“Skinner takes pole for NASCAR truck race - ESPN.com” plus 4 more

Skinner takes pole for NASCAR truck race - ESPN.com
States offer instant traffic updates via Twitter, sending mixed ... - Minneapolis Star Tribune
Chrysler to transform Dodge into 4th brand - Toledo Blade
Texting collides with driving in state laws - Statesman Journal
Families 'cross over' to the smaller side of SUVs - NPR News

Skinner takes pole for NASCAR truck race - ESPN.com

Posted: 19 Sep 2009 08:36 AM PDT

LOUDON, N.H. -- Mike Skinner has won the pole for the NASCAR Camping World Truck race at New Hampshire.

Skinner posted a lap of 127.992 mph to edge Kyle Busch for the top spot for Saturday afternoon's 200-lap event at the 1.058-mile oval.

The pole is the second for Skinner this season. He won from the pole two weeks ago at Iowa and is third in the season standings with seven races remaining.

Points leader Ron Hornaday will start third and is looking for his third straight victory at the 1.058-mile oval. Matt Crafton, who trails Hornaday by 197 points, starts eighth.

Cup regular Kevin Harvick will start fifth.

This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index

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States offer instant traffic updates via Twitter, sending mixed ... - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Posted: 19 Sep 2009 08:43 AM PDT

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Fiddling with your iPhone behind the wheel can get you fined across much of the nation. But many states are more than happy to tweet you with up-to-the-minute directions on how to steer clear of a traffic jam. It is a mixed signal that some safety ...

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Chrysler to transform Dodge into 4th brand - Toledo Blade

Posted: 19 Sep 2009 08:43 AM PDT

Chrysler Group LLC will create a fourth brand among its vehicle lineup, differentiating its line of Dodge Ram trucks from the rest of the Dodge brand, and reducing the amount of advertising for Jeep and Chrysler in the process, The Blade has learned.

Chrysler spokesman Jodi Tinson said the automaker had no comment when asked Friday about the plan, which was e-mailed to Chrysler customers.

The e-mail solicitation included an image across the top with four Chrysler Group brands: Dodge, Ram, Chrysler, and Jeep.

The automaker, which hasn't had a fourth brand since it dropped Plymouth in 2001, has Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep in its brand stable. The Sprinter commercial van, which some dealers identified as a separate brand because it was a rebadged Mercedes product, was sold under the Dodge brand. Ram also has been sold under the Dodge brand.

Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy in June in a new alliance with Italian automaker Fiat SpA, which owns 20 percent of the company.

The company's new management has been working on a long-term plan for returning Chrysler to profitability by infusing its product lineup with small-car technology from Fiat and increasing its profile overseas, especially with the Jeep brand. The plan is to be unveiled in November.

Local dealers, who did not want to speak for attribution, said they have been told that the automaker plans to remodel its advertising lineup as well, differentiating Dodge Ram trucks from Dodge's automotive lineup.

They worried that the additional emphasis would dilute scarce advertising dollars for Chrysler and Jeep products.

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Texting collides with driving in state laws - Statesman Journal

Posted: 19 Sep 2009 08:15 AM PDT

Fiddling with your iPhone behind the wheel can get you fined across much of the nation. But many states — including Oregon — are more than happy to tweet you with up-to-the-minute information about road closures or how to steer clear of a traffic jam.

It is a mixed signal that some safety experts and politicians say could be dangerous.

At least 22 states that ban texting while driving offer some type of service that allows drivers to get information about traffic tie-ups, road conditions or emergencies via Twitter.

Oregon transportation officials have employed Twitter to notify drivers about major road closings, but officials say they are not encouraging people to get online behind the wheel.

"We don't want people reading their tweets while they're driving," said Sally Ridenour, spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Effective Jan. 1, a new law approved by the 2009 Oregon Legislature will impose a maximum $90 fine on drivers caught texting or talking on a hand-held cell phone. It does not apply to drivers using a cell phone equipped with a hands-free device.

How does Oregon's prospective texting ban mesh with traffic information sent via Twitter, the microblogging service that lets people read and send messages of 140 characters or fewer?

