Wednesday’s Headlines
Jacobin offers a convincing argument that Uber is a scam: It’s losing billions with no end in sight, susceptible to PR hits, undercharging customers, susceptible to regulations that would increase costs and admits autonomous cars are unlikely to save the day. Plus, most “unicorn” IPOs wind up failing. In other words, the demands of Uber … Continued
By
Blake Aued
9:13 AM EDT on May 8, 2019
- Jacobin offers a convincing argument that Uber is a scam: It’s losing billions with no end in sight, susceptible to PR hits, undercharging customers, susceptible to regulations that would increase costs and admits autonomous cars are unlikely to save the day. Plus, most “unicorn” IPOs wind up failing. In other words, the demands of Uber drivers who plan to strike, picket and protest today are the company’s worst nightmare. (City Lab)
- A federal infrastructure deal runs the risk of leaving out rural Americans and displacing people in low-income neighborhoods. (City Limits)
- San Francisco light rail is on time barely half the time — less on many of the most popular routes. (Curbed) Challenges for Muni also including catching up on maintenance and hiring more drivers. (Chronicle) Meanwhile, an unrelated San Francisco study found that low-income people, people of color and seniors are most at risk when walking. (Mobility Lab)
- Although Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has set aside $10 million for bike infrastructure and organized several National Bike Month events, cycling advocates say he’s not doing enough. (Herald)
- New Orleans would double the number of rental bikes and increase bus service under Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s new transportation strategy. (The Advocate; Streetsblog)
- A Southwest Pennsylvania commission’s new 25-year transportation plan includes $14 billion worth of transit projects and $17 billion worth of road projects. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
- Hillsborough County, Fla., will use a state grant to study a bus rapid transit line connecting downtown Tampa and the University of South Florida. (Tampa Bay Times)
- Traffic deaths are rising, and experts are going into schools to teach students how to navigate streets safely on foot and bikes. Imagine if the city required drivers to pull a Billy Madison. (Washington Post)
- Should San Diego spend more money on highways or transit? Take a wild guess which side Streetsblog comes down on. (Fox 5)
- Meet the Fellowship of the Rim: Columbus, Ohio’s four remaining bike couriers. (Dispatch)
Blake Aued has been doing Streetsblog's daily national news digest for years. He's also an Atlanta Braves fan, which enrages his editor in New York.
Read More:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog USA
‘Big Brother’ At U.S. DOT: Bike Lanes Aren’t Just ‘DEI,’ They’re Also Unsafe
Taking a page from George Orwell, the government is now saying that bike lanes are unsafe and speed cameras are not proven to reduce crashes. In other words, freedom is slavery.
July 17, 2026
Friday’s Headlines Slow Down
Driving over the speed limit doesn't even save much time, according to a new study.
July 17, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: What San Francisco’s Muni Learned from COVID
SFMTA’s Julie Kirschbaum discusses the lessons her agency learned from COVID and Muni’s post-pandemic recovery.
July 16, 2026
Fifth Time’s The Harm: Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro Again Signed A Budget With No Money For Transit
New budget refuses a single cent for transit, cuts service for most vulnerable residents.
July 16, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Are Deadly By Design
Turns out, designing roads for fast-moving cars means people will die.
July 16, 2026