The Nib unlocks the illustrative and narrative power of cartoons to explain the neglected state of public transit in the Unite States, and to make the case for effective and empowered transit planning.
A cartoon by Josh Kramer and Dan Nott sets out to answer a popular question these days: Why is U.S. Public Transit Crumbling?
The story starts in New York City, where the subway system has recently set records for delays, and expands to the many other U.S. cities that have no subways at all.
Along the way, cartoon caricatures of Randal O'Toole, David King, the Koch Brothers, Benjamin Ross, and Alissa Walker make appearances. International points of comparison include Toronto, Vienna, Bogotá, and Medellin.
FULL STORY: Why is U.S. Public Transit Crumbling?
Transit Scheduling 101: Building the operator schedule
A transit operator’s work goes beyond just driving the bus.
A Love Letter to the Articulated Bus
An ode to the bendy boys, by far the wackiest of the specialized vehicles you might find at a transit authority.
Transit Scheduling 101: Never Cheat the Layover!
Letting drivers take their bathroom break keeps buses running on time, prevents burnout, and might even save the world from tech-fueled social entropy. Why risk it?!
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
Brightline West’s future may rely on $6 billion federal loan
The company has until Nov. 2 to make a $400 million equity investment into its proposed high-speed rail line.
LA Metro’s ultimatum: no extra buses for LA28 if federal funding isn’t imminently secured
If Metro does not provide additional buses, LA28 organizers will have to find a new way to manage Olympic traffic. LA28’s budget does not include a line item for transit.
Colorado’s Largest Data Center Could Rise Next to Homes — Without a Public Hearing
The proposed campus would consume 11 times the power of Denver International Airport; as it has across the country, opposition mounts.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association