"What we would always strive for folks to do is to know before you go," Ridenour said. "Check your mobile device before you get in the car or have the passenger check it."

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have banned all texting while driving, and eight others prohibit texting by younger drivers only, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. Many of these laws essentially bar people from fooling with their smart phones in any way behind the wheel; in some cases, just reading from a mobile device is against the law.

Some supporters of text-messaging bans say that states that provide traffic information via Twitter are undermining these laws.

"I would guess that the states wouldn't intend to be sending a mixed message, but it sounds like it could be a mixed message," said Judie Stone, president of the Washington-based Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.

Like Oregon officials, transportation officials in other states say drivers should read their tweets before hitting the road.

In Washington state, for example, where citizens and transportation officials can exchange messages about the latest traffic, the feed includes regular reminders not to use the service while driving. "Know before you go," said one feed this week.

Drivers should "check our Web site before leaving," said Randy Ort, spokesman for the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department.

Other places offering traffic information via Twitter include California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia.

The apparent conflict results from two arms of government with seemingly good intentions: transportation departments that want to help motorists cope with traffic, and legislatures that are worried about the deadly consequences of distracted driving.

While Washington state lets motorists tweet about traffic conditions, in most states the flow of information is one-way — from state officials to drivers. Some states send lots of up-to-the-minute information.

Others just tweet intermittently, or reserve Twitter for emergencies. Mississippi, for example, intends to use its service during hurricane evacuations. Nebraska plans to use Twitter during winter weather emergencies.

In Washington state, the 6,200 users can also request estimated travel times, mountain pass reports and waiting times at the Canadian border. Some users apparently just want to chat.

"Got home, got changed, now heading back to seattle for the Mariners game. Keep the roads clear for me on I90 (at)WSDOT :-)," one user posted in late August. The reply from transit officials? "No promises, but we will do our best :) Enjoy the game!"

Others want to know why traffic isn't moving. "wsdot any idea what's going on westbound on 520? it's worse than rush hour," a user posted. Within a few minutes, officials responded: "Yes! There is a disabled vehicle just east of Lk Wash Blvd blocking right lane."

That kind of exchange, if conducted by drivers behind the wheel, troubles some safety experts.

"If you're sitting there and trying to update the world on the congestion you're in, you could be part of a collision," said Fairley Mahlum, spokeswoman for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. "It's just not really worth it."

The dangers of texting and driving are well-documented. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found in July that when truck drivers texted, their risk of a collision was 23 times greater. Dialing a cell phone and using or reaching for an electronic device raised the risk of collision about six times in cars and trucks.

Statesman Journal reporter Alan Gustafson contributed to this report.

Sound off

Some supporters of text-messaging bans say that states that provide traffic information via Twitter are undermining these laws. Do you agree?

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Families 'cross over' to the smaller side of SUVs - NPR News

Posted: 19 Sep 2009 07:46 AM PDT

Enlarge Associated Press

In this July 14, 2009 photo released by the Ford Motor Company, the 2010 Ford Flex is shown in Denver. The Flex's rectangular design has softened angles that blends the low length of a minivan with the sportier front-end of an SUV.

Associated Press

Suburban mom Shana Rampersad is looking for a new family car, and it's got to be fuel efficient, stylish and roomy.

That eliminates sedans, sport utility vehicles and even minivans such as the Nissan Quest that's been carrying the Rampersads around New Jersey for years.

On the top of her list is a crossover, a type of vehicle that's built like a car but looks like a downsized SUV. They offer more storage space than a traditional car and use less gas than SUVs, which are built on truck frames. And they're a good fit for families like the Rampersads, who are tightening their belts but still want enough space to haul around children, pets, luggage and sporting gear.

Crossovers — including the Ford Flex, Chevy Equinox, Nissan Murano, and top-selling Honda CR-V — are now among the fastest-growing segments in the auto industry. Their share of the U.S. market has nearly tripled since 2002 as SUVs' share slid by more than half.

