Thursday’s Headlines Are Inside Out

Cars and trucks are getting safer for drivers and passengers, but people outside the vehicles are increasingly in danger.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on September 28, 2023

Vaclav Mach, CC

A Las Vegas driver accused of intentionally crashing into a cyclist while his passenger filmed the crime told police he "bet [he'd] be out in 30 days", even though the cyclist died. (USA Today)
Pedestrian and cyclist deaths in the U.S. are up 60 percent over the past 12 years, in part because drivers are buying more and more big, heavy trucks and SUVs, and the federal government only bases safety ratings on the safety of those inside the vehicle. (Associated Press)
If the government shuts down, the Federal Transit Administration will continue to operate but may not be able to award new grants, while the Federal Railroad Administration will have to furlough some employees. (American Public Transit Association, Railway Age)
Uber is now playing nice with the taxi industry it once hoped to disrupt. (The Verge)
A Dutch professor says resistance to bike lanes shows the issue is being framed the wrong way, and we need to start talking about how they "help us connect to each other and engage with the environment" rather than just getting us from point A to point B. (The Guardian)
Amtrak is closer to relaunching a Gulf Coast line 18 years after Hurricane Katrina destroyed the infrastructure. (Washington Post)
CommonWealth magazine says the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is in crisis.
Houston mayoral candidates shared their views on transportation at a recent forum. (Axios)
Tampa's TECO streetcar will remain fare-free thanks to a $700,000 grant from the Florida DOT. (Fox 13)
Towns surrounding Charlotte want more sway over regional transit decisions. (WFAE)
A driver hit and seriously injured a Colorado state senator who was riding her bike to the Capitol. (Sun)
Knoxville is working on a Vision Zero plan to eliminate pedestrian deaths by 2040. (WVLT)
Long Beach is reducing speed limits on 92 miles of streets. (Long Beach Local News)
Arlington, Virginia drivers are now required to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks. (WTOP)
Auburn, Maine, is conducting "walk audits" to evaluate the safety of sidewalks. (Maine News Center)
Muni put vintage buses and streetcars on display in San Francisco last weekend even as Bay Area transit agencies face an existential crisis. (CBS News)
Even Little Tykes toy cars have succumbed to monster-truckification. (Jalopnik)