DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

The rule also require transitioning existing fleets to zero-emission vehicles. Big rigs, local delivery and government fleets must transition to zero emission by 2035, garbage trucks and local buses by 2039, and sleeper cab tractors and specialty vehicles by 2042. American Trucking Associations Chief Executive Chris Spear criticized the decision to force motor carriers to purchase zero-emission vehicles. On Thursday, CARB adopted new locomotive regulations requiring that by 2030 only those less than 23 years old could operate in the state. The Biden administration must still approve waivers for California to implement the new regulations.

Alexa Bartell Jefferson County Sheriff's OfficeKarol-Chik allegedly told investigators that he felt “a hint of guilt” after seeing the victim’s car. After circling back, Karol-Chik told investigators Koenig slowed down so that Kwak could take a picture of the car. The court documents said Karol-Chik told investigators the suspects felt “excited” when the rocks hit cars. The friend told investigators that Koenig participated in “destructive behavior” and liked “causing ‘chaos,’” the affidavits said. Karol-Chik told investigators he and Kwak “both collected rocks, and that all three of them threw rocks at moving cars,” the affidavits said.

☆ Uber drivers lay out 4 reasons they think tipping has been getting worse — and why events like Taylor Swift concerts seem to make riders more generous
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Ben and other drivers have some theories about why riders aren't as generous as they used to be. Ben, a full-time Uber and Uber Eats driver for five years, said he'd worked as many as 90 hours in one week to make ends meet. Last year, Ben earned roughly $77,000 pretax driving for Uber and Uber Eats. Sergio AvedianUltimately, Avedian said Uber riders' tipping habits today could be traced to the company's decisions several years ago. In-app tipping wasn't even an option for Uber riders until 2017, despite drivers pushing for it for years.

☆ The Janes 1960s underground abortion network
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +28 min

The group was officially created in 1969 as the “Abortion Counseling Service of Women’s Liberation.”But after running ads in an underground newspaper: “Pregnant? “It wasn’t just abortion,” Barron explained. “Vacuum aspiration was much easier to do, and I think it’s less difficult for the woman,” Scott said. We had to keep the service running.”Laura Kaplan volunteered for the Janes, later immortalizing the group in her book, "The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service." Each Jane was charged with 11 counts of abortion and conspiracy to commit abortion, with a possible sentence of up to 110 years in prison.

☆ I commute between Boston and New York City up to three times a week on a seaplane. Here's why it beats taking the train or flying commercial.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

I've been using Tailwind Air, a seaplane shuttle service, to commute between Boston and New York for almost two years now. It's the most efficient and productive way to commute between the two citiesInsider aviation reporter Thomas Pallini flying on a Tailwind Air seaplane in 2021. If you fly frequently, the cost difference isn't that huge compared to commercialFlying on a Tailwind Air seaplane. For the long-term, it's not a sustainable commuteFlying on a Tailwind Air seaplane. I think short-hop travel will look totally different in 50 yearsFlying on a Tailwind Air seaplane.

☆ Inside the Rise and Fall of Kittyhawk, Larry Page's Failed Flying Car Company
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Hugh Langley | Rob Price | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +22 min

Killing off projects had become something of a tradition at Kittyhawk, the secretive flying-car startup launched by the Google cofounder Larry Page. Larry Page has used his Google money to found a series of flying car companies with one common goal: "to free the world of traffic." "When Bloomberg did their original exposé, that's when urban air mobility became a thing," a former Kittyhawk employee recalled. Everyone thought: If Larry Page is in this space, there must be something here." Interpreting "Larry-isms" or "learning to speak Larry" were essential skills for any Kittyhawk employee who wanted to retain their sanity.

☆ Barley talks may be 'first step' toward better trade ties with China. Australia hopes wine is next
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"Barley is the first step in a long process of stabilizing our trading relationship with China," Farrell said Friday, after the two economic giants agreed this week to work toward removing tariffs on Australian barley. Since China's 2020 tariffs on barley, Australia has been essentially blocked from exports to that market worth about $620 million ($916 million Australian dollars) in 2018-19. Don Farrell Minister for Trade and TourismWhen asked about a timeline on a complete resolution to the barley tariffs, the Australian trade minister said he was looking at "the next three to four months." While the future of Australian barley returning to China again is still not confirmed, Farrell is hoping wine could be next on the list. In March 2021, China introduced a crushing five-year tariff of up to 218% on Australian wine.

