Transportation/Auto

Ford is telling owners of more than 140,000 SUVs in the U.S. to park them outside because they can catch fire even when the engines are turned off. The company is recalling certain Lincoln MKC SUVs from the 2015 to 2019 model years. Ford says a short-circuit can develop in the 12-volt battery monitor sensor. It can overheat and cause …

Ford Motor Co. plans to build a $3.5 billion factory in Michigan that would employ at least 2,500 people to make lower-cost batteries for a variety of new and existing electric vehicles. The plant, to be built on land being readied for industrial development near Marshall, would start making batteries in 2026. It would crank out 35 gigawatt hours worth …

Clark Logic, an ever-growing transportation and warehousing staple in the area since 1969, has acquired P&P Transportation Services based in Constantine. The two companies share like cultures and P&P Transportation Services was founded in 1973 by Phil and Pam Hoffine. Clark Logic has grown at a rapid pace over the last few years and this latest acquisition is an ideal …

Even though battery costs are rising, auto companies are rolling out more affordable electric vehicles that should widen their appeal to a larger group of buyers. The latest came Thursday from General Motors, a Chevrolet Equinox small SUV with a starting price somewhere around $30,000 and a range-per-charge of 250 miles. You can get range of 300 miles if you …

New vehicles sold in the U.S. will have to average at least 40 miles per gallon of gasoline in 2026, up from about 28 mpg, under new federal rules unveiled Friday that undo a rollback of standards enacted under President Donald Trump. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said its new fuel economy requirements are the strongest to date and the maximum …

St. Joseph County Road Commission Manager John Lindsey said the agency has identified four bridges under its jurisdiction for potential funding from Michigan Department of Transportation. The bridges are in need of upgrades and Lindsey said an application to the state agency as part of its “bridge bundling” program will soon be on its way to Lansing. Lindsey said the …

The Republican-led Michigan Legislature voted Wednesday to override Gov. Rick Snyder’s veto of a speedier tax cut for those who trade in their car for a new one, the first override in his tenure and just the fourth in the last 67 years. Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof said the “timing was right” — the same day the chamber approved …

Motorists who travel on U.S. 131 in Kalamazoo County are being advised of a construction project starting next week. The Michigan Department of Transportation on Monday will begin repaving 6.6 miles of U.S. 131 between I-94 and U Avenue in Portage. The $10.3 million investment includes guardrail replacement, carpool lot resurfacing, new signs and right-of-way fencing, and traffic signal upgrades. …

There may be a reason why people have trouble seeing while driving at night, and it’s not their eyesight. A new rating of the headlights of more than 30 midsized car models gave only one model a grade of “good.” Of the rest, about a third were rated “acceptable,” a third “marginal” and a third “poor.” The difference between the …

The Abiel Fellows Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution recently made a $200 donation to the St. Joseph County Transportation Authority. The funding will provide rides for 10 people to the agency’s weekly trip to the Battle Creek VA Hospital as well as rides to Ann Arbor for medical services. Rebecca Shank, treasurer of the Three Rivers-based chapter, …