Who the hell is Kevin Speed? Not who, but *what.* A private rail company whose "illisto" service will offer high-speed service on 3 routes out of #Paris (to #Strasbourg #Lyon #Lille). Alstom-made trains will depart hourly; no reservations required; speeds of up to 300 km/h.

WANTED: Literary editor at a reputable house with a soft spot for trains. I've got a fantastic proposal for you. It's a sequel to my book STRAPHANGER. This one's focused on the global passenger rail renaissance. Serious applicants only. Link to agent (Aemilia) in bio.

Here’s Timothée Chalamet riding on to the Complete Unknown red carpet on a bikeshare bike. The young Bob Dylan would have approved!

In the #Montreal area, drivers are learning that, as of 2025, they're paying $150 a year in registration fees to keep their cars on the road. (Up from $59.) You know where the money is going? To improve public transportation. A step in the right direction. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-area-drivers-registration-1.7427444

“It can easily be a place as leisurely as Venice, a lovely pedestrian city.” —Paul Goodman in his 1961 manifesto on banning cars from Manhattan. Somewhere, Paul is smiling about the new congestion-relief zone. (It's a start!)

It began in #Stockholm and #London. Now #NYC. How about transit-funding congestion-relief pricing in #Chicago #Toronto #Boston #Philadelphia #Montreal and other cities with compact cores? Chicago ‘Should Explore’ Congestion Tax To Reduce Traffic, Mayor Says

Block Club Chicago

Chicago ‘Should Explore’ Congestion Tax To Reduce Traffic, Mayor Says

In an interview Tuesday with Block Club, Mayor Brandon Johnson also defended the 2025 budget process and reiterated his support for Chicago's ...

"Most mini trucks have the same roughly 6-foot bed size as the F-150." Something Ford and GMC *definitely* don't want you to know. I make the case for tiny trucks... 🧵

ABC 12 WJRT-TV

The new hot truck comes from Japan and looks like a toy

Measuring about half the length of a Ford F-150, Kei trucks look almost like toys in comparison to your standard pickup truck. But for a car so tin...

My New Year's Resolution: Keep my #Straphanger newsletter going in 2025! Please consider signing up—free is great, paid even better. Your contribution helps get my boots on the ground, to share stories about the best (+ worst) in transport + urbanism. www.straphanger.blog