Jesse Coburn, ProPublica
Investigation: How Trump’s U.S. DOT Is Loosening Safety Rules Meant to Protect the Public
In Trump’s second term, the agency opened 50-percent fewer investigations into vehicle safety defects, concluded 83-percent fewer enforcement cases against trucking and bus companies and started 58-percent fewer pipeline enforcement cases compared with the same period in the Biden administration.
December 1, 2025
How an Ex-Delivery Worker Upended NYC’s Streets
Ou Zhou has hit it big selling fast, low-cost electric bikes and mopeds to delivery workers, transforming New York City streets in the process. But can his empire survive?
January 31, 2025
No License Plates? No Problem! Scofflaw Drivers Remove Tags Yet Rarely Get Caught
Cars without license plates are the new scourge of New York City roadways, but the Adams administration is failing to crack down on them, allowing tens of thousands of drivers to avoid tickets and sow chaos on the street.
January 16, 2024
Dozens of Car Dealers Shut Down for Temporary License Plate Fraud Following Streetsblog Investigation
And seven dealerships identified by Streetsblog as possible temp tag sellers are now under criminal investigation, officials said.
January 8, 2024
Top NJ Lawmaker Proposes Major Reforms to Fight Temporary License Plate Fraud
The new legislation follows a seven-month Streetsblog investigation that found widespread fraud involving temp tags, with car dealers abusing weak state regulations and selling paper plates illegally to drivers using them to evade accountability on the road.
November 28, 2023
Three NYC Asphalt Trucks Exploded Last Spring, Raising Safety, Environmental Concerns: Records
The explosions raise questions about the city's decision to use a paving material that other cities have phased out because of safety and environmental risks, an official said.
October 24, 2023
‘A Very Dangerous Job’: Dozens of NYC School Crossing Guards Injured by Drivers Since 2012, Records Show
As thousands of guards returned to street corners across the city last week for the reopening of public schools, records obtained by Streetsblog reveal the dangers that guards face on the job.
September 11, 2023
Georgia: Our Temp Tags ‘Wreaking Havoc’ in NYC Because of Lax Rules, Few Investigators
Officials in Georgia admitted that its main agency in charge of regulating the retail car industry has only four investigators for 7,500 dealers in the state, making it difficult to crack down on illegal temp tag dealers who are "wreaking havoc" in New York City.
April 19, 2023
GHOST TAGS PART III: Inside NYC’s Black Market for Temporary License Plates
In the final part of our three-part series, Streetsblog introduces you to the people who buy illegal temporary license plates.
April 5, 2023
GHOST TAGS PART II: Inside NYC’s Black Market for Temporary License Plates
On Tuesday, we published the second part of our series, In this part of the series, bringing you inside the shady car dealerships that churn out temporary tags.
April 4, 2023
