Wednesday’s Headlines Don’t Call It a Comeback
Climbing gas prices have consumers turning away from gas-guzzling SUVs and back toward electric vehicles.
By
Blake Aued
12:05 AM EDT on April 1, 2026
- Fuel prices are rising, thanks to wars in Iran and Ukraine, and worldwide consumers are increasingly seeking out renewable forms of energy to replace fossil fuels. That includes electric vehicles and e-bikes, despite President Trump’s best efforts to strangle the industry in its crib (Transport Topics).
- Meanwhile, Americans are forgoing vacations because they can’t afford gas or flights (New York Times). Another alternative to pain at the pump or endless TSA lines is to take a train (Associated Press).
- And let’s not forget how sprawl is contributing to those TSA lines. A lot of airport security employees are paid low wages and forced to drive long distances to work because they can’t afford to live closer, so of course they’re calling out if they’re not getting paid. (The Future of Where)
- Transportation for America is briefing Capitol Hill staffers on the need to move away from building new highways in the next surface transportation funding bill.
- Likewise, NACTO is warning city transportation planners that robotaxis aren’t coming; they’re here.
- Tiger Woods admitted to looking at his phone right before he drove his SUV into another truck in Florida last week, according to police (ESPN). The former Masters champion pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor DUI on Tuesday while also announcing that he is stepping away from golf to seek unspecified treatment.
- Denver Mayor Mike Johnston is proposing a $1 billion program to reorient the city away from cars and around transit. (Denver Post; paywall)
- A new Florida law forces local governments to allow farmers and landscapers to use gas-powered equipment, and Gov. Rick DeSantis is expected to sign another bill banning cities from taking steps to lower emissions. (Grist)
- El Paso has added 1,000 miles of biking facilities in 10 years, and is now asking for public input on an updated comprehensive bike plan. (KVIA)
- Cleveland’s transit agency avoided the worst of draconian service cuts by freezing open positions, reducing other expenses and tapping into reserves. (Cleveland Magazine)
- The D.C. Streetcar took its last lap on Tuesday. (WTOP)
- Anne Hidalgo — who pedestrianized many congested Paris streets, made it one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world and cut air pollution in half — reflected on her 12 years as mayor in an interview with The Guardian. Christian Wolmar at Transport News views the recent municipal election as a referendum on Hidalgo’s policies and expects her successor, Emmanuel Gregoire, to continue them.
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.
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