Alex Karner
@alexkarner.bsky.social
associate professor//community & regional planning. mobility justice, transportation equity, civil rights, environmental justice, accessibility, GIScience, etc. views my own.
Pinned
Alex Karner
@alexkarner.bsky.social
· Aug 28
Coalitions in Motion: Labor and Riders Organizing for Transit Justice - Alex Karner, 2025
journals.sagepub.com
Unionized labor is often seen as a barrier to better transit, but in this new piece I argue that finding common ground between grassroots rider unions and formal labor unions could be a powerful approach for advancing mobility justice goals and winning more reliable, frequent, and safer service.
Reposted by Alex Karner
“In some cases, we’re seeing fees that we don’t think should be charged at all, like pest control fees,” says Kuehnhoff. “Landlords have a duty to provide a pest-free environment already, so they shouldn’t be adding that to the rent.”
These Tenants Are Going on Strike Against ‘Rent Debt’
A new kind of tenants union is ramping up the pressure on corporate landlords.
inthesetimes.com
October 4, 2025 at 12:45 PM
“In some cases, we’re seeing fees that we don’t think should be charged at all, like pest control fees,” says Kuehnhoff. “Landlords have a duty to provide a pest-free environment already, so they shouldn’t be adding that to the rent.”
Bored with TRB's censorship and cancellations?
Submit your work to the Crossroads Convening on Transportation Equity and Justice instead -- proposals due October 25.
www.crossroadsconvening.org
Submit your work to the Crossroads Convening on Transportation Equity and Justice instead -- proposals due October 25.
www.crossroadsconvening.org
October 2, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Bored with TRB's censorship and cancellations?
Submit your work to the Crossroads Convening on Transportation Equity and Justice instead -- proposals due October 25.
www.crossroadsconvening.org
Submit your work to the Crossroads Convening on Transportation Equity and Justice instead -- proposals due October 25.
www.crossroadsconvening.org
Crossroads: A Transportation Equity and Justice Convening will take place on January 15, 2026 at the MLK Library in Washington, DC.
Consider submitting your work, assisting as a volunteer, or sponsoring the event. More details at www.crossroadsconvening.org
Registration will be free.
Consider submitting your work, assisting as a volunteer, or sponsoring the event. More details at www.crossroadsconvening.org
Registration will be free.
Crossroads Convening
About Crossroads
www.crossroadsconvening.org
October 1, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Crossroads: A Transportation Equity and Justice Convening will take place on January 15, 2026 at the MLK Library in Washington, DC.
Consider submitting your work, assisting as a volunteer, or sponsoring the event. More details at www.crossroadsconvening.org
Registration will be free.
Consider submitting your work, assisting as a volunteer, or sponsoring the event. More details at www.crossroadsconvening.org
Registration will be free.
Hearing reports that TRB is censoring annual meeting content. Authors are receiving a "Notice of Non-Selection" when notified that their papers were not sent out for review. Esp shitty for students who submitted work on Aug 1 only to wait two months for no reviews. Shameful behavior by TRB.
September 25, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Hearing reports that TRB is censoring annual meeting content. Authors are receiving a "Notice of Non-Selection" when notified that their papers were not sent out for review. Esp shitty for students who submitted work on Aug 1 only to wait two months for no reviews. Shameful behavior by TRB.
Transportation research is under threat. The Transportation Research Board is canceling contracts, restructuring committees, and signaling that it will censor work presented at its annual meeting.
Read out new commentary in Transport Policy for more: 🔗 authors.elsevier.com/a/1lluT,L-HR...
Read out new commentary in Transport Policy for more: 🔗 authors.elsevier.com/a/1lluT,L-HR...
authors.elsevier.com
September 16, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Transportation research is under threat. The Transportation Research Board is canceling contracts, restructuring committees, and signaling that it will censor work presented at its annual meeting.
Read out new commentary in Transport Policy for more: 🔗 authors.elsevier.com/a/1lluT,L-HR...
