Tony Morton
@tonybmorton.bsky.social
Sustainable energy and transport advocate based in Melbourne, Australia. Current president of the Public Transport Users Association.
Reposted by Tony Morton
Happy Metro Tunnel Opening Day for all those who celebrate! 🚇🥳
Better, reliable, accessible, fast, frequent, connected public transport opens up access to opportunity, and gets more people off the roads and out of the traffic. #Melbourne #MetroTunnel
Better, reliable, accessible, fast, frequent, connected public transport opens up access to opportunity, and gets more people off the roads and out of the traffic. #Melbourne #MetroTunnel
November 29, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Happy Metro Tunnel Opening Day for all those who celebrate! 🚇🥳
Better, reliable, accessible, fast, frequent, connected public transport opens up access to opportunity, and gets more people off the roads and out of the traffic. #Melbourne #MetroTunnel
Better, reliable, accessible, fast, frequent, connected public transport opens up access to opportunity, and gets more people off the roads and out of the traffic. #Melbourne #MetroTunnel
Reposted by Tony Morton
Reposted by Tony Morton
A city with a few hundred robotaxis is cool and futuristic, but with 100,000+ it'll be gridlocked and dangerous.
All the more reason for local leaders to adopt congestion pricing and automatic traffic enforcement ASAP.
All the more reason for local leaders to adopt congestion pricing and automatic traffic enforcement ASAP.
A self-driving car traffic jam is coming for US cities
A century ago, cars remade America. Autonomous vehicles could do it again.
www.vox.com
November 27, 2025 at 8:16 PM
A city with a few hundred robotaxis is cool and futuristic, but with 100,000+ it'll be gridlocked and dangerous.
All the more reason for local leaders to adopt congestion pricing and automatic traffic enforcement ASAP.
All the more reason for local leaders to adopt congestion pricing and automatic traffic enforcement ASAP.
Reposted by Tony Morton
A reminder that cars aren’t a technology problem. They’re a geometry problem.
Waymo privatized another public street:
Chanel approaching 4th, San Francisco
Possibly queued for a Billie Eilish show at Chase Center ~half mile away.
The light rail train on 4th seen passing in front of this roboherd has more passenger capacity than all of them combined.
OP: .tiktok.renaspam18
Chanel approaching 4th, San Francisco
Possibly queued for a Billie Eilish show at Chase Center ~half mile away.
The light rail train on 4th seen passing in front of this roboherd has more passenger capacity than all of them combined.
OP: .tiktok.renaspam18
November 25, 2025 at 4:16 AM
A reminder that cars aren’t a technology problem. They’re a geometry problem.
Reposted by Tony Morton
Proposed cuts at State Library of Victoria go against its mission – and will hurt the disadvantaged.
These decisions have been made by a mostly acting executive team and board, with limited library administration experience or qualifications. theconversation.com/proposed-cut...
These decisions have been made by a mostly acting executive team and board, with limited library administration experience or qualifications. theconversation.com/proposed-cut...
Proposed cuts at State Library of Victoria go against its mission – and will hurt the disadvantaged
The State Library of Victoria’s ‘major’ proposed cuts include slashing the number of reference librarians and free computers for public access. Some staff are shocked.
theconversation.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Proposed cuts at State Library of Victoria go against its mission – and will hurt the disadvantaged.
These decisions have been made by a mostly acting executive team and board, with limited library administration experience or qualifications. theconversation.com/proposed-cut...
These decisions have been made by a mostly acting executive team and board, with limited library administration experience or qualifications. theconversation.com/proposed-cut...
Reposted by Tony Morton
The latest National Travel Survey clearly questions that old myth about "Active travel is just for the middle classes, what about working people who have to drive?"
November 22, 2025 at 7:28 AM
The latest National Travel Survey clearly questions that old myth about "Active travel is just for the middle classes, what about working people who have to drive?"
Reposted by Tony Morton
Pakenham passengers have to catch Frankston line and change at Caulfield.
Train pulls up at Caulfield, doors open and the train we’re meant to change to literally departs.
