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Kathleen Schalch Kathleen Schalch is a reporter on NPR's national desk. Her coverage can be heard on NPR's award-winning newsmagazines Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition.
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Kathleen Schalch

Story Archive

Wednesday

Business

Airline Service In Smaller Markets Takes Nosedive

With the price of jet fuel doubling in the past year, airlines are trying to rid themselves of unprofitable routes. Since it's hard to make a profit flying short distances into small and medium-sized airports, some airlines are drastically cutting back service or getting out of those markets altogether.

Airline Service In Smaller Markets Takes Nosedive

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Tuesday

Economy

Slumping Gasoline Use Cuts Into Highway Funds

Americans are not driving as much because of higher gas prices. A drop in gas consumption is hurting gas tax revenues, which pay for roads, bridges and mass transit projects. Transportation officials say they need to rethink the way they collect and dispense money for transportation.

Slumping Gasoline Use Cuts Into Highway Funds

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Wednesday

National

Feds: Americans Driving Less

The Federal Highway Administration announces Wednesday that Americans are cutting down on driving. The decline is much larger than the only other drop in history, during the energy crisis of the late 1970s and 1980s, the government says.

Feds: Americans Driving Less

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Monday

Economy

Home Prices Drop Most in Areas with Long Commute

Median home prices across the nation continue to decline, but some experts are noting a link between falling housing prices and commuting distances. Suburbs where commuters drive an hour or more to work are seeing some of the sharpest drops in prices.

Home Prices Drop Most in Areas with Long Commute

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Tuesday

Business

Mergers Help Airlines, Not Consumers

The merger of Delta and Northwest has a powerful foe in Congress. James Oberstar, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, says it will lead to other mergers that will mean higher fares and fewer choices for consumers.

Mergers Help Airlines, Not Consumers

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Thursday

Business

American Airlines Cancels 900 More Flights

American Airlines grounded 900 flights Thursday to inspect the wiring in the wheel wells. It's the latest in a string of cancellations since the Federal Aviation Administrative began a sweeping audit of all U.S. carriers.

American Airlines Cancels 900 More Flights

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Thursday

Business

Lawmakers Outraged by FAA Safety Violations

Investigators and whistleblowers told a House committee Thursday that the Federal Avaiation Administration was too cozy with irlines and failed to exercise the oversight required by law. FAA inspectors say they were pressured to gloss over problems at major airlines.

Lawmakers Outraged by FAA Safety Violations

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Thursday

Business

Southwest Grounds Jets After FAA Fine

Southwest Airlines has grounded some of its jets after the Federal Aviation Administration levied a massive penalty on the airline for failing to complete some required inspections.

Southwest Grounds Jets After FAA Fine

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Tuesday

Environment

Studies: Climate Change Threatens U.S. Roadways

Scientists on Tuesday issued a warning of almost Biblical proportions to the nation's transportation planners. They warn that much of the transportation system will be increasingly vulnerable to flooding and sea-level rise.

Studies: Climate Change Threatens U.S. Roadways

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Monday

National

Maine Roads Illustrate Financial Woes Across U.S.

One Maine resident has started a "pothole rebellion." Bridges also are in bad shape, wearing out twice as fast as the state can replace them. No one knows where the money to fix the ailing infrastructure will come from.

Maine Roads Illustrate Financial Woes Across U.S.

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Wednesday

National

N.Y.-Area Flights Cut to Ease Delays Across U.S.

The Bush Administration unveiled a plan Wednesday to ease traffic congestion at the New York airports that cause so many delays throughout the rest of the country. The FAA hopes limiting flights at those airports will take the heat off the rest of the system; two-thirds of all delays result from gridlock in New York.

N.Y.-Area Flights Cut to Ease Delays Across U.S.

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National

Senate Panel Weighs Truck-Driver Safety Rules

A Senate panel is due to hear the hotly contested issue of how many hours truckers can safely drive. The Bush administration lengthened time behind the wheel in 2004. But safety advocates sued, saying tired truckers are putting themselves and everyone else on the road at risk.

