Transportation

  • An articulated blue bus stopped at a curb with a woman on the sidewalk and apartment buildings with fire escapes behind.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
    Image attribution tooltip

    Bus driver retention requires better scheduling, communication: report

    “Driver retention is about quality of life,” said an Optibus executive who helped lead a 22-page study released today.

    By • Feb. 10, 2026
  • Two people wearing black seen from the wait down walk by a sign with an arrow and the word "Uber."
    Image attribution tooltip
    Mario Tama via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Uber prepares for World Cup with payment kiosks for international tourists

    The kiosks, to be installed at airports, hotels and ports, enable visitors to easily book and pay for a ride.

    By • Feb. 9, 2026
  • smart city, smart cities Explore the Trendline➔
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Trendline

    Top 5 stories from Smart Cities Dive

    From worsening climate change to a shifting transportation landscape and the housing affordability crisis, cities have their work cut out for them.

    By Smart Cities Dive staff
  • People entering a bus stopped at a curb.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Valley Transportation Authority
    Image attribution tooltip

    How one city increased transit bus speeds by 20%

    San José, California, employs AI traffic signaling to favor buses, helping keep them on schedule.

    By • Feb. 6, 2026
  • Two people standing inside a train wearing uniforms reading "transit ambassador."
    Image attribution tooltip
    The image by Battlesnake1, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons is licensed under CC BY 1.0
    Image attribution tooltip

    US House bill would fund transit safety ambassadors

    The bill aims to provide federal grants for programs based on a successful initiative to reduce crime on San Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid Transit system.

    By • Feb. 5, 2026
  • Back view of a man holding a smartphone in front of a white Waymo vehicle with an Uber sign on the front door.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Uber Technologies
    Image attribution tooltip

    Uber CEO outlines AV plans

    Uber expects to have robotaxis in 15 cities by the end of this year, but AVs will not replace all human drivers, the company’s CEO said.

    By • Feb. 4, 2026
  • Mercy Othello Plaza Apartments TOD March 22, 2019.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Sound Transit
    Image attribution tooltip

    Transit-oriented development bill introduced in Congress

    The bipartisan Build HUBS Act would incentivize construction of more housing near transit lines nationwide.

    By Julie Strupp • Feb. 4, 2026
  • Yellow sign with graphic of a traffic signal reads "Red light photo enforced" over another yellow sign depicting pedestrians against a blurred backround of a city street.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    US DOT looks to limit traffic safety camera funding

    Automated red-light and speed enforcement cameras will no longer be eligible for certain federal grants except in school or work zones.

    By • Feb. 3, 2026
  • A blurred view of a city street, neon U.S. flag and person with an umbrella.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    The Smart Cities outlook for 2026: Pressure points for city leaders

    As cities navigate housing reform, transportation needs, climate resilience, AI and changes in federal funding, 2026 will be a consequential year for how they govern, budget and protect their autonomy.

    By Smart Cities Dive Staff • Jan. 30, 2026
  • View from rear seat of a vehicle with a computer screen showing roadway map and conditions.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
    Image attribution tooltip

    Ohio DOT-Honda project demonstrates connected vehicle road hazard detection

    Connected vehicle data could improve worker safety and reduce costs, partners said about the two-year project's results.

    By • Jan. 30, 2026
  • Silhouette of person's head surrounded by cityscape.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How cities are using AI in 2026

    “We’re all in learning mode … and looking at it with a wary eye,” one mayor said about AI’s potential for municipal operations. Read more in this 2026 outlook.

    By Vicky Uhland and Robyn Lawrence • Updated Feb. 2, 2026
  • Men and women seated along a row of tables with two rows of chairs behind them.
    Image attribution tooltip
    (2026). "Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Member Day" [Video]. Retrieved from T&I Committee Republicans/YouTube.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Deep Dive // Surface Transportation Funding

    Surface transportation bill will shape the U.S. transportation outlook

    Preserving public transit funding, increasing safety and issues of local and state control are among stakeholder priorities. Can lawmakers forge a bipartisan path forward?

    By • Jan. 29, 2026
  • A large round machine with cutting wheels on its green face inside an industrial building.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Gateway Program
    Image attribution tooltip

    Hudson Tunnel construction may stop as Trump withholds funding

    Nearly 1,000 workers will lose their jobs on Feb. 6 if the $16 billion project in New York and New Jersey is put on hold, the project authority said.

    By • Jan. 28, 2026
  • Shell EV charging
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Trump administration must release EV charger funds, court rules

    The court order clears the way for states to implement infrastructure plans they’ve worked for years to develop, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy said.

    By Diana DiGangi • Jan. 27, 2026
  • Aerial view of congested multilane highway between hills and homes.
    Image attribution tooltip
    S. Greg Panosian via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    LA to build computer-controlled subway line along Sepulveda corridor

    The $24 billion project could cut travel time in half and improve air quality and traffic safety, Los Angeles County’s transit agency says.

    By • Jan. 27, 2026
  • A fence in the reads"What's Happening Here: The Second Avenue Subway" with three construction workers standing on dirt next to a small brick building.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Congress advances transportation funding bill

    The legislation largely maintains funding for public transportation and passenger rail but slashes a program to add intercity passenger trains.

    By • Jan. 22, 2026
  • Aerial view of a big city with tal buildings surrounded by multilane highways.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Miles Cui via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Remote work, extreme weather reshaping urban traffic patterns, report finds

    Los Angeles, Honolulu, San Francisco and New York City are the nation’s most congested cities in TomTom’s 2025 traffic index.

    By • Jan. 21, 2026
  • A woman wearing glasses sits at a dais with a sign reading, "Mrs. Dingell, Michigan."
    Image attribution tooltip
    (2026). "CMT Hearing: Examining Ways to Strengthen Automotive Safety, Affordability, and Leadership" [Video]. Retrieved from House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
    Image attribution tooltip

    Limits on city, state authority over AVs proposed in new federal bill

    “Significant progress” has been made on the draft, its sponsor said, but safety advocates expressed concern at a recent hearing.

    By • Jan. 20, 2026
  • A blue and yellow bus lettered "100% Electric" and "DASH" on a street with trees.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Alexandria Transit Company
    Image attribution tooltip

    Alexandria, Virginia, expands transit bus electrification

    The city’s bus system is adding in-route charging for its electric buses and building a new facility with up to 24 overhead chargers as the fleet grows.

    By • Jan. 16, 2026
  • Overhead view of a street alongside two railroad tracks and a parking area with a red tile roofed train station.
    Image attribution tooltip
    (2024). "OC Streetcar Corridor Construction April 2024" [Video]. Retrieved from goOCTA/Orange County Transportation Authority.
    Image attribution tooltip

    13 transit projects expected to open in the US this year

    Cities are investing in less costly bus rapid transit over light rail systems, says Yonah Freemark of The Transport Politic.

    By • Jan. 15, 2026
  • A head-on view of a stainless steel train painted yellow and black on the front end alongside a station platform.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Hitachi Rail
    Image attribution tooltip

    New Baltimore subway cars begin to replace 40-year-old trains

    Assembled at a Hitachi factory in Maryland, the rail cars represent a “generational investment,” said a Maryland transportation official.

    By • Jan. 13, 2026
  • A silver and black train at an underground station with some people on the platform.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Atlanta region transit agency prepares for FIFA World Cup

    A redesigned bus network and new trains are among the improvements expected to be ready by summer.

    By • Jan. 12, 2026
  • Aerial view of many colorful buildings with mountains and a blue sky in the background.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    US DOT awards $1B in SS4A funds for road safety

    Under a revised Safe Streets and Roads for All program that eliminated equity and environmental justice considerations, awards went to 521 projects.

    By • Jan. 9, 2026
  • Rendering of futuristic aircraft with Manhattan skyline.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Archer Aviation
    Image attribution tooltip
    2026 Trends to Watch

    8 trends that will shape cities in 2026

    As federal funding becomes less predictable, cities face major shifts in transportation, housing and climate resilience in the new year.

    By Smart Cities Dive Staff • Jan. 8, 2026
  • A construction worker stands in a cherry picker high above a worksite, where a long concrete viaduct is visible.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of California High-Speed Rail Authority
    Image attribution tooltip

    California high-speed rail project pivots toward public-private partnership

    Abandoning funding from the federal government, the California High-Speed Rail Authority said it sees strong interest from the private sector.

    By • Jan. 7, 2026
  • Aerial view of city buildings and lights at night.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    2026 Predictions

    14 predictions about what 2026 may hold for cities

    AI, infrastructure needs and shifting mobility patterns will shape how cities function in 2026, experts say.

    By Smart Cities Dive Staff • Jan. 7, 2026