A majority of bus drivers favor riders paying fares before they get on the bus and better bus lane enforcement.
To get the perspectives of the people on the front lines of New York's bus ridership woes Alon Levy and Eric Goldwyn surveyed drivers. When asked about improving service, "The top fix they’d like to see is off-board fare collection," Alon Levy and Eric Goldwyn write for CityLab. This would also allow passengers to board through all doors, which drivers also overwhelmingly favor. They also favor better enforcement of bus lanes.
Levy and Goldwyn surveyed 373 Brooklyn drivers for their article. "Brooklyn is perhaps in greatest need of their contributions. It is the most populous borough, with the greatest number of bus riders, and it lacks the subway coverage of Manhattan," Levy and Goldwyn write.
Levy and Goldwyn argue these drivers are in a good position to understand how to improve service and attract riders. "Reformers sometimes assume that labor is always hostile to efficiency and innovation, because of union opposition to measures that could reduce staffing. In the case of buses, such an assumption is unwarranted and counterproductive," they argue.
FULL STORY: To Build a Better Bus System, Ask a Driver
Toledo Bus Service Cut Amid Falling Ridership
TARTA, like many transit services around the United States, has lost riders. Officials hope a new downtown hub can stem that tide, even as the transit authority cuts service.
In New York: No Bus Ridership Without Congestion Relief
Bus ridership has dropped for many years in New York City, but much of the bleeding is concentrated in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Could the congestion problems of the central city be the reason for the declining use of bus transit?
Judge Halts Brooklyn Bike Lane Removal
Lawyers must prove the city was not acting “arbitrarily, capriciously, and illegally” in ordering the hasty removal.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
Car Designs Make it Harder to See Pedestrians
Blind spots created by thicker pillars built to withstand rollover crashes are creating dangerous conditions for people outside vehicles.
Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie