Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Talking Headways Podcast

Talking Headways Short: The Real News About America’s Driving Habits

Consider this a bonus track. A deleted scene at the end of your DVD. Extra footage.

Or, consider it what it is: A short podcast episode Jeff and I recorded two and a half weeks ago that never got edited because I went to Pro-Walk Pro-Bike and he went to Rail~Volution and we recorded (and actually posted) a podcast in between and basically, life got in the way.

But better late than never, right? Here is a Talking Headways short in which we discuss the Federal Highway Administration's recent (er, not so recent anymore) announcement that Americans are driving more than any time since 2008 and so we'd better spend lots more on highways. Here are two quick visuals to help you understand just one reason we thought their reasoning was flawed:

Despite the rhetoric, FHWA's own charts show that driving is hardly bouncing back to peak levels. Image: ##http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/travel_monitoring/14juntvt/figure1.cfm##FHWA##
Despite the rhetoric, FHWA's own charts show that driving is hardly bouncing back to peak levels. Image: ##http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/travel_monitoring/14juntvt/figure1.cfm##FHWA##
false
fred
Even more dramatic: Check out how much per capita vehicle miles traveled has dropped. Image: ##http://research.stlouisfed.org/##St. Louis Fed##
false

You'll have to listen to the podcast to hear the rest. It's a short one; you can listen to the whole thing while you fold the laundry. And there's something extra-adorable in there as a special prize for putting up with our tardiness.

Jeff will be back soon from Rail~volution and then we'll get to hear all about that, and then we'll be back to normal podcasts on, we hope, a more normal schedule.

You'll be the first to know when that happens if you subscribe to Talking Headways on our RSS feedStitcher or iTunes.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

SCOUT’s Honor: Hochul To Expand MTA Program Pairing Nurses and Cops to Combat Mental Illness in Subways

Gov. Hochul's pitch to state lawmakers follows a nine month-long investigation by Streetsblog into how New York's social safety net struggles to help ill people in the subway.

January 13, 2026

Advance Look: Hochul Offers Major Transportation Policies in 2026 ‘State Of The State’ Speech

Why wait for the governor to start her annual address? We have the goods for you now.

January 13, 2026

State of the State Exclusive: Hochul Will Push ‘Stop Super Speeders’ Bill Through Her Budget

City motorists with a documented pattern of excessive speeding would be required to install speed-limiting devices inside their cars, Gov. Hochul is expected to announce today.

January 13, 2026

Westward Ho! Hochul Proposes to Extend Second Ave. Subway Along 125th Street to Broadway

The westward crosstown extension will connect what is now the Q train to seven different subway lines.

January 13, 2026

Delivery Apps Have Caused $550M In Pay Loss for Workers By Changing How Customers Tip: Mamdani Admin. Report

The average tip on UberEats and DoorDash is just 76¢ per delivery — compared to $2.17 on apps that offer the option to tip before checkout.

January 13, 2026

NJ Pols Want Registration Of Low-Speed E-Bikes, Despite Driver Mayhem

A restrictive e-bike registration bill is one step closer to becoming law in the Garden State.

January 13, 2026
See all posts