- The coronavirus pandemic is a chance to change the way people travel forever: less flying, more walking, more funding for transit, congestion pricing, and turning over streets from cars to pedestrians (Fast Company). It also shows that transit is essential to urban life, even — or because — not many people are riding it right now. (City Lab)
- Despite being essential, many transit agencies may be stuck in a death spiral because ridership — and funding sources — are collapsing, and it's unlikely to recover as quickly as other modes. (Axios)
- In related news, a new report suggests that people will want to switch from flying to high-speed rail post-coronavirus, and recommends that governments expand their rail networks. (Railway Gazette)
- Transit advocates are rallying to protect drivers and riders — the essential workers who need trains and buses to do their jobs (Transit Center). One example is in Minneapolis, where Metro Transit and its union are working to secure 6,000 face masks (WCCO).
- A Columbia University study found that the use of ride-hailing apps is linked to an uptick in crashes involving both motorists and pedestrians at pick-up and drop-off points. (TNW, Daily Mail)
- Yet with much of the world on lockdown, Uber's delivery services are suddenly a necessity. (Quartz)
- We at Streetsblog are generally pretty skeptical of self-driving cars, but the World Economic Forum believes the coronavirus crisis shows there's a place for them.
- Even after a racing motorcyclist killed a man on a bike in Tampa, Mayor Jane Castor is resisting calls to close largely empty street lanes to motorized traffic to give people more room to spread out. (WFLA)
- Buffalo's Reddy Bikeshare is offering annual passes for just $1. (WGRZ)
- Albuquerque is running more buses on busy routes to help riders maintain social distancing. (KOB)
- Indonesia has ordered transit riders to wear masks to slow the spread of coronavirus, which is soaring this month. (Bloomberg)
Today's Headlines
Thursday’s Headlines From Around the Nation
By Blake Aued
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Monday’s Headlines Wonder About E-Bikes’ Future
E-bike sales surged in 2020 and 2021 but have been flat ever since.
January 19, 2026
Friday Video: How ‘Car Brain’ Warps the Way We See the World
How can we fix the brains distorted by car culture?
January 16, 2026
Friday’s Headlines Are the Best
People for Bikes named its top bike lane projects of the past year.
January 16, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: The Lost Subways of North America
Author Jake Berman discusses transit histories through the lens of racial dynamics, monopolies, ballot measures and overlooked cities.
January 15, 2026
A ‘Demographic Time Bomb’ Is About To Go Off — And the Transportation Sector Isn’t Ready
A top firm is warning that the "silver tsunami" will have big implications for the climate, unless U.S. communities act fast.
January 15, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Shoot for the Moon
What if the U.S. spent anything near what it spends on highways on transit instead?
January 15, 2026