Now an 11 minute wait for the next one.
This is how not to run a network.
Train pulls up at Caulfield, doors open and the train we’re meant to change to literally departs.
Now an 11 minute wait for the next one.
This is how not to run a network.
November 22, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Pakenham passengers have to catch Frankston line and change at Caulfield.
Train pulls up at Caulfield, doors open and the train we’re meant to change to literally departs.
Now an 11 minute wait for the next one.
This is how not to run a network.
Train pulls up at Caulfield, doors open and the train we’re meant to change to literally departs.
Now an 11 minute wait for the next one.
This is how not to run a network.
Reposted by Tony Morton
Car-dependent suburban sprawl is the most publicly expensive, publicly subsidized, and publicly consequential form of human habitation in human history. #SuburbanSprawl #CarDependency
November 22, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Car-dependent suburban sprawl is the most publicly expensive, publicly subsidized, and publicly consequential form of human habitation in human history. #SuburbanSprawl #CarDependency
Reposted by Tony Morton
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:39 PM
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Reposted by Tony Morton
“One mile on a bike is a $.42 economic gain to society, one mile driving is a $.20 loss.”
“Which means that Copenhagen, a city of 1.2 million people, saves $357 million a year on health costs because something like 80% of its population commutes by bike.” #CityMakingMath
Some costs aren’t costs.
“Which means that Copenhagen, a city of 1.2 million people, saves $357 million a year on health costs because something like 80% of its population commutes by bike.” #CityMakingMath
Some costs aren’t costs.
One mile on a bike is a $.42 economic gain to society, one mile driving is a $.20 loss
Copenhagen, the bicycle-friendliest place on the planet, publishes a biannual Bicycle Account, and buried in its pages is a rather astonishing fact.
grist.org
November 21, 2025 at 12:40 AM
“One mile on a bike is a $.42 economic gain to society, one mile driving is a $.20 loss.”
“Which means that Copenhagen, a city of 1.2 million people, saves $357 million a year on health costs because something like 80% of its population commutes by bike.” #CityMakingMath
Some costs aren’t costs.
“Which means that Copenhagen, a city of 1.2 million people, saves $357 million a year on health costs because something like 80% of its population commutes by bike.” #CityMakingMath
Some costs aren’t costs.
Reposted by Tony Morton
“Helsinki hasn’t registered a single traffic-related fatality in the past year…Citing data that shows the risk of pedestrian fatality is cut in half by reducing a car’s speed from 40 to 30km/hr, city officials imposed the lower limit in most of Helsinki’s residential areas & city center in 2021.”
Helsinki just went a full year without a single traffic death
The capital city is Finnish’ed with car-related fatalities.
www.politico.eu
November 17, 2025 at 6:31 AM
“Helsinki hasn’t registered a single traffic-related fatality in the past year…Citing data that shows the risk of pedestrian fatality is cut in half by reducing a car’s speed from 40 to 30km/hr, city officials imposed the lower limit in most of Helsinki’s residential areas & city center in 2021.”
Reposted by Tony Morton
Almost half the Waymos on California streets are driving around empty. They're either waiting for the next customer or en route for a pickup.
If robotaxis scale, anything close to that level of deadheading would create crushing gridlock.
www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/what-cpuc-...
If robotaxis scale, anything close to that level of deadheading would create crushing gridlock.
www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/what-cpuc-...
November 19, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Almost half the Waymos on California streets are driving around empty. They're either waiting for the next customer or en route for a pickup.
If robotaxis scale, anything close to that level of deadheading would create crushing gridlock.
www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/what-cpuc-...
If robotaxis scale, anything close to that level of deadheading would create crushing gridlock.
www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/what-cpuc-...
Doing an unusual trip to grab last minute groceries and check out the local bus line. #transportvictoria app says next bus 13 minutes away so I shrug it off and walk. 6 minutes later the bus drives past. Moral: low service frequency and low quality info actively deter patronage.
November 18, 2025 at 6:28 AM
Doing an unusual trip to grab last minute groceries and check out the local bus line. #transportvictoria app says next bus 13 minutes away so I shrug it off and walk. 6 minutes later the bus drives past. Moral: low service frequency and low quality info actively deter patronage.
