Chevrolet has introduced the new Silverado EV ZR2 race truck concept.
It features a lifted suspension, Multimatic dampers, and 37-inch mud-terrain tires.
Power is provided by a tri-motor AWD system that produces a combined output of 1,100 hp.
Rugged trucks have been a huge hit with consumers and Chevrolet’s ZR2 lineup is among the most popular. Now, the company is giving us a glimpse at what an electric version could look like.
Unveiled at the Mint 400 off-road race, the Silverado EV ZR2 race truck concept was developed in just five months and is built almost entirely out of production parts. Since it will be taking part in the event, the pickup has been equipped with a lifted suspension and Multimatic continuously adaptive dampers. These changes help to deliver more than 13 inches (330 mm) of wheel travel.
The upgrades don’t end there as the concept has extended fender flares and unique wheels wrapped in 37-inch BF Goodrich KM3 mud-terrain tires. They’re joined by locking differentials, underbody protection, and an assortment of auxiliary lights. Rounding out the highlights are rock rails, red recovery hooks, and a ZR2-branded sport bar.
While the standard Silverado EV has a dual-motor all-wheel drive system producing up to 760 hp (567 kW / 771 PS) and 785 lb-ft (1,063 Nm) of torque, the concept is far more powerful. In fact, it features a tri-motor powertrain with a combined output of 1,100 hp (820 kW / 1,115 PS) and 11,500 lb-ft (15,574 Nm) of torque. Of course, it’s safe to assume the latter figure is more of an exercise in math than anything else.
According to Chevrolet Vice President Scott Bell, “There is no better proving ground to test the limits of our vehicles than competitive racing. The Silverado EV ZR2 race truck concept, which uses 98% GM production parts, showcases some of the best of Chevrolet to produce a beyond-capable pickup to tackle a challenging race of the Mint 400’s magnitude.”
While the ZR2 is simply a concept at this point, Chevrolet revealed the 2026 Silverado EV Trail Boss will arrive this summer. We’ll learn more in the coming weeks, but the truck features a factory-installed lift as well as 18-inch wheels wrapped in 35-inch all-terrain tires.
Volvo gave us a glimpse of the new EX60 crossover, ahead of its launch next year.
It will ride on the new SPA3 platform, which will eventually underpin all future Volvos.
The XC60 recently got a facelift with styling tweaks and a new infotainment system.
After a series of high-profile leaks, Volvo finally unveiled the ES90 mid-size sedan earlier today. However, most people probably didn’t watch the reveal video that was livestreamed from Stockholm, Sweden.
If they had, they would have found a short teaser for the upcoming EX60, which will serve as the electric equivalent of the popular gas-powered XC60. It appears roughly 25 minutes into the clip as a woman opens a door to reveal a partially covered clay model. She quickly closes the door, but not before revealing an EX90-like rear end.
While there isn’t much to see, the electric luxury crossover has angular upper taillights that reside on either side of the rear window. At the base of the window, they transition to the outside edges of the car.
Besides the taillights, we can see shapely rear haunches and a recessed liftgate. They’re joined by a black rear bumper that has a chrome horizontal element.
Volvo didn’t say anything about the crossover, but it was briefly mentioned during their 2024 financial presentation. In particular, the company noted the first EX60 test vehicle has been built and driven. They added the model will ride on the new SPA3 platform, which will “launch on target with significant reduction on cost.”
The company went on to suggest the SPA3 platform will debut shortly and be a scalable architecture that will eventually underpin every single Volvo. While we can expect to learn more in the coming months, the EX60 isn’t expected to be launched until next year.
Given that the crossover will ride on an all-new platform, it’s too early to talk about specifications. However, since it’s an upgraded version of the SPA2 platform, the EX60 might share some components with the EX90 and ES90.
ID. Every1 Concept trails VW’s entry into the booming €20k EV market.
The subcompact EV has a single 94 hp motor and an 82mph top speed.
Production model arrives in 2027, a year after the bigger, €25k ID.2.
Europe’s affordable EV market is hotting up. Stellantis’s Fiat and Citroen brands have already laid their cards on the table and this week we’ve got our first look at Volkswagen’s response. The ID. Every1 is officially a concept, but most of what you see here you’ll find on the production version in 2027.
Predicted to cost around €20,000 (£17k / $21k) when it hits dealers in two years, the Every1 goes on sale one year after the €25,000 (£21k / $26k) production take on 2023’s ID. 2all concept. But while the 2all’s size puts it between the current Golf and recently axed Polo, the Every1 is sized between the Polo and the Up!, which also got the chop not long ago.
The Every1 occupies 3,880 mm (152.8 inches) of road space, compared with 3,600 mm (141.7 inches) for the Up! and 4,074 mm (160.4) for the Polo. VW promises interior space will match the Polo’s and the 305-liter luggage space splits the difference between what those two deceased combustion cars could deliver.
One of the secrets of the baby EV’s space efficiency is VW’s new MEB front-wheel-drive platform (current single-motor MEB ID cars are all RWD). A small electric motor in the nose generates 94 hp (95 PS / 70 kW), and while VW doesn’t quote a zero to 62 mph (100 kmh) time, it’s sure to be less lethargic than the electronically limited 82 mph (130 km/h) top speed suggests.
We’re still in the dark on battery size, but it’s got to be less than 40 kWh going by the claimed 155-mile (250 km) range. That doesn’t sound like much, but it’s probably ample for most buyers given the Every1’s city-living remit, and is a key reason VW is able to bring the price down to little more than half that of the cheapest ID.3.
Strong design and classic cues
The FWD platform and price aren’t the only ways this new ID car – and the ID. 2all and its crossover spin-off also on the way – is moving away from a template laid down by cars like the ID.3 and ID.4. The front-drivers will usher in a new, more robust, more confident design language that makes even the most affordable member of the EV family look solid and expensive.
