iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 3h

From my afternoon stroll yesterday. London, you’re a beautiful, walkable city with world-class transit. I hope you know what you’re doing.

1370

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

This is nuts. @murray.senate.gov: “Tying funding for transit projects to marriage rates and how many babies a woman has is the sort of bizarre and dystopian idea you’d expect in a TV show, not actual policy put forth by the U.S. government — yet here we are."

politico.com

Trump administration unveils plan to tie high birth and marriage rates to transit funding

The federal government is seeking to revamp a national program that supports rail and bus rapid transit.

1024284

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

New study pushes back against the narrative that rising car costs are making transportation unaffordable: "Real transportation spending rose after 2020 but remains within historical ranges [and below] 1980s levels" 10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104465

2102

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Good to see seniors' mobility getting more attention from researchers & the press. "Initiatives like '15-minute cities' or pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods demonstrate that senior mobility extends far beyond housing and transit—it’s a matter of social participation, citizenship & quality of life."

theconversation.com

Making the most of city life for older people: 3 debunked mobility myths

Growing older does not mean disappearing from public life. It can mean continuing to live fully, in a different way, and feeling in control of our mobility.

37918

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

In London, I came across this sign from the police asking the public for help investigating a crash. Seems like a sensible way to handle hit-and-runs, but I've never seen anything similar in the US.

8798

Reposted by David Zipper

Look Both Ways with David & Wes @lookbothwayspod.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

On the latest episode, @davidzipper.bsky.social warned urbanists that self-driving cars are not a parking "solution": "If you're saying 'I love AVs because we won't have so much parking at the curb,' you're dangerously limited in your scope."

1187

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Greetings from the double decker bus bar

1550

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

"Cycling and walking to work were associated with better physical health, mental health, and life in general than driving." doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...

414442

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Saw this in London, and I love it. The bike hanger securely stores six bikes, using a single curbside parking spot. Huge help for those who can’t keep a bike in their home!

2239254

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Are robotaxis really "green"? - "They're EVs!" Sure, but cars can go electric w/o autonomy. - "They'll be shared!" Doubtful. Shared ridehail has fizzled. - "They'll boost transit!" Ridehail made the same claim. Nope. In fact, AVs could worsen the environment by inducing much more driving.

57421

Reposted by David Zipper

Martin Austermuhle @maustermuhle.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

DoorDash walked into a buzzsaw of criticism and boycotts in D.C. this summer when it backed a Republican bill that would restrict when city lawmakers can impose new taxes and fees. The delivery company is now walking back that bill: www.washingtonsun.com/metro/doorda...

washingtonsun.com

DoorDash Apologizes for Siding With GOP Bill Targeting D.C.

The company still wants the D.C. Council to make changes to a new delivery fee taking effect Thursday.

35218

Reposted by David Zipper

Look Both Ways with David & Wes @lookbothwayspod.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

In the latest episode, a listener in Maine asked what David & Wes think about double-lane roundabouts. @wesmars.bsky.social did not hold back: "They're the worst."

1184

Reposted by David Zipper

Yonah Freemark @yonahfreemark.com · 01/10/2026

Transportation issues have, indeed, become more differentiated by partisanship. In 2000, the counties with the least transit use voted 39% Democratic vs. 47% for the counties with the most transit use. By 2024, that difference had climbed to 25% vs. 49%! www.thetransportpolitic.com/databook/pol...

Democratic vote share in the presidential election, by county's share of workers riding transit to get to work, 2000 to 2024. Counties are grouped into five sets, based on their share of transit commuting.

1408

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I wish I could offer solutions to bridge transportation’s partisan divide. But its roots run deep. Mobility will remain a battleground unless and until R’s resume caring about cities-- and remembering to consider the community along with the individual.

bloomberg.com

Why US Transportation Policy Became a Partisan Battleground

Republicans and Democrats keep clashing over what was once a comparatively nonpartisan issue. When did getting around turn into another thing for Americans to fight about?

1140

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Another factor: Republicans favoring negative freedoms (“Nobody tells me what to do”) over positive ones (“I can pursue the life I desire)”), to borrow Isaiah Berlin’s terms. Think of loud cars. The right often sees them as a personal choice; the left as an audible assault. Check out USDOT's Duffy

2244

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Demographic shifts are illuminating. In 1976, rural and urban residents were similarly likely to vote for Carter or Ford. But in 2024, Trump won rural areas by 40 points and Harris won cities by 32. Are R’s disappear from cities, the party grows disconnected from urban concerns (like transit).

pewresearch.org

Behind Trump’s 2024 Victory, a More Racially and Ethnically Diverse Voter Coalition

Pew Research Center’s in-depth study of its survey respondents who voted in the 2024 election examines turnout, voting patterns and demographics.

