Skip to Content
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Log In
Agency Watch

U.S. DOT Launches Official, Horribly-Named “Blog”

peters_hog.jpg
Secretary Peters leans on a hog... in the fast lane.

On Tuesday, U.S. DOT unveiled "Fast Lane," a blog-type website supposedly authored by Transportation Secretary Mary Peters. Whoever came up with the name, however, didn't do much to elevate the perception of Peters among transit and bike advocates, with whom she has a mixed record at best. Maybe it's too much to ask for a blog called "On Track" or "Bike Lane," but to acknowledge only drivers gets this PR effort off on the wrong foot. May we suggest re-branding and -- taking a page from the Tri-State Transportation Campaign -- going with a mode-neutral name based on mobility?

The first few posts hype some laudable moves on the feds' part, like funding Chicago's BRT lines and parking reforms (with what could have been New York's money). Peters also announced DOT's intention to move forward on a transit link between northern Virginia and Dulles Airport, which the agency had previously hesitated to fund (though the reversal may boil down to throwing some swing voters a bone during an election year).

While it's hard to take any PR from the administration at face value, to its credit, comments are enabled on the blog, and the moderators aren't screening out every bike-friendly suggestion that comes up.

There are also a few unintentionally humorous touches, like the conceit that mayors, governors, and the secretary herself are actually writing these posts. A Flickr-style photo pool is full of un-captioned images, typically featuring Peters or some unnamed official inspecting/pointing at/riding on an unidentified piece of gear. This raises the question: When will we be able to friend the Secretary of Transportation on Facebook?

Photo: Fast Lane

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog Los Angeles

West Covina Introduces Free, On-Demand MicroTransit Pilot

Go West Covina operates “corner to corner,” and offers connections to neighboring train stations.

January 8, 2025

DASH Buses to Resume Fare Collection this Weekend

After nearly five years of fare-free operation, DASH will return to charging the same fare it charged pre-pandemic: 50 cents - discounted to 35 cents if paying via TAP card

January 7, 2025
See all posts