Okay, so the Lone Ranger eye mask looks conspicuously like the one on the front of the new Ford Capri (which is an ID.5 offshoot) or Suzuki’s aging Ignis, but it works far better here, fitting in perfectly with the smooth surfaces and squat stance. VW points out the straight window line, an early Golf design signature, and a refusal to get bogged down in current styling trends that could appear embarrassingly dated a few years down the road.
The black glass rear hatch tips a hat to the Up! but where that car looked awkwardly narrow, tall, and slab-sided, the Every1 looks wide and muscular, the swollen fenders over 19-inch wheels and chiseled skateboard-shaped recess in the rear bumper making the whole car seem more grown up.
Dashboards and buttons are back
The same goes for the interior, which we really hope transfers directly to the street. Again, design tricks – in this case the simple, long, flat dashboard shape – create an impression of width, and it’s interesting to see that after several years of freestanding mini-tablet gauge packs on its EVs, VW has recessed the instrument display in the main dash. Anyone else thinking 1991 Honda Prelude, or is it just me?
A chunky, squircle-shaped steering wheel features plenty of physical buttons and there are more buttons on the central section of the dashboard for the volume, cabin temperature, and seat heating. Perhaps surprisingly, though, there’s no sign of the rotary console dial seen on the ID. 2all and since productionized on the Euro Tiguan and Passat.
Most of the controls though, are housed inside the large tablet touchscreen, which will debut VW’s new software system, allowing owners to activate additional equipment months after the car has left the factory.
Minivan-style configurability
Other new features include a utility rail on the passenger side of the dashboard that lets passengers attach a tablet or even a table. And that sci-fi-looking console between the two seats can be slid backwards and forwards, and has extendable shelves, while VW suggests the front passenger- and rear seats can be folded in various ways to maximize practicality. Even if not all of these features make it to production, it’s clear that VW wants the ID.1 (or whatever name Wolfsburg settles on) to be more than just another straight-shootin’ electric hatch.
We’re still two years out from being able to buy the ID. Every1 but there’ll be plenty of new-generation ID activity to look forward to before then. VW says we’ll get another preview of its ‘Electric Urban Car Family’ in fall 2025, and it won’t be the only Group brand teasing future electric subcompacts built on this platform in the next 12 months.
Our spy photographers caught the first prototype of the next-gen CLA Shooting Brake.
The model follows the example of its predecessors, adopting a sleek wagon silhouette.
As with the regular CLA sedan, it is expected to offer EV and hybrid powertrain options.
Mercedes is getting ready to unveil the all-new CLA in electric and ICE flavors. While the company has decided to cut down the number of its compact models, the fastback sedan will soon be joined by a Shooting Brake version, with the first camouflaged prototype making its spy debut in Europe.
Back in September 2023, Mercedes announced that its compact lineup would include the successors of the CLA, CLA Shooting Brake, GLA, and GLB, but not those of the A-Class and B-Class models. The CLA Shooting Brake is probably the most interesting in terms of styling, as it will keep combining the sleek design of the sedan with the practicality of a wagon body for a third generation.
The pictured prototype has camouflage only on the front and rear ends. The front section will be shared with the regular CLA, including the low-mounted grille and the aggressive headlights with star-shaped LEDs. The same applies to the flush door handles on the profile, although the greenhouse and the roofline have been redesigned.
In this particular prototype, Mercedes has applied aluminum trim around the windows and on the slim roof rails, with the latter being another means of differentiation from the four-door version. Of course, the highlight of the Shooting Brake is the design of the rear end. The new generation adopts new LED taillights with oval-shaped graphics and an even smaller rear window.
Inside, the new CLA family will benefit from a digital cockpit running the latest MB.OS software with AI technology. The Shooting Brake is expected to offer a larger boot, together with a few more inches of headroom compared to the fastback sedan.
Hybrid And EV Options
Mercedes’ entire compact lineup will ride on the MMA architecture, which is compatible with both ICE and EV powertrains. Luckily, Mercedes has already detailed the powertrains of the CLA, giving us a good idea of what to expect from the CLA Shooting Brake
The zero-emission CLA will offer the option between a rear electric motor with 268 hp (200 kW), or an all-wheel-drive version adding a 107 hp (80 kW) motor at the front. Energy will be stored in battery packs with a capacity of 58 kWh or 85 kWh, allowing a claimed range of up to 750 km (466 miles). Given that the Shooting Brake has an aerodynamic body, it will likely achieve something close to this number.
The hybrid lineup will include a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine in 134 hp (136 PS), 161 hp (163 PS), and 188 hp (190 PS) versions, assisted by a 27 hp (20 kW) electric motor integrated within an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The hybrid CLA is also expected to be offered with optional all-wheel drive, or 4Matic in Mercedes Land.
According to our sources, the Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake is expected to be unveiled by the end of the year. The market launch of the model is scheduled for early 2026. In total, Mercedes has pledged to unveil 36 new models by 2027.
Vehicles eligible for a $1,000 discount include the Audi A3, Q3, Q4 e-tron, and Q4 Sportback e-tron.
Several Audi models can get up to $2,000 off, including the A5, Q5, Q7, Q8, and e-tron GT.
Soon after Costco’s Auto Program introduced a slew of discounts for several GM models, new savings were announced for new Audi models. The discounts will be available from March 4 through April 30 and unlike the GM deal that was mainly limited to EVs, the savings are available for both ICE and EV models.
If you’re a member of Costco, the retailer’s Auto Program aims to make the car buying experience easier as it does all the price haggling with dealerships. To benefit from the Audi discounts, all shoppers need to do is select the model they’d like and register for a savings certificate that can be presented at any Audi dealership in the US.
