Transportopia: Public Transport Stories & Ideas

Rick L’Amie
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Society & Culture

A new podcast and blog about public transportation trends, ideas, challenges and the future hosted by public transit veteran and former broadcast journalist Rick L'Amie. Visit the blog at transportopia.org.

  1. 3d ago

    Eyes on Board — Riders Fight Back Against Transit Harassment

    Transportopia host Rick L'Amie visits with Streetsblog USA journalist Ren Zaro Fitzgerald, a young transit reporter and content creator. They discuss the importance of transit safety, funding challenges, innovative grassroots initiatives, and the future of transportation technology. This episode offers insights into community-led transit improvements and policy debates shaping urban mobility. Show Notes Streets Blog - https://streetsblog.org Ren Zaro Fitzgerald on Instagram - https://instagram.com/renzaro Ren Zaro Fitzgerald on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Renzarofitzgerald

  2. Jul 22 ·  Bonus

    News and Views July 21, 2026: World Cup Drives Transit Boom: Record Ridership and Federal Backing

    The 2026 World Cup unexpectedly boosted public transit in U.S. host cities, producing record ridership for systems such as Sound Transit and BART after federal grants funded extra service. Despite this success, proposed federal funding cuts threaten to reverse gains, leaving uncertainty about whether the ridership spike will persist once tournament-related service and attention fade. Podcast host Rick L'Amie explores these topics in Transportopia's biweekly bonus News and Views episode between full-length shows.  This is a special News and Views edition focusing on the postive and unexpected impact World Cup 2026 had on public transportation across the country.  Visit Transportopia.org for show notes and other resources. Please follow and like us wherever you get your podcast. #worldcup #publictransportation Show Notes Story One — The Surprise MVP Vox, "The most surprising winner of the World Cup was American public transit" — https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/495394/world-cup-public-transit Story Two — Seattle Sound Transit newsroom — https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/news-releases/sound-transit-set-all-time-records-daily-monthly-ridership KOMO News — https://komonews.com/news/local/how-many-people-rode-the-light-rail-during-the-world-cup-sound-transit-world-cup-ridership-public-transit-king-county-seattle-sounder-train-lumen-field-stadium-station Story Three — BART CBS News San Francisco — https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/bart-june-2026-post-pandemic-ridership-records-world-cup-sf-pride/ NBC Bay Area — https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/bart-highest-ridership-month-since-pandemic/4115323/ Story Four — The $100M in federal grants Federal Transit Administration — https://www.transit.dot.gov/about/news/trumps-transportation-secretary-announces-100-million-funding-enhance-public Story Five — The BUILD Act cut Urban Institute — https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/how-will-congresss-proposed-cuts-transit-funding-affect-your-state-and-congressional

  3. Jul 14

    Drive Time: How a 16-Year-Old Is Fighting Car Culture

    A forward-thinking 16-year-old named Kenyen Coleman founded something called The Drive Time Movement - an impressive effort to use data to push for better public transit and community change. His website offers calculators and a free advocacy toolkit that make commute time, true car costs, and environmental impact personal and actionable. This episode follows Kenyen’s journey, the tools he built, and what he hopes for the future of public transit in America. Big ideas for a young person with a vision for the future. Visit transportopia.org for show notes our blog and other resources. Show Notes: DriveTime Movement Website Kenyen Coleman's Instagram Kenyen Coleman's Threads

  4. Jul 7 ·  Bonus

    News and Views July 7, 2026: World Cup Ridership Boom: Transit’s Best Ad in Years

    The Transportopia News and Views Bonus episode between full shows examines four major transit stories: a record-breaking ridership surge during the 2026 World Cup across U.S. host cities; Brightline’s narrow escape from missed payments as it wrestles with $5.5 billion in debt; the near-certainty that the 21st Century Road to Housing Act will become law, linking zoning and transit planning; and a public feud between Amtrak and the MTA over control and funding of the Penn Station overhaul. Host Rick L'Amie ties these stories together via a common thread of money and power — who pays for transit, who controls it, and whether short-term wins (like World Cup ridership) can translate into lasting change. Visit transportopia.org for show notes and more. Show Notes: Story Sources World Cup Ridership Records Sound Transit / FOX 13 Seattle: https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/world-cup-sound-transit-ridership-record Brightline Dodges Default The Bond Buyer: https://www.bondbuyer.com/news/brightline-florida-squeaks-by-debt-payments-gains-two-week-grace-period Housing Bill / Transit DNA (21st Century ROAD to Housing Act) Bipartisan Policy Center: https://bipartisanpolicy.org/issue-brief/inside-the-deal-whats-in-the-final-21st-century-road-to-housing-act/ Newsweek (signing standoff / 10-day clock): https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-unimportant-housing-bill-claims-assessed-12138983 Penn Station Turf War Streetsblog NYC: https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2026/06/29/the-explainer-why-the-penn-station-project-is-getting-all-messed-up-again

