Navigating change: As Philippines scraps jeepney buses, operators struggle with costs
MARIEJO RAMOS, of Thomson Reuters Foundation, reports that operators of the beloved and brightly painted minibuses say they are struggling with the costs of mandatory upgrades…
In South Korea, free subway rides for the elderly become a political headache
Seoul, South KoreaReuters Every day, 71-year-old Park Gyung-sun delivers flowers, documents and other packages around Seoul – a job popular among senior citizens who are entitled to ride the city’s subways for free. The work, dubbed “silver delivery” in South Korea, earns Park, a former market stall owner, up to 700,000 won ($US550) a month. […]
Wow!: Pakistan bus network gives women a ticket to work and study
ZOFEEN T EBRAHIM, of Thomson Reuters Foundation, reports on how Peshawar’s BRT transport system is helping women travel safely without fear of sexual harassment, opening up new opportunities for them to study and find jobs in the socially conservative city…
Free public transport: US cities ponder its future beyond COVID-19
CAREY L BIRON, of Thomson Reuters Foundation, reports on how COVID-19 and equity concerns are boosting fareless transit movement in US cities…
Wow!: Africa’s innovators turn to tech to tackle transport woes
KIM HARRISBERG, of Thomson Reuters Foundation, reports on how technology is driving some innovative solutions to provide bettee access to public transport in sub-Saharan Africa…
Invest in low-carbon cities to protect climate and boost jobs, governments urged
Bogota, ColombiaThomson Reuters Foundation More COVID-19 recovery spending and public investment is needed for green transport and clean energy in cities, to create jobs, cut planet-heating emissions and limit the damage from climate change, UN officials and researchers said on Wednesday. A report by the Coalition for Urban Transitions, a group of research organisations pushing […]
Egypt fights sexual harassment on the train with commuter campaign
Cairo, EgyptThomson Reuters Foundation Sexual harassment is so common on Egypt’s railways that many women avoid travelling by train, but a new initiative aims to make female passengers feel safer and embolden victims of abuse to report it. Billboards reading “The Railway is Safe” have been installed at Cairo’s main rail terminus, a complaints hotline […]
Women and girls bear brunt of Africa “transport poverty”
Johannesburg, South AfricaThomson Reuters Foundation Long queues in the rain, daily four-hour trips in a public taxi, the constant threat of road accidents, and nearly having to use a pen as a knife to fight off an aggressive male passenger. These are just some of the challenges Busisiwe Nongauza has faced while commuting to and […]
Asian cities virus-proof public transit with smart shelters, thermal scanners
Bangkok, ThailandThomson Reuters Foundation Taking a bus or the subway? Not without first checking your temperature in a smart shelter or touch-free kiosk. From Delhi to Seoul, authorities have introduced mobile apps, temperature-check kiosks and smart bus shelters to make public transit safer as offices and businesses open after lockdowns to control the novel coronavirus. A woman […]
As coronavirus curbs ease, what climate-smart policies should we lock in now?
London, UKThomson Reuters Foundation As countries worldwide have started easing lockdowns imposed to curb the coronavirus pandemic, what key policy changes could get economies moving again, take advantage of what we’ve learned, and set us up for another big crisis – climate change? Here are some ideas being developed and tested: 1. Install fibre-optic broadband […]