Along for the Ride #164
Along for the Ride #164
Racial equity + public transport in the US đ€
Heya friends, happy Friday!
The more people I talk with and really dive into the thick of things with, the more it appears that this season of our collective lives is really flipping hard. I hope wherever you are and whoever you are, that you find some ease in whatever it is you are doing. I hope the universe cuts us all a big break sometime soon, but know in the meantime Iâm thinking of you and grateful for your continued readership. This groupâs commitment to reading this newsletter every week continues to be a big source of joy for me, so thank you for that. Youâre all helping to keep me afloat, thatâs for sure!
Some fun house-keeping items before we dive into the news!
Last chance to get tickets to the event Iâm hosting with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition on activism, new mobility, and changing street design next week! Register today! Let me buy you a beer!!
However, itâs not your last chance to come party with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition!! The organization is hosting their annual member party (Winterfest!) on November 6th. There will be a family-friendly bike ride through the park beforehand, and lots of dancing, prizes, and an auction for a VanMoof (!) that will probably be the cheapest you will ever find one in this city!
AFTR reader and friend, Sam, is headed to Nairobi in November and is wondering if there are any transportation wonks to meet up with! Maybe you are one, or maybe you know one! His linkedin is above and you can shoot him a friendly message there.
OK news time!
Read of the Week
Racial equity, Black America, and public transport
New research from TRBâs Transit Cooperative Research Program considers how transportation planners can play âa critical role in addressing and correcting many of the problems caused by a 20th- and 21st-century transportation sector that severely impacted and, in some cases, destroyed Black communities in the building of todayâs transportation systems and network.â
This four part research series starts with the publishing of Volume 1 (linked above!) that documents âthe extent of the damage that has been done to Black communities as a result of transportation decisions and actions. Volume 2 will demonstrate a methodology to estimate how much it would cost to redress those damages. Volumes 3 and 4 will provide tools for elected and appointed officials and other stakeholder groups to engage effectively in the arena of transportation policy, planning, and funding at all levels of government.â
This is essential readingâregardless of geographyâas these planning practices exist not only in America, but had influential impact in any country that adopted the North American approach of transportation network design, which is sadly like ⊠all of them.
Government and Policy
Londonâs plan to combat air pollution from transport
Do I miss living in London? Yes. Do I miss blowing my nose and seeing ash? Nope, not one bit! Londonâs air pollution is some of the worst in the world, and certainly in Europe. The main culprit is the cityâs transport networkâcongestion from highly polluting cars and vansâcreate a public health crisis in the city. Especially for children who struggle with lung development due to the air pollution.
Bloomberg deep dives into how the cityâs Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) aka congestion pricing, charges the most highly polluting vehicles for entering the city. The program charges drivers of diesel and gasoline cars as much as ÂŁ27.50 ($30.72) a day to enter the centre of London.
Since 2015 China has paved the way for AVs to reach the masses through legislation, permits and special zones. The country is now looking to commercialize the vehicles en mass by 2030. With a policy-first approach, the country is able to control testing and set standards (and boundaries) for what private companies are and are not allowed to trial.
âThe government-backed and guided approach has proved effective because the regulation is specific and creates boundaries; it doesnât just set out a broad, sweeping set of guidelines or rules. There are details around key issues for AVs like road-testing, permits, cybersecurity, high-definition maps, accidents and liability.â
The AV industry still needs to prove itself
*Not the best article Iâve ever read!* but an interesting (short, sweet) read about how AVs still have a long way to go before consumers accept and feel safe in their presence.
Meanwhile, ebikes only continue to prove themselves worthy of dedicated road space! New research shows that ebikes are associated with lower energy and emissions, and can cause significant modal shift. Moreover, they are a form of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activityâgood for peopleâs mental and physical health.
Torontoâs economic win for car-light streets
New research from a business improvement district in Toronto shows the economic impact of parklets vs. parking spots. Researchers estimated that customers spent $181 million in the repurposed parking spaces in the summer of 2021. The same spaces would have generated $3.7 million in parking revenue, according to the local parking authority. And as a reminder! That $3.7 million would not go *to* the businesses, but rather the parking authority.
Driver rely too heavily on automated driving assistance systems
The opening line of this article is âtoxic masculinity and automated driving systems seem to go hand in hand.â and if that isnât the theme of this newsletter I donât know what is!
New research shows that drivers (mostly men!!) say theyâre more likely to engage in unsafe practices (texting or eating behind the wheel) while using their partial automation systems than while driving unassisted.
National Transportation Safety Board pushes for enforced speed limits
Exciting news! You have to watch the video in this link, but this news is hot off the press on Thursday (so more to come / discuss next week!). But (!) the gist is that the NTSB could force new models of all!! cars to have enforced speed limits to prevent speeding. This is a huge win given that speed is one of the greatest determinants of how deadly a collision can be.
Industry
VW partners with Horizon Robotics in joint venture
For a very small price tag of (cue Dr. Evil voice) one *billion* dollars. The deal is to provide VW with computer chips to help their vehicles connect to infrastructure and power their autonomous driving capabilities.
Opinion
This is a follow-up from Bloombergâs article last week about how AV companies have spent $100 billion dollars, and accomplished very little. âGeorge Hotz, the serial entrepreneur who founded self-driving startup Comma.ai, has this to say about autonomous cars: âItâs a scam. These companies have squandered tens of billions of dollars.ââ
Thatâs all from me. Have a beautiful weekend friends.
Sarah