Read out new commentary in Transport Policy for more: 🔗 authors.elsevier.com/a/1lluT,L-HR...
Unionized labor is often seen as a barrier to better transit, but in this new piece I argue that finding common ground between grassroots rider unions and formal labor unions could be a powerful approach for advancing mobility justice goals and winning more reliable, frequent, and safer service.
Coalitions in Motion: Labor and Riders Organizing for Transit Justice - Alex Karner, 2025
journals.sagepub.com
August 28, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Unionized labor is often seen as a barrier to better transit, but in this new piece I argue that finding common ground between grassroots rider unions and formal labor unions could be a powerful approach for advancing mobility justice goals and winning more reliable, frequent, and safer service.
Reposted by Alex Karner
This new article by @alexkarner.bsky.social about transit rider unions working working in solidarity with transit worker unions to fight for better service is 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥. Transit rider conditions (poor service etc) are operator working conditions. doi.org/10.1177/1095...
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
doi.org
August 24, 2025 at 11:34 PM
This new article by @alexkarner.bsky.social about transit rider unions working working in solidarity with transit worker unions to fight for better service is 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥. Transit rider conditions (poor service etc) are operator working conditions. doi.org/10.1177/1095...
The Transportation Research Board has abandoned its founding principles--scientific integrity, objectivity, & freedom of inquiry.
We wrote a short piece about TRB censoring work, canceling projects, and eliminating certain committees--with an eye towards the future.
osf.io/53dsk_v1
🧵
We wrote a short piece about TRB censoring work, canceling projects, and eliminating certain committees--with an eye towards the future.
osf.io/53dsk_v1
🧵
![Abstract with highlighted text as follows:
Science in the United States has become increasingly politicized, with a wave of recent federal grant terminations and censorship of equity and climate-related work. U.S. transportation research has not been immune. [begin highlight] The Transportation Research Board (TRB), a stalwart of U.S. transportation research, has canceled research contracts, undertaken a dramatic internal restructuring, and appears poised to censor research presented at its marquee annual meeting. [end highlight] These shifts are significant in part because TRB espouses the values of scientific objectivity, independence, and integrity. Accordingly, TRB has historically funded work identified as needed by the broader research community and has been a home for the free and open exchange of ideas at its conferences, meetings, and events. [begin highlight] We argue that TRB’s recent actions suggest that it is no longer able to act with scientific integrity. [end highlight] In this commentary, we provide a brief history of TRB and its objectives, discuss its recent actions, and propose paths forward for researchers and practitioners interested in pursuing equity, justice, and climate change-oriented work.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4d6lz4wh4xbbztf7it7ainxs/bafkreigoazfjkfuhcelkdartvxoezl2gejnkrcevztwinhvk72lcqk6sry@jpeg)
July 30, 2025 at 3:28 PM
The Transportation Research Board has abandoned its founding principles--scientific integrity, objectivity, & freedom of inquiry.
We wrote a short piece about TRB censoring work, canceling projects, and eliminating certain committees--with an eye towards the future.
osf.io/53dsk_v1
🧵
We wrote a short piece about TRB censoring work, canceling projects, and eliminating certain committees--with an eye towards the future.
osf.io/53dsk_v1
🧵
Reposted by Alex Karner
tilting at windmills just leaves you exhausted and usually super bitter. make the things that you want to see in the world. you'll be exhausted but not bitter.
June 25, 2025 at 12:20 PM
tilting at windmills just leaves you exhausted and usually super bitter. make the things that you want to see in the world. you'll be exhausted but not bitter.
Reposted by Alex Karner
Has a transportation advocacy nonprofit near you lost a federal grant since the start of the Trump administration (and are you fundraising to offset that loss)? HMU if so for an article.
June 25, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Has a transportation advocacy nonprofit near you lost a federal grant since the start of the Trump administration (and are you fundraising to offset that loss)? HMU if so for an article.
TRB's FAQ about the committee dissolution contains this bit, where they claim "independence" regardless of funding sources.
