50 Terrific Transportation Blogs
Lanes, trains, and airplanes -- there's such rich diversity and specificity about the ways in which we travel nowadays. Many of us depend on public transportation to get us to and fro; some of us are lucky enough to afford chauffeurs and limousines. No matter how you get there, what's most important is that you get there safely and soundly.
Here are 50 of the Internet's best blogs that are dedicated to a discussion of just this topic. From subway to sailing, an entire trove of methods to get you to your destination provides inspiration for these sites. Click around, and segue to your favorite.
The Top Five - The Rest of the Best
The Top Five
- Streets Blog. This immaculate and comprehensive transportation blog is "a daily news source, online community and political mobilizer for the Livable Streets movement." That movement, to summarize, is essentially all about promoting safety and openness on our streets and byways so that we may all feel comfortable there, no matter our mode of transport. Such an inclusive viewpoint is mirrored in the site's multi-city focus; NYC, LA, SF, and Capitol Hill are all covered well. Get started with Fort Worth.
- Casey's VW Bus Blog. As "an ongoing commentary on everything [he's] doing to essentially rebuild [his] VW camper bus," this sites makes for an ultra-personal and scintillating read. Casey writes hopefully, as he "is learning as I go and never knew what I got into when I bought this bus. But it's going to be awesome when it's done." Following his progress is a form of transport in itself; Casey jets from focus to focus, with an ease and an appealing rhetoric. Check out New Front Bar.
- The Fat Man Walking. This is a must-read -- for everyone. The blog serves as a "chronicle of my fateful decision to walk across America to lose weight and regain control of my life." It makes for a compelling and well-realized example of the positive effects of transportation at its best; the ways in which we are going places can make us feel better. He started his trek in San Diego and has planned to land in New York City, with plenty of American heartland to hold him steady in between. Check out Ohio.
- Building a Smarter Planet: Transportation. One of the more progressive websites on the web is BASP, which an offshoot blog with a mission to radically improve the world's understanding of and relationship to its modes of transportation. The articles and posts here can occasionally seem lengthy but are undeniably chock-full of great commentary and discussion on the important, timely issue. To see what we liked about it, look at Silk Road.
- Rural Transportation. We're obsessed with cities all over the world. But we should not forget that America, in addition to most of the planet's societal success stories, were jump-started by great rural and farming activity. This blog site reminds us, gently yet promptly, about the ongoing intertwining between the city and the country; it helps us to realize that we're all trying to get somewhere, and that we'd get there more happily if we arrived together. Look at Distracted Driving.
The Rest of the Best
- The U.S. Department of Transportation. This country's official branch and office of nationwide transportation provides a lively blog site.
- National Journal: Transportation Experts. The world's best and most informed minds on the subject of transportation joust and battle here.
- Transportation Dallas. Learn the ins and outs of people getting around one of Texas' biggest and most populated cities here.
- Los Angeles Transportation Headlines. Those of us who've grown up in the City of Angels know that moving around the city isn't always cherubic. Click here to learn why.
- Subway Blogger. In New York City, it seems as if only the richest and poshest somehow can finds ways to avoid the underground. This blog's for the rest of us.
- Transportation for America. Americans on the whole are fed up with the unnecessary difficulties that plague their transport schemes. Join the argument here.
- Commonwealth of Conversations: Transportation. This blog is about "sharing ideas and working together to enhance transportation planning and implementation."
- The Seattle Transit Blog. The Space Needle makes it easy to find Seattle on the globe, but it can be tricky getting around if you live there. This site helps you out.
- The TSA Blog. We've all experienced it: the frustration of being held a little bit too long while you wait to pass security at the airport. This blog shows the method to the madness.
- Young Professionals in Transportation. Some young people aspire to a noble and important career in transportation; this blog is written to give them a great start.
- Portland Transport. This blog site puts on "a conversation about access and mobility in the Portland and Vancouver region."
- L.A. Times: The Bottleneck. The Los Angeles Times sponsors this blog dedicated to decrying the difficulties of California transportation.
- Oh, The Places You'll Go. Here "Bipartisan Policy Center scholars attempt to bring some common sense to transportation policy."
