Tag: Shipping

Feds Pump the Brakes on Autonomous Trucks

Posted on by Lone Candle

“An obscure federal rule is slowing the self-driving revolution. When trucks break down, operators are required to place reflective warning cones and road flares around the truck to warn other motorists. The regulations are exacting: Within 10 minutes of stopping, three warning signals must be set in specific locations around the truck.
Aurora asked the federal Department of Transportation (DOT) to allow warning beacons to be fixed to the truck itself—and activated when a truck becomes disabled. The warning beacons would face both forward and backward, would be more visible
than cones (particularly at night), and wouldn’t burn out like road flares. Drivers of nonautonomous vehicles could also benefit from that rule change, as they would no longer have to walk into traffic to place the required safety signals.

In December 2024, however, the DOT denied Aurora’s request for an exemption to the existing rules, even though regulators admitted in the Federal Register that no evidence indicated the truck-mounted beacons would be less safe. Such a study is now underway, but it’s unclear how long it will take to draw any conclusions.”

https://reason.com/2025/10/19/feds-pump-the-brakes-on-autonomous-trucks/

First Red Sea naval attack in months raises alarms

Posted on by Lone Candle

“The attack on the ship comes as Iranian-backed militias in Iraq are also suspected of numerous drone and missile attacks over the past two weeks.

An attack on a vessel in the Red Sea was reported on Sunday, which was the first attack there in months.

…

The US launched airstrikes on the Houthis in mid-March. The airstrikes ended in April with some kind of a deal, and the Houthis appeared to stop attacks on ships.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/first-red-sea-naval-attack-190545338.html

The Houthi Red Sea Crisis – Complete Animated Documentary

Posted on by Lone Candle

The Houthi Red Sea Crisis – Complete Animated Documentary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7C2XMRbgmQ

The first driverless semis have started running regular longhaul routes

Posted on by Lone Candle

“Driverless trucks are officially running their first regular long-haul routes, making roundtrips between Dallas and Houston.

On Thursday, autonomous trucking firm Aurora announced it launched commercial service in Texas under its first customers, Uber Freight and Hirschbach Motor Lines, which delivers time- and temperature-sensitive freight. Both companies conducted test runs with Aurora, including safety drivers to monitor the self-driving technology dubbed “Aurora Driver.” Aurora’s new commercial service will no longer have safety drivers.”

…

“Aurora is starting with a single self-driving truck and plans to add more by the end of 2025.”

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/transportation/articles/first-driverless-semis-started-running-213139083.html

Are US Ports Empty and What Impact Does the Tariff Have on Global Shipping?

Posted on by Lone Candle

Tariffs’ effects on costs and shipping have a multi-month delay due the time it takes to ship and businesses stocking up on goods before the tariffs.

The tariffs are very costly, and the unpredictability causes chaos and inefficiencies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33kfpNiiAmo

Is the Jones Act Unconstitutional?

Posted on by Lone Candle

“Passed in 1920, the Jones Act severely limits competition in the American shipping market by requiring that ships operating between U.S. ports be American-built, American-crewed, and American-flagged. The number of ships that meet the Jones Act’s standards has been declining for decades, and now fewer than 100 are in operation. Anyone who wants to ship goods—including rum—from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or other outlying U.S. territories to the mainland is required to use one of those few dozen vessels.

Unsurprisingly, the lack of competition drives up shipping costs. The lawsuit points out that it costs roughly three times as much to ship rum from Hawaii to Los Angeles as it does to ship the same goods from Los Angeles to Australia—an international route where greater competition keeps prices lower, even though the trip is significantly longer.”

https://reason.com/2025/02/25/is-the-jones-act-unconstitutional/