1151

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

UVA historian Peter Norton: “This is a uniquely partisan moment in transportation.” He believes the seeds were planted in the 1980s, when Reagan sought to unwind transit subsidies, part his push to deconstruct LBJ’s Great Society. timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine...

2233

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Now, however, partisan fights are everywhere: - Trump has halted transit expansions and fought NYC congestion pricing - USDOT has mocked and removed bike lanes - Republicans killed the EV tax credit and nixed fuel economy standards - R’s are far more bullish on self-driving cars than D’s

theguardian.com

Why is the Trump administration calling bike lanes ‘DEI’? | Dave Schilling

The government apparently has an issue with paths for cyclists. Take it from someone who can’t ride a bike: this makes no sense

1210

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

As late as the early 2000s, the Republican party platform backed multimodal transportation. In 2007, George W Bush’s USDOT even offered NYC hundreds of millions of dollars to get New York legislators to adopt congestion pricing! (NY turned the offer down.) archive.nytimes.com/cityroom.blo...

1221

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Transportation need not be controversial. Everyone wants to travel quickly, safely, and affordably. In the 60s/70s a united Congress created NHTSA, bailed out transit, and removed lead from gas. Other issues, such as urban highways, were contentious—but they generally didn't pit Rs against Ds.

1200

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

From electric vehicles to “DEI bike lanes,” transportation has become a partisan battleground. But 50 years ago, Washington came together to save transit systems, address deadly car designs, and reduce vehicle pollution. Much has changed—and it’s not just MAGA. My exploration (gift link) 🧵

bloomberg.com

Why US Transportation Policy Became a Partisan Battleground

Republicans and Democrats keep clashing over what was once a comparatively nonpartisan issue. When did getting around turn into another thing for Americans to fight about?

36820

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

My review; 7/10 Love the trains and buses; learned all about the 18th century watermen who scammed Londoners traveling along the Thames But why am I reading platitudes from a transit contractor with a rather, err, dubious reputation?

1120

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Yes—whether I wanted it or not!

150

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Greetings from the London Transport Museum

102145

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Austria has banned mopeds and e-mopeds from using bike lanes. Makes sense. It's not safe for families with children to share bike lane with couriers traveling at speeds 5x faster. www.bmimi.gv.at/en/service/p...

6626

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

"E-bike adopters reduced travel costs by 12% and increased physical activity by 14%." doi.org/10.1016/j.ur...

213742

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Translation: Georgians who use a car little or not at all will subsidize heavy drivers even more than they already are.

811022

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Someone should make a movie about it, ideally starring a wacky anthropomorphic mammal

0160

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I often see misleading stuff like this (from LinkedIn). Reminder: The price of a robotaxi trip reveals nothing about efficiciency or economics. It's hugely subsidized. Remember how cheap Uber and Lyft were a decade ago, back when they were private companies spending investor dollars?

315112

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Hyper-fast acceleration is dangerous as well as pointless. As I wrote in 2024, the 0-to-60 metric is outdated and needs to die. No driver on a public road needs to go from 0 to 60 mph in under 8 seconds. Even the slowest car on the market is more than quick enough.

fastcompany.com

How fast can a car go from 0 to 60? It really doesn't matter

The auto industry has pushed this metric for decades. But cars—especially EVs—are so fast that comparing the decimals is pointless and dangerous.

1115435

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Is Waymo really the "missing middle" of urban transportation? Or is that just Climate Week greenwashing? Looking forward to discussing with @wesmars.bsky.social

2204

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Embarrassingly, I have never been. I aim to correct that this time.

060

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

An incredible place. Vivid memories from visiting 15 years ago!

000

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

I'm getting ready to visit London for the first time in a decade. Anything I should be sure to see/do/eat?

16370

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Freedom from the tedium of driving, people will take more car trips (and fewer transit rides). Also, Waymo vehicles spend 40%+ of their time driving around empty (deadheading). More info in this story I wrote earlier this year.

bloomberg.com

Here Comes the Self-Driving Traffic Surge

Autonomous vehicles from companies like Waymo and Zoox are set to trigger an increase in car usage that clogs urban streets. Cities should prepare now.

350

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Waymo has been absolutely everywhere at NYC Climate Week. The company clearly wants to present itself as an environmental savior. Does this count as greenwashing? @wesmars.bsky.social & I will discuss our next @lookbothwayspod.bsky.social.

2221

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Irony alert: NYC Climate Week features a session about "Reducing Driving As Climate Action" that's sponsored by Waymo, a company poised to massively expand car use luma.com/parking-70cz...

49412