Transportation

An 85-page plan obtained through a public records request details the possibilities for Charlotte. Public documents show plenty of greenways and sidewalks on the city’s wish list of transportation projects; building and widening roads might be a challenge.

If you’ve been following transit and transportation for a few years in Charlotte, you might be forgiven for a reflexive twinge of skepticism when it comes to grand pronouncements about the future. Big ideas seem to be ever-slipping out of sight over the horizon.

The city of Gastonia is cutting all of its regular bus routes and replacing them with on-demand service. Gastonia operates six bus routes that drew 144,000 riders last year. But starting in July, Gastonia will instead offer on-demand rides through a three-year, $1.65 million contract with River North Transit. That means instead of waiting at bus stops along set routes, riders will use an app, website or call center to schedule a ride directly where they’re going, similar to Uber or Lyft.

Fewer people have died in car accidents in North Carolina so far this year — about 8% fewer than the same period last year, according to state data. Deaths from drunken driving have also dropped. But despite the good news, traffic experts aren’t celebrating. Reporter Ames Alexander discusses the issue with WFAE's Marshall Terry.

An Alaska Airlines flight was forced to make an unexpected landing after an off-duty pilot who was riding in the cockpit allegedly attempted to disable the aircraft's engines.

Charlotte's decades-old plans for the Red Line commuter rail to north Mecklenburg and Mooresville just got an unexpected boost. This and more on this week's BizWorthy.

The pilot shortage and changing economics are to blame for legacy airlines departing regional airports

Several states now require lap-and-shoulder belts on all new school buses purchased. But most states have no such requirement.

It might be possible one day to hail a driverless taxi in Charlotte; an automated cab company tested its vehicles in the city last week. Advocates of the new technology point to improved safety and quicker trips. But a new study from NC State University finds automated vehicles can actually slow down traffic. Ali Hajbabaie, the author of this study, joined us on Morning Edition.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation said Wednesday night that it won’t move forward with a proposal from the Spanish company Cintra to build and manage toll lanes on Interstate 77 in south Charlotte.