Wednesday’s Headlines Got the Gig

A new Biden administration rule would grant Uber and Lyft drivers employee status, with the labor rights and benefits that come with it.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EST on January 10, 2024

Quote Catalog, CC

The Biden administration is set to unveil a new rule requiring "gig economy" companies like Uber and Lyft to treat their drivers like employees, rather than contract workers with limited rights or benefits, reversing a Trump administration edict. (Reuters)
Automakers are finally looking to make electric vehicles lighter as a way to improve battery life and ease consumers' range anxiety (BBC). Lighter EVs would also be less likely to kill a cyclist or pedestrian when hit.
Since the U.S. is nowhere near defeating car culture, Angie Schmitt makes the case for buying an EV over a gas-powered model as the lesser of two evils.
New England states have been the fastest in bringing federally funded EV chargers online. (CleanTechnica)
Curbside management for activities like deliveries and transit stops are something to consider when converting empty offices to retail space or housing. (Smart Cities Dive)
Almost half of Americans would buy an e-bake with a rebate like Colorado's, making such policies low-hanging fruit for promoting exercise and battling climate change. (Momentum Mag)
Regulators in New Jersey and Georgia are cracking down on car dealers issuing fraudulent temp tags after a Streetsblog NYC investigation found that drivers were using them to dodge tickets and tolls.
Washington state's "cap and invest" plan for limiting carbon emissions brought in $2.2 billion to fight climate change in its first year, but it's facing pushback due to high gas prices. (Grist)
A report commissioned by Florida lawmakers found that Tampa's main transit agency is effective despite being severely underfunded. (Tampa Bay Times)
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont says he supports transit-oriented development but won't force local governments to change their zoning policies. (CT Mirror)
Metro Transit leaders are on a Twin Cities listening tour seeking rider feedback on safety. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
Jalopnik has a slideshow tour of America's abandoned highways, some of which are used for hiking or biking, and others that are simply returning to nature.