For many families, downsizing to a sedan from a minivan or SUV would be too drastic; the equivalent to moving back into a small city apartment after owning a large suburban home. The crossover offers a compromise in tough times, when parents are forced to cut back on spending, fearing they could lose their jobs or see gas prices jump back to last summer's $4 peak.

Because of a tight household budget, Rampersad and her husband have decided to wait until next year to buy a new car. And it'll be a Ford Flex, a four-door that seats seven. The Flex's rectangular design has softened angles and blends the low length of a minivan with the sportier front-end of an SUV. Its second and third rows fold down flat, creating enough room for two adults to camp out.

Although her 1997 Nissan Quest minivan is "excellent" in terms of reliability, the mother of two girls, 9 years old and 9-months in Carteret, N.J., says it's style is "ancient" and it doesn't have enough versatility.

The Flex would comfortably seat Rampersad, her husband, daughters and two small dogs on the many trips they make across the Hudson and East Rivers to visit relatives in Queens, N.Y.

"We can't get the strollers, an overnight bag and a couple of other things into a passenger car," says Rampersad, 34. "We looked at a couple of SUVs, but they were horrible on gas. Living in New Jersey, you're driving everywhere."

The growth of crossovers points to the end of supersized family rides.

"When I was a kid, it was the station wagon. When I had children, it was the minivan. In the 90s it was the SUV, and now it's the crossover," says George Pipas, Ford's top sales analyst.

Earlier this decade, when gas was cheaper and bank accounts flusher, beefy SUVs and minivans emerged as the preferred family vehicle. In fact, between 1999 and 2006, their combined sales made up the largest segment of the auto market, peaking at 27.8 percent market share in 2000.

Now, sales of those bigger vehicles are being displaced by crossovers.

Crossovers made up 21.7 percent of all U.S. vehicle sales for the first eight months of the year, according to Ward's AutoInfoBank, up from 7.4 percent in 2002. They're the second-best sellers behind midsize cars.

Meanwhile, SUVs have seen their share of the market shrink to 6.3 percent from a peak of 17.7 percent in 2002. Because of worries about gas prices and the environment, sales are unlikely to return to the high levels seen in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Many crossovers start in the $20,000 range, compared with SUV price tags of around $30,000. Although the Rampersads priced out a Flex at about $33,000, including the options they wanted, the SUVs they saw would have cost a lot more to buy and maintain.

Crossovers are not new, with a few first appearing in the mid-1990s. Now, more crossover models are available, and several newer ones sport more luxurious-looking designs, offering more curb appeal than minivans, the official car of Soccer Moms.

"We'll see it capturing a larger part of the industry going forward," Jeff Schuster, executive director of forecasting for J.D. Power & Associates.

Automakers are taking notice. Ford is stepping up production on its Escape, one of its three crossovers. Sales of the Escape, among the top 10 vehicles purchased under Cash for Clunkers, rose more than 49 percent in August from a year earlier.

This fall, Honda Motor Corp. plans to introduce a new crossover vehicle, the Honda CrossTour, offering a new, slightly larger option to its popular CR-V.

The CR-V, which gets 23.5 mpg, captured the largest share of the crossover market last month, with a 52 percent increase in sales. Edmunds.com estimates that 12,000 of the 30,284 CR-V sales last month were generated by the clunkers program.

"Eight out of 10 (potential) sport utility buyers are getting the CR-V," said Tom Rzeppa, new car sales manager for Troy Honda in Troy, Mich. when comparing CR-V purchases to Honda's Pilot SUV.

General Motors Co. said its new vehicle lineup would include only cars and crossovers over the next several years. Sales of its Chevrolet Equinox crossover rose nearly 189 percent in August.

The Equinox gets an average of 27 miles per gallon, with a base level version starting at $22,440. By comparison, its Chevy Tahoe SUV cousin gets 16.5 mpg and starts at $36,965. Chrysler's 2009 Town and Country minivan gets an average 20.5 mpg and starts at $27,160.

But Shana Rampersad doesn't have to parse data to know that crossovers are becoming the vehicle of choice for families. She just looks around her suburban neighborhood.

"Everyone's driving a crossover; you don't really see many minivans," she said. "They're not the cool car for moms to drive anymore."