Electric Cars: Present and Future Developments April 29
Guests: John Voelcker, Tom Turrentine, Willett Kempton With about 100,000 electric cars on the roads in the United States, they are a small but growing sector of the auto industry. Improvements in battery technology and several new models [...]

Keystone XL Pipeline debate April 10
Guests: Susan Casey-Lefkowitz, Amy Myers Jaffe The Obama administration is expected to make a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline expansion in the next few months.  The pipeline would carry 800,000 barrels a day of tar sands crude [...]

US and American Airlines merger April 3
Guests: Henry Harteveldt and Brian Kelly Last week a federal bankruptcy judge approved the merger of US Airways and American Airlines allowing the $11 billion plan to go forward. When joined, the two companies would become the world’s [...]

Auto update: Self-driving vehicles and new car trends March 5
Guests: BRYANT WALKER SMITH and DAN NEIL If you haven’t bought a new car in the last few years, you may be surprised by all the advanced systems now available to assist you driving. There are infrared sensors, [...]

Will Obama's second term change prospects for climate? January 24
In his inaugural speech, President Obama made climate change a central priority of his second term: “We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future [...]

Trips, adventures and vacations and how to get there in 2013 January 9
If you're like the staff of Radio Times, you're always planning your next trip or thinking about where you'd  like to go — especially this time of year when we're counting down the days to warmer weather.  There's [...]

The Paulsboro train derailment – lessons learned December 10
The freight train derailment on Friday, November 30, that sent 4 tank cars carrying toxic vinyl chloride into the Mantua Creek in Paulsboro New Jersey, has raised serious questions about railroad safety, regulations regarding the shipment of hazardous [...]

What candidates are NOT talking about, Pt. 1: Climate change & infrastructure repair October 31
Hour 1 The 2012 presidential election, for the most part, has been about the economy and more recently foreign policy.  Among the issues that have received little or no attention on the campaign trail are climate change and [...]

Moving forward on high speed rail September 6
Hour 2 President Obama had big plans for high-speed rail in the United States when he came into office in 2008 — it included rail projects in 31 states.  But a number of governors rejected the federal funding [...]

Reimagining the postal service August 8
Hour 1 According to recent estimates, the United States Postal Service is losing $25 million a day and last week, defaulted on a  $5.5 billion dollar payment for future retiree benefits.  USPS is an independent agency yet it [...]

Americans with Disabilities: The Act's anniversary & today's challenges July 26
Hour 1 Twenty-two years ago today, the first President Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act, which recognized and protected the civil rights of people with disabilities ranging from physical conditions affecting mobility, stamina, sight, hearing, [...]

America’s Greatest Naval Architect and His Quest to Build the S.S. United States July 23
Hour 2 “Getting there is half the fun,” is rarely a desire of the modern traveler, but back when the S.S. United States made its maiden voyage, this passenger luxury liner was built for speed and comfort. It [...]

Check-in on the airline industry June 21
Hour 1 Two new airline customer satisfaction surveys just came out and, surprise, the carriers don’t rank too high.  Passengers complained about high ticket prices, the extra fees, oversold flights, and generally bad customer service. This hour, we’ll [...]

A conversation with Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett May 17
Hour 1 We present a recorded and lightly edited broadcast of Marty’s Tuesday interview with Pennsylvania Gov. TOM CORBETT at The Prince Music Theater. Marty asked the governor about cuts he's made to education and public welfare programs, [...]

Why are gas prices so high? February 27
Hour 1 Gas prices are soaring again and could bite into consumer spending and the recovering economy. High prices at the pump could also hurt President Obama’s chances at re-election. Experts think that prices, now averaging around $3.58 [...]

Are the Big 3 really making a comeback? Plus hits & misses of the Philadelphia Auto Show February 3
Just three years after the near-collapse of the U.S. auto industry, Detroit's Big Three automakers are in the middle of a resurgence.  They are regaining some of the market share they lost to Japanese manufacturers and GM has [...]

The Keystone XL Pipeline Debate January 31
Hour 1 The Obama administration recently rejected the hotly contested proposal to build a 1,700-mile pipeline from Western Canada to Texas. The Keystone XL pipeline would carry 800,000 barrels of oil from the tar sands in Alberta across [...]

Are Machines Taking Over…the Workplace? December 26
Hour 1 [REBROADCAST] Work is hard to find in the United States right now. The unemployment rate is at 9% and we’ve lost some 8.5 million jobs since economic downturn began. Will these jobs ever come back? Technological [...]

Distracted Driving December 16
Hour 1 This week the National Transportation Safety Board recommended that states ban talking and texting behind the wheel, including hands-free devices. Studies have shown that distracted driving plays a role in 8,000 crashes daily in the United [...]

Are Machines Taking Over…the Workplace? November 17
Hour 1 Work is hard to find in the United States right now. The unemployment rate is at 9% and we’ve lost some 8.5 million jobs since economic downturn began. Will these jobs ever come back? Technological advances [...]

