Public Transit

View from back of BART Police SUV driving down street in San Francisco, California.

Podcast: Addressing the Root Causes of Transit Violence

Deploying transit police is a short-term fix. How can transit agencies build sustainable safety efforts?

April 24, 2024 - Streetsblog USA

Rendering of proposed modern glass high-speed rail station in Houston, Texas.

Amtrak Takes Lead on Texas Central Rail

The high-speed rail project isn’t a done deal, but if it moves forward, trains could begin operating in 2030.

April 23, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Empty hallway lined with white tile in subway station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

How Transit Architecture Impacts Real and Perceived Safety

More than a third of Americans believe major transit systems are too unsafe to ride. The built environment can change that.

April 23, 2024 - WHYY

Young woman and man seated on subway car looking at phones.

Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features

It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.

April 19, 2024 - BGR

New York Public Transit

Transit Riders Face the Highest Safety Risks in These 10 States

According to federal data, the average number of safety incidents on public transportation averaged 55.2 per 100,000 people across all states between 2010 and 2023. Which states came in well above the national average?

April 18, 2024 - PropertyCasualty360

Woman with long hair wearing Covid mask sitting on underground train station bench looking at her watch as subway train approaches in background at Hollywood/Western station in Los Angeles, California.

How California Transit Agencies are Addressing Rider Harassment

Safety and harassment are commonly cited reasons passengers, particularly women and girls, avoid public transit.

April 17, 2024 - The American Prospect

Yellow and silver Metro Transit light rail train pulling into outdoor station in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Twin Cities Trains Move to Fewer Cars, Higher Frequency

Headways will drop from 15 minutes to 12 minutes.

April 16, 2024 - Axios

Close-up of red Capital Bikeshare bikes with Washington Monument in background.

DC Bikeshare System Breaks Ridership Record

Capital Bikeshare users took over 20,000 rides on one day in March.

April 16, 2024 - DC News Now

Walkways and escalator at crowded transit station, with one person walking a bike in foreground.

Best Practices for Outsourcing Transit Operations

Contracting with private sector vendors can help transit agencies improve efficiency and provide better service.

April 14, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Blue Metra train bike car.

Chicago Trains Make More Room for Bikes

Since Metro launched a new bike-friendly policy in February, the number of bikes on its trains rose by 70 percent.

April 11, 2024 - Streetsblog Chicago

two riders wearing masks during the covid-19 pandemic exit a blue city bus in the Bronx in New York City.

Transit Ridership Continues its Slow Recovery

Ridership grew by 16 percent between 2022 and 2023.

April 11, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Close-up of electric car battery.

Industry Leaders: Automakers Must Cut EV Battery Weight in Half

Experts call for lighter batteries, diversification of fuels, and a shift away from private cars and towrad public transit.

April 10, 2024 - Transport Topics

WMATA train on elevated track passing by brick multistory buildings in Alexandria, Virginia.

Making TOD More Viable

Tying housing and land acquisition funding to transit projects could make dense, walkable development easier and more cost-effective.

April 9, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Yellow Cat heavy equipment working on light rail construction on road in Phoenix, Arizona.

Phoenix Grant Program Supports Small Businesses During Light Rail Work

Businesses impacted by light rail construction can still apply for grants to make up for lost revenue.

April 8, 2024 - KTAR

Red and silver MetroRail train in Austin, Texas.

Austin’s Project Connect Under Fire From State Attorney General

A new lawsuit could delay the massive transit proposal into the next legislative session, where anti-Austin lawmakers could kill it altogether.

April 8, 2024 - The Austin Chronicle

Transit police officer standing on subway platform with blurred train passing behind him.

New Philly Fare Gates ‘Astonishingly Easy to Beat’

A set of high-tech gates aimed at limiting fare evasion is already failing.

April 8, 2024 - 6ABC

View of blurred traffic on South Beach, Miami street at nighttime.

Florida Law Targets ‘Activist’ Road Diets

Gov. DeSantis signed a transportation law that complicates the process for lane reductions, despite the rising number of pedestrian deaths in the state.

April 8, 2024 - Florida Politics

Black and white photo of a streetcar from the 1900s.

A History of Public Transit Disinvestment in the US

The Union of Concerned Scientists takes us on a “trip down memory ‘train,’” examining the history of public transit, including its chronic disinvestment and perpetuation of racism, from the 1800s to today.

April 5, 2024 - Union Of Concerned Scientists

Mosaic window in Boston subway station celebrating America's first subway system.

Boston Transit Board Approves Low-Income Fare, but Funding is Unclear

The board voted to include the T’s on-demand paratransit service in the discount program, prompting concerns about cost.

April 3, 2024 - CommonWealth Beacon

View of Chicago street with vacant lot and brick building, snow on the ground, at night.

Report: One-Third of Vacant Lots in Chicago Near Transit

Vacant lots pose challenges for the city’s goals of promoting transit-oriented development.

April 2, 2024 - Chicago Tribune

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