Disrupting Friday’s Headlines
Elevator pitch: Buses, but they only seat six people, and you have to book one ahead of time.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on May 16, 2025
- First Uber tried to replace carpooling. Then it tried to disrupt the taxi business. Now it’s trying to recreate buses with fixed-route rides that have 20-minute headways — except they won’t be buses; they’ll be three-row SUVs. (TechCrunch)
- Conflict of interest much? The Federal Railroad Administration is hiring major Trump donor Elon Musk’s Boring Company to help design a Baltimore tunnel, despite its lackluster track record on previous projects. (New York Times)
- Robotaxi company Waymo is recalling 1,200 autonomous vehicles to address a software glitch that caused several crashes. (Los Angeles Times)
- People have been flocking to Sunset Dunes Park ever since San Francisco created it out of what was once the seaside Great Highway (CityLab). Drivers are still mad about it, but now they’re also shifting their ire to the San Rafael bridge, blaming bike lane for traffic gridlock (San Francisco Chronicle)
- A bill in support of a high-speed rail line connecting San Antonio, Austin and Dallas appears dead in the Republican-dominated Texas legislature. (Fort Worth Report)
- Seattle is building a $700 million tunnel that could accommodate a train. It’s not a subway, though. Instead, it’s a massive stormwater drainage pipe to collect runoff largely created by roads and parking lots. (City Observatory)
- Memphis Mayor Paul Young’s budget includes a $5 million boost in transit funding, but some advocates argue that’s not enough. (ABC 24)
- Philadelphia is adding “speed slots” to Lincoln Drive to slow down drivers. (WHYY)
- The Knoxville city council approved $1 million for a new greenway. (WBIR)
- The Congress for New Urbanism is giving a University of Colorado student an award for his plan to revitalize Denver’s Arapahoe Square.
- Further proof that the kids are alright: Arizona State students created a real-time tracking app for the Tempe streetcar. (KJZZ)
- An e-bike influencer caught it on video when a cop nearly vaporized him while he was riding in a bike lane. (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
What You Missed in the Transportation Reauthorization This Summer
Congressional negotiations over America's next big transportation law hit some speed bumps this summer — but that doesn't mean there isn't work to be done.
September 16, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines Pay Through the Nose to Drive
The average American car owner spends about $15,000 a year on their vehicle, according to a AAA analysis of Bureau of Labor statistics.
September 16, 2026
Exclusive: NYC Hires Company To Install E-Car Charging Posts In Public Space
The small expansion of e-car charging stations is a small down payment on the city’s larger plan to permanently allocate more public space for the automobile.
September 15, 2026
Tuesday’s Headlines Don’t Know What You Got ‘Til It’s Gone
What would you rather have — freeways or parks?
September 15, 2026
You Won’t See These Defunded Projects in Sean Duffy’s US DOT Reality Show
Trump’s Secretary of Transportation is boasting his successes online while communities plead for funding he revoked.
September 15, 2026