Transit Agencies

Electric Car

Transportation in 2018: Three Predictions

Paul Lewis of the Eno Center gives his forecast of how next year will play out. Prospects for new technologies are good, but come with caveats.

December 26, 2017 - U.S. News & World Report

Toward Better Advertising Campaigns for Transit

A few ideas on how advertisements could do a better job of selling public transit to the public.

July 22, 2017 - Mobility Lab

Expo Line

Designing a Multi-Modal, User-Focused TOD Vision for Los Angeles' Expo Line

Facing explosive development interest around its Metro station, the small city of Culver on L.A.’s Westside is taking steps to shape its mobility future.

July 4, 2017 - The Planning Report

Empty Train

Some Cities Choose Uber and Lyft Over Buses

Subsidizing rides through the companies has turned out to be cheaper than running bus routes in some places.

September 2, 2016 - Skift

PATH Train

On Isolated Transit Systems

In cities like New York where multiple transit operators serve the same travelers, nothing compels those operators to work together. This isolation can result in embarrassing inefficiencies.

August 25, 2016 - the transport politic

Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit Employees Get a Raise—Months Before Operations Begin

The North San Francisco Bay Area has lacked passenger rail for decades—but the process of hiring the staff necessary to operate the line on a daily basis has been complicated by the cost of housing in the area.

July 28, 2016 - Marin Independent Journal

Tukwila Intl Blvd Station Park and Ride

The Park-and-Ride Boondoggle

Streetsblog USA shares insights into a new study published by the Transportation Research Board finding that most park-and-ride facilities built by transit agencies waste money and land.

July 7, 2016 - Streetsblog USA

NYC Subway Construction

New York MTA Departs the American Public Transportation Association

Could the cancellation the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority's membership in the American Public Transportation Association be the wakeup call the transit industry needs?

April 20, 2016 - TransitCenter

Study: Transit Agencies Should Respond to the Haters

Here's a counter-intuitive proposition for transit agencies: feed the Twitter trolls.

January 20, 2016 - The Urban Edge

Texas Transit Agency Faces Financial Demise

The TAPS transit agency is severely distressed, and continuing to receive bad news about its finances.

November 27, 2015 - The Dallas Morning News

The fronts of three double-decker buses in London

Can the Bus Be Sexy?

Transit agencies are increasingly turning to branding and advertising to improve their images. But can conservative bureaucracies embrace what it means to be "cool"? More importantly, can they attract riders?

October 12, 2014 - InTransition Magazine

Explained: the Ever-Increasing Transit Fare

Boston, Washington D.C., San Francisco, and Los Angeles—all major cities that have mulled transit fare increases in recent months. Eric Jaffe examines the numbers behind the continuous need for transit agencies to raise the price of a fare.

April 10, 2014 - Atlantic Cities

America's Top Transportation Follies and Triumphs

Based on five criteria, the Sierra Club has evaluated “the 50 best and worst transportation projects” in the nation, shining light on apparent fiascoes in the making, as well as progressive achievements.

December 14, 2012 - D.C. Streesblog

Bad Deals Plague Transit Agencies Across America

Compounding the pain caused by decreased funding from local and national sources, transit agencies across the country are haunted by "toxic pre-recession bank deals" that have them paying exorbitant borrowing costs.

June 11, 2012 - Streetsblog D.C.

Experts Say Detroit's Transit Disagreements Can Be Resolved

Despite a lack of cooperation on regional transit issues, Detroit area transportation agencies can find a way to fix the region's broken system, according to a panel of officials and experts.

August 12, 2011 - The Detroit Free Press

Why Transit Agencies Should Open Their Data

Streetfilms offers this video about how opening up transit agency data can greatly improve urban public transit systems for riders at little or no cost to the agencies.

August 18, 2010 - Streetfilms

Is Marketing the Key to Transit Success?

Los Angeles County's transit agency has increased its marketing efforts in recent years. This piece from The City Fix suggests the push has been an effective tool and that other transit agencies should take note.

December 11, 2009 - The City Fix

Transit Agencies Without Open Data: We See You

A new site from the people behind WalkScore shows you where to track your commute, and singles out the transit agencies who are failing to let you.

December 10, 2009 - City-Go-Round

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.

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

Director, Strategy and Research

Greater Baltimore Committee

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.