The efficient days of the post-auto industry bailout are over. American car companies are committing to larger, less efficient vehicles to keep up with the preferences of American consumers.
Just a few days after General Motors announced layoffs and plant closures at five locations around the United States and Canada to reprioritize the larger vehicles and SUVs favored by American consumers, Ford has announced plans to shuffle workers to manufacture more large vehicles.
The good news at least: Ford's plans won't come with any layoffs, yet.
The Associated Press breaks the news, with more details about which workers are being shuffled where, and what Ford vehicles are gaining market share among U.S. consumers.
Read the full story: Ford shuffling workers to increase production of big SUVs
Bigger, More Powerful Cars Cancel Out Improvements in Fuel Efficiency
As carmakers improve the fuel efficiency of some models, many American car buyers are purchasing big trucks and SUVs that still offer low MPGs.
Good Luck Buying a Small, Affordable Car in the United States
Honda recently ended the Fit, a small, affordable subcompact car favored by urban dwellers (like the managing editor of Planetizen). The U.S. car market is now completely dislocated from the reality of the rest of the world.
Sunday Funny: The Onion Calls Out the Auto Industry for its Massive SUVs
This is satire for anyone who has noticed, with fear for the planet and pedestrians, the growing size of pickup trucks and sports utility vehicles manufactured and sold in the United States
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
US buildings threatened, destroyed by fires set to triple by 2060
Researchers found a high fire risk for socioeconomically vulnerable neighborhoods in the American West.
LA residents may be allowed to paint their own crosswalks
Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky put out a motion instructing the Los Angeles Department of Public Transportation to study the feasibility of allowing volunteers to paint crosswalks.
Dallas moves to overhaul its zoning code
The city's zoning reform will allow more multi-family and mixed-use developments.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority