Tuesday’s Congressional lobby day hosted by Transportation for America on the needs of rural and small-town America displayed a growing urgency for transportation options, livable communities and good access to jobs and opportunity — as great as one would find in any of our nation’s urban and metropolitan centers.

These are booming times for bargain bus operators, as travelers who previously took to the skies look to save a few dollars and avoid the hassle of airports. (Forbes — Brian Burnsed)

North American airlines are set to lose $5 billion in 2008, and next year isn’t looking a whole lot better. (San Francisco Chronicle — George Raine)

This Labor Day, trains are in and planes are out — Amtrak predicts a 10 percent jump in ridership over the previous year for the holiday weekend, while the Air Transport Association forecast a 6 percent drop from last year in the number of people flying. (USA Today — Emily Bazar and Alan Levin)

Business traveler and former airline executive David Grossman writes that a properly implemented high-speed rail network could make short flights unnecessary, save fuel while cutting back on emissions, and help clear up our congested skies and highways. (USA Today)