The dependence on a car for making a decent living in the United States is quite pronounced, particularly in the poor neighborhoods of the United States.

NPR’s recent “Guilty and Charged” investigation shows how rising court fines and fees — often reaching hundreds or even thousands of dollars per person — often hurt poor people the most. “Two out of three African-American men in this neighborhood, of working age, don’t have a driver’s license,” he says while walking down Martin Luther King Avenue in Milwaukee. “And are consequently unable to access the jobs that are beyond the bus lines.”

Not sure where to begin.  Years of bad landuse and legal policies have created a system that is not equal to all.  In a nutshell, if you don’t have a driving license, you’ll be relegated to looking for jobs only accessible by a bus/transit system (or if you are lucky, you may find something within walkable distance from your neighborhood). Even these transit accessible jobs become more difficult to sustain for these residents when the transit funding runs into trouble, leading to service & route cuts. Until we fix this mess, we can’t expect social upward mobility for many of the poor citizens of the US. Listen to the audio below or you can click here to read the article.

This graphic puts the use of space by each surface transportation mode in perspective.. and it is quite obvious that cars eat up a lot of space in our urban environments.

Automobile, defined: a really poor use of space to move people thru the city. (Like, the worst.) h/t @jen_keesmaat pic.twitter.com/ZwgdCPvWbv

— Taras Grescoe (@grescoe) December 29, 2014

Via City Fix Blog

The World Bank and EMBARQ Mexico – in collaboration with TransMilenio S.A. – will host the third annual “Building Leaders in Urban Transport Planning” course, which provides tools for systematic integrated mobility planning, corridor management, public transport planning evaluation alternatives, governance, finance, and public-private partnerships – all of which are key issues facing Latin American cities and cities worldwide. The course will use a hands-on learning approach, making extensive use of case studies, group exercises, and site visits – all aimed at highlighting linkages between the various components of the urban transport system. The deadline to apply to the course is January 9, 2015.

The event is part of the World Bank’s “Leadership in Urban Transport Planning” (LUTP) capacity building series, which develops leadership, awareness, and implementation strategies for urban integrated mobility planning. It is designed specifically for senior level decision makers at the national, provincial or city level – those who have a responsibility for urban transport at the policy making level, rather than a purely technical level. Academics, consultants, and other members of civil society are also encouraged to apply.

The Building Leaders in Urban Transport Planning course will consist of two parts. The period from January 19 to February 21, 2015, will be devoted to self-study, covering topics in land use and transport planning, and incorporating the environmental and social issues of urban transport planning. Participants will then partake in a seven-day hands-on workshop from February 22 to February 28 in Bogotá, Colombia – a city with a track record of leadership in sustainable urban transportand development. Following the workshop, participants will also have the option to partake in a six-month mentoring program to provide advice and guidance as participants work on city-level projects.

In addition to other special guests, #LUTPColombia 2015 will have the following distinguished faculty:

• Thierry Denis Desclos, Urban Transport Specialist, World Bank
• Ivan Jaques, Head of Energy Efficient Cities Initiative, ESMAP
• Arturo Ardila, Urban Transport Specialist, World Bank
• Dario Hidalgo, Director of Research and Practice, EMBARQ
• Adriana Lobo, Director of EMBARQ México
• Fernando Páez, Transport Director, EMBARQ México

Learn more about the event and apply here.

The event will be conducted in Spanish, and is organized with support from the Public Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF) and the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP). Follow updates on the proceedings on social media from @EMBARQMX and#LUTPColombia. 

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• Bogota mayor defends programme for women’s safety on buses

Present your ideas for smarter mobility and urban development at Transforming Transportation 2015

Transforming Transportation 2015 (#TTDC15) is the annual conference co-organized by EMBARQ, the sustainable urban transport program of the World Resources Institute, and the World Bank. This year’s conference will focus onSmart Cities for Shared Prosperity, and will examine how smart, connected urban mobility can improve quality of life in cities.