☆ Lack of electric vans opens door for Chinese, other EV makers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Nick Carey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

[1/3] Tristan Thomas, CEO of Packfleet, demonstrates charging an electric van made by Chinese brand Maxus at the fully-electric package delivery firm's headquarters in London, Britain, October 27, 2022. Packfleet grew tenfold in 2022 and CEO Tristan Thomas said most of the company's 53-vehicle fleet are Maxus vans. SAIC said it sold 18,000 mostly electric Maxus brand vehicles in Western Europe and Scandinavia last year, including buses and pickup trucks. Fleet manager Sean Clifton has 50 additional Ford vans and 20 Maxus vans on order, but will need more soon as Asda electrifies its 1,300 delivery vans. There is no difference in delays for conventional and electric vans at Renault, said commercial vehicle marketing director John Cleworth.

☆ GM expands high-end Chevy Silverado HD lineup with new ZR2 off-road model
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The latest model revealed Thursday is the Chevrolet Silverado HD 2500 ZR2, a new off-road model for one of GM's most expensive pickup trucks. 2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD ZR2 Bison GM"ZR2 has been a huge success for us," said Michael MacPhee, director of Chevy truck marketing. 2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD ZR2 GMThe company declined to disclose exact pricing for the new ZR2 pickups, saying they will be "aspirational but attainable." The current Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ZR2 starts at about $74,000 for a comparable model. The HD ZR2 trucks will be offered exclusively in the 2500 four-door crew cab configuration.

☆ What Are People Even Doing All Day?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Malia Wollan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +12 min

For Laroi, there is no clearly defined day or night. Sometimes he drives all night and sleeps all day; sometimes he sleeps all day and drives all night. One day a week, Sophie works late so she can meet with far-flung colleagues in real time. Now she has enough energy left at the end of the day to go grocery shopping and cook dinner. The time markers reflect the time of day when participants told an interviewer they would normally be doing the activity shown.

☆ US union opposes driverless trucks waiver for Waymo, Aurora
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aurora and Waymo instead want to use warning beacons mounted on the truck cab to avoid needing human drivers. Waymo and Aurora say that without an exemption driverless trucks would need a human on board, which would "undermine the efficiency potential of autonomous CMVs." Waymo responded that the "exemption we put forward would permit compliant autonomous trucking operations while maintaining a high standard of safety." In the joint filing, Aurora said it maintains 28 Class 8 self-driving trucks that run on public roads, primarily in Texas, while Waymo listed 48 Class 8 trucks. Legislation to speed the deployment of self-driving vehicles and ease hurdles has been stalled for more than five years in Congress.

☆ Union opposes driverless trucks exemption for Waymo, Aurora
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aurora and Waymo instead want to use warning beacons mounted on the truck cab to avoid the need for human drivers. It urged the safety board to ensure "rigorous oversight and standards" before widespread deployment of such new technologies. Waymo and Aurora say that without an exemption driverless trucks would need to have a human on board, which would "undermine the efficiency potential of autonomous CMVs." Legislation to speed the deployment of self-driving vehicles and ease hurdles has been stalled for more than five years in Congress. A bill to advance self-driving cars approved by the U.S. House in 2017 applied to vehicles under 10,000 pounds -- but not large commercial trucks.

☆ Great Wall of China: Six sections with beautiful views
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Whether you’re planning to visit the Great Wall for the first time or the 50th, the following destinations are sure to make your trip to China even more worthwhile. The juxtaposition of its ruins against the rammed-earth Great Wall makes Bataizi a unique place to spend a morning or afternoon. Laoniuwan (aka the Old Ox Bend Great Wall)Laoniuwan, where the Great Wall and the Yellow River meet. Alex SherrAs the locals say, Laoniuwan is where the Great Wall and the mighty Yellow River shake hands. The piled-stone wall at Dushikou is unique, as many other sections of the Great Wall close to Beijing were constructed using kiln-fired bricks.

