Recent Streetsblog USA posts about Safety

Fact-Checking the Toyota Hearing: Lower Speeds Increase Safety

By Elana Schor | Feb 24, 2010 | 10 Comments

Megan McArdle at the Atlantic, writing on today’s Toyota hearing in the House oversight committee, hears Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood claim that "lowering the speed limit to 30 mph would not save any lives, which is why we have minimum speeds on highways." LaHood, at left, with the president at right. (Photo: whitehouse via Flickr) […]

Senators Warn of Possible ‘Federal Intervention’ in D.C. Transit System

By Elana Schor | Feb 22, 2010 | 3 Comments

Four senior members of the Senate Banking Committee today warned Washington D.C.’s transit agency that "direct federal intervention" in the local Metrorail system could be the next step if officials did not move to remedy an "unacceptable" safety record that includes a series of recent crashes and near-misses, capped by a derailment 10 days ago. […]

U.S. DOT Offers Sample Distracted Driving Bill — With a Potential Loophole

By Elana Schor | Feb 22, 2010 | No Comments

The Obama administration today offered a one-page sample proposal to crack down on texting behind the wheel, aimed at helping guide states through the process of crafting their own distracted driving legislation. (Photo: brainlink.org) The sample bill text [PDF] was prepared by the U.S. DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which invited road safety groups […]

On the Pitfalls and Benefits of National Transit Safety Standards

By Elana Schor | Dec 15, 2009 | No Comments

The second hearing in three days on the Obama administration’s proposal for national transit safety rules made headlines mostly for its affect on the Washington D.C. area, where Sen. Barbara Mikulski’s (D-MD) blistering critique of the local Metro rail system prompted high-level management switches. "There’s a saying in our business," APTA President William Millar (above) […]

White House Unveils Transit Safety Bill to Cautious Praise on the Hill

By Elana Schor | Dec 8, 2009 | 2 Comments

Lawmakers on the House transportation committee today greeted details of the Obama administration’s transit safety plan with approval, but some sounded skeptical notes about the costs of state compliance with new federal rules even as transit agencies cope with billions of dollars in maintenance and repair backlogs. Washington D.C.’s transit safety oversight agency has less […]

Obama Administration’s Transit Safety Rules to Eventually Apply to Buses

By Elana Schor | Nov 16, 2009 | No Comments

The Obama administration’s proposal for a new federal role in transit safety oversight would eventually apply to buses, although the first round of rules would be directed at subways and light rail, according to the U.S. DOT. Transit buses, such as this Miami model, are expected to be part of the new federal safety plan. […]

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