The Audi A3, Q3, Q4 e-tron, and Q4 Sportback e-tron are all available with a $1,000 discount, while numerous other Audi models are available with a $2,000 saving. These include the A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, A6 Sedan, A6 Allroad, S6, A7 Sedan, S7, A8, S8, Q5, Q5 Sportback, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback, Q7, SQ7, Q8, SQ8, Q6 e-tron, SQ6 e-tron, Q8 e-tron, Q8 Sportback e-tron, SQ8 e-tron, SQ8 Sportback e-tron, e-tron GT, S e-tron GT, and RS e-tron GT.
These incentives can be paired with any other incentives currently offered by Audi or individual dealerships. There’s plenty of demand for new Audi models from Costco memberships, which may come as a bit of a surprise. The retailer says the Audi A5, A8, A6, Q5, and Q4 e-tron were the most popular among its members in their respective segments last year.
“If a member is looking for a new luxury sedan, SUV or electric vehicle, the Audi Limited-Time Special is a great place to start,” Costco Auto Program general manager Cory Benwell said. “Audi is very popular among the Costco members who use our program and we’re helping them get into the vehicle they want at an exclusive value.”
The special van is based on Rivian’s RCV 500 and has a 100 kWh battery pack.
An extra air conditioner unit has been installed to keep everything cool.
The first two vans will be used at pop-up events throughout Vermont.
Rivian originally built its Electric Delivery van exclusively for Amazon, having inked a partnership with the retail giant in 2019 to deliver more than 100,000 examples. However, after the four-year exclusivity deal expired, Rivian is now free to sell the EV to other companies, and one of its first new clients is Ben & Jerry’s. What you’re looking at, ladies and gentlemen, is a properly modern ice cream truck.
The electric van, now known simply as the Rivian Commercial Van, has been modified alongside Ben & Jerry’s and will premiere at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, this week. There’s no word on how many of these ‘scoop trucks’ have been ordered, but we know that 2 examples will hit the road after SXSW, “bringing good eats and good vibes to the Rivian community across the country.” They will also be used at pop-up events throughout Vermont.
No photos of the interior have been published, but the exterior includes a colorful Ben & Jerry’s livery, as well as an extra air conditioning unit on the roof.
“Collaborating with the Ben & Jerry’s team to build the next generation of electric scoop trucks has been an incredible experience,” senior director of Prototype Development at Rivian, Brian Gase said. “We can’t wait for people to stop by for some ice cream and see it in action for the first time during SXSW!”
The vans are based on Rivian’s RCV 500 model which uses a 100kWh LFP battery pack for 161 miles (259 km) of range. Rivian also sells an RCV 700 version, which is 30 inches longer than the RCV 500 at a massive 278 inches.
“Working with Rivian, an industry leader that is committed to sustainability is an ice cream dream come true,” added Ben & Jerry’s US Integrated Marketing project lead, Sean Slattery. “Today, Rivian helped Ben & Jerry’s reduce our reliance on fossil fuels in a small way, while making things a little bit cooler… which, as an ice cream company, is extremely difficult to do.”
BYD’s new Ling Yuan system adds a 4K drone and roof docking station.
A 20-80% charge for the drone takes only 30 minutes during driving.
The drone system will be available for ¥16,000 ($2,200) on various models.
Chinese automaker BYD has just released a new feature that feels ripped from the pages of a sci-fi movie: a roof-mounted drone docking station. It’s called the Ling Yuan system, and it promises to turn your ordinary drive into an episode of “National Geographic” — or maybe “Top Gun” if you’re feeling dramatic.
The system will cost you ¥16,000 ($2,200), but that price tag buys you a 4K drone, a sleek docking station, and the ability to capture stunning aerial footage of your daily commute.
This tech was first teased on the Yangwang U8 SUV in 2023, but the Bao 8 SUV from the Fang Cheng Bao brand is the first to actually offer it. And don’t worry, BYD isn’t just aiming this at tech geeks or those with more money than sense—they want to make this high-flying gadget accessible to a broader range of buyers. So, expect to see it rolled out across more BYD brands down the road.
A 4K Drone That Takes Off While You’re Still Driving
The Ling Yuan system was developed in collaboration with Chinese drone maker DJI. It includes a 4K drone and a docking station, covering an area of 0.29 m2 (3.1 square feet) on the roof of the vehicle. This drone hangar has an aerodynamic shape and measures 215 mm (8.5 inches) tall.
Once you press that magic button, the roof opens, and the platform lifts, letting the drone soar to the skies. And here’s where it gets really cool: You can deploy and control the drone while the car is in motion—up to 25 km/h (16 mph). Then, the drone can follow the vehicle at speeds of up to 54 km/h (34 mph) to capture the perfect footage, whether you’re cruising down a highway or navigating off-road trails.
When the filming is over, the drone returns to the roof-mounted hangar, where it automatically charges. According to the company, a 20-80% charge takes just 30 minutes, so occupants won’t have to wait long before the next flight.
The drone can be controlled directly from the vehicle’s infotainment display or via the Ling Yuan app, available for smartphones. Additionally, AI software helps organize and edit the footage, making it easier to share on your favorite social media platform.
In addition to the Yangwang U8 and Fang Cheng Bao Bao 8, other models already shown with the system on their roofs include the Fang Cheng Bao Bao 5, Titanium 3, Denza N9, BYD Tang L, and BYD Sealion 07 DM-i. This list is expected to grow in the future as more models are added.
At this point, it’s unclear whether the Ling Yuan system will make its way outside of China. But hey, if you’ve been dreaming of filming your next road trip from the air in your BYD SUV, you might just have to pack your bags for a little international adventure.
Volvo has unveiled its ES90 midsize electric liftback sedan.
Top versions get 671 hp and can reach 62 mph in 4 seconds.
The bigger 102 kWh available battery can cover 435 miles.
Volvo is best known for its SUVs these days, but this week it revealed the ES90, showing that its electric tech can works just as well, and look even more stylish, in a traditional midsize sedan.