This claim is contradicted by the facts--the org immediately canceled over a dozen projects and then dramatically restructured, all in response to perceived sponsor desires.
This claim is contradicted by the facts--the org immediately canceled over a dozen projects and then dramatically restructured, all in response to perceived sponsor desires.
June 19, 2025 at 12:30 PM
TRB's FAQ about the committee dissolution contains this bit, where they claim "independence" regardless of funding sources.
This claim is contradicted by the facts--the org immediately canceled over a dozen projects and then dramatically restructured, all in response to perceived sponsor desires.
This claim is contradicted by the facts--the org immediately canceled over a dozen projects and then dramatically restructured, all in response to perceived sponsor desires.
Reposted by Alex Karner
Finally got official communication about this, as a friend (not member) of several committees, after hearing about it on here days ago. The old committees have been summarily dissolved without warning and fewer new ones are being formed. A predictable set of topics is omitted entirely.
June 4, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Finally got official communication about this, as a friend (not member) of several committees, after hearing about it on here days ago. The old committees have been summarily dissolved without warning and fewer new ones are being formed. A predictable set of topics is omitted entirely.
Reflecting on TRB's "back to basics" narrative--we went beyond basics to address transportation's myriad impacts as we learned about them during the 20th century. Seen in that light, "back to basics" means little consideration of modal alternatives or travel needs for disabled/BIPOC travelers, etc.
June 3, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Reflecting on TRB's "back to basics" narrative--we went beyond basics to address transportation's myriad impacts as we learned about them during the 20th century. Seen in that light, "back to basics" means little consideration of modal alternatives or travel needs for disabled/BIPOC travelers, etc.
Reposted by Alex Karner
I’ve spent the last 10+ years trying to get on the Pedestrian Committee (ACH10) by reviewing papers and helping organize workshops. Guess I don’t have to worry about it now
TRB is dissolving all committees. This wasn't unexpected, but they're couching it in a technocratic need to "get back to basics" and ease administrative burden when in fact it's a great big shit sandwich that we're all expected to eat and not make a fuss about.
June 2, 2025 at 6:20 PM
I’ve spent the last 10+ years trying to get on the Pedestrian Committee (ACH10) by reviewing papers and helping organize workshops. Guess I don’t have to worry about it now
Reposted by Alex Karner
Big changes underway at @trb.org, which has canceled numerous research projects exploring how race, gender, and poverty affect transportation.
Hopefully "back to basics" doesn't mean "pavement and asphalt."
Hopefully "back to basics" doesn't mean "pavement and asphalt."
TRB is dissolving all committees. This wasn't unexpected, but they're couching it in a technocratic need to "get back to basics" and ease administrative burden when in fact it's a great big shit sandwich that we're all expected to eat and not make a fuss about.
June 2, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Big changes underway at @trb.org, which has canceled numerous research projects exploring how race, gender, and poverty affect transportation.
Hopefully "back to basics" doesn't mean "pavement and asphalt."
Hopefully "back to basics" doesn't mean "pavement and asphalt."
this is giving me the feels
Marc Maron, the host of “WTF” — the popular twice-weekly podcast — announced on Monday that the show would end this fall after nearly 16 years. After more than 1,600 episodes, the finale will air this fall. https://trib.al/LE5q0nH
Marc Maron’s ‘WTF’ Podcast to End After Nearly 16 Years
The comedian has spent more than 1,600 episodes talking with celebrities like Barack Obama and Robin Williams. The show’s final episode will air this fall.
trib.al
June 2, 2025 at 5:16 PM
this is giving me the feels
Also cutting research funding across the board is a sure fire way to reduce available slots.
The reason why this article is so bad is that the only argument it marshals against international students is a fallacy. There isn’t a fixed set of slots for people to compete for, given by nature. www.nytimes.com/2025/06/01/o...
June 1, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Also cutting research funding across the board is a sure fire way to reduce available slots.
TRB is dissolving all committees. This wasn't unexpected, but they're couching it in a technocratic need to "get back to basics" and ease administrative burden when in fact it's a great big shit sandwich that we're all expected to eat and not make a fuss about.
