The Collapse of Rush Hour: A Deep Dive

By Jarrett Walker, May May 27, 2020 in General 2 Covid-19 has understandably caused steep declines in public transit demand, but the pattern of that fall is important.  Peak (rush hour) demand has fallen much more than all-day demand, mirroring a change in travel demand overall. This chart is from the daily updates we’ve been getting at the Transit app website.  This chart covers …

How better bus lanes can fix everyone’s commute

New York’s 14th Street Busway demonstrates a virtuous cycle: more riders, fewer cars on the street, and an improved commute for all By Patrick Sisson in Curbed Jan 23, 2020 It was supposed to lead to a “carpocolypse.” The 14th Street Busway, a long-delayed pilot program in New York City to expedite service by creating bus-only lanes on a major east-west street in …

Improving transit and shared mobility service and access in rural disadvantaged communities

Conclusions from Caroline Rodier et al. 2018 In general, the pilot concepts and locations were selected by the eight MPOs for implementation because they could be supported by redirecting funding from current underperforming transit services, showed significant promise for improving mobility and access in rural disadvantaged communities, and could be replicated in other communities throughout the San Joaquin Valley. MPOs …

Through new shared services state and local agencies and orgs can chip away at mobility needs and services, even in low-income, rural areas

Mayor Rey Leon of Huron California had the following point to add to shared mobility principles… Shared Mobility Principle 11. WE SUPPORT COMMUNITY COST-EFFECTIVE INDIGENOUS MODELS OF VOLUNTEER-BASED TRANSPORT AND NOT A COLONIAL APPROACH OF IMPOSING A CAR-SHARING SERVICE WITH A FOCUS ON PROFITS. Rural communities in the Central California farmworker communities have been ride-sharing before it was sexy. Due …

Autonomous Shuttles Are Beginning to Close Real Transit Gaps + LAX Considers No Security Lines for Transit Riders

Smart Cities Dive, Feb 2020 Programs in Ohio and Arizona are showing signs that the technology could be a real-world solution to first-mile, last-mile gaps in traditional city transportation offerings, like buses and light rail. BY SKIP DESCANT / FEBRUARY 19, 2020, Govt Tech An electric, autonomous shuttle sits outside the Smart Columbus Experience Center in downtown Columbus, Ohio, in August 2019. Columbus …

Studying the intersection of policies promoting affordable housing, transit, and driving reduction

By Caltrans, research by Marlon Boarnet, University of Southern California Raphael Bostic, University of Southern California Danielle Williams, University of Southern California, April 2017 Studying the intersection of policies promoting affordable housing, transit-oriented developments (TODs), and the reduction of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in metropolitan areas, this paper focuses in particular on the following questions: Does locating affordable units in …

If we want smarter, safer cities, we need to double down on rail transit

A robust, rail-centric network should remain the backbone into which other transportation modes, like autonomous shuttles, ride-sharing and scooters, can feed. Marc Buncher, Feb. 3, 2020, Smart Cities Dive There’s a lot of discussion and excitement these days about the concept of “smart cities.” While the prospect of having more technology infused in a city’s operations could be very exciting, the …

City green transport planning: Promote shared-use EVs, create a robust system of multiple efficient modes, & ensure smart, optimized use of public space

Shruti Vaidyanathan, GreenBiz, Tuesday, January 21, 2020 Autonomous vehicles could help cities address their climate goals, if they start planning now Cities need to lay the groundwork now for the arrival of autonomous vehicles (AVs) to ensure that AVs contribute to rather than detract from their transportation and climate objectives. An ACEEE toolkit highlights fundamental strategies that cities can pursue and gives …