work life
Work travel represented 21% of the $8.9 trillion spent on global travel and tourism in 2019, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. How much of that business will return after the pandemic is uncertain.
Ivy Tech, Conexus to launch first-of-its-kind truck driver training program
The one-semester program, which includes both on-the-road driver training and academic instruction, is set to begin in January at Ivy Tech campuses in Indianapolis, Lafayette, Fort Wayne, Evansville and Lawrenceburg.
KAR turns higher-than-expected quarterly profit despite missing revenue projections
The Carmel-based company said its results for the first nine months of 2020 have been “significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
COVID-19 explodes in Elkhart County while pandemic becomes political
Local officials say state and federal authorities in recent weeks have showed little interest in helping them push for the tougher measures needed to control the pandemic.
Airlines face winter survival test after virus slows rebound
The pain is evident across the globe, where airlines have rescinded earlier forecasts that called for traffic to gradually increase toward normal levels during the fourth quarter.