New Investigation Finds 2,100 Transport Lobbyists Working the System
Interest groups seeking to influence transportation policy-making have long flooded the capital with campaign cash and lobbyists
-- and their numbers are rising at an eye-popping rate. Nearly 1,800
interests are employing at least 2,100 transportation lobbyists to work
the system in anticipation of the next federal infrastructure bill, according to a Center for Public Integrity investigation unveiled today.
September 16, 2009
More on McCain’s Anti-Transit and Coburn’s Anti-Bike Amendments
As Streetsblog Capitol Hill reported yesterday,
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) offered amendments striking money for more than
20 transit projects from the bill that funds the U.S. DOT next year.
September 15, 2009
The New White House Fuel Efficiency Rule: Count the Loopholes
The final fuel-efficiency rule released by the Obama administration
this morning includes what some lobbyists have nicknamed "the German
provision," giving automakers that sell less than 400,000 vehicles in
the U.S. an exemption for 25 percent of their fleet.
September 15, 2009
Planetizen Unveils Its Top 100 Urban Thinkers
She may be experiencing an intellectual reconsideration in some
corners, but Jane Jacobs is still a beloved figure for the urban
planners and designers of Planetizen.
September 14, 2009
Santa Cruz Non-Profit Now Offers Ride Insurance to Car-Free Commuters
Transit and bike commuters in many cities are able to rush home
quickly if an emergency strikes -- but for commuters looking to give up
their cars in less dense areas, an emergency often means a pricey cab
ride. One California county that falls in the latter camp, Santa Cruz,
has come up with a unique solution: "ride insurance."
September 14, 2009
Oberstar Stands Firm on Transportation Bill, Gets Industry Backup
In case any doubts
remained about his willingness to challenge the White House and the
Senate on prompt passage of a long-term infrastructure bill, House
transportation committee chairman Jim Oberstar's (D-MN) op-ed in the Politico this morning should clear them up:
September 14, 2009
McCain’s Transit Hit List: Get the Details
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), a self-styled foe of what he labels
wasteful government spending, has launched a broadside against transit
projects in the U.S. DOT's 2010 spending bill, which is slated for a
vote this week in the upper chamber of Congress.
September 14, 2009
Department of Energy Gets Basic Math Wrong in its Rail Analysis
When it comes to the carbon consumption of cars, trains, and buses, the
U.S. Department of Energy's (DoE) Transportation Energy Data Book [PDF] is an indispensable resource. But this year's Data Book contains an eyebrow-raising error in its analysis of rail's energy use.
September 11, 2009
White House Tells Senate: Grants No Substitute For Infrastructure Bank
The White House has reiterated its commitment to a national infrastructure bank
(NIB), urging the Senate to reconsider a 2010 transportation spending
bill that would "substitute in its place" $1.1 billion in grants.
September 11, 2009
The ‘Movie Ticket’ Theory of Transportation Pricing
Let's say you're at the movies, and you look up at the box office
only to see no ticket prices listed. You know you're going to have to
pay for the show eventually -- perhaps even during income-tax season --
but for now you can watch all you want, seemingly for free.
September 10, 2009