Persons: CNN —, I’ve, Alex Sherr, ”, Alex Sherr Mutianyu, you’ll, William Lindesay, Pan, Zuoyun, You’ll, Simatai, Yatou’s, Emperor Jiajing, Lamb Organizations: CNN, Tourism, UNESCO, Northern Barbarians Locations: Beijing, China, Turtle, Gansu, Sitan, Jingtai County, City, Jingtai, Lanzhou, Gansu province, Turtle City, Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport, it’s, Mutianyu, Jiankou, Xizhazi, Bataizi, Datong, Shanxi province’s, Zuoyun, Zuoyun County, Laoniuwan, Pianguan County, Xinzhou, Shanxi province, Inner Mongolia, marveling, Pianguan, Tangjiazhai, Beijing’s Miyun, Miyun, It’s, Dushikou, Chicheng, Hebei province, Hebei, Liuliqiao

☆ Actor Jeremy Renner says horrific snowplow accident was 'my mistake'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LOS ANGELES, April 6 (Reuters) - Oscar-nominated actor Jeremy Renner said he was at fault in a New Year's Day snowplow accident that left him close to death and that he apologized to his family for putting them through the ordeal. Renner stuck one foot out of the plow to look back at Alex and did not set the parking brake. Renner, then worried that the snowplow would roll back and crush his nephew, said he tried to jump back into the vehicle to stop it. Renner was nominated for an Academy Award for best actor for his work in 2008 film "The Hurt Locker" and for best supporting actor for his work in 2010 movie "The Town." Renner credited the support of his family with helping him survive the snowplow accident.

☆ 'People want to do the right thing': Why 79% of hotel guests say you should tip — but only 30% do
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

They want to do the right thing," says Diane Gottsman, an etiquette expert and owner of the Protocol School of Texas. Run your credit card at a restaurant, and your server will hand you a receipt with a "tip" line. In a recent survey from hotel software firm Canary Technologies, 79% of hotel guests said they think workers should get tips. But hotel workers in the survey said only about 30% of guests typically tip. As for a tip, you don't need to break out your wallet for directions to a nearby coffee shop, says Gottsman.

☆ Tesla recalls semi trucks for faulty parking brakes
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Tesla has issued a recall for 35 of its new electric Semi trucks because the parking brake might not engage when applied by the driver. A Tesla Semi prototype seen durings its 2017 unveiling. PepsiCo also did not immediately respond to a request for information about its Tesla Semi truck fleet. There have been numerous reports of Tesla Semi trucks apparently breaking down on the road. Besides being fully electric, the Tesla Semi also has an unusual design in which the driver sits in the center of the cab rather on one side.

[1/5] Asylum seekers that stated they were from Afghanistan cross into Canada at Roxham Road, an unofficial crossing point from New York State to Quebec in Champlain, New York, U.S. March 24, 2023. REUTERS/Christinne MuschiMarch 24 (Reuters) - Canada and the United States on Friday changed a two-decade-old refugee agreement as part of their attempts to reduce the record influx of asylum seekers entering Canada via unofficial border crossings. DIRT PATH ENTRYThe vast majority of irregular asylum seekers coming to Canada cross at Roxham Road, a narrow dirt path linking New York State with the province of Quebec. Hours before the new deadline kicked in, Roxham Road was relatively quiet. A Reuters photographer at Roxham Road saw a group of 11 Turkish refugees cross into Canada, brought to the border by a Turkish Uber driver.

☆ Norfolk Southern CEO told that railroads' planned voluntary safety improvements aren't enough
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw returns to Capitol Hill Wednesday facing pressure to support rail safety legislation proposed in the wake of his railroad’s massive toxic spill from a February 3 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. “We support legislative efforts to enhance the safety of the freight rail industry,” was the only discussion of the legislation in his prepared remarks. Shaw said the railroad would support increasing fines and penalties for people found tampering with railroad facilities and safety equipment, without endorsing proposals for potential fines on railroads found guilty of safety violations. They said residents who live near freight rail tracks can’t depend on the railroad’s voluntary measures to improve safety. Vance said it is important to raise the maximum fine for rail safety violations from the current limit of $225,455.