Senate Panel Weighs Truck-Driver Safety Rules

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Friday

Politics

Energy Bill Calls for Phasing Out Old Lightbulbs

One provision of the Energy Bill passed by the Senate last night essentially marks the beginning of the end for the old-fashioned light bulb, with provisions that would encourage use of alternatives that use much less energy.

Energy Bill Calls for Phasing Out Old Lightbulbs

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Wednesday

National

Panel to Recommend How to Cut Flight Congestion

An advisory panel is due to present recommendations to the government on how to improve the on-time performance of the airlines. Airlines have suffered many delays and canceled flights, and this summer was the worst. There is much at stake for business and passengers.

Panel to Recommend How to Cut Flight Congestion

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Tuesday

Environment

Bali Delegates Turn Focus to Greenhouse Gases

Delegates to the Bali climate conference are debating what to do about refrigerants, which are being put in millions of refrigerators and air conditioners and are more powerful than carbon dioxide. Some delegates are pushing for an agreement to phase these chemicals out.

Bali Delegates Turn Focus to Greenhouse Gases

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Tuesday

Air Travel: Flying the Unfriendly Skies

Retirements Spark Air Traffic Controller Shortage

The thousands of replacement air-traffic controllers hired in the early 1980s are now eligible to retire,and they're leaving a lot faster than expected. The government says safety has not suffered, but some worry the friendly skies are simply lucky.

Retirements Spark Air Traffic Controller Shortage

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Friday

Law

Court Rejects SUV Fuel-Efficiency Loophole

A federal appeals court has rejected the Bush administration's fuel economy standard for light pickups, vans and SUVs and ordered the government to come up with a new, tougher one. Automakers say any change now would be disruptive.

Court Rejects SUV Fuel-Efficiency Loophole

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Wednesday

Tuesday

Politics

U.S. Food Aid Critics Call on Congress for Overhaul

Congress is finishing up a massive farm bill that will set U.S. policy for the next five years. Among other things, it funds the food aid program, which is sending half as much food to hungry people around the world as it used to. Critics say this is a life-and-death matter.

U.S. Food Aid Critics Call on Congress for Overhaul

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Monday

Environment

Georgia Plant Is First for Making Ethanol from Waste

Scientists say the real hope for curbing greenhouse gas emissions and pursuing energy independence lies in cellulosic ethanol, which is brewed from things we normally throw away. Range Fuels is scheduled to break ground on the world's first plant for making cellulosic ethanol.

Georgia Plant Is First for Making Ethanol from Waste

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Thursday

Research News

NASA Survey Reveals Hazardous Skies

In a reversal, NASA promises to release the results of an air safety survey. The study was based on four years of interviews with thousands of pilots of commercial and general aviation aircraft. It suggests that the skies are more hazardous than the government has acknowledged.

Hear Kathleen Schlach's story on the NASA aviation survey on Morning Edition

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Wednesday

National

Aviation Near-Mishaps More Common Than Thought

Aircraft near collisions, runway interference, and other aviation safety problems occur more frequently than previously recognized. NASA, which compiles such information, had been withholding the data for fear of upsetting air travelers or hurting airline profits.

Aviation Near-Mishaps More Common Than Thought

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Monday

Economy

World Bank Chief Targets Climate Change

World financial leaders conclude meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The annual meetings are the first for the World Bank's new president, Robert Zoellick, who says the developed world has to take the lead in helping poor countries with debt and climate change.

World Bank Chief Targets Climate Change

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Tuesday

National

Lawmakers to Halt Illegally Harvested Timber

Congress holds its first hearing on legislation aimed at shutting down the U.S. market for wood that is harvested illegally abroad. Tons of it come into the U.S. daily. But sometimes it takes a lumber detective to figure out what is illegally harvested wood.

Lawmakers to Halt Illegally Harvested Timber

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