We’re inviting YOU to become a presenter! Pitch your ideas to present on either “Innovations in Urban Development for Smart Cities” or Innovations in Mobility for Smart Cities.” Presentations will follow the PechaKucha format and must be submitted by December 2, 2014 at 11:59pm EST. Those interested can consult the detailed submission guidelines.

For any questions or comments, please contact embarq@wri.org. Tune in for regular updates at www.TransformingTransportation.org and on social media by following #TTDC15.

Next City seeks an experienced and dynamic Executive Director & Editor in Chief to lead the organization.

About Next City

Next City is a nonprofit organization with the mission to inspire social, economic and environmental change in cities through media and events. Founded in 2003 and based in Philadelphia, Next City is renowned for its smart reporting on urban affairs and impactful events.

Its website, NextCity.org, reaches hundreds of thousands of readers each month who look to Next City for new ideas in economic development, infrastructure, civic technology,  policy and culture. Next City events, including the signature annual conference, Vanguard, help to network this audience of urban planners, government officials, and others who are professionally dedicated to advancing the cities where they live.

Next City is supported by its readers, corporate sponsors and many of the country’s largest foundations, including the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Knight Foundation, MacArthur Foundation and Surdna Foundation, among others.

Job Description

Next City seeks an Executive Director & Editor in Chief at an exciting time: the organization has a rapidly growing online presence and audience, as well as strong philanthropic support. At this juncture, Next City seeks a hands-on executive who will lead its next phase of growth by overseeing the organization’s editorial strategy and programs, developing the organization’s business plan and providing thought-leadership. The right candidate will be comfortable talking about urban policy trends at public events and on television, expressing Next City’s vision to funders and readers, and leading staff to achieve their best.

The Executive Director & Editor in Chief will accomplish the following:

Editorial Leadership & Programming

–       Set editorial strategy and ensure high standards of editorial content

–       Develop ideas for innovative programming for high-impact events

–       Serve as the face of the organization in media, at events and with donors

–       Leverage and build upon the success of the Vanguard Conference, an annual 40 under 40 urban leadership conference

Fundraising / Business Development

–       Develop an overall strategy to build sustainable revenue opportunities

–       Maintain and grow Next City’s foundation and corporate support

–       Build relationships to develop major corporate sponsorships for events and sponsored content

–       Develop an individual donor base for Next City, from subscribers to major donors

–       Plan and execute an annual fundraiser

Budget / Administration

–       Develop annual budget for board approval and submit quarterly financial reports

–       Hire, lead and manage all editorial and administrative staff

–       Work with COO and bookkeeper to oversee accounts receivable and payable and the annual audit process

Board

–       Serve as primary organizational liaison to board of directors

–       Increase the size, diversity, engagement and impact of Next City’s board

–       Meet with board quarterly and report Next City business

–       Establish board committees

Qualifications

–       At least 5 years of experience in senior management roles

–       Experience in and understanding of online media

–       Excellent public speaking and written communications skills

–       Passion for social, economic and environmental concerns

–       Demonstrated fundraising and/ or business development ability

–       Self-driven personality, start-up mentality, relationship-oriented work ethic

–       Experience in at least one of the following: media, urban policy, nonprofit development. (Those with experience in all three areas will be preferred.)

–       Ability to travel domestically and internationally 20% of time

–       Occasional nights and weekend work

To Apply

Applications will be reviewed immediately. Please submit a resume, a cover letter with salary requirements and three references to jobs@nextcity.org. In addition, please send a link to a video demonstrating your public speaking ability and a link to a published writing sample, if available. No phone inquiries please. Click here to Apply.

• Announcing the 2014 Vanguard Class
• Next City’s 40 Under 40 Vanguard Conference: Applications due February 14
• Next City’s Vanguard Conference Heads to Chattanooga in 2014
• Vanguard Update: Our Largest Pool of Applicants Ever
• Foot soldiers for change: 40 young leaders from across the country to gather in Chattanooga