Wednesday’s Headlines From All Around this Land

  • When it comes to driving, Americans are partying like it’s 1999. The number of vehicle miles driven fell nearly 20 percent in March — when 32 states issued shelter-in-place orders — dropping to levels not seen in 20 years. But it’s still way too high. (Quartz)
  • Will the drop-off in driving last? In Wuhan, China — where the coronavirus outbreak started — car use has doubled since before the pandemic. Contrast that with the U.K., where officials are pouring money into pop-up bike lanes in anticipation of a massive shift to cycling. (Treehugger)
  • Americans owe nearly $400 billion on their cars — up more than 50 percent from 10 years ago, and all that debt could stall the coronavirus economic recovery. (Brookings Institute)
  • America’s biggest transit systems are asking Congress for another $24 billion to offset coronavirus losses. Congress awarded transit agencies $25 billion in March, but it has not been enough. (Transportation Today)
  • If you want funding for better transit, make sure you’re counted in the Census. (Arizona Daily Star)
  • Loss of gas tax revenue due to coronavirus could delay road repairs and transit projects in Illinois (Chicago Tribune). Same goes for Pennsylvania, where turnpike tolls that fund transit are down (WHYY).
  • Local bus routes in Pittsburgh will return to normal service this Sunday, though not commuter or express lines or light rail, because residents are still under orders to work from home if possible. (Post-Gazette)
  • The D.C. Metro is planning to slowly ramp up, but probably won’t return to pre-pandemic levels of service until next spring. (Washington Post)
  • Officials proposed new bike lanes in Jacksonville at a virtual town hall meeting celebrating the opening of the city’s new transit hub. (Florida Times-Union)
  • It’s time to restart the push for intercity passenger rail in the Upper Midwest. (streets.mn)
  • Bay Area Rapid Transit has added a San Jose extension to its map, but there’s no opening date for the two new stations. (San Francisco Chronicle)
  • Uber drivers staged a caravan at the company’s San Francisco headquarters to protest its labor practices. (Tech Crunch)
  • Science has proven that Rice Krispie treats would make good highway safety barriers — at least until they get stale. (New York Times)

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While the Economy Grows, Americans Continue to Drive Less

By Angie Schmitt |
The last time the average American drove this little, Bill Clinton was president and Seinfeld was the most-watched show in the country. Not since 1994 has per capita driving been as low as it is now, according to new data from the Federal Highway Administration compiled by economist Doug Short. Per capita driving has been on […]

Putting the Recent Uptick in Driving in Perspective

By Angie Schmitt |
With gas prices plummeting and employment figures rising, America’s per capita driving rate increased in 2014 for the first time in nearly a decade. But experts warn driving is far from back to its previous historical pattern. According to new data from the Federal Highway Administration, total driving mileage climbed 1.7 percent in 2014, higher than […]

FHWA Gleefully Reports That Driving Is Rising Again

By Angie Schmitt |
After flatlining for nearly a decade, the mileage driven by Americans is rising once again. That means more traffic overwhelming city streets, slowing down buses, and spewing pollutants into the air. But to the Federal Highway Administration, it’s a development to report with barely contained glee. This June, Americans drove 8.7 billion more miles than last June, […]

Census: American Bike Commuting Up Nine Percent in 2012

By Tanya Snyder |
Congratulations, America. We’re biking to work more than ever before. We’ve known for a while that Americans are driving less than they used to, even as the economy grows. And just about every quarter, the American Public Transportation Association delivers more stats about increasing transit ridership. Now the Census brings another measure of Americans’ shifting transportation […]