News roundup with James Fallows, then Actor/Director John Turturro on Passione August 5
Hour 1 The stock market dropped 512 points yesterday, the worst day since the beginning of the recession in 2008.  Concern about European debt crisis and the anticipated July jobs report fueled investors fears of a double dip [...]

Why We Fear Flying: The Hassles and Real Phobias Behind Today's Air Travel July 12
Hour 2 It’s summertime and planes are packed with vacationers trying to escape their hectic and stressful lives for a few days or a few weeks.  But for most of us, airline travel these days is the antithesis [...]

The space shuttle's legacy & the Apollo spacesuit July 7
Hour 1 Tomorrow the space shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to lift off on its final mission (if weather doesn't interfere) to carry critical supplies to the International Space Station. This last launch marks the end of NASA’s three-decade-long [...]

Saudi women fight for the right to drive, then a NJ schools update June 16
Hour 1 There’s a protest planned in Saudi Arabia on Friday that's encouraging women to get into their cars and drive.  Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world where women are banned from driving – they [...]

Is High Speed Rail on Track? May 17
Hour 1 The Northeast Rail Corridor was just awarded $795 million to improve train speeds between Boston and Washington.  The money was given out after Florida’s governor rejected federal funds to build high speed rail in the state.  [...]

Teen Driving and Safety May 10
Hour 2 Do you remember learning to drive as a teenager?  Have you recently taught one of your kids the rules of the road?  Teens behind the wheel unnerve a lot of us and for good reason.  Teens [...]

Philadelphia’s Two Wheeled Revolution May 9
Hour 2 Philadelphia is in full gear of a two-wheeled revolution. Bikers will be able to ride in less fear of getting hit by cars as more Center City bike lanes will be painted this June. The trial [...]

Examining the Cracks in Our Nation's Infrastructure April 18
Hour 1 In a new report on the state of the nation’s bridges, Pennsylvania ranked No. 1 for having the most decrepit bridges in the country – 26.5 percent are “structurally deficient.”   Last year, the American Society of [...]

Assessing our energy options April 7
Hour 2 How should we get our energy? In this hour of Radio Times, we assess the viability – scientifically, environmentally, technically and politically – of the major choices for powering our planet. Last month, as the 1 [...]

Optimism in the Auto Industry, then Egypt February 2
Hour 1 The Philadelphia Auto Show started this weekend and all the newest cars are on display.  It’s a lot flashier than last years show as things seem to be looking up for automakers.  This hour, we thought [...]

The Philadelphia International Airport Expansion January 27
Hour 1 The Federal Aviation Administration recently approved the Philadelphia International Airport’s $5.2 billion expansion plan. The airport wants to lengthen two runways and a build a fifth one to address continual congestion and delay problems.  But to [...]

From Petroleum to Plugs: The Electric Car Arrives November 8
Hour 2 The electric Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt will be hitting car dealerships this December.  Other automakers including Honda, Mini Cooper, Mitsubishi, Toyota, and BMW all have electric cars in the works.  And, there’s always the $109,000 [...]

Are public-private partnerships the answer for cash-strapped projects? August 26
Hour 2 With state, local and federal governments all strapped for cash in the wake of the recession, new attention is being paid to public-private partnerships as a mechanism for funding critical needs like infrastructure repair. Pennsylvania’s effort [...]

Adventure traveler and documentarian KARIN MULLER May 19
Hour 2 Documentary filmmaker KARIN MULLER has recently returned from filming undercover in Sudan. Through the organization, Take 2, she sent her raw footage from Sudan, Cuba and Gaza to high schools students to create their own documentaries with the message that they ultimately care about people they’ve never met. Muller joins us to discuss developing her multi-media skills through her years of being a National Geographic Explorer, PBS documentarian and Peace Corps worker. She has written three books on her travels, and often produces her work for PBS, MSNBC Explorer and National Geographic.

How Are the Airlines Faring and What Does it Mean for Passengers May 13
Hour 1 There’s been a lot of news about the airline industry lately: the announcement of the United-Continental merger; the new tarmac rules that went into effect, the release of a new airline quality report; the calls for tightening the no-fly list, and the continued flight disruptions from Iceland’s volcanic ash cloud. This hour, we'll get an update on the airlines and what it all means for passengers from our guests Scott McCartney, travel editor for the Wall Street Journal, and Dean Headley, co-author of the Airline Quality Rating.

Should Horse-Drawn Carriages Be Banned? April 27
Hour 2 Last week a car crashed into a horse-drawn carriage in Philadelphia. The accident ended up involving four other carriages. Two of the carriage drivers were hospitalized along with car’s driver; however the horses were only scratched. The accident has sparked debate over the use of horse-drawn carriages for tourism in Philadelphia and other cities. This hour, we'll debate the issue and get a historical perspective on how horses have been used in American cities. Our guests include: Midge Leitch, University of Pennsylvania equine veterinarian, Edita Birnkrant, New York director of Friends of Animals, Michael Kates, vice-president of operations for 76 Carriage Company, and Ann Norton Greene, an historian at the University of Pennsylvania.

