It's possible that bus public transit could some day again be a powerful tool for economic and social mobility.
If you're familiar with the satirical, totally-fake-news-site The Onion, then you're familiar with the format of American Voices, where a question is posed to a repeating group of "random" people on the street for their take on a big issue of the day.
In this case, these "American Voices" are asked to ponder the following question, inspired by reports of transit systems being shutdown and commandeered all over the country in response to the wave of protests and police action in the past two weeks:
Transit worker unions in both Minneapolis and New York City announced this weekend that they stand in solidarity with protestors and will not allow the police to use buses to carry arrested citizens to jail or drive officers to protest locations. What do you think?
The answer of "Holly Pender, syrup cook," is this: "Take it from me, bus drivers absolutely hate it when you try to commandeer the bus."
There are two more similarly snarky and totally fictitious responses at the source article.
FULL STORY: Minneapolis, New York City Bus Drivers Refuse To Help Police Transport Protestors
Commandeered Buses, System Shutdowns—Transit on the Frontlines of Protests
The optics of public transit suffered over the weekend, as a few transit agencies have been commandeered by police and even shut down entirely with little or no notice, stranding protesters and essential workers alike.
Advocates Respond to the Role of Public Transit in Protests and Arrests
The commandeering of buses for police to transport arrested protestors is raising questions about the allegiances of transit agencies in the United States.
Friday Funny: A Teacher's Dream of a Better Commute Comes True
The Reductress published a satirical post in which students discover their teacher takes three buses to get to work and decide to reward her with a better commute...made possible by better bus service.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research