Transit

Monday’s Headlines To Start Your Week Off

Fare-free transit is common in Europe, and American cities ought to give it another look. Benefits include fewer people driving, lower emissions and fewer costs for low-income families. Plus other news.

By Blake Aued

12:07 AM EDT on October 5, 2020

Fare-free transit is common in Europe, and American cities ought to give it another look. Benefits include fewer people driving, lower emissions and fewer costs for low-income families. Revenue would take a hit, but most transit agencies only get a small portion of their funding from fareboxes, and that might be offset by savings on road repairs. (Governing)
The U.S. Department of Transportation rejected a nationwide mask mandate on planes, buses and trains just hours after President Trump revealed he had COVID-19. (Business Insider)
Almost every car in the U.S. will need to be electric in order to meet climate goals, according to a new University of Toronto study. Since that’s probably not feasible for a variety of reasons, including the strain on the power grid, it’s also a good idea to invest in transit. (Scientific American, Streetsblog)
Despite the fact that people are driving less during the pandemic, traffic deaths are at a 15-year high. That’s a sign that we need to redesign our roads. (Streetsblog)
The BBC has another story about how coronavirus sparked a cycling revolution in Europe.
New York City’s two-year-old regulations guaranteed Uber and Lyft drivers a living wage without raising prices much. They could serve as a model for other cities. (NY Times)
Transit cuts in Denver are making it harder for essential workers to get to work. (Colorado Public Radio)
South Florida’s Brightline shut down in March. When will it start up again? (Sun-Sentinel)
Milwaukee is redesigning its bus system, focusing on high-frequency routes where buses come every 15 minutes or less. (Urban Milwaukee)
As the pandemic improves in Texas, Austin is winding down a pop-up traffic calming initiative, but some of the changes will be made permanent. (Monitor)
Washington, D.C. motorists are mad that cameras might catch them breaking traffic laws. (WJLA)
A driver was caught on video spitting on a New York woman who was using a new bike lane. (NBC New York)
A study by a civil rights lawyers’ group found that Black Bay Area residents are three times more likely than whites to be arrested for minor infractions like jaywalking or riding a bike without a light. (Long Beach Post)
A Black fashion executive says he was racially profiled and harassed by cops who confronted him about jaywalking after he walked out of his own company’s Beverly Hills store. (TMZ)

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.

Transit

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