From World Leader to Transit Failure: How the U.S. Lost Its Edge with Jake Burman

Why does public transit in the U.S. cost so much and still deliver so little? From New York’s notoriously expensive subway projects to Boston’s aging system, American cities struggle to build fast, reliable transit while peers abroad move faster and cheaper.

In this episode, Jake Berman, author of The Lost Subways of North America, joins us to unpack how the U.S. fell behind cities like Madrid, Tokyo, and even Poland. We trace the history of American transit, the rise and collapse of private operators, key government missteps, and how land use and planning decisions shape whether transit succeeds or fails.

We also get concrete about solutions: building near density, learning from global best practices, improving bus networks, and cutting through bureaucratic and political roadblocks. From Houston vs. Dallas to subway expansion in New York and Los Angeles, this conversation breaks down what it would actually take to fix U.S. transit—and why it matters now more than ever.

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