Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by TransitCenter

Jarrett Walker @humantransit.bsky.social · 1d

US public transit has plenty of good-news stories! www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/mbta-bo...

How Boston transit leaders fixed a failing transit system

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority recovered from safety lapses that prompted the Federal Transit Administration to oversee the agency’s transit rail system in 2022.

www.smartcitiesdive.com

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TransitCenter @transitcenter.bsky.social · 1d

Your regular reminder that robustly funding public agencies to develop in-house capacity instead of outsourcing to consultants saves money and time.

🕷TarantulaMask🎃 @octopusmask.bsky.social · 1d

Doing everything with consultants has so many drawbacks. I would love to work for a government agency that is staffed to do capital work itself for a while. Just to see how much of a difference it makes.

You know how much time I spend just getting contractors and consultants to agree to do things?

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City Nolan @ndhapple.bsky.social · 6d

For everyone stuck writing about today’s cancellations, here’s the metadata from the “rule” that Vought claims both New York and Chicago are somehow in violation of. The PDF to post it wasn’t even created until 5:47pm, was last modified at 5:55pm. And the government shut down six hours later at 12am

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City Nolan @ndhapple.bsky.social · 6d

Yesterday, NY; today:

“WASHINGTON (AP) — White House budget director Russ Vought said the Trump administration will withhold $2.1 billion for Chicago infrastructure projects, expanding funding fights that have targeted Democratic areas during the government shutdown.”
— apnews.com/article/gove...

Trump pauses $2.1B for Chicago infrastructure projects, leveraging shutdown to pressure Democrats

White House budget director Russ Vought says the Trump administration will withhold $2.1 billion for Chicago infrastructure projects, expanding funding fights that have targeted Democratic areas durin...

apnews.com

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America Walks @americawalks.bsky.social · 6d

Almost 1 in 5 people w/disabilities live in households without a car.

Safe, reliable transportation should be accessible for all.

Understand the reality of millions & join us for a #WeekWithoutDriving: buff.ly/QwYNZgH

#TransportationOptions #Nondrivers #Research #AmericaWalks #ClimateAndCommunity

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TransitCenter @transitcenter.bsky.social · 6d

This is a fantastic new resource to counter the argument that we shouldn’t invest more in transit, biking, and walking because “this is America - everyone drives.”

Nope, no they don’t.

www.nrdc.org/resources/wh...

Who Doesn’t Have a Car?

A new NRDC map shows car-free living and the factors affecting car usage in United States.

www.nrdc.org

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TransitCenter @transitcenter.bsky.social · 8d

Plus public transit!

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Snack Sabre Jr. @snacksabrejr.bsky.social · 8d

EVERY stop for public transportation should have sheltered benches where passengers can sit.

dr. eerie katherine @actualkatherine.bsky.social · 8d

Is there a way to request a bench to be installed at a @mta.maryland.gov bus stop in Baltimore City?
I spend a lot, like a LOT, of time waiting at bus stops with nowhere to sit

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Union of Concerned Scientists @ucs.org · 8d

UCS’s @kevshen.bsky.social breaks down the surface transportation reauthorization, a process that decides the course of our transportation system but happens largely behind closed doors, favoring industry over community needs like affordable, climate friendly options.

Surface Transportation Reauthorization: What You Need to Know

And ways you can take action.

blog.ucs.org

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Push The Needle @pushtheneedle.bsky.social · 14d

Spending money to expand buses—even diesel powered ones—is a net good thing because it gets people out of cars

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Transbay Coalition @transbaycoalition.bsky.social · 14d

Check out the recording of the #TransitMonth2025 event "Transit and Hollywood: Telling the Story that Moves Us." Good bit from @awalkerinla.bsky.social about the gap between biking ON studio lots vs. biking TO studio lots
www.youtube.com/live/fr8pVM-...

Transit and Hollywood: Telling the Story that Moves Us

YouTube video by MoveLATransit

www.youtube.com

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TransitCenter @transitcenter.bsky.social · 14d

We thank you for this public service 🫡

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Reposted by TransitCenter

Tara Goddard, PhD @drtaragoddard.com · 15d

whoa. Every single one of the Sinclair advert buyers on this list is automotive or automotive related (insurance). That is one aspect of the power in our society held by car companies that I haven't seen studied enough.