Designed to take on the BMW i5 and Mercedes EQE among other options, the 5m-long (196.9 inches) ES90 arguably looks far better than both, with a strong chin, clean surfaces and a sporty fastback shape. Though it presents as a sedan, it has a practical liftback – but comes up short on trunk space next to the BMW.
Where it shouldn’t come up short is in interior room, particularly for those in the back. The 3.1 mm (122.1 inches) wheelbase is more than 100 mm (4 inches) longer than the BMW’s, and the Volvo also wins the range war.
While the leggiest i5 can only return 356 miles (573 km) on a full charge of its 81 kWh battery, the rangiest ES90’s 102 kWh power pack can take it 435 miles (700 km) in one go. Dual-motor versions get the larger battery and single-motor models make do with a smaller 88 kWh unit that can still deliver 404 miles (650 km) before needing a top-up.
Charging? No Problem
Unlike the EX90 SUV, the ES90 has 800-volt electrics, can handle 350 kW inputs (the i5 only takes 250 kW) and add 186 miles (300 km) of range in 10 minutes. A small frunk provides space for cable storage, again something the i5 doesn’t offer.
The lineup start with the 328 hp (333 PS / 245 kW) Single Motor Extended Range, which costs £69,650 in the UK and can reach 62 mph (100 kmh) in 6.9 seconds. A 443 hp (449 PS / 330 kW) Twin Motor drops the 62 time to 5.5 seconds for £83,250, but for only £4,600 more the the flagship Twin Motor Performance provides 671 hp (680 PS / 500 kW) and does the run in 4.0 seconds flat. All three are limited to 112 mph (180 kmh).
A High-Tech Cabin
Inside, the ES90 features a 9.0-inch digital instrument tablet, a large 14.5-inch portrait touchscreen with built-in Google tech and light-colored Scandi decor and materials to maximize the sense of space. The sedans come equipped with Lidar for autonomous semi-driving prominently mounted above the windshield, but it won’t be functional until later in the model’s life.
Alpine has released images showing its A390 testing near the Arctic.
First interior picture reveals same steering wheel as A290 hot hatch.
The Porsche Macan Electric rival makes its global debut on May 27.
Bouyed by a Car of the Year win for its A290 hot hatch, Alpine is building up a buzz about the next car in its reinvention plan. The Renault performance division just dropped a load of images of the A390 crossover undergoing winter tests ahead of a May 27 reveal.
Our own scoop photographers have snapped disguised A390 prototypes before, but never in such detail. These official shots give us up-close views of the aero bridge at the front end, showing how air is drawn in between the horizontal light bar and Alpine lettering and spat out across the sunken hood.
They also show the spine running across the hood and roof, the LED taillight design, the small trunk lip spoiler and give us our first glimpse of the A390’s cockpit. The single interior image reveal a chunky flat-bottom, leather-wrapped steering wheel that appears identical to the one on the little A290, which takes inspiration from Alpine’s F1 car.
In addition to the usual spoke buttons for cruise control, volume and voice control functions it features three switches designed to help you tailor the driving experience. A red button marked OV for ‘overtake’ on top of the right spoke and activated with a thumb press operates the power boost function (though on the A290 you can also get the same response by kicking the throttle past the detent).
There’s a five-setting Drive mode button slung underneath the same spoke and, below the opposite one, a rotary dial to tweak the amount of regenerative braking. Just visible in the footwell in the background is a pair of sporty metal pedals, but annoyingly we can’t make out the shape of the dashboard or see the screens or seats.
These pictures also give us our first look at the the torque-vectoring capabilities of the A390’s triple-motor setup, many of the shots showcasing the crossover’s oversteering capabilities, which bodes well for its chances of giving the Porsche Macan Electric a run for its money.
Dimensions released by Alpine tell us that the 4,615 mm (181.7 inches) long A390 is a little shorter, narrower and lower than the more SUV-shaped Macan, but the Alpine claims it will offer room for five passengers.
Is the sixth time a charm for the School Bus Safety Act?
Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee and Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois hope so, but the bill faces the added hurdle of passing both chambers that are controlled by Republicans. The two announced Wednesday the latest iteration: The School Bus Safety Act of 2025.
No bill numbers were available at this report.
The legislation, which most recently was introduced last fall but died, seeks the required installation of three-point seatbelts in all school buses, plus stability control and automatic braking systems, both of which are already being standard equipment on most large school buses.
The bill would also require event data recorders that capture pre- and post-crash data, driver inputs and restraint usage when a collision does occur. The act calls for a fire suppression system, which addresses engine fires and a firewall that prohibits hazardous quantities of gas or flame to pass from the engine compartment to the passenger compartment.
In a statement, Cohen called the safety measures recommended by National Transportation Safety Board “common sense.”
“We’ve seen too many deaths and serious injuries in school bus accidents in Tennessee and elsewhere, and it is past time we act to protect young lives,” he said.
A grant program would provide funding to help school districts meet the mandate.
An Alabama school bus driver fell asleep behind the wheel while transporting 14 students last month, reported WCSC 5.
The incident reportedly occurred on Feb. 12, when 47-year-old Angela Lane Weaver fell asleep while driving. This caused the bus to run off the road, hit a ditch and tree before overturning on Mason Ferry Road.
According to the news report, seven of the 14 students being transported at the time of the crash were injured. The extent of their injuries and the current conditions of the students is unclear.
The district told local news reporters that the driver was placed on administrative leave immediately after the incident based on information they had at the time. Weaver then briefly returned to work. Now that the district received new information, the driver was placed back on administrative leave, where she remained as of this report. The investigation wass ongoing, and the district said it will determine further disciplinary action.
