LA Swift carries on: A commuter bus service between Baton Rouge and New Orleans has been extended for another year. The state says LA Swift received a $3 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration. The service will be funded by the grant and a passenger charge of $5 each way. The service began in late October 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when many New Orleans residents moved to metro Baton Rouge. State officials say the service averages about 10,500 riders per month. LA Swift offers several stops in Baton Rouge, Gonzales, Kenner, LaPlace, New Orleans and Sorrento.
Effects of Japan disaster easing: U.S. businesses requested more airplanes, autos, and oil-drilling equipment in May, suggesting supply disruptions stemming from the Japan post-tsunami crisis are fading. The Commerce Department says factory orders rose 0.8% in May. That followed a downwardly revised drop of 0.9% in April. Much of the increase was driven by orders for aircraft, a volatile category, which jumped 36.5%. Auto and auto parts orders rose 2%. Excluding transportation, factory orders increased 0.2% in May, the same as April. The report also shows U.S. companies, flush with cash, are investing in computers and other equipment. A measure of business investment rose 1.6%, after falling 0.4% the previous month. Orders for so-called nondurable goods, such as food, clothing, oil, and plastics, fell 0.2% in May. That’s partly because oil prices fell during the month.
