Tuesday’s Headlines Scoot Around
E-scooters are good for cities and good for the climate, but shared mobility companies are having a tough time reaching profitability.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EST on January 9, 2024
- A year-end roundup from Smart Cities Dive shows how shared mobility continues to grow, but is threatened by precarious economics.
- While e-scooters remain unpopular in some quarters, many of the complaints about them are actually related to poor street design. And they need subsidies to become a more viable alternative to cars, argues Fast Company.
- Ford has introduced a new feature that warns car riders when they’re about to door a cyclist, but for some reason it’s only offered in Mustangs. (Momentum Mag)
- The head of the Transport Workers Union is calling on the federal government to take steps to protect transit workers from violence. (The Hill)
- Trains are having a moment in Europe due to concerns about climate change. (New York Times)
- Midtown Atlanta will see long-planned bike and pedestrians improvements come to fruition in 2024. (Urbanize Atlanta)
- Uber and Lyft drivers are continuing to push for higher wages in Minneapolis City Hall and the Minnesota legislature. (Axios)
- Pedestrian deaths are trending down in Tampa, and more Vision Zero improvements are on the way. (Fox 13)
- Car crashes killed more people last year than violent crime in Knoxville, which recently adopted a Vision Zero plan. (WATE)
- A sales tax hike for transit will be on the San Diego ballot in November. (Union-Tribune)
- Denver’s Regional Transportation District is offering $1 million in grants to local nonprofits that they can distribute to clients in the form of free transit rides. (Denverite)
- Once Baltimore’s 150-year-old Frederick Douglass Tunnel is replaced, tearing down its infamous “Highway to Nowhere” could be next. (Sun)
- Tri-Rail service is expanding into downtown Miami this week. (Railway Age)
- The North Carolina DOT ordered the Charlotte Area Transit System to pull older train cars from service over a potential safety isssue. (WFAE)
- Here are some tips for riding your bike in the snow this winter. (Electrek)
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.
Read More:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog USA
Friday Video: Take Transit to the World Cup … If You Can Afford It
Why are some cities forced to charge high fares to World Cup visitors who want to take the train, while others are giving away rides nearly for free?
May 1, 2026
Good Public Transit + Good Public Funding = Good Public Health
Transit agencies need to do more to remind policy makers of the connection between good public transportation and good public health, a report argues.
May 1, 2026
Friday’s Headlines Walk Warily
Don't be fooled by declining statistics. Walking in the U.S. is still too dangerous.
May 1, 2026
Boston’s New Climate Plan Is At Odds With Boston’s New Transportation Policies
Mayor Wu's climate plan calls on the city to cut traffic and "transform" its transportation system, but City Hall leadership is cancelling and delaying projects that would actually accomplish those goals.
April 30, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: The Logistics of Package Delivery
Benjamin Fong on out how e-commerce companies like Amazon have built their logistics systems and the difficulty of last-mile delivery.
April 30, 2026