Weaver had allegedly been issued three speeding tickets in the last four years, all for going more than 19 miles per hour over the speed limit. Additionally, a previous crash report revealed that she admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel in 2021.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -Transit Technologies, a leading provider of powerful, seamless transit solutions, has officially acquired busHIVE, a renowned transportation management software provider. busHIVE offers a suite of customizable solutions designed to enhance operational efficiency for school bus contractors, school districts, and motorcoach operators. Their platform addresses critical aspects of transportation management, including:
Trip and Charter Management: Streamlining the scheduling and dispatching of trips and charters, allowing for efficient resource allocation, billing and payroll. Personnel and Driver Compliance: Monitoring and managing driver qualifications, certifications, and compliance requirements to ensure safety and regulatory adherence. Vehicle Preventative Maintenance: Providing tools for scheduling and tracking maintenance activities, inventory management, and work order generation to prolong vehicle lifespan and reduce downtime.
busHIVE’s flexible and user-friendly software has been instrumental in assisting transportation operations to effectively organize workflows, reduce manual processes, and enhance data accessibility. Their commitment to innovation and client collaboration has positioned them as a trusted partner in the transportation industry.
Gerry Leonard, CEO of Transit Technologies, emphasized the significance of this acquisition:
“This is more than a strategic expansion; it’s a leap towards a future where transit is more efficient, reliable, and inclusive. By integrating busHIVE’s advanced platform, we are not just streamlining operations; we’re setting new benchmarks for what transit systems can achieve. We are very excited about the significant value busHIVE will add to Transit Technologies’ already robust technology platform serving the K-12 market today, and is a perfect complement to our acquisition of Chicago-based ByteCurve in August of 2024.”
The synergy between Transit Technologies’ mission to revolutionize mobility for all and busHIVE’s transportation management solution creates a robust platform that enhances operational efficiency and meets the evolving demands of modern student transportation.
About Transit Technologies:
Transit Technologies is the leading provider of powerful, seamless transit solutions, creating a more connected and accessible world for all. The company’s mission is to ultimately build a network of innovative transportation solutions that provide safe, efficient, and reliable transit, to mobilize organizations and enrich communities. With deep expertise and a comprehensive network of transit solutions, Transit Technologies meets any mobility need, reducing costs, maximizing service delivery, and ensuring safe and efficient community movement.
About busHIVE:
busHIVE is a leading transportation management software company specializing in trip and charter management, personnel compliance, and vehicle preventative maintenance. Their customizable solutions cater to school bus contractors, school districts, and motorcoach operators, enabling clients to streamline operations, ensure safety compliance, and maintain efficient fleet management. With a focus on innovation and client collaboration, busHIVE continues to drive advancements in transportation technology.
COLUMBUS, Ind. – Today global power and technology leader Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) announced an update to the legendary B-Series engine platform, unveiling the new Cummins B7.2 diesel engine at NTEA Work Truck Week in Indianapolis, IN.
“Our B engine is a legend known around the world. We are proud to unveil the newest version, the B7.2 diesel engine, right here in our backyard,” said Brett Merritt, Vice President and President – Engine Business.
“The B7.2 brings the latest technology and advancements to one of our most proven platforms. Combined with the rest of our medium-duty lineup, our customers will have the right engine choices to fit their business needs, with the power and dependability they have come to expect from Cummins.”
The B7.2 diesel is the next engine in the B series Cummins HELM platform, following the B6.7 Octane engine, and will bring state-of-the-art technology and continue to serve a variety of medium-duty and vocational applications, including bus, pickup & delivery, utility trucks, refuse, towing, and more.
The new engine will feature a slightly higher displacement, increasing to 7.2L, and is designed to be a global platform which allows customers to ensure their vehicles are ready for what’s to come, without sacrificing performance or durability. A higher displacement also allows for a wider range of torque offerings, creating flexibility for different applications and duty cycles. “Our customers have used the B-Series engine for more than 40 years and rely on it every day to meet their needs,” said Jose Samperio, Vice President – North America On-Highway. “It was important that we offer the reliability and performance that they have come to expect, while also creating an engine that is built to last for the future.”
The B7.2 will improve unrestricted top-end performance ratings, providing 240 to 340 hp and 650 to 1,000 lb.-ft of torque. Additionally, the new engine will be automatic engine shutdown and stop-start capable for improved greenhouse gas emissions and will offer a compression release engine brake and extended oil drain interval pan option.
It will also be equipped with Cummins’ full suite of digital technologies, which help enhance performance, maximize uptime and reduce total cost of ownership. The B7.2 provides digital connectivity and immediate access to a range of applications and capabilities through Acumen, Cummins’ smart computing hardware, and OEM first-fit solutions. Customers can utilize digital tools that enhance driver experience, including predictive capabilities (prognostics) and advanced over-the-air features. B7.2 is also Cummins Maintenance Monitor capable, reducing shop visits and minimizing cost of operation.
The B7.2 engine will be manufactured at Rocky Mount Engine Plant in North Carolina and will go into full production in North America starting in 2027. Find out more about the B7.2 and Cummins’ other mid-range line-up this week at NTEA Work Truck Week from March 5 to 7 in the Cummins Booth (#763) at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.
About Cummins Inc.
Cummins Inc., a global power solutions leader, is comprised of five business segments Engine, Components, Distribution, Power Systems, and Accelera by Cummins supported by our global manufacturing and extensive service and support network, skilled workforce and vast technological expertise. Cummins is committed to its Destination Zero strategy, which is grounded in the company’s commitment to sustainability and helping its customers successfully navigate the energy transition with its broad portfolio of products. The products range from advanced diesel, natural gas, electric and hybrid powertrains and powertrain-related components including after treatment, turbochargers, fuel systems, valvetrain technologies, controls systems, air handling systems, automated transmissions, axles, drivelines, brakes, suspension systems, electric power generation systems, batteries, electrified power systems, hydrogen production technologies and fuel cell products. Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana (U.S.), since its founding in 1919, Cummins employs approximately 76,500 people committed to powering a more prosperous world through three global corporate responsibility priorities critical to healthy communities: education, environment, and equality of opportunity. Cummins serves its customers online, through a network of company-owned and independent distributor locations, and through thousands of dealer locations worldwide and earned $3.9 billion on sales of $34.1 billion in 2024. See how Cummins is leading the world toward a future of smarter, cleaner power at www.cummins.com.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – With the latest announcement of $33 million in awards, California’s Clean Mobility Options Voucher Program (CMO) has invested more than $66 million in under-resourced communities and tribes to address mobility gaps and reduce air pollution.
