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Car Ownership May Be Down in the U.S., But It’s Soaring Globally
Two weeks ago, transportation researcher Michael Sivak brought us the news that there are fewer cars per person in the U.S. now than there were a few years ago – and that the number isn’t expected to rise again.
July 8, 2013
Anthony Foxx Takes Office As U.S. Transportation Secretary
Anthony Foxx, who resigned yesterday as mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina, was sworn in today at 11 a.m. as the new U.S. secretary of transportation. The Department of Transportation sent the following information in a press release after the ceremony:
July 3, 2013
Senate Offers a More Multi-Modal 2014 Transportation Budget Than House
Last week, a House panel envisioned some big cuts to next year’s transportation budget. TIGER and high-speed rail would get nothing, Amtrak would get slashed, and ixnay on all that green “livability” crap. (And that's practically a quote.)
June 28, 2013
APTA Goes After Transit-Harassing Patent Troll
For years, transit agencies and other companies have been harassed by a patent troll seeking to extort them for "settlements" when they use real-time vehicle tracking technologies. ArrivalStar and Melvino Technologies, offshore firms led by one Martin Kelly Jones, claim to hold the rights to those ideas.
June 26, 2013
Obama’s Climate Speech: Mostly Mum on Transportation
President Obama announced a sweeping package of measures to address combat climate change today. But with a couple of exceptions, he was largely silent on the third of carbon emissions that come from the transportation sector.
June 25, 2013
Survey: People Hate a Gas Tax Hike, Unless It Pays for Something
The federal gas tax hasn't been raised in decades, but the idea of doing something about it seems like a political nonstarter in Washington because everyone knows how much people hate higher gas taxes. Shane Phillips at Network blog Better Institutions says maybe public sentiment is a little more nuanced than that, if you look at a recent survey by the Mineta Transportation Institute:
June 25, 2013
FHWA: Oklahoma DOT Must Consider Restoring Street Grid in Downtown OKC
In a rare victory against state DOT standard operating procedure, residents of Oklahoma City last week managed to compel the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to consider a redeveloped street grid as an alternative to a wide, high-speed boulevard through the city's downtown.
June 25, 2013
Bipartisan Bill Would Make Complete Streets the National Standard
Nearly 500 cities, states, and counties around the United States have enacted complete streets policies, according to Smart Growth America. Now a bipartisan team of lawmakers has introduced legislation to make it a matter of national policy that streets should be designed not only for driving, but for walking, biking, and transit as well.
June 24, 2013
Amtrak Looking to Handle Growing Demand for Bikes on Board Nationally
Amtrak can be a great option if you want to travel to another city sans car. But if you want to take your bike on board an Amtrak train, on most routes you'll have to dismantle it, at least partially, and fit it in a box that for a $10 fee can be stowed with the luggage. Then once you arrive, you'll have to put it back together -- if you know how -- before rolling away from the station.
June 19, 2013