Sharing Is Caring for Friday’s Headlines
Young adults are driving less, and that may have something to do with the rise of shared micromobility devices.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on September 12, 2025
- With 500 million shared mobility trips recorded worldwide, e-scooters and bikeshares are no longer a novelty, but part of the urban landscape (Cities Today). One operator, Veo, published a study calling the trend a mode shift away from cars. About a quarter of users don’t have a driver’s license, and 40 percent lack access to a car (Zag Daily).
- Americans are driving 2.3 percent fewer miles than they did in 2019, before driving dropped sharply during the pandemic. The trend is driven primarily by young adults. (State Smart Transportation Initiative)
- As their use grows, e-scooter injuries are skyrocketing, underscoring the need for safer street designs. (Axios)
- The Justice Department and Norfolk Southern settled a lawsuit giving Amtrak trains priority on freight lines. (Trains)
- Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley says he’s introducing a bill to ban self-driving cars. (Business Insider)
- Pete Saunders argues for bringing back streetcar suburbs. (The Corner Side Yard)
- President Trump called for the death penalty for the man accused of murdering a woman on a Charlotte train (Fox News), a tragedy that’s become a political football as the administration seeks to demonize cities in general and transit in particular.
- The Federal Transit Administration is launching an investigation into the Charlotte Area Transit System’s security (Queen City News) and is threatening to withhold $33 million unless CATS produces a new transit plan within two weeks (WSOC, Streetsblog USA)
- A deal for California to float Bay Area transit agencies Muni and BART a $750 million loan is back on the table. (San Francisco Chronicle)
- Seattle added 35,000 people but just 3,300 cars between 2017 and 2023. (The Urbanist)
- At their current pace of growth, Houston, Dallas and Austin are projected to be the three biggest cities in the U.S. by 2100, so they should start preparing for higher density. (Urban Land Institute)
- Lyft is bringing robotaxis to Atlanta that will, at first, be operated by human drivers. (The Verge)
- Automated cameras will start ticketing speeders on Philadelphia’s Broad Street next week. (Billy Penn)
- A Washington, D.C. program uses street art to create safer intersections. (The Wash)
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
NYC Amazon Delivery Drivers Routinely Speed, Block Bus And Bike Lanes
Amazon delivery drivers have violated traffic laws for years, with little accountability.
September 30, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines Remain Deadly by Design
Congress should tie transportation funding to measurable improvements in safety, says Transportation for America.
September 30, 2026
Op-Ed: The Problem with Trump’s DC Golf Course Takeover Isn’t What You Think
Many advocates of walkable communities loathe urban golf courses. One urbanist argues that with good policy, his DC course can be the exception to the rule — if the Trump administration doesn't ruin it.
September 30, 2026
Advocates Warn Short-Term Transit Cuts Could Foreshadow Deeper Long-Term Slashing
A deeper dive on the transit cuts in the latest federal transportation extension bill – and how advocates are fighting back.
September 29, 2026
We Don’t Need to Ban Pick Up Trucks to Take Action on Vehicle Safety
There’s so much middle ground and low hanging fruit as far as reducing deaths and injuries caused by super large consumer vehicles. Here are three modest safety half-measures that should be a no-brainer.
September 29, 2026