The CMO program addresses two major problems in California: air pollution and the lack of clean transportation options for low-income or disadvantaged communities. Projects funded by the program must directly benefit residents of a low-income community or a disadvantaged community.
“For many awardees, this will be a first-of-its-kind mobility project to be funded and launched in their community,” said California Air Resources Board Executive Officer Dr. Steven Cliff. “Clean Mobility Options was designed around the belief that these communities should receive the highest sustained investments toward safe, efficient, affordable, reliable, and clean transportation options that connect them to the places they need to thrive.”
Tackling transportation emissions is important to achieving California’s air quality targets, especially for low-income Californians that disproportionately live on the frontlines of sources of pollution. The funds tackle emissions reductions while also increasing access to cleaner transportation options for underserved communities.
“California is taking a holistic approach to helping communities access equitable, accessible clean transportation options,” said Hannon Rasool, director of the California Energy Commission’s Fuels and Transportation Division. “Community-based transportation equity projects like CMO are meeting community transportation needs as seen and interpreted by those who live there.”
The Mobility Project Voucher provides communities the funding and project support needed to launch a clean, shared mobility project to address their unique transportation challenges. Supported modes of transportation include:
On-demand shuttles, vans, and buses
Traditional fixed route transit services – like school buses
Bikesharing and scooter-sharing
Carpooling and vanpooling
Electric carsharing
On-demand rideshare services – similar to those provided by Uber or Lyft
Latest Awards:
In this latest funding round, the CMO program announced $33 million in new funds for California nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments:
$12.5 million for new, general funding recipients
$3 million for eligible tribal governments
$7.5 million for first-round Community Transportation Needs Assessment (CTNA) awardees
$10 million set aside for first-round Mobility Project Vouchers
To learn more about the funded projects, visit the 2023 Mobility Project Voucher Awardees and Applicants.
The response to the second voucher application round shows a strong demand and need for this funding. While only 17 new communities received funds this round, 85 applicants requested as much as $1.5 million each.
CARB also recently announced awards of over $42 million to Clean Mobility in Schools (CMIS) and the Sustainable Transportation Equity Project (STEP) to support community-led projects in disadvantaged and low-income communities in California. See the full press release. CMO, CMIS, and STEP are part of CARB’s Sustainable Community-Based Transportation Equity Projects.
About California Climate Investments
CMO is funded by California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment—particularly in underserved communities.
About Clean Mobility Options:
CMO is designed to fill transportation gaps in under-resourced regions and cut climate and air pollution. The program provides the funding, resources and support to local communities so they can lead in developing their unique mobility solutions that are cleaner, more affordable, and more accessible than what’s currently available.
In addition to providing Mobility Project Voucher funding the program also offers community transportation needs assessment vouchers for communities to analyze their transportation system and to identify the specific needs of residents. The program also features extensive technical support starting from the application process and extending through project launch and beyond. Each project is assigned a dedicated technical assistance team member to address challenges, provide guidance, and offer ongoing support.
About CEC’s Clean Transportation Program:
CMO is also funded by California Energy Commission’s (CEC) Clean Transportation Program. CEC’s Clean Transportation Program is investing more than $1 billion to accelerate the deployment of zero-emission transportation infrastructure and support in-state manufacturing and workforce training and development.
WALL, N.J.– Diversified Transportation LTD, a member of the Student Transportation of America (STA) family of companies, is pleased to announce that the industry-leading transportation and fleet service organization has been awarded an industrial busing contract from Bechtel Infrastructure and Power Corp, the engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) contractor for the construction of Thacker Pass Phase 1. Under the agreement, Diversified Transportation LTD will provide motorcoach transportation services to construction workers and staff, traveling from Winnemucca, Nev. to Lithium Americas’ Thacker Pass development and construction project in rural northern Humboldt County, Nevada. Together, Lithium Americas and General Motors (GM) are part of a joint venture focused on bringing Thacker Pass to production to significantly improve the domestic output of critical lithium supply, reduce dependence on foreign suppliers, create new jobs, and bring economic activity to northern Nevada.
“We are incredibly proud to expand Diversified Transportation’s footprint with entry into the United States. Through support of our STA of Nevada team and new local partners, we are fully committed to providing quality industrial busing services to Thacker Pass,” said Gene Kowalczewski, CEO of Student Transportation of America. “We are honored to be selected to provide transportation services for this critical project and look forward to forging a trusted partnership through our safe, reliable, and on-time services.”
Service began in February 2025 with the initial fleet consisting of two buses. At peak construction, more than 50 motorcoaches from Diversified Transportation’s industrial shuttle division will be used daily to support the commuting needs of more than 2,000 employees, skilled trade and construction workers, and staff. Bechtel is tasked with managing construction of the Thacker Pass processing facilities for the production of battery-quality lithium carbonate. Funded by the US Department of Energy under the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program and General Motors, the project is expected to be a three-year build. Crews will regularly need to be transported from their accommodations in Winnemucca to the construction site, located more than 60 miles northwest.
