Latest news
The once-overlooked intercity bus is experiencing a revival: in 2023, ridership reached 50 million, surpassing Amtrak's 28.5 million. As Boston, New York, Atlanta, and other cities renovate or build new hubs, the industry is calling for public-private cooperation to improve the waiting experience and strengthen multimodal connectivity.
Waymo is expanding its self-driving taxi service to northeastern U.S. cities with harsh winter climates, including Washington, D.C., Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. Previously, its operations were mainly concentrated in milder-climate cities like Atlanta, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Austin. Experts note that winter ice, black ice, strong winds, and low-angle sunlight pose challenges to sensors, and Waymo needs to collect year-round data from the Northeast and verify its "Waymo driver" capability in snow. A company spokesperson stated that operations will be suspended if weather exceeds technical limits.
The Los Angeles City Council passed the Citywide Hotel Worker Minimum Wage Ordinance on May 14, 2025, and Mayor Karen Bass signed it into effect on May 27. The ordinance requires hotels with 60 or more rooms to gradually increase the minimum hourly wage to $30 by July 2028, starting in July 2026. Organizations such as the American Hotel and Lodging Association oppose the ordinance, calling it a potential "economic tsunami." The Los Angeles Tourism, Employment, and Progress Coalition has submitted over 140,000 signatures to petition for a referendum, pausing the ordinance's implementation. The union Unite Here Local 11 has accused the signature collection of being misleading and violent, and continues to promote the "Defend the Wage" campaign.
The heat wave that swept the eastern, midwestern, and southern United States last month once again highlights the threat of extreme climate to workers. Data shows that between 2011 and 2022, an average of about 40 workers died annually in the United States due to heat exposure. Facing increasingly frequent heat waves, wildfires, and hurricanes, how should employers systematically ensure employee safety? Several occupational health, legal, and climate experts shared practical pathways with HR Dive, ranging from basic protection to comprehensive climate risk plans.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution on May 1, attempting to revoke the EPA's waiver for California's vehicle emission standards under the Congressional Review Act. The Senate could vote as early as next week. Environmental and public health experts warn that this move will hinder air quality improvements and may trigger legal and procedural disputes.
The Washington D.C. apartment market has long been viewed as a safe haven, but the Trump administration and DOGE's federal layoffs are breaking that sense of security. As of now, at least 101,022 federal employees have been laid off nationwide, many targeting the Washington area. Although owners and REIT executives stated on fourth-quarter earnings calls that they have not yet seen significant impacts, they expressed concerns about potential consequences. Market diversification, return-to-office policies, and transaction uncertainty create multiple intersecting effects, and the industry is closely monitoring developments.
In 2025, the new U.S. administration and Congress will reshape urban policies, with technologies like AI, autonomous driving, and electric vehicles rapidly penetrating, while housing, homelessness, and climate issues continue to exert pressure. City leaders must seek balance amid change; this article gathers insights from officials, executives, and researchers.
Industry officials and observers expect that, under a more favorable federal regulatory environment, robotaxis will begin operations in more cities and states in 2025. Although General Motors' Cruise business ceased operations in 2024, the sector has attracted over $100 billion in investment over the past decade. Companies such as Waymo, Motional, and Zoox are deploying city by city, and Tesla also plans to launch a paid driverless service in Austin in June.
Ann Arbor voters approved the establishment of a 'Sustainable Energy Utility' (SEU) with 79% support. This utility will supplement, not replace, the services of the existing investor-owned DTE Energy company, initially focusing on rooftop solar and battery storage installations, with plans to build microgrids in the future.
U.S. high-speed rail projects have long been plagued by insufficient funding and political games. Despite polls showing majority voter support, federal funding is limited, and project advancement faces challenges such as land acquisition and cost overruns. Based on expert interviews and the latest developments, this article analyzes the current state and future of U.S. high-speed rail.