Thursday’s Headlines Can’t Keep Up

While other developed nations are building more transit lines as their populations increase, the U.S. is not.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on March 12, 2026

Japan’s total metro lines are four times longer than the U.S., per 1 million people.

|Shilpy Arora

The U.S. has been falling behind on new rail construction for 25 years, and it's getting worse under the Trump administration, which has not signed any new contracts and has threated to revoke funding for three approved contracts. Funding at the local, state and federal level has fallen relative to population growth and highway spending. (Urban Institute)
The Trump administration fired a member of the National Transportation Safety Board. (CNBC)
Current and former EPA employees are organizing to prevent the Trump administration from further gutting the agency, and to prepare for repairing it once he's gone. (bioGraphic)
The U.S. DOT has approved eight companies to start testing electric air taxis. (Transport Topics)
Those white traffic lights you may have seen at intersections mean buses are skipping the line. (Slashgear)
California's congressional delegation is seeking $2 billion in federal funding for transit projects leading up to the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympic games in Los Angeles. (Trains)
The Chicago Transit Authority is proposing to double its police force in response to threats from the Trump administration to withhold funding over crime. (Axios)
King County and the City of Seattle are running out of time to put a transit funding measure on the ballot this year. (The Urbanist)
Kansas City's transit authority would need to cut eight of its 27 bus lines if it doesn't receive additional funding. (KCUR)
The transit agency in Las Vegas could have to cut service almost in half by 2028 if a new long-term revenue source isn't found. (8 News Now)
Pima County, Arizona voters appear to have approved a sales tax for roads and transit by a wide margin. (Luminaria)
A Fast Company investigation found that driverless Waymos in San Francisco are stalling out more frequently than previously known.
Pennsylvania is working on ways to help wildlife safely cross roads that bisect their habitats. (WHYY)
After being impressed during a trip to Tokyo, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green is negotiating with a Japanese company to build transit-oriented development along Honolulu's Skyline. (Civil Beat)
Jarrett Walker takes a deep dive into Medellin's famous public transportation system. (Human Transit)
Like many American transit systems, Montreal's is struggling to find the revenue to maintain its infrastructure. (The Rover)