“We’re excited to announce the launch of our new transportation service for our on-site workers, connecting Winnemucca to Thacker Pass. Service officially began on February 6, 2025, marking an important milestone in our commitment to supporting both our workforce and the local community,” said Richard Gerspacher, Lithium Americas Executive Vice President, Capital Projects. “The safety of our workers is of utmost importance and that was one of the reasons we chose Diversified, in addition to their invaluable experience and existing ties to Winnemucca. We are particularly proud that two Winnemucca residents have joined the team as bus drivers, further strengthening our local connections.”
“We understand the needs that come along with industrial busing and I’m proud to say that our Diversified Transportation team will be able to deliver a fully-managed transportation solution that includes regular fleet maintenance, optimized routing, driver recruitment and retention, day-to-day managerial oversight and more,” said Tim Lindsay, Executive Vice President, Canadian Business Group, STA. “Above all, our strongest asset continues to be our professionally-trained drivers who put safety first. Our drivers receive comprehensive training and many of them are already actively involved in the Winnemucca community so they understand what a critical role they will be playing in this project to build America’s largest lithium operation.”
Thacker Pass is the largest known Measured and Indicated lithium resource in North America.
Tapping into the expertise of its local partners, Diversified Transportation has also established a partnership with Western States Investments LLC and Schommer Construction to supply its on-site teams with additional parking, maintenance support, bus washing, and office space throughout the duration of the contract.
To learn more about Student Transportation of America, STA’s family of companies, and explore career opportunities, please visit www.ridesta.com.
A 14-year-old boy with special needs is safe after a school bus driver found him wandering the streets during cold temperatures, reported ABC 7.
The incident reportedly took place on Feb. 18, when Trey Briggs woke up and found all the doors of her family’s apartment open and her son, Urijah Heard, missing.
According to the news report, Heard is non-verbal. Temperatures that day were below zero and he was only wearing a t-shirt and underwear.
Briggs reportedly contacted the Wheeling Police Department and was told that officers had already been contacted by a passing school bus driver who saw Heard wandering and returned to pick him up.
“The fact that he [the school bus driver] stopped and put him on the bus is amazing to me. A miracle to me,” Briggs told local news reporters.
Police were able to identify Heard almost immediately because the teen had just been registered in a program started in 2022 by Wheeling Police Sgt. Richard Giltner called “Return Home Safe.” The database includes children with special needs, identified with photos and information submitted by their parents, for situations similar to this one.
According to local news reporters, the bus driver, Freddy Leon, did not want to comment on the matter. However, Heard’s mother is grateful for his act of kindness. The police department is planning to honor Leon for his actions later this month.
When a Louisiana refinery's mooring dock collapsed upon contact with a barge in 2023, allision damage might have been suspected - but the National Transportation Safety Board has determined that it was the dock to blame, not the vessel. A structural inspection had discovered serious deterioration of the dock six years before the accident, and no progress was made in making repairs in the year and a half before the casualty.
In the early hours of April 25, 2023, the towing vessel Ovide J was arriving at the Chalmette Refinery crude oil dock with two laden barges and a cargo of 50,000 barrels of crude. The refinery is on the Lower Mississippi near mile 89, just downriver from New Orleans. The dock was built in 1967 out of wood and steel pilings, dolphins, and access bridges. The transfer platform was located on dolphin number three, along with a boom crane and the pipe manifold.
The relief captain was at the helm as the towboat approached the dock from downriver, using the current to guide the tow slowly towards the pier. The relief captain made his final approach at 0001-0004, maneuvering slowly to make contact with the dock at about 0.3 knots.
When the tow made contact with dolphin number 3, part of the dock fell off into the river. The relief captain put the starboard side engine in neutral in order to avoid fouling the propeller with any debris from the collapse. The other two dolphins remained intact, so the crew moored to the surviving portions of the dock and notified the company of the casualty. Luckily, no one was injured.
The Ovide J and her barges sustained no damage from the incident, and the timber fendering around the dock was undamaged. Video from the pilothouse showed no signs of a hard contact (like jarring, vibration or movement of objects). The relief captain later told investigators that the maneuver - which he had performed at the same dock 20 times in the past year - had gone perfectly to plan.
"When you come in, you touch up stern first. . . . So, when I came in, I lightly touch on the stern. . . . As soon as I touched up, the dock collapsed," he said. "If I had to do it again, I would do it the same way over again. I would not change a thing."
The dock sustained about $7 million worth of damage: 150 feet of the structure collapsed, and the support piles for dolphin number three were sheared off below the waterline. But the damage may have started long before the casualty event, based on past inspection reports. In 2017, a third-party engineering inspection found major deterioration of the braces between the dolphin's pilings. Six years before the collapse, three horizontal braces on the dolphin were broken, one more was damaged and two pilings were "severely deteriorated." The dock owner informed NTSB that the recommendations from this inspection had "not been progressed" before the dock collapsed.
"Because a portion of the dock collapsed from what appeared to be a low-impact contact during docking, it is likely that the dock’s dolphin no. 3 transfer platform structure was compromised to the extent that it could not sustain the forces from a typical docking. The dock owner was aware that the dock had structural integrity issues before the collapse but had not yet taken steps to address them," NTSB concluded.
The risk of a resumption of Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has risen in recent days, linked to growing potential for the resumption of hostilities in Gaza.
On January 19, the Houthi leadership in Yemen announced that they would no longer attack US and UK shipping so long as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held. Since the Houthi announced that they would suspend their campaign, insurance premiums for Red Sea transits have fallen and there have been no announced attacks. The industry has regarded the ceasefire as fragile, and major carriers such as Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, MSC and CMA CGM have been reluctant to resume services through the Red Sea. Some shipping has returned, however, including LNG tanker traffic, which normally carries the highest insurance premiums.
