Last November, we posted an action alert on the potential for millions of Americans to see the cost of their commute suddenly rise. Congress wisely chose to extend to $230 per month tax benefit for transit as part of the 2010 package extending the Bush tax cuts, continuing transit parity with the $230 deduction available [...]

We have some good news to report back. The tax package that the House approved today and sent to President Obama for his signature this afternoon contains a one-year extension of the $230 per month commuter tax benefit for transit users. (Background on the issue) This is terrific news and means that transit users won’t [...]

If you take transit to get to work each day, come January you could be paying more out of your own pocket when the tax deduction for transit is cut in half. But drivers will keep enjoying the same great parking benefit – nearly double what transit commuters will be eligible to receive. We don’t think that’s fair, and Congress needs to hear about it. Sign this petition from our friends at Commuter Nation urging Congress to restore the transit benefit and make it equal to the parking benefit.

100_8726 Originally uploaded by BeyondDC and appeared in this post Washington D.C. took another great stride towards making bicycling easier and more attractive with the grand opening of Union Station’s BikeStation almost two weeks ago. With the opening of the stunning facility at Union Station, Washington’s most visited destination and travel hub can now connect [...]

Last week, an offhand comment by Republican Senator John Ensign about the link between health and transportation policy didn’t make the headlines, but it did make an interesting connection. Ensign was wrong in asserting that the United States has the highest life expectancy among developed countries when gun and automobile accidents are ignored. But he [...]

Every morning in New York City, hundreds of thousands pass quickly and nearly invisibly through tunnels and across bridges into Manhattan’s Central Business District via New York’s well-traveled transit system. Though the sidewalks are still full of walkers and the streets full of cabs, buses, and cars, the real action is happening below the surface where the number of people traveling into the CBD is almost just beyond comprehension. Michael Frumin looked at the numbers at fruminator and tried to put it in perspective for you:

This summer, as you’re stuck in traffic, squeezing into your carpool, feeling the minutes tick away as you wait for the always-late bus, or pedaling your way through dangerous intersections to put in a hard day’s work, too many legislators are unaware of what commuting each day means for their constituents. Sometimes our friends in Congress just lose sight of the everyday experiences affected by their decisions. That’s why we’re asking our elected officials to give their drivers a week off, leave their first-class tickets at home, and join our Take Your Legislator to Work Challenge!

Dan loves traffic. But Congress could take it all away when they consider this year’s reauthorization of the federal transportation bill. Will they give us the kinds of transportation options that could suck the lifeblood right out of traffic? Or will they simply pump more money into a broken system. Dan is waiting to find [...]

Transportation For America communications director David Goldberg writes for Worldchanging about the connection between the current housing crisis and the old development model based on inexpensive fuel.

Through a provision in the $700 billion bailout package, people who commute to work on two wheels will become eligable to receive a $20 tax-free reimbursement each month. (San Francisco Chronicle — Rachel Gordon)