Anthony's Spinning Circles here too! @circlesspinning.bsky.social · 15d

For those in #Sinclair and #Nexstar markets.... #Boycott the advertisers!! After all, Disney got the message that way! There may be some you can’t, but there are some you can!

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David Soto @davsot.bsky.social · 16d

🚌 Strategies used to turnaround Akron’s bus system:

1. CEO used to be a bus driver, now rides the bus with customers
2. Run buses every 15 minutes, 7 days a week
3. Concentrate on most needed services
4. Reduce job requirements

“If we’re not using our product, why should anybody else use it?”

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Ted Mann @whereisted.bsky.social · 16d

Trump is rescinding road safety grants all over the country, in blue states and red ones.

The reason: those projects are "hostile" to cars.

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Trump Cancels Trail, Bike-Lane Grants Deemed ‘Hostile’ to Cars

The Trump administration canceled grants for street safety measures, pedestrian trails and bike lanes in communities around the country this month, each time offering a simple rationale for yanking ba...

www.bloomberg.com

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Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 16d

You can be a “car guy” and not like car dependency. You can be a “car guy” and get that too many cars in cities is bad for everyone, including drivers. You can be a “car guy” and be tired of lies & manipulations like “the war on cars.” You can be a “car guy” and know more choice means more freedom.

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TransitCenter @transitcenter.bsky.social · 19d

“Why does transit seem to be in an endless emergency? Why is it so easy to assume that transit’s financial situation is hopeless? Because we have constructed our transportation funding streams to make transit’s costs visible, while the costs of car dependence are mostly concealed.”

Jarrett Walker @humantransit.bsky.social · 19d

I have a major piece in Bloomberg Citylab today. Should the US let transit fail, as Pennsylvania is already doing? And if not, what are the arguments we need to let it succeed?

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Should We Let Public Transit Die?

Urban-rural hostility is fueling a public transportation crisis in US cities. But demands to abandon bus and train riders ignore the economic and social costs of cutting service.

www.bloomberg.com

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TransitCenter @transitcenter.bsky.social · 29d

😍😍😍😍😍

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Kirsten Bladh @kerstanley.bsky.social · Sep 7

To put this loan amount in perspective:

California is spending $500 million to widen a 10-mile stretch of Highway 37 in the northern Bay Area (through a wetland, no less).

But $750 million to save the *entire* Bay Area’s transit systems is apparently infeasible.

Senator Scott Wiener @scottwiener.bsky.social · Sep 6

We’ve been informed by the Governor’s Department of Finance that it won’t agree before our legislative session ends (on Friday) to finalize a $750M bridge loan to Bay Area transit.

This loan was agreed to in our June budget. Without it, BART, Muni, et al will cut service.🧵

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Reposted by TransitCenter

Shannon Mattern @shannonmattern.bsky.social · Sep 3

"A drastic ✂️ in transit service stands to derail the economic health of the 6th-largest city in the US... In the short term, it will strand travelers or upend their schedules and finances. In the longer term,... SE PA could lose $6B in long-term earnings and see a decrease of 76K regional jobs"

Philadelphia Transit Cuts Portend ‘Mayhem’ for Commutes and Regional Economy

Pennsylvania’s largest transit system was forced to slash 20% of its service with deeper cuts on the way. Now commuters are feeling the brunt.

www.bloomberg.com

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TransitCenter @transitcenter.bsky.social · Sep 3

🎯

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TransitCenter @transitcenter.bsky.social · Sep 3

All of this is true, but it’s so important for any messaging around the enshittification of American life to explicitly remind folks that things COULD be different. Otherwise it can trigger a fatalistic mindset, which repels people from taking action.

www.frameworksinstitute.org/articles/fas...

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TransitCenter @transitcenter.bsky.social · Sep 3

😱

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Jenny Frecklington-Jones #IStandWithWatermelon🍉🍉 @joneshowdareyou.bsky.social · Sep 2

I enjoyed this. And what an infectious laugh. ❤️

"Reporter left speechless after witnessing Japan's new $70 million Maglev train in action at 310 mph"

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TransitCenter @transitcenter.bsky.social · Sep 2

Appreciate the clear and direct language about what’s happening, who is doing it, and who is suffering as a result.

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