Edward Glaeser pens an opinion piece on the missing ingredient in the bus riding experience—cool. Not necessarily Mick Jagger cool, but definitely Steve Jobs cool.
Edward Glaeser starts by acknowledging that although buses are more cost efficient that trains, the former wins the public opinion battle, hands down.
So, “For better or worse, the obvious economic benefits of buses won’t win hearts and minds. We need tough medicine on the city streets that reduces stops and competing traffic. But we also need a heavy dose of design — some beauty in our buses.”
Glaeser goes on call out some of the areas in which buses already have an advantage or could be improved:
- “Flexibility and customization are hallmarks of our age of innovation. That should favor buses.”
- “Silver Line buses have no Wi-Fi or style within, and little design outside. Even buses need a little magic to them.”
FULL STORY: Boston needs cooler buses
NRDC Releases 'Bus Priority Toolkit'
The kit, designed in collaboration with five U.S. cities, aims to provide lessons and tools for building a compelling case for bus priority and identifying measurable benefits.
How to Save Charlotte's Dying Bus System
The epidemic of falling ridership has struck no American city as hard as Charlotte, but there's plenty that could be done to recover.
Bus System Changes Draw Criticism in Delaware
Bus riders in Wilmington, Delaware are upset about changes to 13 bus routes near Rodney Square.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution
The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.
Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas
Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.
San Diego County Sees a Rise in Urban Coyotes
San Diego County experiences a rise in urban coyotes, as sightings become prevalent throughout its urban neighbourhoods and surrounding areas.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
City of Santa Clarita
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service