"Casual carpooling," an informal system involving commuting with complete strangers, has taken off in the Bay Area. Passengers and drivers cite money, time, and the environment for its success.
"Perhaps most striking about San Francisco's casual carpooling is that it is completely unregulated and without official oversight-it is in no way affiliated with the local government or transit authorities. But they're certainly aware of it; the scale of casual carpool is enormous, and its impact is significant.
Despite their loss in revenue, MTC transit authorities regard the practice as positive. It eases transportation stresses, creates significant travel time savings, dramatically reduces traffic, and contributes to the 'more efficient use of an already established and trafficked infrastructure.' As Rentschler says, "The single largest transport resource not just in the Bay Area, but in the entire country, are the empty seats in everyone's car." This resource often simply goes to waste."
FULL STORY: Carpooling Quietly Booms in San Francisco
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.