Toyota, Washington, auto safety and consumer behavior March 15
Hour 2 Toyota is in the hot seat with reports of sudden acceleration resulting in the recall of six million cars in the U.S. and some eight million world-wide. The recalls are to fix floor mats and gas pedals that can get stuck. In this hour of "Radio Times" we talk about Toyota’s problems and what they tell us about car safety, Washington oversight of the industry and consumer behavior. Our guests are Neal Boudette, Wall Street Journal Detroit Bureau Chief, Douglas Flint, auto mechanic and writer, and Wharton professor Maurice Schweitzer.

Destination Vacations February 12
Hour 2 It’s cold. It’s February in Philadelphia, a city that earned the landmark accumulation of 71.6 inches of snow this week. Getting to work is a hassle or downright dangerous. Walking to the nearby store is daunting. You’ve eaten everything in your freezer and the kids don’t care about snowmen and sledding anymore. “Wanna get away?” Where would you go if you had the time and resources? Or are you up for challenging yourself to a bare-bones-budget adventure vacation? Ice hotel or beach-front view? We’ll talk with long-time travel writer, DON GEORGE, editor of ''Recce,” and the Adventure Collection’s Web Editor in Chief. A pioneering travel journalist for more than two decades, Don was most recently the Global Travel Editor for Lonely Planet Publications. Prior to that, Don was Travel Editor at the San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle and then edited Salon.com's travel site, Wanderlust.

What's up with all this snow? February 11
Hour 1 The record snowfall blanketing the mid-Atlantic region for the second time in a week is the topic of today's first hour of "Radio Times." We'll talk to National Weather Service meteorologist JOE MIKETTA about what's causing the snow and how it stacks up against historical precipitation. Then we'll talk to JON SHURE of The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities about what the financial burden of dealing with the blizzard means for municipal governments already buckling under the financial strain of the recession. Then we'll talk to SCOTT BERNHARDT of the weather forecasting firm Planalytics about the economic impact to the private sector. And to close the show, we'll turn to our listeners to hear about YOUR experience of this snowstorm.

The Toyota Recall and the Philadelphia International Auto Show February 5
Hour 2 Things are not going well for Toyota. The U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced that it will be looking into "uneven braking" problems in the Prius. The automotive giant has already recalled close over eight million cars because of sticking gas pedals. We’ll discuss what all this means for Toyota with automotive industry analyst Maryann Keller. Then we’ll take a look at some of the hot news cars headlining at the Philadelphia International Auto Show with automotive journalist Marty Padgett, including a review of the Chevy Volt and the Aston-Martin Rapide.

Airport Security January 26
Hour 1 The TSA will be installing 150 full body scanners in airports this year and there is another 300 on order. Since the failed Christmas bombing plot, the TSA is tightening security at airports. But are these high-tech scanners the answer? What about the privacy concerns over the revealing images they generate? And, just how onerous will air travel become? We’ll talk about airport security with aviation experts DOUGLAS LAIRD of Laird Associates and ROBERT RAFFELfrom Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Keeping teens safe behind the wheel January 5
Hour 2 We all know that teenagers are among the most dangerous drivers on the road, and that was true even before cell phones, text messaging and GPS navigation systems greatly increased the potential distractions for drivers. As we learn more about the special challenges facing teens behind the wheel, including biological as well as social differences that make them more susceptible to driving distraction, states are moving to pass stricter laws regulating teen drivers. Joining Marty in-studio today is FLAURA KOPLIN-WINSTON, M.D., Ph.D., Founder and Co-Scientific Director of The Center for Injury Research and Prevention at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. And we’ll call out to Bucks County Republican State Rep. KATHARINE WATSON, author of Pennsylvania House bills seeking to tighten rules for teen drivers. Then we’ll hear from PAMELA FISCHER, Director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, about the Garden State’s laws attempting to protect teen drivers.

Terrorism threats, Al Qaeda, airline safety and intelligence December 30
Hour 1 What have we learned about terrorism threats, airline safety and intelligence gathering from last week's attempted attack on a Detroit-bound airplane? Our guests include Clark Kent Ervin, head of the Aspen Institute's Homeland Security Program and first Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Kevin Mitchellof the Business Travel Coalition and Gregory Johnsen of Princeton University.

Who is flying the plane? December 8
Hour 2 The common airline passenger concern of how a plane stays in the air may now be replaced with ‘who is flying the plane?' The idea of the captain in the cockpit piloting a plane as a grace-under-pressure act of courage may be a dated convention as the development of digital computers controlling flight instead of relying on mechanical back-ups has become more standard. Our guests include PATRICK SMITH who writes the "Ask the Pilot" column for Salon.com and WILLIAM LANGEWIESCHE, writer, pilot and international correspondent for “Vanity Fair,” whose new book “Fly By Wire” describes this new strain of airplane and what it means to modern air travel.

Bicycling in and around Philadelphia November 16
Hour 2 There's a lot of two-wheel activity in and around the city of Philadelphia, as the city incorporates bicycles more and more into its infrastructure and planning. Pedaling over to join us on today's Radio Times are a pair of leaders of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, BREEN GOODWIN and SARAH CLARK STUART.