Transit Tangents

Louis & Chris
  • 5.0 (19)
  • PLACES & TRAVEL
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Podcast where we discuss all things transit. Join us as we dive into transit systems across the US, bring you interviews with experts and advocates, and engage in some fun and exciting challenges along the way.

  1. 5D AGO

    RIP, Spirit Airlines

    Spirit Airlines didn’t just sell cheap tickets, it reshaped how Americans think about flying. Now it’s shut down, and we’re asking the uncomfortable question: if the biggest ultra-low-cost carrier disappears, do all of us end up paying more even if we never flew Spirit once? We unpack what Spirit’s May 2, 2026, closure signals for airfare prices, route competition, and the future of budget travel in the United States.  We walk through Spirit’s surprisingly weird origin story, from a trucking company to charter vacation flights to a scheduled airline that grew up in Florida. Then we get into the real turning point: the post 9/11 era, when airline “service” started getting stripped away and the industry learned to survive on efficiency. Spirit’s CEO Ben Baldanza bet big on unbundling, asking why a passenger with a backpack should subsidize someone with two suitcases. That logic led to the fee-heavy, bare-bones fare structure that later showed up everywhere as “basic economy.”  Subscribe for more deep dives on transportation and cities, share this with an aviation-enthused friend, and leave a review with your hottest take: are cheap flights going to come back, or is this the new normal? Send us Fan Mail Support the show

    25 min

  2. MAY 12

    Atlanta Introduces the A-Line

    Atlanta just took a real swing at better bus service and it’s bigger than a single new route. We’re breaking down MARTA’s newly opened A-Line bus rapid transit and the agency’s full bus network redesign, a rare top-to-bottom reset aimed at making transit simpler, more frequent, and easier to use for everyday life. We start with the uncomfortable backdrop: Atlanta’s growth hasn’t translated into a strong ridership comeback, and MARTA is still well below pre-2020 passenger trips. That makes every decision feel high stakes. We talk through what the MARTA rail network provides today, why train and station modernization helps, and why the bus system is the fastest way to improve real mobility across a sprawling Sunbelt metro where land use often fights transit. If you found this useful, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a rating or review so more people can find Transit Tangents. Send us Fan Mail Support the show

    20 min

  3. MAY 5

    California Transit's Fiscal Cliff

    Caltrain finally delivers the kind of service the Bay Area has asked for: faster trips, better frequency, and a smoother ride after electrification. Then we hit the uncomfortable question: why is a transit fiscal cliff still approaching even with ridership coming back? We’re joined by Jonathan Cole from Climate Action California to unpack the numbers behind the looming operating deficit facing Caltrain, BART, Muni, and other Bay Area transit agencies and to explain why “the train looks full” doesn’t mean the budget works. We trace the chain reaction from the pandemic to today’s work from home reality and how the loss of the peak commuter rush breaks the fare revenue model that used to subsidize service all day. From there, we get specific about what severe cuts could look like by 2027: longer waits, fewer lines, possible station closures, reduced weekend service, and major bus network reductions that would hit transit-dependent riders hardest. We also talk about why emergency loans can delay the pain while making the threat easier to dismiss, even as the structural problem remains. Finally, we dig into the proposed fix: the Connect Bay Area Measure, a multi-county sales tax designed to provide stable, long-term transit operations funding, along with San Francisco’s additional measure to fully support Muni. If you care about reliable public transportation, traffic relief, and climate goals, this is the kind of local transit funding conversation that shapes what service looks like for the next decade. Subscribe for more transit deep dives, share this with a Bay Area friend, and leave a review with your take: would you vote for a dedicated transit sales tax? Send us Fan Mail Support the show

    22 min

  4. APR 28

    World Cup Transit Price Gouging

    $150 to take the train to a World Cup match is the kind of headline that makes you do a double take. We dig into the growing fight over World Cup 2026 public transit pricing and why some US host regions seem ready to treat trains and buses like a luxury upsell instead of the simplest way to move tens of thousands of people safely and fast.  We start in Boston, where Gillette Stadium already has MBTA commuter rail service for Patriots games, then look at what changes when FIFA comes to town: bigger crowds, less parking due to fan zones and media, and a major push to move up to 20,000 riders per match. From there we get into the $80 fare proposal, the $35 million level-boarding platform expansion, and the bigger question of what counts as long-term transit infrastructure versus a temporary tournament expense.  Then we head to the New York City area where matches at MetLife Stadium rely heavily on New Jersey Transit. The numbers are wild: a familiar $12.90 game-day trip turns into a $150 round-trip ticket for World Cup service, plus an $80 bus that still sits in traffic. We talk fairness for local fans, congestion and traffic impacts, and the awkward reality that regions can earn massive new tax revenue from World Cup tourism while still asking everyday riders to foot the bill at the fare gates.  We close with brighter examples like Philadelphia SEPTA’s sponsorship approach and Kansas City’s $50 month-long regional pass and free airport coach, plus what these ideas reveal about better event transportation policy. If you like deep dives on public transit, World Cup travel logistics, and how cities can move crowds without punishing riders, subscribe, share the show, and leave a review. Send us Fan Mail Support the show

