Tag: transportation

1 in Every 13 Bridges in America is in ‘Poor’ Condition. Thousands Could Collapse from a Collision (Macro News for March 30, 2024 – April 5, 2024)

Recent data shows that 46,000 of the 617,000 bridges in the U.S. are in poor condition with 17,000 of those "at risk of collapse from a single hit." The situation came to the forefront after the Baltimore bridge collapsed in less than one minute after being hit by a 100,000 ton cargo ship on March 29, 2024. However, bridges are also susceptible to damage from hurricanes, earthquakes, and even extreme heat.

China Debuts World’s Fastest Train (Macro News for July 31, 2021 – August 6, 2021)

China recently debuted the world’s fastest train in Qingdao, China. The maglev bullet train reaches speeds of 600 kilometers, or 373 miles, per hour. The bullet train was developed by China’s state-owned railway and appears to float above the tracks. The magnetic levitation system uses a magnetic force to suspend the train and the technology requires less maintenance and emits very low levels of noise.

Gas Prices Are at a 7-Year High, Just in Time for Memorial Day (Micro News for June 5, 2021 – June 11, 2021)

Thirty-four million drivers are hitting the road for Memorial Day amid the highest gas prices since 2014. Higher gas prices could be the least of their concerns if stations run out of gas. The Colonial Pipeline shutdown earlier in May 2021 gave consumers a glimpse of what a gas shortage will look like. Experts worry that the lack of qualified tanker truck drivers will curb gasoline deliveries and result in some location-specific shortages.