Streetsblog

Thursday’s Headlines From Around the Nation

As transit agencies struggle, some cities are experimenting with autonomous shuttles. That plus the other news.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on August 20, 2020

Bigger cars, high speeds, wide roads and lack of crosswalks are behind the surge in pedestrian deaths over the past decade, according to a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee study. (State Smart Transportation Initiative)
In response to pressure to classify their drivers as employees and pay them benefits, Uber and Lyft are considering changing their business model by licensing their brands to independent fleet owners that would act as franchises. (New York Times)
Well, bye: Uber and Lyft’s business model was built on worker exploitation, and if they go away, good. (One Zero)
Environmental groups are challenging the Trump administration’s plans to allow drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (The Hill)
Shifting bike-share patterns during the pandemic are making it harder to rebalance — or make sure every neighborhood has enough bikes — at the end of the day. (Built In)
Cities like Houston, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Providence and Columbus are testing autonomous shuttles. But the technology may not be ready, many riders are skeptical, and transit unions will oppose any move to get rid of drivers. (Wired)
New York’s struggling Metropolitan Transportation Authority borrowed $451 million from the Federal Reserve, tapping into a $500 billion low-interest loan program for cities and states. (Bloomberg)
Houston buses are running at half capacity to keep passengers six feet apart. Even so, ridership is starting to come back — it’s down 43 percent since last June, compared to 53 percent from last May. (Houston Press)
Keeping the pop-up “coronavirus cycleways” in many European cities would result in $3 billion worth of health benefits, according to a German climate change study. Biking is up 7 percent in Europe during the pandemic. (Forbes)
Germany will spend 6 billion Euros to keep private transit companies afloat during the pandemic. (Intelligent Transport)

Blake Aued

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.

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