Transit Tangents

Boston proves its rank as one of America's premier transit cities through our comprehensive exploration of its historic first subway, vintage trolleys, modern rail lines, and extensive bike infrastructure.

• Visit to the Mattapan Trolley line featuring 1940s streetcars in regular daily service
• Interview with Andrew Cassidy from MBTA about America's first subway, built in 1897
• Exploration of how Boston...

Chris and Louis respond to viewer requests by ranking the eight city tours they've featured on the show. The rankings are based on the quality of public transit, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each system, as well as their experiences in each city. 

The cities being ranked: 

• Austin, TX
• Dallas, TX
• San Antonio, TX
• Houston, TX
• New Orleans, LA
• Washington, D.C.
• Salt Lake City, UT
• Kansas City, MO

Let us know h...

Columbus, Ohio is undertaking an ambitious $8 billion transit plan known as LinkUS that will transform mobility across the region through 2050. We explore this voter-approved initiative that focuses on BRT corridors, active transportation, and transit-oriented development rather than light rail.

• Three major BRT corridors forming the backbone of the system with plans for more
• Most corridors will feature dedicated bu...

Louis and Chris dive into seven American highways that should be removed to improve city life and reconnect communities divided by urban renewal projects of the past.

• Kansas City's North Loop divides downtown from the historic River Market area, destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses
• Syracuse's I-81 removal project is moving forward with plans to replace the downtown viaduct with a boulevard
• New...

Transit projects across the country are making measurable progress despite earlier funding and political challenges. We revisit four transit initiatives from previous episodes to highlight the positive developments that show momentum for public transportation investments.

• SunRail expansion in Orlando has secured the full $6 million needed for project development and environmental studies, with Universal contributing $2 m...

Transit Tangents explores Kansas City's public transportation system in a day-long adventure testing buses, bikes, and the streetcar across both Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas. We discover a surprising transit network with remarkable architectural treasures and vibrant neighborhoods connected by a completely fare-free system.

• Kansas City operates the largest fare-free transit system in the United Stat...

The Research Triangle area of North Carolina keeps trying—and failing—to develop effective transit solutions despite strong voter support for improvements. After a promising light rail project was derailed by Duke University in 2019, the region has pivoted to Bus Rapid Transit projects with mixed success.

• Voters approved a half-cent sales tax in 2011-2012 specifically for transit improvements including the 17.7-mile Durh...

Louis announces his move to Germany for two years, as the Transit Tangents Pod plans to continue with a mix of European and American content.

• Germany's Deutschland ticket offers access to the entire country's public transit for a monthly fee
• German transit operates on multiple tiers: ICE (high-speed), IC (intercity), RE/RB (regional), plus local networks
• High-speed ICE trains connect major cities at...

The traffic management centers across the United States are mission control for our highway systems, working 24/7 to detect incidents and coordinate emergency responses to keep traffic flowing.

• Behind-the-scenes look at a Traffic Management Center (TMC) that monitors interstate highways with 300+ cameras
• Overview of how TMCs detect traffic incidents using radar and probe-based data from cell phones
• Insight in...

Transit advocates are watching with concern as several high-profile transit projects across America face uncertain futures under the Trump administration, from New York's congestion pricing to California's high-speed rail.

• NYC's congestion pricing has shown remarkable early success with 70% fewer honking complaints, 50% fewer traffic injuries, and increased transit ridership
• The MTA's $500 milli...

The saga of high-speed rail in Texas takes another dramatic turn as the Trump administration revokes $60 million in funding previously allocated to Amtrak for the Texas Central project. Despite this setback, we explore why the Dallas-Houston line might actually be closer to reality than ever before.

• Texas high-speed rail initiatives date back to the 1990s when Southwest Airlines played a significant role in derailing ear...

Urban Lab, a Kansas City-based urbanist group, hopes to inspire city leaders to reimagine streets, developments, and public spaces. Founded by architect Matt Hasek, this grassroots organization has grown organically by creating compelling visual representations that help people see how urban spaces could be different.

• Kansas City has more highway miles per capita than nearly anywhere else in the United States
• The c...

Swyft Cities has developed a revolutionary transit concept called Whoosh that combines the benefits of gondolas with autonomous vehicles to create a flexible, efficient transit solution for short urban trips.

• Not a traditional gondola but an autonomous vehicle system using overhead cables
• Vehicles operate independently, picking up passengers at ground level and traveling directly to destinations without intermediat...

Kansas City's streetcar system has transformed downtown with $4 billion in development since opening in 2016, and now two major extensions will nearly triple the system's reach to the university district and riverfront.

• 2.2-mile downtown streetcar line has carried over 14 million passengers since 2016
• Extensions will add 3.5 miles south to University of Missouri-Kansas City and 0.7 miles north to the rive...

Happy April everyone!

Oh Arlington, Texas — the shimmering crown jewel of American urban planning, where the concept of “public transit” strikes fear and loathing into the very soul of its leaders. Truly, a masterclass in how not to move people around.

Let’s start with the obvious: no buses. No trains. Not even a lonely streetcar to pretend someone cared. But hey, they do have a microtransit experiment, in the form of VIA, which is b...

We attend South by Southwest's transportation track to discover what this cutting-edge collection of thought leaders envisions as the future of mobility.

Key Takeaways:
• Electric vehicles are a critical part of the future but may not be enough
• Battery technology advancements through AI aim to improve efficiency for both EVs and flying vehicles
• American EV leadership isn't competitive when compare...

The Chicago Red Line extension is finally breaking ground after fifty years of planning, promising to transform mobility for underserved communities on Chicago's far south side with a $5.7 billion investment in transit infrastructure.

• Five and a half mile extension from 95th Street to 130th Street serving Altgeld Gardens
• Four new stations bringing rail service to approximately 100,000 residents
• Project c...

Texas legislators have introduced bills that could slash DART funding by up to 50%, threatening the survival of Dallas's transit system in one of America's fastest-growing regions. 

• Six Dallas suburban cities initially supported cutting DART funding by 25%, with Plano leading the charge
• Unable to get enough board votes, Plano representatives took their fight to the Texas Legislature
• House Bill 3187 would...

This episode highlights our challenge of exploring Dallas exclusively via public transit. Our journey reveals the good and bad of navigating a major city without a car while incorporating the unique sights of the Dallas landscape. 

- Testing DART's capabilities in real-time 
- Encountering Dallas's landmarks, including the zoo and Bishop Arts District 
- Our experiences with transit frequency and efficien...