The hottest Transportation Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Car Rentals and Electric Cars are filing for Divorce, for now...

Startupology • 19 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
💼 Business Transportation
  1. Rental car companies and EVs face challenges like high repair costs and poor infrastructure.
  2. Hertz faced bankruptcy, then aimed to boost business with an EV fleet but is now selling off a third of it due to low demand and high repair costs.
  3. Issues with rental companies and EVs include maintenance costs, customer education, charging infrastructure, and consumer familiarity.

The American Government Should Buy Spirit Airlines

JoeWrote • 51 implied HN points • 03 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Transportation
  1. The U.S. government should consider buying Spirit Airlines instead of constantly bailing out struggling airlines. This could help create a more affordable flying option for taxpayers.
  2. Creating a public airline would allow the government to focus on passenger welfare and lower fares, making air travel better for everyone.
  3. Countries like New Zealand and Finland already own airlines to serve their citizens. This idea isn't new and could be a step toward improving air travel in America.

Tram trains

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 15 implied HN points • 23 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Transportation
  1. Tram-trains can help smaller cities improve public transport by connecting areas that trains and trams currently don't reach. This makes it easier for people to get around without needing a car.
  2. Karlsruhe in Germany shows how tram-trains can work by running on both tram and train tracks. This setup has significantly boosted ridership and made travel times faster for passengers.
  3. While tram-trains have their limits, they offer an affordable way for cities to enhance transit systems, especially where traditional trains aren't efficient or practical.

Inertia Creeps

Kneeling Bus • 185 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Transportation
  1. Driving in Los Angeles is time-consuming and inconvenient for everyone, regardless of wealth.
  2. Transport options like ridesharing apps have transformed urban travel and made distant places more accessible, albeit at a higher cost.
  3. Advancements in transportation technology suggest a future where travel becomes a space of its own, separate from the physical world we traverse.
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Why Are Rat Populations In Big Cities Really Exploding? Leash Laws!

C.O.P. Central Organizing Principle. • 36 implied HN points • 01 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Transportation
  1. Keeping un-neutered and un-spayed pets roaming in cities may help control rat populations. Allowing animals to do their natural job can help keep rodents in check.
  2. The rise of car culture in America has harmed pets and reduced their ability to manage rodent populations. By prioritizing cars, many cities have made it unsafe for pets to do their jobs.
  3. Rats are often blamed for problems caused by humans. Historically, they have been wrongfully accused of spreading diseases due to human actions and messy situations.

The Road to Autonomous Trucking: Scale, Feasibility, and Economic Impact

Gad’s Newsletter • 14 implied HN points • 14 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Transportation
  1. Autonomous trucks are starting to operate on highways, which could make roads safer and supply chains more efficient. Companies like Aurora have completed the first driverless freight runs, signaling the beginning of this new era.
  2. The trucking industry is huge, moving 72.6% of freight in the U.S., but faces a driver shortage, with about 80,000 fewer drivers than needed. Self-driving technology may help fill this gap by allowing human drivers to focus on shorter routes.
  3. While there are concerns about job loss, autonomous trucks are likely to change truckers' roles rather than replace them completely. Human drivers may shift to supervising autonomous trucks or handling local deliveries, creating new job opportunities.

The prophet of parking

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 30 implied HN points • 12 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Transportation
  1. Donald Shoup changed how we think about parking, showing that it's too cheap and needs proper pricing to avoid problems like congestion. This change affects where we live and how our cities are planned.
  2. Minimum parking requirements can lead to unnecessary costs and too much parking being built, which wrecks city layouts and makes housing more expensive. Eliminating these requirements can help allow for better city designs.
  3. Shoup's approach includes using money from parking fees to improve local areas, gaining community support for pricing parking. His work has sparked a global movement for parking reform.

Hype or Hot Air

The Last Bear Standing • 36 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Transportation
  1. Electric air taxis, or eVTOLs, are being developed to provide a new form of urban transportation with benefits like lower noise and zero emissions. However, the actual implementation faces many challenges.
  2. There are many companies competing to create eVTOLs, aiming for a future where flying taxis could become common in crowded cities. But just because the technology exists doesn't mean it's easy to bring it to market.
  3. Understanding the economics behind eVTOLs is crucial. It's not just about building them; they also need to make financial sense for businesses and consumers to use them effectively.

