OCTA is not in a budget crisis. The budget is $300 M higher than last year, while their $6 M cuts to Metrolink are less than 0.5% of the total budget. Metrolink cuts are a first resort driven by antagonism to the service itself, not a hard choice made from a tough situation.

While Metrolink's 2024 optimized schedules increased service by 23%, they did not increase costs by 23%. OCTA's own graph shows subsidy actually decreased slightly following service improvements. Instead, rising subsidy is driven by the end of one-time relief funding.

Subsidy per rider is also not the right metric. Metrolink has 2x the subsidy of OC Bus, but the average trip is 10x longer, so the subsidy per rider-mile is cheaper. And what's the subsidy per driver of OCTA's $1 B highway widening? But these more expensive modes aren't getting cut.

OCTA is circulating an outrageous fact sheet justifying their cuts to Metrolink. 50% cuts that will lead to a death spiral in the US's 3rd largest regional rail system are "aligning service with demand". Speak out at 9:30 on Monday! Here's what they're missing: 🧵

We generally need smaller cars, and public transport. That includes accessible buses, bike lanes and walkable communities. Theboublic has invested heavily in road infr. It is time to leverage it for truely public use. ❤️

FREE URBANISM HANDLES! @yourname.bancars.city @yourname.on.bike @yourname.carfree.life Want to see more? Consider donating :) We'd love to expand and continue offering these for years to come!

with the issue that it would also be extremely expensive and difficult to fund, but at least it would have better ridership. The third option is more radical. Go way back to the original idea and design this as a red line extension following an arts district station. Wildly, expensive, but actually-

If OCTA is not interested in running a regional rail agency, the state should intervene to take it out of their hands. Metrolink should be governed by an agency committed to service improvements, not a constellation of local actors who are actively opposed to the system's mission.

OC politicians are repeating a narrative that because Metrolink ridership recovery is slightly below projections (currently at 58% of pre-pandemic), it's a failing waste of money that should be disinvested from. Here's why they're wrong, and why cutting support by 10% is not a smart move: 🧵

@massgovernor.bsky.social @kimdriscollma.bsky.social If we are truly serious about addressing MA’s severe housing shortage, we can’t base these decisions for a proposal a block from the red line on 15-year-old, car-oriented, suburban design guidelines.

Imagine if Republicans fought this hard to deliver healthcare, affordable housing, or food to Americans in need

This is very unserious. Urbanism isnt about reducing parking spaces, it isn't about changing what drives the car. Urbanism is about reducing the public space given over to private use. Every piece of data we have shows that AVs make traffic worse meaning they need MORE public space

Snacks on the back of the bike? Last minute hair touch-up? Excellent parenting is not only possible, but often better while biking. #Utrecht

Today is Bicycle Day, the 83rd anniversary of the first LSD trip taken by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann on April 19, 1943. He hopped on his bike and rode home from the lab after taking what he thought was a small dose. I’m celebrating with just a straight bike ride, but you do you.

RE: the age of housing in Providence; IIRC, Elorza’s housing plan had a survey that said that there were still inhabited units without indoor plumbing.

Elon in shambles

so we kinda need to get groceries soon Car: 1650/2000 Food: 0/450 Meds: 0/120 Cat Food + supplement: 0/101 cash.app/$DragonAField venmo.com/u/Caeli-Field www.paypal.me/caelifield #MutualAid #HelpFolksLive2026 #TransCrowdfund #Crowdfund #HelpFolksLive

🎬 NEW LINE, NEW STATIONS, NEW VIDEO 🎬 This morning I was on the first train on the Camp Hill line, and visited all 3 of the new stations, including the delightfully named Pineapple Road! Clicky: www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8AA... Please share, comment, like... all of those lovely things!

Faculty members working on 9- or 10-month contracts: Do you work over the summer? What are the spoken or unspoken expectations? I want to hear from you #academicsky #highered

the last decade in uruguay has been unreal, for example you wouldn't finish a nuclear powerstation in that amount of time, and it would cost you a LOT more

Great pic from our friends at Door2Door in Boston! Mobile mechanics are LIFE CHANGING infrastructure for making the bike life accessible to everyday people #bunchfam #cargobike

I tried to explain to somebody about why sometimes people on bikes do things drivers might not understand in order to ensure our own survival and was informed that we are not actually entitled to survival. Which felt kind of aggressive. #BikeSky

Last week, the President said that there's no money for things like Medicaid and childcare. Then, he proceeds to request a $1.5 TRILLION budget for war and weapons. Make it make sense.

