Will Elon Musk’s Hyperloop Doom High-Speed Rail?

Original post date: August 15, 2013 Article by: Sam Staley Elon Musk unveiled his pneumatic tube inspired Hyperloop, a “fifth mode” of transportation that he hopes will revolutionize intercity travel on Monday. His “technical paper” sketches out the engineering and technical plausibility of the concept, and the proposal seems surprisingly robust as I point out … Continue reading Will Elon Musk’s Hyperloop Doom High-Speed Rail?

Ohio Pedicab Operator Regulatory Goal? Limit Competition

Original post date: June 04, 2013 Article by: Sam Staley At least pedicab operators in Columbus, Ohio are honest about what they expect out of the city's licensing process: Purging the city of competition. The city is about to adopt regulations that, among other things, limit the number of legally operated pedicabs to 40. Pedicabs … Continue reading Ohio Pedicab Operator Regulatory Goal? Limit Competition

Path Dependence, Entrenched Interests, and the Future of Transit

Original post date: April 09, 2013 Article by: Anonymous Path dependence: The tendency of a past or traditional practice or preference to continue even if better alternatives are available.           Mortimer L. Downey has worked in New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (MATA), and was one of several presenters at a May … Continue reading Path Dependence, Entrenched Interests, and the Future of Transit

For Whom the Road Rolls (Me or Thee?)

Original post date: September 05, 2012 Article by: Sam Staley A catchy little tune is making its way around the Internet, lambasting the tolls levied by the Dulles Greenway.   The Greenway is a privately developed, owned, and financed extension of the Dulles Tollroad (which is publicly owned and operated). The song, “Highway Robbery,” laments … Continue reading For Whom the Road Rolls (Me or Thee?)