    29 min

  5. APR 21

    Colorado Front Range Regional Rail

    Colorado’s Front Range is one of the most obvious “should have a train” corridors in the United States, yet the Denver to Boulder to Fort Collins connection has stalled for decades. We dig into what’s changing and why a new Front Range passenger rail push is suddenly picking up real momentum, including the practical realities that have blocked progress before: freight railroad ownership, dispatching priorities, and the price of buying access to the BNSF corridor. We walk through the current proposal for the Colorado Connector “CoCo,” focusing on the most likely phase one starter service between Denver and Fort Collins with intermediate stops like Boulder, Longmont, and Loveland. We get specific on the numbers, the plan to launch with just three daily round trips, and the pros and cons of treating rail as a pilot service. Is limited frequency a smart way to control costs and prove demand, or does it make the train too hard to use compared to a 40-minute drive? Subscribe for more deep dives on transit, share this with someone stuck on I‑25, and leave a review telling us where you land: invest in rail now, or scale what’s already working on the bus network? Send us Fan Mail Support the show

    31 min

  6. APR 14

    The Rio Grande Plan: Salt Lake City

    A historic train station sits near the heart of Salt Lake City, but many riders still get dropped on the edge of downtown and told to transfer and walk through empty industrial blocks. That disconnect is at the center of our conversation with civil engineer Christian Linhart, one of the voices behind the Rio Grande Plan, a citizen-led proposal to rework how trains move through downtown and how the city welcomes people arriving by rail. We dig into the plan’s three big moves: build a grade-separated rail corridor through downtown (supporters argue railroad crossings and fast trains do not belong in a major city center), bring service back to the Rio Grande Depot as the main downtown train station, and clear space for redevelopment by removing rail yards that currently wall off the west side. Along the way we talk about why the current setup struggles for comfort and dignity, how freight trains can snarl intersections, and how fixing the rail network could also help address Salt Lake City’s long-running East-West divide. If you care about Salt Lake City transit, downtown redevelopment, commuter rail, or better station access, listen through to the end and get involved. Subscribe, share this with a friend who rides trains, and leave a review with your biggest question about the Rio Grande Depot and the future of rail downtown. Send us Fan Mail Support the show

    22 min

  7. APR 7

    CalTrain Electrification - How's It Doing?

    Caltrain’s Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project is the kind of US transit upgrade we desperately need more of: a 51-mile modernization between San Francisco and San Jose that turns a solid but peak-focused commuter rail line into something closer to all-day regional rail. We walk through what changed, what it cost, and why the results matter for anyone who cares about public transportation, climate goals, and practical mobility in the Bay Area.  We get specific about the infrastructure and operations, not just the headline “electric trains.” New electric multiple units accelerate and stop faster, which cuts running time and makes schedules easier to keep. That performance unlocks more frequent service and a simpler service pattern, with local SF to San Jose time dropping from about 100 minutes to 77 minutes and planned express trips coming in under an hour. We also dig into the real rider experience upgrades, from Wi Fi and power outlets to better accessibility and clearer passenger information.  After the first full year of electrified operations, Caltrain reached 9.1 million trips in FY2025, up 47% from the year before. The weekend story is the standout: service doubles from 32 to 66 trains per day and weekend ridership climbs to 136% of pre-pandemic levels, showing how frequency and “show up and go” service can create demand without adding new stations.  If you like deep dives on transit modernization, electric rail, and ridership data that actually tells a story, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Send us Fan Mail Support the show

    27 min

  8. MAR 31

    The E-Bike Crackdown

    License plates for e-bikes sound...ridiculous.  Imagine: DMV trips, new fees, insurance quotes, and a bigger wall between people and the cheapest form of electric transportation in the US. With gas prices climbing and more riders looking for alternatives to driving, we dig into why some states are moving in the opposite direction and what that could mean for e-bike adoption, affordability, and climate goals.  We start with New Jersey’s newly passed law, which combines registration, plates, licensing requirements, and insurance expectations, plus a shift away from the familiar three-class e-bike standard used by much of the country. Then we look at California’s proposal and the broader pattern: policies that treat bikes like cars, even when most riders are just trying to get to work, school, or the grocery store without another car payment.  Safety is the hard part, and we don’t dodge it. We talk about fast riders, illegal modifications, and those “not really an e-bike” machines that behave like low-speed motorcycles. But we also make the case that smarter enforcement and clearer rules on trails can address bad behavior without punishing everyone. We even revisit class 3 e-bikes and the 28 mph cap, explaining why higher assisted speed can be risky in crowds but genuinely safer in mixed traffic where cars move at 30 mph.  If you’re curious about going car light, we share practical ways to combine e-bikes with public transit and why that middle ground can save thousands per year. Subscribe, share with your most opinionated e-bike friend, and leave a review with your take: should states regulate behavior or regulate the bike? Send us Fan Mail Support the show

    28 min
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5
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

The Podcast where we discuss all things transit. Join us as we dive into transit systems across the US, bring you interviews with experts and advocates, and engage in some fun and exciting challenges along the way.

Information

  • Creator
    Louis & Chris
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    126
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Transit Tangents
  • Show Website
    Transit Tangents

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