Meanwhile, the Houthis have been replenishing missile and drone stocks and seeking alternative sources of supply. US Coast Guard Sentinel Class cutter USCGC Clarence Sutphin Jr (WPC 1147) intercepted a dhow in the Arabian Sea on January 28, with Iranian missile and drones components destined for the Houthis on board. And on March 5, the U.S. Treasury announced a series of sanctions connected with Houthi attempts to procure weapons systems directly from Russia, orchestrated by the Houthi external affairs office in Oman led by Mohammad Abdulsalam, who was sanctioned under E.O. 13224 along with his deputy Eshaq Abdulmalek Abdullah Almarwan.
The principal cause of the heightened risk is the fragile situation in Gaza, where the first phase of the ceasefire has ended without agreement on its continuation or a second phase. But the primary catalyst is likely to be the immediate rejection of the Arab League’s proposal for the reconstruction of Gaza by both Israel and the United States.
The US rejection has been accompanied by powerful American statements of intent, which on March 4 included both a B-52 patrol off the Gaza coast and deliveries of heavyweight bombs via C-17s flying into Nevatim in Israel. A tweet from President Trump set the tone: "People of Gaza, if you (continue) to hold hostages, you are dead."
Arab states have long sought to remain on good terms with the United States while building links with America’s adversaries. Egypt, which hosted the Arab League summit, is also a large recipient of US military assistance. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have recently boosted their diplomatic ties with Iran, while accommodating US military assets. Likewise, Qatar still tolerates both a Hamas presence and the important US airbase at Al Udeid. Oman exercises with the Iranians and provides a safe refuge for the Houthis to pursue international objectives, whilst at the same time also providing port facilities to the US Navy at Duqm.
All these relationships entail a delicate balancing act by Arab governments, a component of which is appeasing very strong popular support for Hamas and Palestine, which will be further inflamed by the rejection of the Arab League proposal. For some of the weaker governments, maintaining this balance is a real struggle – which may, for example, explain a recent flurry of UK Royal Air Force flights into Jordan.
A high stakes, maximum pressure attempt to settle the Gaza crisis brings with it two principal risks. The first is that of unrest within Arab states, and the potential economic damage such unrest might cause in terms of disruption to trade and supplies of oil and gas. The second risk is that the Houthis will resume their attacks on the Red Sea traffic. Behind both risks is the Iranian regime, itself in a nervous and vulnerable state. The major shipping companies are probably exercising good judgment at present by holding off any return to the Red Sea.
Poor weather has repeatedly delayed the pollution-abatement operation for the wreck of the New Zealand naval survey ship HMNZS Manawanui, which grounded and sank off Samoa in October 2024, and New Zealand's representatives have declined to update local media on the amount of fuel left in her tanks.
After the sinking, New Zealand's defense department initially said that Manawanui contained about one million liters of fuel in her tanks, and maintains that minimal amounts leaked out after the sinking. After several rounds of dive operations, a commercial contractor has recovered an estimated 340,000 liters of petroleum, the service confirmed to New Zealand outlet Stuff - but officials declined to say how much fuel remains on the ship.
The task was supposed to finish in January, but has taken longer than expected. The salvor continues to work on recovering remaining amounts of fuel from the vessel's tanks and compartments; conditions on scene are challenging, including periods of rough weather and a difficult location at the edge of the reef.
The ship will likely remain in place and become a part of the reef structure, New Zealand defense minister Judith Collins told local media. Despite local complaints about the smell of diesel fuel, the government of Samoa "has decided it wants it to stay where it is," she said. Collins suggested that it will likely be a diving attraction when cleanup operations are completed, much like an artificial reef.
HMNZS Manawanui went aground near a reef on the southern coast of Upolu, Samoa on October 5. The commanding officer ordered the 75 crewmembers aboard the vessel to abandon ship, and all made it safely to shore, despite rough surface conditions. Several of the survivors were injured while crossing a reef to reach safety, but all survived; the vessel caught fire and sank the next morning.
Manawanui will not be replaced, Collins confirmed in January, and her missions will be picked up by the patrol boat HMNZS Otago - a much smaller vessel lacking Manawanui's working deck and 100-tonne crane.
The Philippine government is used to provocative statements from China's state-owned media empire, but has expressed alarm at a new theory circulating on tightly-monitored Chinese social media: the newly-created concept that Palawan, one of the Philippines' home islands, is actually part of China.
To date, all of China's expansionist claims in the South China Sea have been focused on reefs and small islands, most of them uninhabited. If the anonymous comments on Chinese social media were transformed into policy, Palawan would be the first major piece of inhabited sovereign territory that China has claimed in the Philippines. Though new, such a claim would be consistent with China's foreign policy objectives: Beijing has laid similar historical claim to Tibet, Taiwan and parts of northern India.
If the new Palawan claims were promoted on open-access Western platforms like X or Facebook, Manila would likely have little cause for concern. But since the Chinese internet is tightly governed and subject to rigid censorship, and China has allowed the Palawan claims to stay posted online, the Philippine government has reacted with alarm.
"We categorically reject the baseless and revisionist claims circulating on Chinese social media that Palawan was historically part of China and should be returned to it," said Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Año in a statement. "Palawan has always been and will always remain an integral part of the Republic of the Philippines. No historical record, legal precedent or credible evidence support the claim that Palawan was ever under Chinese sovereignty."
The claim on Chinese social media suggests that Palawan is "Zheng He Island," named for the 14th-century Chinese explorer Zheng He. Año noted that there is no historical evidence that Zheng He visited Palawan, nor any sign of Chinese settlement in the province. "These false narratives, proliferated through digital disinformation and information warfare tactics, appear to be part of a broader effort to undermine Philippine sovereignty," Año warned.
The "Zheng He" theory would extend China's ambitions beyond the boundaries of the well-known "nine-dash line" policy, Beijing's historically-derived claim to almost all of the South China Sea. The nine-dash line covers most of the Philippines' western exclusive economic zone, along with large sections of the Vietnamese, Malaysian, Indonesian and Bruneian economic zones. An international court invalidated the basis of that claim in 2016, but China has ignored the ruling.
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