Interesting: A new bill from Ward 8 CM Trayon White would allow low-income D.C. residents to perform community service as a means to pay off traffic camera fines. Each hour of service would be equivalent to the minimum wage ($17.95) off of what they owe in fines.

A simple, effective solution to the energy crisis already exists, and it runs on two wheels. youtu.be/ybCZmiPzy3g?...

Cycling in New York, London, Paris, and Berlin before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Would You Rather? The new hit game for decision makers everywhere!

People in cities should see biking as a utility, not a hobby. If you don’t want running water or electricity in your home and wherever you go, feel free to be off grid and not partake, but everyone should by default have access to these things. Likewise, access to a bike and safe riding everywhere.

All ages and abilities - before & after (Bryant Ave S). More streets should and *could* look like this, simply by taking advantage of needed street reconstructions to not just replace an aging street, but to improve it for everyone.

Something really good happened this week. A great NOAA climate scientist is retiring, because too demoralizing to work there now. I decided to fundraise to get him a gravel bike by emailing 80 colleagues (including some of you). 60 people donated 2x my goal, so I was able to get him this beauty. 😍

Italy's first HSR, the Direttissima, took 25 years from initial fundings (mid-1960s) to full completion (1991) but it doesn't really matters because every new segment could bring some benefits in reduced travel times snd additional capacity. Rail works best as a complete network.

I want my taxpayer dollars going towards socialist programs like Universal Healthcare. Not war. I want my taxpayer dollars going towards SNAP. Not War. I want my taxpayer dollars going towards public housing. Not war. I want my taxpayer dollars going towards free education. Not war.

After the housing crash, housing costs grew in city centers, lower-income households were pushed outward. By the 2010s, most U.S. metro poverty was in the suburbs. That shift matters: longer trips, higher speeds, fewer safe options, and far greater exposure to deadly roads clearly seen in the data

CAHSR is expensive, but its high price tag is largely a function of being a huge project. Per-mile costs compare favorably to other domestic transit projects - transit in the US costs 3x the global average to build!

BBC Persian: Beheshti University’s women’s dorm & plasma/laser department were bombed by Israel/US. The university’s engineering dept was hit in an earlier strike.

Did you know many people with autism have a strong connection to transit? 🚇🚍 Today, we proudly partnered with the Autism Transit Project for the 4th year in a row, hosting young transit enthusiasts and their families for a special day of fun with Metro. Thanks for joining us! 🫶

You may think this is an exaggeration but the one tried and true thing you can do to get a squishy liberal to turn into a hardened reactionary is to propose removing street parking for protected bike lanes.

Day 1 #30DaysOfBiking 🚲 You in? One ride. That’s it. Do it again tomorrow.

We’re trying to raise housing funds for a local Pittsburgh activist! Can you help? Boost and/or donate!

Texas has exponentially more accidents at chemical/petrochemical facilities than the next nearest state and their legislature is seeking to roll back the meager protections they have

1/3 Just thinking today on the way to the PO, the place Trump's admin has announced they probably will close - what Trump brought - short list: higher costs for food, gas, heating, healthcare, more uncertain retirement, higher housing cost, 1 full on war, several little ones, dismemberment of the

It's wild how many times I've been told I have to be considerate that some people had bad experiences with cyclists when I've lost a loved one to a driver, am frequently nearly killed by drivers, & have seen the horrific damage that drivers can inflict on human bodies & they just tell me to shut up.

Beachman does not make e-bikes. They make e-motos. The difference matters. A lot. Gift link for y'all www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/b86a88d...

It's like the parents who call the cops on other parents for letting their kids walk or bike to school when the biggest threat to those same kids is ... parents driving their own kids to school.

Ok, #sandiego this week we go up against Moreno Valley who is a tough competitor. Make sure to be watching 30th st, park blvd, J st etc. and report any bike lane obstructions: www.bikelaneuprising.com

The constant screaming is "wE nEEd aFfoRdaBle HoUSing" even though the city's facilitated several apartment developments plus Habitat For Humanity projects to do exactly that and when an income restricted apartment building goes up people scream, "WHY DO WE NEED MORE APARTMENTS OMG"

Maddening how we are in a dual climate crisis and energy crisis and old rich people around SoCal devote their final days to making transit as slow to ride and to build as possible. Rail advocates need to get organized.

The IEA is urging people to fly less and encourage public transport use to cope with the oil crisis. It's more urgent than ever to #BuildHighSpeedRail and electrify trains so that people can make these choices.