The Hub 4/22/2022: Clean Air Council’s Weekly Round-up of Transportation News
“The Hub” is a weekly round-up of transportation related news in the Philadelphia area and beyond. Check back weekly to keep up-to-date on the issues Clean Air Council’s transportation staff finds important.
Happy Earth Day from Clean Air Council
NJ.com: New Jersey Transit Removed 5 Bus Routes To Philadelphia – New Jersey transit recently removed five bus routes from Philadelphia’s Greyhound terminal due to safety concerns, but many daily commuters want the agency to return them.
NextCity: Some Twin Cities Transit Agencies Believe Splitting Up Helps Provide Better Service – Transit agencies that serve Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and the surrounding seven counties work together under the “Met Council” and share the same fare structure, buy and use the same buses, and share the same pot of money. However, some people think giving more autonomy to individual agencies would lead to better service.
WHYY: SEPTA Says Masks Will Not Be Required On Vehicles, Stations, And Concourses – SEPTA no longer requires masks on vehicles and inside stations and concourses after a federal judge in Florida ruled that the CDC over-extended its authority to enforce masking on transit. SEPTA still recommends wearing a mask when using transit.
BillyPenn: Under New City Council Plan, Philly Businesses Would Have To Offer Pre-tax SEPTA Passes – Councilmember Helen Gym introduced a plan that would require businesses with more than 50 employees to offer a transit tax benefit. This would allow workers to buy SEPTA passes with pre-tax dollars, saving riders hundreds of dollars each year.
StreetsBlog USA: What’s In The US DOT ‘Equity Action Plan’ – And What’s Missing – US DOT recently released an “Equity Action Plan” which includes the department’s plan to increase equity over the next five years. The plan focuses on “Wealth Creation”, enhancing the “Power of Community”, “Interventions”, and “Expanding Access”. However, advocates question if the department has broadly considered “how to uplift the needs of racially and socially marginalized groups.”
Image Source: WHYY
