Transportation

When Self-driving Cars Crash, Who’s Responsible? Courts and Insurers Need to Know What’s Inside the ‘Black Box’

Decision-making processes of self-driving cars are difficult to understand, but the growing field of “explainable AI” may help provide some answers.

  • By Aaron J. Snoswell, Henry Fraser and Rhyle Simcock, The Conversation

As Feds Update Auto Safety Standards, City Officials Want a Say

They’re speaking up about vehicle features and testing they’d like to see at a time when local governments are dealing with rising crashes on their streets.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

The Case for Going Big With Infrastructure Spending

One mayor sees a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” with the wave of public works dollars, but he’s also concerned ambitious projects could get passed over.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

With Complaints Rising, Transit Agencies Search for Alternatives to Police

As they look to win back riders lost during the pandemic, bus and subway operators are looking beyond traditional law enforcement to address their concerns.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

US Traffic Deaths Hit Highest Mark in Over 15 Years

Federal estimates show the incidents claimed 43,000 lives in 2021. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg warns of a safety “crisis” on the nation’s roadways.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Infrastructure Week Finally Yields Actual Infrastructure Projects

Inflation and workforce shortages are causing difficulties. Still, local officials and the Biden administration are touting progress.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Freight Advocates Push for a Share of $18B in Grant Funding

They’re urging the Biden administration to factor in their priorities when distributing money from the new infrastructure law for ports, railways and “megaprojects.”

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Driverless Vehicles Are Finally Hitting City Streets

In San Francisco, people can now catch rides in cars without anybody behind the wheel. But as the technology spreads, are regulators ready?

  • By Daniel C. Vock

The States Where Motorists Pay the Most for Auto Insurance

A new report also looks at the places where rates are the highest compared to income.

  • By Andre Claudio

States Experiment With Orange Highway Striping in Work Zones

It’s among the latest attempts to cut down on crashes in construction areas.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

The Most Livable Cities in the US

AARP published an index that measures how “livable” communities nationwide are, and ranks the top ones that meet residents' needs as they grow older.

  • By Andre Claudio

Biden Reverses Trump's Rollback of Environmental Reviews for Infrastructure Projects

Critics say the latest update to the rules could bog down project timelines. But state transportation officials and environmental advocates welcomed the changes.

  • By Daniel C. Vock
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The Rise of the Retro License Plate

With a simple aesthetic and catchy slogans, plate designs mimicking those from decades past are proving to be popular.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Residents Left Behind as Pandemic Hurts Bus Companies

Publicly funded bus services in rural communities fared better, but “in a lot of major urban areas, commuters aren’t coming back.”

  • By Jenni Bergal, Stateline

The Promise and Pitfalls of Tearing Down an Urban Freeway

There’s growing interest and new federal money for removing highways running through city neighborhoods. But when it comes to reviving communities, what replaces the roads may matter just as much as demolishing them.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

How Open Bus Data Makes Transit Schedules More Reliable

Researchers used location and speed data from two Seattle-area transit networks to create a dashboard that shows the average bus speed between stops, allowing officials to pinpoint slowdowns.

  • By Shourjya Mookerjee

Homeowners Have 40% Lower Transportation Costs Living Near Mass Transit

But the cost savings are not so clear for renters living in the same areas because they pay housing premiums, according to a recent report.

  • By Andre Claudio

There’s Growing Urgency for Passenger Rail Projects to Move at High Speed

With billions in new federal funding available, advocates see a narrow window to deliver new lines, faster trains and other ambitious upgrades. But there are plenty of difficulties that could throw their plans off the tracks.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

The Big Local Transit Projects the Biden Administration Wants to Fund

The president’s new budget proposal calls for directing hundreds of millions of dollars in construction grants to bus and rail improvements across six states.

  • By Daniel C. Vock

Women Pay More for Transportation Than Men

A new white paper shows that women pay a “pink tax” because they have fewer mass transit options due to safety concerns and caring for children and the elderly.

  • By Andre Claudio

Feds Award $2.2B in Grants to Local Transit Agencies

The money is meant to help with payroll and other day-to-day costs, as some bus and subway operators continue to struggle with ridership declines.

  • By Daniel C. Vock