Year: 2009

The "cash for clunkers" rebate program, which promises new auto buyers up to $4,500 for fuel-efficiency upgrades as small as 2 miles per gallon, is back to life after burning through $1 billion in taxpayer cash.

As Oakland businesses struggle to weather the downturn, parking policy has become a rallying point as well as a scapegoat for the long-term suburban exodus.

BART management has reached a tentative deal with three of its five unions, totaling about 2,700 workers, averting a strike that would have strained the Bay Area's transit systems and gridlocked its roads. The agreement, capping four months of intense negotiations, affects the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 (SEIU), the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU).

The MTA and City Car Share are welcoming the Bixi bicycle share program from Montreal, Canada, to San Francisco this Sunday to demonstrate how bicycle share could work if this city embraces it. City CarShare is using the event to conduct a user survey and provide information about the service to interested riders in the park.

In the last couple of weeks, the issue of cellphone use and texting while driving has finally been shoved into the national consciousness, thanks to an excellent series of articles by Matt Richtel in The New York Times. Even the United States Senate has been moved to sit up and take notice. Of course our attention will soon drift elsewhere, the way it does -- that's sort of the problem, isn't it? -- until some fresh incident brings it briefly to mind again.

BART Labor Talks Extend Beyond Midnight Deadline; So Far, No Strike (SF Gate, ABC7, CBS5) Potential Transit Options if There is a Strike (KGO Radio) Muni’s Failed Culture Bus Set to End August 15th (SFist) Mayor Newsom Says He Didn’t Talk About Muni Crash Because No One Asked Him (SF Gate) Meantime, His Environmental Chief … Continued

According to a new survey, the economic benefits of walking, biking and taking transit may ultimately be their strongest selling point for Californians - at least during a recession.

A report released today [PDF] by Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Tom Coburn (R-OK), timed to coincide with debate on a $7 billion highway trust fund fix, accuses their fellow lawmakers of “raiding” the fund for transportation “pet projects.” Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) (Photo: City-Data.com) What wasteful projects have drawn such scorn from the duo? … Continued

The Senate began debate this morning on the $7 billion rescue of the nation's highway trust fund that was passed by the House late yesterday, with four GOP amendments slated for a vote.