The Transit Nerds

A transit advocacy group -- affectionately known as the 'transit nerds' -- are making themselves heard, and changing transit policy.

1 minute read

November 14, 2002, 6:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"From Los Angeles -- home of the nation's worst traffic -- to cities such as Seattle, St. Louis, San Francisco and Phoenix, well-organized transit advocacy groups have formed, some operating with no funding... They're an eclectic bunch. Among the inner circle are urban planners, lawyers and inventors from the Crenshaw district, middle-class mothers from Santa Monica, businesswomen from Cheviot Hills, train buffs, bus riders, filmmakers, teachers and political aides... They are so single-minded, and pay such detailed attention to arcane transit data, that they sometimes self-deprecatingly call themselves 'the transit nerds.'"

Thanks to Transport Policy Listserv

Tuesday, November 12, 2002 in The Los Angeles Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Crowds of people walking and biking along waterfront in Sunset Dunes Park in San Francisco, California on a sunny day.

San Francisco Opens Park on Former Great Highway

The Sunset Dunes park’s grand opening attracted both fans and detractors.

April 22 - Mission Local

Portland Oregon Bus

Oregon Legislature to Consider Transit Funding Laws

One proposal would increase the state’s payroll tax by .08% to fund transit agencies and expand service.

April 22 - KATU.com

Houston, Texas skyline.

Housing Vouchers as a Key Piece of Houston’s Housing Strategy

The Houston Housing Authority supports 19,000 households through the housing voucher program.

April 22 - Urban Edge