Here is a look at some of the transportation headlines gathered by us and the Metro Library. The full list of headlines is posted on the Library’s Transportation Headlines online newspaper, which you can also access via email subscription (visit the newspaper site) or RSS feed.

New York MTA ponders transit for next generation (New York Times) 

Dirty subway cars covered head to toe in graffiti are ancient history — something that many transit-oriented young adults and the soon-to-be adults behind them literally never saw. And the MTA is finding that this very tech savvy generation also has very high expectations for transit. BTW, if you grew up in Ohio in the 1970s, here’s what my generation knew about transit in New York:

The TAP card, discouraging mass transit one card at a time (CityWatch LA)

Writer Matthew Hetz’ unhappy experiences using TAP — in particular the TAP website. For what it’s worth, the website is supposed to be getting a much-needed overhaul soon.

PUC outlines rules for ride-sharing firms (San Francisco Chronicle) 

The key graph:

The commission proposed rules that would force companies like Lyft, Uber and SideCar to obtain state permits to operate legally. And they would have to carry insurance coverage that exceeds what’s now required of limousines, establish driver training and criminal background checks, and have zero-tolerance drug and alcohol policies.

 

The ride-sharing firms have provoked the ire of the taxi and limo industry that don’t want people going online and finding rides in private vehicles for obvious reasons.

Op/Ed: Lessons from Minneapolis for bike planning in Los Angeles (L.A. Streetsblog)

I really like this paragraph in this very smart article written by James Rojas:

While most bike advocates in L.A. squabble over the green paint on Spring Street or getting a bike lane on Colorado or Figueroa the real challenge to improve the biking experience – attracting potential older cyclists – is never addressed.  We should not only be discussing the quantity but quality of the bike infrastructure.

BMW shows off its new electric car (Wired)

Wired calls the $41,350 price tag “reasonable.” For a few thousand clams more, motorists can get a small gasoline-powered motor to extend the driving range to about 150 miles. I predict the car will find a home in LaLa Land when it debuts next spring although it’s also worth noting that a Honda Insight , the most efficient gas-powered car, costs about half as much and gets a 42 miles per gallon. Most interesting to me is whether electric BMW owners are similar to some gas-powered BMW owners and pretend as if they drive under an entirely separate set of driving laws that always gives BMWers the right-of-way. #LoveMyOldSubaru

Medallion 2.0: four new residential towers for downtown L.A.? (DTLA Rising With Brigham Yen) 

A developer is proposing four 13-story towers with up to 400 residential units at the dreary corner of 3rd & Main in Los Angeles. There would also be a new parking garage with retail on the floor level — developers usually try to avoid building expensive underground parking — and a sky bridge linking the 10th floor of the buildings. My three cents: Hopefully the project and its garage will reduce the surface parking lot footprint in downtown, which suffers from way too many surface parking lots. If the project comes to pass, it will be within an easy walk of two future Regional Connector stations at 2nd/Broadway and Little Tokyo.