Reposted by Tony Morton
When connecting between infrequent services, it’s sheer luck whether it’s a short wait or a long one. That’s one reason better service frequency is so important to cut waiting times and make public transport more competitive with driving.
November 8, 2025 at 8:50 PM
When connecting between infrequent services, it’s sheer luck whether it’s a short wait or a long one. That’s one reason better service frequency is so important to cut waiting times and make public transport more competitive with driving.
Reposted by Tony Morton
Hey!! Here's my new piece for The New Republic!!
It's about how Meta is cramming generative video slop (the most energy-intensive of the gen systems) into its massive global advertising engine: a recipe for an order magnitude worsening of its already-huge harms 😱
newrepublic.com/article/2028...
It's about how Meta is cramming generative video slop (the most energy-intensive of the gen systems) into its massive global advertising engine: a recipe for an order magnitude worsening of its already-huge harms 😱
newrepublic.com/article/2028...
November 11, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Hey!! Here's my new piece for The New Republic!!
It's about how Meta is cramming generative video slop (the most energy-intensive of the gen systems) into its massive global advertising engine: a recipe for an order magnitude worsening of its already-huge harms 😱
newrepublic.com/article/2028...
It's about how Meta is cramming generative video slop (the most energy-intensive of the gen systems) into its massive global advertising engine: a recipe for an order magnitude worsening of its already-huge harms 😱
newrepublic.com/article/2028...
Reposted by Tony Morton
On #RememberanceDay in Canada we say #LestWeForget because forgetting means we fail to honour those who gave their lives defending freedom from fascists and nazis. And all those who still defend us today.
It’s also because if we forget, we’re doomed to repeat.
That’s more relevant now than ever.
It’s also because if we forget, we’re doomed to repeat.
That’s more relevant now than ever.
November 11, 2025 at 7:10 PM
On #RememberanceDay in Canada we say #LestWeForget because forgetting means we fail to honour those who gave their lives defending freedom from fascists and nazis. And all those who still defend us today.
It’s also because if we forget, we’re doomed to repeat.
That’s more relevant now than ever.
It’s also because if we forget, we’re doomed to repeat.
That’s more relevant now than ever.
Reposted by Tony Morton
This breaks some people’s brains.
In most cities, Costco stores fuel sprawl & car dependency.
In Vancouver, our full-sized downtown Costco has residential towers above & a skytrain station next door. LOTS of customers don’t drive to it.
We live a block from it. We call it “the convenience store.”
In most cities, Costco stores fuel sprawl & car dependency.
In Vancouver, our full-sized downtown Costco has residential towers above & a skytrain station next door. LOTS of customers don’t drive to it.
We live a block from it. We call it “the convenience store.”
November 8, 2025 at 3:03 AM
This breaks some people’s brains.
In most cities, Costco stores fuel sprawl & car dependency.
In Vancouver, our full-sized downtown Costco has residential towers above & a skytrain station next door. LOTS of customers don’t drive to it.
We live a block from it. We call it “the convenience store.”
In most cities, Costco stores fuel sprawl & car dependency.
In Vancouver, our full-sized downtown Costco has residential towers above & a skytrain station next door. LOTS of customers don’t drive to it.
We live a block from it. We call it “the convenience store.”
Reposted by Tony Morton
Is there anything that Caltrain did recently that might be instructive to other agencies? Something about wires?
Caltrain popularity among riders at all time high: https://blog.bayareametro.gov/posts/caltrain-popularity-among-riders-all-time-high!
Caltrain popularity among riders at all time high
Caltrain released the results of its 2025 customer satisfaction survey last week, with the rail agency receiving a record high satisfaction rating of 4.41 out of 5, up from 4.02 in 2024.
blog.bayareametro.gov
November 5, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Is there anything that Caltrain did recently that might be instructive to other agencies? Something about wires?
Reposted by Tony Morton
People can and should have nice things.