- Chauffered. This blog is all about how to get around the rich way -- via limousines, private shuttles, and VIP club specials.
- Utah Transportation Blog. Getting around Salt Lake City and beyond in the great Midwestern state is discussed and improved with this site's help.
- Transport Blog. As "a bunch of libertarians try to get around London and the world," they offer priceless commentary on the subject.
- City Room: Transportation. The New York Times has decided to provide a special forum uniquely focusing on the aspect of transportation policy.
- Get There -- The D.C. Transportation Blog. This city-specific transport blog is put on by the Washington Post and makes for a great read.
- ArGIS Transportation Blog. A brand new Roads and Highway Resources Center is the focus and impetus of this informative site.
- TriMetiquette. This blog gives "coverage of TriMet in the news along with general TriMet news & other public transportation and C-TRAN issues in Portland, Beaverton, Gresham, Milwaukie & Vancouver."
- Auto Transportation Blog. This blog does a great job of providing readers with the latest and most important news along the car transport front.
- Streetwise. This transport blog site boasts a modern and clean web design, while its articles reflect a considerate and dense dedication to the topic.
- Environmental Defense Fund. The EDF is dedicated to "finding the ways that work," and it applies that focus to the issue of better modes of transport.
- Green Blog Transportation. The ever-present and important Green Blog provides a wealth of pieces on the topic of international coming and going.
- Reinventing Urban Transport. "Making urban transport more of the answer and less of the problem" is not an easy -- but an incredibly important -- goal, but this blog attempts to tackle it regardless.
- WEBB Transport Blog: Boston. Get around more easily in the important Northeastern town with the support and counsel of this blog site.
- STRC Transportation Blog. "Want to know what transportation projects are proposed for Spokane County, what your alternatives are to driving alone?" Voila.
- The Ride. The Chicago Sun-Times sponsors this blog site that zooms in on the crises of transport both in and out of the Windy City.
- Momentum Transport Blog. This blog focuses on automotive transport: the pluses, the problems, and ways to solve those issues.
- Auckland Transport Blog. This blog is for the Kiwi readers out there, or for anyone planning on either visiting or moving to New Zealand.
- Trinity Transport. Fortunately, here's a blog that manages to maintain a focus on its local goals with providing information about the national transport scene.
- National Transport LLC. This blog was invented to cover the unique and underrated interest of automotive shipping around the world.
- Metrogistics Auto Shipping. Almost a form of transport within transport, the difficulties of moving vehicles around the world makes for this blog's best material.
- ABC Auto Transporting Blog. Though this blog was designed to advertise particular services of its own company, it also features articles that apply everywhere.
- The Staten Island Ferry Blog. How exactly do people get from Staten to main island of Manhattan? This blog answers that and gets you thinking about perhaps going there yourself.
- The Airline Blog. This long-running blog site "features news, rumors, and the occasional opinion about the airline industry."
- Thirty Thousand Feet. This airplane-specific transport blog will link readers to a treasure trove of other sites on the topic.
- Injured on an Airplane? Sometimes it can happen -- mild to serious accidents aboard a plane occur more often than you might believe.
- Seattle: Bright Lights. World-class coffee may caffeinate its denizens, but the residents of Seattle love to get around and see all there is on offer.
- Discover Walking. No car, no bus, no train, no plane? Well, be thankful for your own two feet! Get back in touch with your birth-given way to get around.
- Urban Oyster. This blog is for the New Yorkers out there: Here's a bunch of walking tours that you may not have thought of taking before.
- Acrobat of the Road. Highly, highly recommended! Acrobat of the Road is the best blog we found on the topic of perilous yet poignant travel by the thumb. A must-read.
- Hitchhiking with Larry David. This interesting and worthwhile commentator on the art and craft of hitchhiking makes for a zestful reading experience.
- Objects May Appear Larger. "Apparently this is a hitchhiking blog..." Though the writers may shy away from it, this alternative travel blog is well worth a visit.
- Human Transit. This is "the professional blog of public transit planning consultant Jarrett Walker," who provides readers a sterling and informed opinion.
For Your Header or Footer (or a blog post!)