Monday’s Headlines Ride the Cheese Wagon
Because schools are often built on the outskirts of town and bus drivers are hard to find, more parents are driving their kids to school, which has environmental, health and educational consequences.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EST on February 5, 2024
- More kids are now driven to school by their parents than take the school bus, and only 10 percent walk or bike, down from 40 percent in 1969. For students in classrooms, this means breathing exhaust that finds its way inside from the drop-off line; For students whose parents can’t drive them, sometimes that means not going to school at all. (Washington Post)
- Automakers are intentionally limiting consumers’ choices to large and expensive luxury SUVs and trucks to drive up their profits. (The Guardian)
- President Biden’s re-election could come down to gas prices. (The Hill)
- Local measures meant to produce more housing around transit unfortunately do very little to encourage affordable housing. (Elsevier)
- Navigation apps don’t always do a good job of showing users the most up-to-date bike routes. (Marketplace)
- Polling in Seattle and beyond shows that Americans overwhelmingly support transit and will use it if it’s frequent and fast enough. (The Urbanist)
- Stuck in the 1950s, Caltrans continues to widen highways despite overwhelming evidence that it won’t fix congestion. (Natural Resources Defense Council)
- The Los Angeles Times breaks down a March ballot measure that would force the city to implement its own mobility plan.
- Paint and bollards don’t provide much protection for cyclists, but in Nashville they’re resigned to getting whatever they can get. (The Contributor)
- Milwaukee planters meant to guard cyclists from cars were destroyed, presumably by one of the neighborhood’s many reckless drivers. (Fox 6)
- Austin is starting the legislative process of maximizing affordable housing and minimizing parking around the future Project Connect light rail line. (KXAN)
- Indianapolis is converting one-way streets to two-way, a safer configuration. (WFYI)
- Dallas officials want to know why there’s so little funding for Vision Zero in a $500 million transportation bond issue. (NBC DFW)
- A Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority expansion map making the rounds on social media looks awesome. Unfortunately, it’s fake. (11Alive)
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: What ‘A Week Without Driving’ Costs
...and what you could get back in exchange, at least if you lived in a city with good mobility alternatives.
September 25, 2026
The Interstates Did Not Need Villains; They Had Criteria
"Ask what your region's decision rule rewards. Then ask what it has no way to count."
September 25, 2026
Friday’s Headlines Are Shockingly Expensive
The 10 most costly highway projects in the U.S. all cost over half a billion dollars per mile.
September 25, 2026
Advocates Skeptical About Waymo’s ‘Transit Rewards’ Program
It could do some good for regional rail, but advocates stress this isn't a substitute for good bus service
September 24, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: People Based Accessibility
Maps aren't just about Point A and Point B, but how you get there.
September 24, 2026