If someone writes a report saying "we build transport that is too nice and that's why projects are expensive and that's why we don't build more of them" then not only should their analysis be discarded as junk but they should be pilloried.
If someone writes a report saying "we build transport that is too nice and that's why projects are expensive and that's why we don't build more of them" then not only should their analysis be discarded as junk but they should be pilloried.
November 4, 2025 at 7:20 AM
People can and should have nice things.
If someone writes a report saying "we build transport that is too nice and that's why projects are expensive and that's why we don't build more of them" then not only should their analysis be discarded as junk but they should be pilloried.
If someone writes a report saying "we build transport that is too nice and that's why projects are expensive and that's why we don't build more of them" then not only should their analysis be discarded as junk but they should be pilloried.
Reposted by Tony Morton
The new Support at Home Program sees the elderly paying private operators per shower.
@sarahrussell.bsky.social on the neoliberal aged care program #auspol
michaelwest.com.au/pay-per-show...
@sarahrussell.bsky.social on the neoliberal aged care program #auspol
michaelwest.com.au/pay-per-show...
Pay per shower: fully-funded aged care turns market-driven aged support - Michael West
The new Support at Home Program for the elderly is introducing a 'free market' transactional aged care system. It's a retrograde step.
michaelwest.com.au
November 2, 2025 at 7:42 PM
The new Support at Home Program sees the elderly paying private operators per shower.
@sarahrussell.bsky.social on the neoliberal aged care program #auspol
michaelwest.com.au/pay-per-show...
@sarahrussell.bsky.social on the neoliberal aged care program #auspol
michaelwest.com.au/pay-per-show...
Reposted by Tony Morton
Better buses make it easier to get around. Good to see a bus network review for Ballarat pushing ahead.
Have your say here: engage.vic.gov.au/ba...
Have your say here: engage.vic.gov.au/ba...
November 1, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Better buses make it easier to get around. Good to see a bus network review for Ballarat pushing ahead.
Have your say here: engage.vic.gov.au/ba...
Have your say here: engage.vic.gov.au/ba...
Reposted by Tony Morton
Take it easy. Take a train.
November 1, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Take it easy. Take a train.
Reposted by Tony Morton
“Hey, I thought everybody knew that adding more lanes to address traffic congestion is like loosening your belt to address obesity.”
November 1, 2025 at 3:35 AM
“Hey, I thought everybody knew that adding more lanes to address traffic congestion is like loosening your belt to address obesity.”
Reposted by Tony Morton
Forget EVs. Cycling is revolutionising transport
www.economist.com/internationa...
"In London cyclists now outnumber cars in the City by two to one and in Paris, they outnumber motorists across the whole city. In Copenhagen bikes account for almost half of commuter journeys to work and school."
www.economist.com/internationa...
"In London cyclists now outnumber cars in the City by two to one and in Paris, they outnumber motorists across the whole city. In Copenhagen bikes account for almost half of commuter journeys to work and school."
Forget EVs. Cycling is revolutionising transport
Pedal power is booming, spinning up a new culture war
www.economist.com
November 1, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Forget EVs. Cycling is revolutionising transport
www.economist.com/internationa...
"In London cyclists now outnumber cars in the City by two to one and in Paris, they outnumber motorists across the whole city. In Copenhagen bikes account for almost half of commuter journeys to work and school."
www.economist.com/internationa...
"In London cyclists now outnumber cars in the City by two to one and in Paris, they outnumber motorists across the whole city. In Copenhagen bikes account for almost half of commuter journeys to work and school."
Reposted by Tony Morton
The most insanely frustrating thing about the #ClimateCrisis is how the breakthrough we so clearly need isn’t technological. It’s just a collective willingness, a determination even, to change in ways that would clearly be SO MUCH BETTER than the clear and obvious consequences of NOT changing.
October 29, 2025 at 7:09 PM
The most insanely frustrating thing about the #ClimateCrisis is how the breakthrough we so clearly need isn’t technological. It’s just a collective willingness, a determination even, to change in ways that would clearly be SO MUCH BETTER than the clear and obvious consequences of NOT changing.