Join us as we embark on a public transit adventure. We navigate San Antonio's multi-tiered bus system, which reveals the importance of buses in a town devoid of a rail network. Alongside insights from the Strong Towns San Antonio chapter, our ride through history and culture takes us to San Antonio's historic Spanish missions, the Pearl District, the Alamo and many more sites. We reflect on the potential of San Antonio's public transport and the local community's efforts toward improvement.

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Reeling from the political whiplash of the last few weeks, we look to the future and discuss who Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, will choose as her running mate in the 2024 elections. We discuss each contender's transit record and decide who we think would be our best transit champion.

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What if toll roads were the key to sustainable infrastructure? Join us as we uncover the history and modern implications of tolling on U.S. roads. Starting from the origins of turnpikes, we trace the evolution of toll roads through the lens of historical milestones like the Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike—the first paved road in the U.S. 

From the rise of automated toll collection systems to the financial realities of road maintenance funded by gas taxes, registration fees, and tolls, we uncover the hidden costs and public subsidies that keep our roads running. 

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In this episode, we recount the origins of Amtrak, born out of failing private rail services and saved by the Rail Passengers Service Act of 1970. Despite the hurdles of "manufactured mismanagement" intended to sabotage it, Amtrak emerged resilient. We also dive into our firsthand adventure on the Texas Eagle line from Austin to San Antonio offering a current snapshot of Amtrak travel today.

Share your Amtrak stories with us and support our journey by subscribing to Transit Tangents and exploring our new features on transittangents.com. Thank you for being a part of our community!

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Can cities really become more livable, convenient, and environmentally sustainable all within a 15-minute walk or bike ride? From the transformation of suburban strip malls into bustling town centers, like Austin’s ACC Highland campus, to Paris's ambitious urban initiatives under Mayor Anne Hidalgo, we spotlight examples of successfully implemented 15-minute city principles.

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What if New York City's streets could finally be free of gridlock and its public transit system fully funded and accessible? On this episode of Transit Tangents, we learn how congestion pricing could revolutionize the MTA and discuss New York Governor Kathy Hochul's recent decision to pause this initiative. 

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How has the Olympic Games impacted transit in host cities around the world? On this episode, we dive into recent host cities, the 2024 Paris games happening this summer, and upcoming improvements for the 2028 games in Los Angeles. 

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Can an urban trail be a transit solution? In this episode, we dive into a few notable urban trails around North America. Learn about the legacy of these projects and how they changed their cities forever. 

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In the U.S., over 40,000 people die in traffic-related incidents every year. How can we fix this? Vision Zero may be the answer! From traffic calming to road diets, education, and policy decisions, we discuss it all on this episode!

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What is the best form of public transit and why is it a gondola? Others may try to dispute this claim, but in this episode, we explain why you should join the #GondolaGang and convince your friends to do the same. 

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