Some districts are cutting back on school buses, leaving some children without reliable transportation to and from school.

As school districts cut funding for student transportation, parents are increasingly turning to ride-hailing apps to get their kids to school, reports Jeff McMurray for the Associated Press. The Chicago Public School district, the fourth largest in the nation, now only offers bus service to disabled and homeless students, making only 17,000 of the district’s 325,000 students eligible for rides.
The change is concerning, as it is likely to put far more vehicles on roadways than using school buses. And while some parents can afford to arrange alternate transportation, others have had to pull their kids out of school. Now, new ridesharing services are catering to these parents, promising stricter background checks and requirements for drivers and offering rates lower than typical ride-hailing.
FULL STORY: Schools are cutting bus service for children. Parents are turning to ride-hailing apps

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.

DOJ Says Trump Has Power to Roll Back National Monuments
The opinion sheds light on how the administration may justify its effort to eliminate protected public lands.

Maryland Awards $1.25M in TOD-Related Grants
The state’s DOT is funding projects that prepare sites around transit stations for future mixed-use development and housing.

Judge Rules in Favor of Massachusetts TOD Law
The court rejected an argument that the MBTA Communities law, which requires zoning for multifamily housing, is an “unfunded mandate.”
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