Monday’s Headlines Wheel and Deal

Why pay $950,000 for a bus when you could pay $450,00?

By Blake Aued

12:43 AM EDT on September 22, 2025

Photo: Brad Lee, CC

The cost of buying new transit buses would be much lower — and agencies could afford to purchase more — if so many of those orders weren't bespoke, and the federal government relaxed buy-American requirements, according to a joint study with the center-right American Enterprise Institute. (Brookings)
Divisions on transit funding are part of what the Senate and House, and Republicans and Democrats, on a deal to keep the government running past the end of September. (Transport Topics)
Too many transit-oriented developments are really oriented toward cars. (NextCity)
Chicago and San Francisco's transit agencies are the next on the Trump administration's naughty list. (Reuters)
Based on NPR's reporting, fear of crime on transit has more to do with a general unease over homelessness than actual violence.
- The sister of Decarlos Brown Jr., the man accused of killing Iryna Zarutska, told Spectrum News that he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
- A vigil for Zarutska is scheduled for today. (WSOC)
- North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein is using the furor over Zartuska's murder to push a $195 million public safety bill (WNCT)
- Axios took the opportunity to resurface a Charlotte cold case that has nothing in common with Zarutska's killing except that the victims were both white women.
The Charlotte Ledger explains how a future transportation sales tax vote would boost funding for bus and microtransit service.
Speaking of safety issues that affect far more many people, San Francisco failed miserably at achieving zero traffic deaths by 2024. But why? (Mission Local)
The Portland city council reaffirmed its commitment to Vision Zero as traffic deaths pile up (BikePortland), and one available tool is simply to find a new contractor for red-light cameras (Oregon Public Radio).
Mobile is breaking ground on a Complete Streets project for St. Louis Street. (WKRG)
Pittsburgh businesses filed a lawsuit to stop bike lanes on Penn Avenue. (WTAE)
Capital Bikeshare marked its 15th anniversary and 50 million rides. (DC News Now)
It's probably a good sign that new e-bike models get the same kind of hype now that cars used to get. (Electrek)