Discretionary riders, a demographic transit officials have coveted but have had difficulty luring, are using public transit more and more across the United States as gas prices rise.
"Nationwide, people took about 9.7 billion trips on light-rail systems, commuter trains and buses last year, a 1.3% increase from the previous year, according to the most recent data compiled by the American Public Transportation Association. In recent months, public- transportation officials across the country say they have seen much bigger surges in riders, as gasoline prices have approached -- and in some places exceeded -- $3 a gallon."
" 'Outside New York City . . . taking the bus or the rail is viewed as something second-class citizens do as a last resort,' says Elliot Sander, the former transportation commissioner under New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani who now directs New York University's Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management."
FULL STORY: Mass Transit Is Gaining Riders, And Cachet, as Gas Prices Climb

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

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
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USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

House Moves to Rescind California’s Emissions Standards
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Honolulu Community College Celebrates Culture and Sustainability
Honolulu Community College brought together more than 320 students, staff, and community members for a day of Hawaiian cultural activities, music, and sustainability-focused learning at its annual Hoʻolauleʻa celebration.
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Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
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Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions