Behind the ‘Bridge in a Backpack’ That Could Go National
It sounds like the start of a wonky transportation joke: Have you ever crossed a "bridge in a backpack"?
August 18, 2009
Transit Cuts Report Underscores Cities’ Congressional Influence Gap
In a report released this morning, Transportation for America (T4A) expands on its months-long effort to map transit cutbacks across the nation and concludes that 10 of the largest 25 local agencies are being forced to hike fares by more than 13 percent.
August 18, 2009
Today’s Headlines
Inside the Oregon DOT’s quest to make a mileage tax work (Marketplace) Could a “cash for clunkers” approach work to retire creaky coal-fired power plants? (WSJ) Boston becomes the fourth U.S. city to let software developers work with transit data (Herald) LaHood hits Maine to check out new “bridge in a backpack” technology (AP) Struggling … Continued
August 18, 2009
Tracking Transport Subsidies: As Tough as Following the Stimulus Money
The $787 billion economic stimulus effort was intended to be a model of government transparency -- but a privately run website called Recovery.org soon began beating out the government in the race to trace federal dollars. Now, as the Pew Charitable Trusts begins to expand its Subsidyscope fiscal monitoring project, some similar gaps in spending data are emerging.
August 17, 2009
Could Ending the ‘War on Drugs’ Help Ease Urban Budget Crises?
Despite talk of a nascent economic recovery, the brutal toll exacted on state budgets by the recession continues -- with palpable consequences for transit riders and already lower-income urbanites. Could the cure for cities' fiscal woes be a dramatic shift in drug policy?
August 17, 2009
Today’s Headlines
(Ed. note: Due to some minor tech difficulties, an incomplete version of Today's Headlines was posted this morning. Apologies for the error.)
August 17, 2009
Oil Industry Tears Page from Health Care Playbook to Battle Climate Bill
Thanks to conservative groups that have worked for months to stoke false rumors about Congress' health care effort, a wave of negative "town hall" stories is now dominating the media -- and inspiring the oil industry to work up a similar campaign of its own against the climate change bill.
August 14, 2009
Report: Boxer ‘Sympathetic to’ Backers of More Climate Money for Transit
As Barbara Boxer (D-CA) works on her upcoming climate change bill, the Senate environment committee chairman is "definitely looking at" a plan to give green transport 10 percent of the revenue generated from carbon emissions caps, according to a new report from BNA's Transportation Watch.
August 14, 2009
Could Electric-Car Tax Credits Become the Next “Cash for Clunkers”?
The White House's commitment to electrified cars, fulfilling an Obama campaign promise to put 1 million plug-in hybrids into service by 2015, is bound to have serious ramifications for the nation's already-crumbling system of paying for transportation.
August 14, 2009
Today’s Headlines
“Cash for clunkers” not the retail-sales boost economists had hoped … (NYT) … and still not paying auto dealers on time (WSJ) A must-read: Labeled the “fastest-dying cities,” these towns are fighting back (WSJ) Happy 50th birthday to the three-point seat belt (Wired) Senate No. 2 (and friend of POTUS) does his part for the … Continued
August 14, 2009