- Politico describes transit as the “goody two-shoes” that coronavirus turned into a “pariah.” Transit will come back, experts predict — but no one is sure what that looks like.
- The COVID-19 recession could cause California’s transit revenue to drop by 80 percent through 2030, according to a Mineta Transportation Institute study. (Planetizen)
- Social distancing won’t help people avoid coronavirus on public transit, but masks will. (Pedestrian Observations)
- Speeding kills. A pedestrian hit by a driver going 30 miles per hour is twice as likely to die as one hit by someone driving 25 mph, so going even a little over the speed limit makes you a jerk. (Outside)
- Cities and states should be lowering speed limits, narrowing lanes, blocking cut-through traffic, reprogramming traffic lights and taking other steps to slow down speeding drivers while the pandemic has emptied streets. (State Smart Transportation Initiative)
- Every city should get onboard with the slow streets movement. (Curbed)
- There’s a downside to everything. With roads largely empty, car crashes are down. Great news, right? Mostly — but fewer car crashes also means fewer organ donors. (Kaiser Health News)
- Uber laid off another 3,000 employees less than two weeks after laying off 3,700. The company is winding down its tech incubator and odd-job app, and focusing on ride-hailing and food delivery. (The Verge)
- Kansas City buses going fare-free is exciting, but the devil’s in the details. Where will the funding come from? Will the Kansas side cooperate with the Missouri side? And does the transit authority have enough rolling stock to handle an influx of riders? (U.S. PIRG)
- Most Pittsburgh buses and trains are returning to a normal schedule, but rear boarding and limits on the number of passengers are still in place (City Paper). In Seattle, Sound Transit is transitioning back to charging fares on light rail and commuter trains, although buses remain free (Seattle Times).
- Strength in numbers! Researchers found that the rate of car-bike collisions fell after Philadelphia introduced bike-sharing. (New York Times)
- Looking to get an e-bike? Dwell has some recommendations.
- City Lab wants readers to rate their cities on two very important metrics: transit and tacos.
Coronavirus
Thursday’s Headlines From Around the World
By Blake Aued
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
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
Passenger Rail Is Headed for a Reckoning — and the First 90 Days of 2026 Will Decide It
Railfans: it's time to go full steam ahead.
January 15, 2026
Is it Time to Try Congestion Pricing in San Francisco?
Congestion pricing has been an unqualified success in New York (and lots of other places). Why wouldn't it work elsewhere?
Analysis: What It Would Take To Put America First in Transit Again
No, it won't be easy. Yes, it can be done.
January 14, 2026
Opinion: Transportation Researchers Still Care About Equity. This Week They’re Proving It
This Thursday, progressives in transportation will fight back against the Trump administration.
January 14, 2026