Congestion Pricing: Because Nothing Says ‘New York’ Like Paying More to Get Less

Gad’s Newsletter • 23 implied HN points • 03 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Transportation
  1. Congestion pricing in New York is aimed at reducing traffic in the city center, but it has also led to increased traffic in other areas. This means the problem of congestion might just be moving around rather than getting solved.
  2. Not all routes are affected the same way. While some key entry points into the city have traffic improvements, local streets used for everyday travel show little to no change, which raises questions about the overall effectiveness of the plan.
  3. Public support for congestion pricing varies greatly and people are concerned about fairness and how the revenue will be used. Making sure to communicate how the money is spent and improving transit options could help gain more acceptance from the public.

WeRide goes public as self-driving reaches its commercial tipping point

Alex's Personal Blog • 32 implied HN points • 25 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Transportation
  1. WeRide has gone public with its IPO priced at $15.50 per share, marking a significant milestone in the self-driving industry.
  2. Waymo is not far behind, successfully raising $5.6 billion to expand its autonomous driving services, showing strong commercial growth.
  3. As self-driving technology becomes more viable, we are likely to see more robotaxis operating in cities, which could change how we travel for the better.

25 mile speed limit

Disaffected Newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 01 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Transportation
  1. There is a speed limit of 25 miles per hour in certain areas. This helps keep neighborhoods safer for pedestrians and bikers.
  2. Motorcycles are not permitted to travel in these 25 mile speed limit areas. This rule is likely to protect other road users.
  3. Following speed limits is important for everyone’s safety on the road. It can help prevent accidents and make streets more comfortable for all.

How many robotaxis are there in the world today?

Alex's Personal Blog • 32 implied HN points • 09 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Transportation
  1. There are currently hundreds of robotaxis operating in the United States, with Waymo and Cruise leading the way. However, Tesla is also working on their own robotaxi plans.
  2. In China, thousands of robotaxis are already in use, with companies like Baidu expanding their fleets rapidly. This shows that the technology is advancing quickly in some parts of the world.
  3. The number of self-driving cars is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, potentially reaching tens of thousands in the U.S. and hundreds of thousands globally by 2026 or 2027.

How to Get Policy Totally and Completely and Exasperatedly Wrong

Exasperated Infrastructures • 19 implied HN points • 05 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Transportation
  1. New legislation in NYC about e-bikes may not solve the real problems of street safety and congestion. Instead of just registering bikes, the focus should be on redesigning streets for better safety for everyone.
  2. The support for this e-bike legislation from various politicians suggests a lack of understanding of the real issues. Many are using it as a way to appear proactive without actually addressing the deeper problems at play.
  3. There are big questions about how this new law will be enforced and funded. Without clear answers on who pays and who manages it, this policy may end up being ineffective and a waste of resources.

Electrification of Heavy Duty Truck

TP’s Substack • 21 implied HN points • 31 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Transportation
  1. Electrifying heavy-duty trucks is important for reducing transportation emissions. The heavy trucking sector needs focus to make a real impact on climate change.
  2. China sells about 1 million heavy-duty trucks annually, needing a lot of battery power to support this demand. Costs remain high, making it hard for businesses to switch from diesel.
  3. New electric truck options are emerging and gaining popularity in the market. With better battery technology and charging infrastructure, more companies might start using electric trucks in the next few years.

Mini Exasperation #3

Exasperated Infrastructures • 14 implied HN points • 31 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Transportation
  1. The government needs to rethink how it manages construction and infrastructure projects, possibly shifting oversight to agencies like the Department of Defense for better efficiency.
  2. We should consider changing the Department of Transportation to a Department of Mobility to reflect current needs and focus on how people move rather than just transportation modes.
  3. There’s a call to rethink funding approaches, possibly allowing states more control over their infrastructure budgets, which could help create discussions about the importance of federal support for these projects.

