Category Archives: Transportation & Travel

New Terminal Raising City’s Profile

Brownsville’s airport is able to handle a wide range of aircraft, including large military planes. (Courtesy)

The Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport opened a new 90,000-square-foot terminal in early 2021 amidst much fanfare in promoting the city’s transformation of its air traveler experience.  Left behind was a 1970s-era 30,000-square-foot terminal whose outdated appearance was a striking contrast to the sleeker and more modern terminals found at airports in Harlingen and McAllen. All of that is in the past because the stylish terminal of today in…

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MFE Team Honored by United Airlines

McAllen International Airport opened in the mid-1990s and its growth in passenger traffic has led to a study looking at facility expansion. (Courtesy)

United Airlines has awarded AGI, the ground handling team operating at McAllen International Airport, with its Gold Safety Excellence Award, recognizing AGI’s outstanding commitment to safety in all aspects of its airport operations. “Safety is universal, and safety culture is something that’s hard to build and easy to lose,” said Marlon Suarez Garcia, senior manager-Line Stations Safety and Regulatory Compliance for United Airlines. “Safety culture is a feeling — and…

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Trucking Moves Trade Forward at the Port

ruck drivers are essential to the Port of Brownsville’s comprehensive logistics network. In 2024, the port recorded more than 450,000 truck movements. (Courtesy)

This month, the Port of Brownsville will join the American Trucking Associations in celebrating National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, which runs from Sept. 14-20. According to the American Trucking Associations, truck drivers safely transport more than 11 billion tons of goods and products every year, which accounts for nearly 73 percent of America’s total annual freight. Eighty percent of U.S. communities depend solely on trucking to deliver goods. In 2024…

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McAllen International Airport Elevates Travel Experience

McAllen International Airport

McAllen International Airport is now offering Tap N’ Fly ticketless parking, a third TSA screening lane and the new MFE VIP Lounge. MFE is now the first commercial airport south of San Antonio to offer both a ticketless parking system and three TSA security screening lanes, reducing wait times and improving the security process for all passengers. “Investments in our infrastructure moves our city forward, which positions McAllen as a…

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Family-Owned Dealerships Endure In RGV

1950s-era Chevrolet pickup trucks like this vintage model turned heads when sold new at RGV dealerships like Clark Chevrolet and Tipotex Chevrolet. (Courtesy)

One Rio Grande Valley car dealer whose name is today emblazoned across the region got his start in a modest-sized store selling Buicks just blocks south of the courthouse in Edinburg.  Bert Ogden sold cars as a side business before opening his first dealership in the 1960s. He would purchase used cars from upstate Texas sources, restore them to running condition, and then sell them in the Valley. The downtown…

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Clark Family Unveils Sleek New Branding

The Clark Family has rolled out a new brand identity, unifying its Honda and Chevrolet dealerships under one cohesive vision. According to a release, the rebrand “reflects the Clark’s long standing commitment to their customers, their deep-rooted presence in the Rio Grande Valley, and focus on delivering an excellent automotive experience.” “Since 1933, the Clark Family has been known for its exceptional service and dedication to  our customers. This rebrand…

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MFE Reaches Historic Passenger Milestone

McAllen International Airport

McAllen International Airport achieved a historic milestone for commercial air service in the Rio Grande Valley in 2024 with more than 1.2 million travelers. This achievement marks a 25 percent increase in year-over-year total passengers. “Thanks to McAllen International Airport’s expanding air service, reaching 1.2 million flyers marks one of the many achievements for McAllen in 2024,” said City of McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos, “Non-stop service to key domestic and…

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McAllen Creates Traffic Department, Names Director

Marlen Garza

As the City of McAllen looks to enhance mobility for the safe, efficient and orderly movement of people and goods throughout the city, it has selected Marlen Garza to lead the newly created Traffic Department. Garza most recently served as the assistant director for Traffic Operations in the Engineering Department, where she led key projects related to roadway and traffic improvement projects. “The creation of the Traffic Department reflects McAllen’s…

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McAllen Adds Flights, Sets Passenger Records

McAllen International Airport opened in the mid-1990s and its growth in passenger traffic has led to a study looking at facility expansion. (Courtesy)

The McAllen International Airport is looking to build out its 150,000-square-foot-plus terminal during a time when the airfield is setting all-time total traveler records on a monthly basis. In July, 114,694 passengers utilized the McAllen airport, which set an all-time monthly traveler record. The July traveler number marked an eight percent improvement over June, which at the time with 105,508 passengers represented a new monthly record. In all, for 2024,…

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MFE Sets Record-Breaking Passenger Activity

McAllen International Airport

McAllen International Airport set an all-time total traveler record for July in 2024 with 114,694 total passengers, an 8.7 percent increase over the previous record set in June 2024. Overall traffic in 2024 has increased 23 percent year over year, with 70 percent more flights since same time in 2023. “McAllen International Airport has set records in four of the past five years, however this year we have taken it…

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