June 1, 2025 at 11:46 AM
TRB is dissolving all committees. This wasn't unexpected, but they're couching it in a technocratic need to "get back to basics" and ease administrative burden when in fact it's a great big shit sandwich that we're all expected to eat and not make a fuss about.
Reposted by Alex Karner
Hello world! 👋 We're excited to launch social channels for #r5py, the Python package for super-fast multimodal #travelTime and #accessibility calculations using #OSM & #GTFS data. Follow us for tips, updates, and examples! #r5py #GeoSpatial #Python #UrbanPlanning #GIS
April 29, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Hello world! 👋 We're excited to launch social channels for #r5py, the Python package for super-fast multimodal #travelTime and #accessibility calculations using #OSM & #GTFS data. Follow us for tips, updates, and examples! #r5py #GeoSpatial #Python #UrbanPlanning #GIS
Reposted by Alex Karner
Users of the tigris / tidycensus #rstats packages:
The Census website has been blocking requests from tigris (and curl) since yesterday.
(Don’t worry, the datasets are still there!)
I’ve patched tigris, install with `pak::pak("walkerke/tigris@ftp-patch")` and everything should work.
The Census website has been blocking requests from tigris (and curl) since yesterday.
(Don’t worry, the datasets are still there!)
I’ve patched tigris, install with `pak::pak("walkerke/tigris@ftp-patch")` and everything should work.
April 5, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Users of the tigris / tidycensus #rstats packages:
The Census website has been blocking requests from tigris (and curl) since yesterday.
(Don’t worry, the datasets are still there!)
I’ve patched tigris, install with `pak::pak("walkerke/tigris@ftp-patch")` and everything should work.
The Census website has been blocking requests from tigris (and curl) since yesterday.
(Don’t worry, the datasets are still there!)
I’ve patched tigris, install with `pak::pak("walkerke/tigris@ftp-patch")` and everything should work.
checks out 😞
The Port of Seattle easily found $80M to widen the airport highway but can’t be bothered to reliably run a golf cart to get people to and from the train station
April 3, 2025 at 11:43 AM
checks out 😞
Reposted by Alex Karner
This is a great pure numbers analytics, but seeing the demographic differentiation map, wherein the West Coast, southern Mountain states, and most of the South outside metro Atlanta just don't get any prioritization, is striking.
Trump DOT's new funding policy will shift resources towards wealthier, whiter areas in the heartland and away from Black and brown populations in the southwest and south. Appalachia also loses.
Our new paper in Findings summarizes the demographic implications: findingspress.org/article/1324...
Our new paper in Findings summarizes the demographic implications: findingspress.org/article/1324...
March 26, 2025 at 3:52 PM
This is a great pure numbers analytics, but seeing the demographic differentiation map, wherein the West Coast, southern Mountain states, and most of the South outside metro Atlanta just don't get any prioritization, is striking.
Reposted by Alex Karner
My staff at @innovativedot.bsky.social was just discussing this study earlier in the week.
One noteworthy detail: the typical community that benefited under the previous Justice40 initiative was around 52% Trump supporter. Under the proposed new policy, that moves to 73%.
One noteworthy detail: the typical community that benefited under the previous Justice40 initiative was around 52% Trump supporter. Under the proposed new policy, that moves to 73%.
The 2025 DOT policy prioritizes areas with high marriage/birth rates and compliance with the administration's immigration policies. We show how the median tract prioritized under the prior Justice40 initiative was about 37% white. Under the 2025 DOT policy, the median tract is 83% white.
March 26, 2025 at 3:26 PM
My staff at @innovativedot.bsky.social was just discussing this study earlier in the week.
One noteworthy detail: the typical community that benefited under the previous Justice40 initiative was around 52% Trump supporter. Under the proposed new policy, that moves to 73%.
One noteworthy detail: the typical community that benefited under the previous Justice40 initiative was around 52% Trump supporter. Under the proposed new policy, that moves to 73%.