  5. Jun 30

    Encore Episode: Beyond the Headlines - Designing Transit That Feels Safe

    This encore episode of Transportopia features Professor Anastasia Lukaitou‑Sideris discussing transit safety after a high‑profile incident in Charlotte. The conversation with Host Rick L'Amie focuses on how design, lighting, visibility, targeted staffing, technology, and community partnerships can reduce both crime and the fear of crime for riders and operators. Professor Lukaitou‑Sideris highlights practical steps agencies can take now—safety audits, strategic resource allocation, environmental design changes, and clinician partnerships—to create transit spaces that feel open, welcoming, and secure, with special attention to women’s experiences. Show Notes: Professor Lukaitou-Sideris UCLA web page bio Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) Crime Report News Release

  6. Jun 23 ·  Bonus

    News and Views - When the World Cup Rode Transit: Record Crowds, Real Impact

    The World Cup drove unprecedented transit ridership across U.S. host cities, while New York unveiled an $8 billion redesign for Penn Station that mixes grandeur with controversy. Meanwhile, a proposed federal bill could cut transit funding just as Bogota launches its long-awaited metro, highlighting the stakes for transit investment and political will. Transportopia News and Views with Rick L'Amie - our bonus episode between full episodes - breaks down these top stories and what they mean for the future of public transportation. SOURCES / SHOW NOTES 1. World Cup Drives Record Transit Ridership — APTA Passenger Transport / Metro Magazine, June 2026 https://aptapassengertransport.com/bay-area-partnership-a-success-for-world-cup-opener-record-breaking-ridership/ 2. Penn Station $8B Redesign Unveiled — PBS NewsHour, June 10, 2026 https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/new-yorks-penn-station-to-get-8-billion-remodel-with-columns-sunlight-and-trumps-name 3. BUILD America 250 Act Analysis — Urban Institute, June 11, 2026 https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/congresss-transportation-reauthorization-bill-would-drastically-underfund-transit-and 4. Bogotá Tests First Rail Metro — High Speed via NJTOD, June 1, 2026 https://www.highspeed.blog/bogota-gets-its-metro/?ref=high-speed-newsletter

  7. Jun 17

    When Buses Drive Themselves: The Quiet AV Revolution

    This episode of Transportopia explores Imagry's camera-and-AI autonomous bus system and its focus on solving the global shortage of bus drivers and improving public transit. The Israeli-based tech startup with offices in San Jose, CA will soon launch its first US autonomous bus deployments in Florida and Nevada. Host Rick L'Amie interviews Imagry CEO Eran Ofir about mapless, on-board autonomy, safety testing, real-world deployments, and how autonomous buses could reduce congestion and reshape cities.  Show Notes IMAGRY https://imagry.co/ VIDEOS L3 Autonomous Bus on Public Roads (Israel) https://youtu.be/jnaTUn7PvFw Mixed Car/Bus Demo Drives https://youtu.be/TzxnC8D7h5M San Jose Urban Driving https://youtu.be/hu_xPdBHhX8 NCAP Safety Testing https://youtu.be/XRuFQDkYa5Q ARTICLES PAVE Campaign — 5 Questions with Eran Ofir https://pavecampaign.org/5-questions-with-eran-ofir-ceo-of-imagry/ The Curbivore — To Map or Not to Map https://www.thecurbivore.com/p/to-map-or-not-to-map New Polis — The Journey of Autonomous Buses https://newpolis.media/the-journey-of-autonomous-buses-interview-with-eran-ofir-ceo-of-imagry/ S&P Global — Congress Weighs AV Safety Law https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/articles/2026/2/as-congress-weighs-autonomous-vehicle-safety-law-industry-split-on-proof-points-97424966

  8. Jun 9 ·  Bonus

    News and Views: A Century-Old Subway Promise Finally Delivered

    In this bonus News and Views episode, Rick L'Amie breaks down four major transit stories: the historic groundbreaking for Phase 2 of the 2nd Avenue Subway in East Harlem, Illinois’ creation of a powerful new regional transit authority, Brightline’s looming bankruptcy, and Sonoma-Marin voters extending rail funding for SMART. Taken together these stories show how public, private, and local choices are shaping the future of American transit right now — from century-old promises finally delivered to experiments that may be failing and voters who still back long-term rail investment. Sources: Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 Breaks Ground — ABC7 NY / Governor's Office of New York, June 8, 2026 https://abc7ny.com/post/second-ave-subway-project-governor-hochul-announce-phase-avenue-expansion/19256113/ Illinois NITA Act Takes Effect — Chicago Sun-Times, June 1, 2026 https://chicago.suntimes.com/transportation/2026/06/01/nita-rta-transit-law-cta-metra-pace Brightline on the Verge of Bankruptcy — Streetsblog USA, June 5, 2026 https://usa.streetsblog.org/2026/06/05/fridays-headlines-are-getting-dim SMART Measure B Passes — KQED, June 2–3, 2026 https://www.kqed.org/news/12085563/early-returns-show-strong-support-for-smart-tax-extension-in-sonoma-marin

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A new podcast and blog about public transportation trends, ideas, challenges and the future hosted by public transit veteran and former broadcast journalist Rick L'Amie. Visit the blog at transportopia.org.

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