The Anatomy of Narrative Change

Creative Destruction • 39 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Transportation
  1. Breaking free from old narratives can lead to amazing opportunities for new thinking and innovation.
  2. Questioning and debunking old myths can pave the way for new narratives to form.
  3. As old narratives break down, new imagination spaces open up, fostering new ideas and potential for transformative innovation.

Well, We've Got a New Dumbest Article I've Ever Read

Exasperated Infrastructures • 12 implied HN points • 20 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Transportation
  1. New Urbanism aims to create community-oriented spaces by promoting walkability and reducing car dependency. It wants to offer people choices in how they live, not just stick them in cars to get everywhere.
  2. The suburbs provide safety and an ideal home for families, but there are also options for urban living that can be affordable and community-focused. Both need to coexist to cater to different people's needs.
  3. Zoning laws and development policies must be reformed to make housing more affordable and accessible. This way, everyone can find a place that suits their lifestyle without facing unnecessary barriers.

Amtrak is still riding the nostalgia train

Urben Field Notes • 32 implied HN points • 26 Feb 24
💼 Business Transportation
  1. Long-distance trains are nostalgic but may not be the most efficient way to provide rail service to small towns and neglected regions.
  2. Expanding long-distance train routes could reach more Americans, but issues include unreliable trip durations, inconvenient schedules, and high costs.
  3. Optimizing rail routes by focusing on shorter, higher-demand trips could be a more cost-effective and efficient way to improve passenger rail service in America.

The perils of freeway caps

Urben Field Notes • 32 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Transportation
  1. Covering urban freeways with parks through freeway caps is a popular urban planning trend, but it may not fully address the deeper issues of routing heavy traffic through dense neighborhoods.
  2. Freeway caps can be politically attractive solutions, especially in high-traffic areas, but may not be the most imaginative or effective options in all cases, potentially entrenching urban freeways for generations.
  3. Transportation planning often prioritizes vehicles over transit alternatives, showcasing a need for a shift towards more comprehensive approaches like full freeway removal projects, leading to better urban planning and community connectivity.

Three percent more Monaco: Links in Progress, infrastructure edition

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 11 implied HN points • 30 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Transportation
  1. A new airport opened in Nuuk, Greenland, making it easier for larger planes to land and boosting travel from locations like New Jersey.
  2. Vietnam is planning an impressive high-speed rail line between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, which will cost around $67 billion and open in 2035.
  3. Monaco is expanding its land area by reclaiming land from the sea to build a new district, highlighting its ambition to develop upscale real estate.

Overthinking Transportation Funding Reform & Policy: Steelmanning Reauthorization II(a)

Exasperated Infrastructures • 12 implied HN points • 25 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Transportation
  1. Reading transportation bills can be tricky because they are full of legal jargon. Most of the text isn't that important, so focus on the key sections that really change policies.
  2. Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) play a crucial role in transportation planning. They help ensure local needs are considered when deciding how to spend federal money.
  3. Transportation laws evolve over time, reflecting changes in society and policies. It's important to stay updated on these changes to understand how they affect public transportation and infrastructure.

Notes on a recent trip to Europe

Something interesting • 4 implied HN points • 23 Jun 25
🏝 Travel Transportation
  1. Travel to Europe is exciting, but it's important to check for new visa requirements before your trip. Having a travel app can help manage everything easily.
  2. In Paris and London, you can find magazines almost everywhere, even though they're not as common in the U.S. It’s nice to see that they still have a strong presence.
  3. If you lose your medication while traveling in London, getting a new prescription is fast and straightforward, unlike the complicated process often seen in the U.S.

5 Essays I'm Excited to Write This year

Exasperated Infrastructures • 9 implied HN points • 09 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Transportation
  1. The writer plans to explore ways to spend federal transportation money more effectively. They want to understand past spending to improve future projects.
  2. There will be a focus on making air travel better by looking into its economics. The goal is to encourage airlines to adopt practices that benefit travelers and boost profits.
  3. The writer wants to investigate how municipal bonds can fund infrastructure projects. They aim to understand state spending behavior to create more resilient financial systems.