☆ Self-driving startup Gatik to double workforce, strikes Kroger deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Abhirup Roy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SAN FRANCISCO, March 15 (Reuters) - Self-driving trucking startup Gatik will double its workforce by year end, a top executive said, after it announced a deal on Wednesday with grocer Kroger Co (KR.N) to transport goods within its Dallas, Texas network. Gatik, which operates traditional mid-sized trucks fitted with its autonomous technology, aimed to expand to 15 new U.S. states over five years, CEO Gautam Narang told Reuters. Many investors in the self-driving industry have grown sceptical as complicated technology and tough safety regulations have delayed large-scale commercialization. Autonomous truck company Embark Technology (EMBK.O) said this month it would lay off 70% of its employees and start evaluating options, including winding down the business. Microsoft (MSFT.O)plans to invest more than $10 million in Gatik at a valuation above $700 million, sources told Reuters in January.

☆ Lauren Boebert once made the local news for delivering her third son in a pickup truck
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Rep. Lauren Boebert has been making headlines for saying she'll be a "36-year-old grandmother." In 2009, she was in the local news for delivering her third son in a pickup truck. "Now that I think about it clearly, we should have left earlier," she wrote in her memoir. Boebert, who announced her 17-year-old son Tyler is about to have a son in April, explains how she delivered her third son, Kaydon, in her memoir "My American Life," released last year. After two "drama-free" deliveries, Boebert wrote that she and her midwife decided she could wait an hour before making the 20-minute drive to the hospital.

☆ The Perk-Cession Is Under Way at Some Companies
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Anne Marie Chaker | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The ping-pong tables have turned. Companies are cutting back on prized employee perks from fancy coffee to free cab rides as they vow to trim costs and prioritize efficiency. These extras, above and beyond traditional healthcare and retirement plans, were meant to make workers want to join companies and stay there. They’ve grown to be seen by some as a form of compensation, so the cuts can sting.

Dinnall, 51, is a train conductor for the New York City subway system — the heartbeat that keeps the city running. Natasha Dinnall, 51, is a NYC subway conductor and earns $86,000 per year. Here's how Dinnall earns $86,000 a year as a subway conductor in NYC. She took her first job with the agency as a property protection agent and later became a station agent, conductor, train operator, and finally a conductor again. Mickey Todiwala | CNBC Make ItEmployees must go through "extensive training" to become a conductor, Dinnall says.

☆ Despite East Palestine toxic train disaster, railroads still want single-person crews
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The rail safety legislation, introduced in Congress Wednesday with bipartisan support, would include a prohibition on single-person crews. There is no such existing law or federal regulation requiring both an engineer and a conductor to be on a train. The Association of American Railroads confirmed that its position in favor of one-person crews has not changed. “No data shows a two-person crew confined to a cab is safer, and train crew size should continue to be determined through collective bargaining,” a statement from UP. But it might have one or two provisions which are deal breakers for the unions, such as allowing single-person crews.

☆ Artists and labels are sliding songs into augmented-reality filters on TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram to promote music
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AR effects are on the rise on Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram, appearing across billions of videos. Artists, labels, and music marketers are finding new ways to promote tracks via these AR filters. "If you do come up with a cool AR filter, it's easier for the regular user to create a TikTok with than to create a dance." "Artists will hire AR creators to make effects for specific pieces of music," Chris Barbour, Meta's AR partnerships director, told Insider. As with any trend on social media, originality is important for helping an AR effect spread, Yoder said.

☆ A Japan Airlines flight was turned away and had to fly 550 miles back to Tokyo after missing an airport's closing time by 10 minutes, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Aditi Bharade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Japan Airlines flight was turned back after missing a curfew, per a Japanese newspaper. Fukuoka Airport does not allow flights to land after 10 p.m. due to noise concerns. The flight, JL331 by Japan Airlines, was turned back just outside Fukuoka Airport on Sunday February 19 after just missing the curfew for landing, The Asahi Shimbun reported. A Japan Airlines flight was turned back. In an email to Insider, Japan Airlines said it covered cab fares and hotels for everyone on board.

Search resuls for: "Cab"

25 mentions found