austin News

Austin, Texas Becomes Largest US City to Drop Parking-Spot Requirements

Austin on Thursday became the largest city in the country to stop requiring new developments to have a set amount of parking — a move aimed at both fighting climate change and spurring more housing construction amid the city’s affordability …

Independent Agents Get a Great Big Thank You from Superior Access

Our Way to Thank and Give Back to the Independent Agent Austin, TX – June 27, 2017 – Superior Access, the Ultimate Online Market Tool for the Independent Agent, is excited to announce the 50 Days of Independents Sweepstakes! One …

Voters in Texas Capital Keep Fingerprinting for Rideshare Drivers

Fingerprinting drivers for ride-hailing companies must continue in Texas’ capital city after voters rejected a $9 million campaign by Uber and Lyft to overturn the safety measure. Both Uber and Lyft threatened to leave Austin, which hosts major annual events …

NTSB: Chopper Hoist Was Spinning Before Texas Nurse’s Fatal Fall

Investigators say a hoist suspended from a medical helicopter, which was carrying a nurse and patient from a Texas hiking trail, was spinning just before the nurse fell to her death. The National Transportation Safety Board on May 5 released …

Month-Long Austin Rideshare Challenge Shows Drivers Lack Insurance Savvy

Josh Waldrum knows from first-hand experience that most of the folks who drive for rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are not well informed about the insurance issues that insurance professionals see as problematic such as coverage gaps, and the …

Last Year’s Fatalities Prompt New Safety Features at Austin’s SXSW

Snoop Dogg, J. Cole and TV on the Radio are on the schedule, but what’s really getting attention at this year’s South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas, is safety. After a driver plowed through a barricade and into …

Austin, San Antonio Prepare to Enact Behind-the-Wheel Phone Bans

Two of the biggest cities in Texas are reminding drivers of bans on handheld devices behind the wheel that take effect in Austin and San Antonio come January. Police in both cities won’t start issuing fines until February. Talking on …

First Lawsuits Filed Over Fatal South by Southwest Crash in Austin

The first wave of victim lawsuits since four people died at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas, accused organizers of safety lapses after a driver smashed through a barricade and into a crowd of concertgoers. The suits …

Technology Dominates Texas-Based Group’s Fraud Predictions for 2015

Technology will give fraudsters an edge in 2015, but it will also provide new tools for organizations and investigators, according to three experts from the Austin, Texas-based Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) who were asked for their top fraud …

Settlement Approved in Austin Firefighter Hiring Discrimination Case

A federal judge has approved a settlement between the city of Austin and the U.S. Department of Justice over allegations the Austin Fire Department’s hiring practices were discriminatory. The order signed by U.S. District Court Judge Lee Yeakel allows the …