Mini Exasperation #4

Exasperated Infrastructures • 7 implied HN points • 14 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Transportation
  1. Safety has become a complicated topic, with over 40,000 road deaths each year. This shows that how we manage road safety affects everyone, regardless of beliefs.
  2. There's a lot of confusion in the government about which transportation projects are funded or canceled. This uncertainty impacts many people's lives and jobs.
  3. The way information flows can drown out important stories, making it hard for the public to know what's really going on. It’s like a messy strategy to control the narrative.

Congestion pricing reduces driving. That doesn't make it a good idea.

Economic Forces • 8 implied HN points • 09 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Transportation
  1. Congestion pricing reduces the number of cars on the road, but this doesn’t automatically make it a good policy. We need to think about its overall impact on society.
  2. Different drivers react differently to congestion charges. Some can easily switch to other transport options, while others can't, so we see varying effects on traffic.
  3. How the money from congestion pricing is used is really important. If it is spent wisely on things like infrastructure, it can benefit everyone. But if not, it might just be wasted.

The future for cars, hydrogen or battery?

The ZIPster • 35 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Transportation
  1. Hydrogen fuel cell technology is facing challenges compared to battery technology, leading to a shift in focus from major automotive manufacturers like VW and Toyota.
  2. Battery technology advancements, such as faster charging times and longer ranges, are making electric vehicles more practical and appealing compared to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
  3. Technological innovations, like the development of nuclear batteries, may offer alternative energy sources for cars in the future, potentially revolutionizing the automotive industry.

The Magic of Electrified Trains

Urben Field Notes • 27 implied HN points • 20 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Transportation
  1. Electrified trains can decrease travel times and increase transportation capacity in urban areas.
  2. Caltrain's electrification project will significantly reduce travel times and increase service.
  3. Rail electrification projects can serve as superior transportation technology and improve mobility.

A Robotaxi Regulation Wishlist

Urben Field Notes • 27 implied HN points • 11 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Transportation
  1. The decisions made now by San Francisco and California about robotaxis will have a significant impact.
  2. Implementing specific regulations for robotaxis can help in managing traffic congestion and improving city transportation.
  3. There is a need for regulations like congestion pricing, robotaxi-free corridors, and designated pickup spots to enhance the integration of robotaxis in city transportation systems.

Horse Power

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 39 implied HN points • 03 Jun 21
💾 History Transportation
  1. In early Seattle, horses were the main mode of transportation, used for trolleys, fire engines, and carts. There were almost 4,000 horse-drawn vehicles counted in one day in 1904.
  2. There are only a few remnants of the past, like old stables that once housed hundreds of horses. One stable has been turned into a brewery, while another has an iconic horse head on its facade.
  3. You can still find hitching posts and stepping stones around Capitol Hill, showing how people used to disembark from horse-drawn vehicles. These reminders of history help connect us to the past.

The Anti-Mobility Playbook

Exasperated Infrastructures • 26 implied HN points • 07 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Transportation
  1. The Republican message focuses on telling people what to do while resisting being told what to do.
  2. There are two main theories in government - Conflict and Mistake - that don't always align with political parties.
  3. The Anti-Mobility Playbook highlights how Republicans resist investing in transportation modes that could benefit everyone, contributing to the lack of progress in transportation planning and infrastructure.

California is on the brink of a transportation nightmare

Urben Field Notes • 27 implied HN points • 05 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Transportation
  1. California is facing a transportation crisis that could lead to serious service cuts and canceled bus lines.
  2. New York recently passed a multi-billion dollar transit rescue package, highlighting the stark difference in funding support for transit between California and New York.
  3. The future of transit in California will have broad implications for the state's policy commitments and urban identity.

Proposal for flying car cable gondola system

Expand Mapping with Mike Morrow • 6 implied HN points • 14 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Transportation
  1. Flying cars, or eVTOLs, currently have limited range and perform poorly in bad weather. These challenges need to be addressed to make them more practical.
  2. A cable gondola system could help overcome the limitations of flying cars by allowing them to hitch onto cables for part of their journey. This could improve their efficiency and reduce the need for long-range flight.
  3. Using suspended cables could be a less disruptive transportation method compared to traditional roads and rail systems. It's worth considering if this approach is more environmentally friendly, especially for wildlife.