Primarily concerning the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART), focusing heavily on the controversial tenure and eventual separation of CEO Ben Limmer. Investigative excerpts reveal numerous alleged violations of HART policies by Limmer, particularly concerning procurement practices, such as awarding contracts without competitive bidding or proper approval, and misuse of a corporate purchasing card (P-Card) for personal and travel expenses. News articles confirm that Limmer was fired following a whistleblower complaint and reached a $40,000 settlement to avoid further legal battles, despite HART having already spent $100,000 on the investigation. Separately, one source features Limmer in a positive light, discussing the installation of driver safety shields on HART buses following a fatal stabbing. Finally, another source details the minutes from several West Tampa Community Redevelopment Area Advisory Committee meetings, which include a presentation by Limmer about HART's service improvements and goals before his firing, alongside broader discussions about local development, infrastructure, and crime reduction efforts.

Examining the mental health and well-being of bus drivers and other public transport workers, highlighting the significant stressors inherent in their profession. Studies discuss factors like long hours, unpredictable shifts, exposure to violence and aggression from passengers, and inadequate support from management as contributors to high rates of anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Several articles emphasize the importance of employer support, union initiatives, and individual coping mechanisms like relaxation techniques and peer support programs in mitigating these negative impacts. The research further indicates that these challenges were exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to increased fear and economic strain for many transport workers.

Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 313's active engagement with MetroLink management on several critical issues affecting bus operators. The union is demanding bargaining over the discontinuation of the Connect Shuttle, arguing it significantly alters working conditions and extends unpaid workdays. Additionally, ATU Local 313 is grievance-filing due to a supervisor's failure to respond to an operator's call for assistance during an unruly school tripper incident, highlighting concerns about safety and support. Furthermore, the union is requesting extensive information regarding MetroLink's implementation of an AI-based monitoring system, citing its relevance to employees' terms of employment. Finally, ATU Local 313 is also seeking resolution and information about an operator, Monica, who was improperly skipped for a Sunday work assignment, demonstrating their commitment to addressing individual member grievances.

Discussing the alarming increase in violence against public transit workers across the United States, a trend exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and persisting despite a general decline in other violent crimes. Several articles highlight that assaults have significantly risen over the past 15 years, leading to widespread fear, emotional distress, and staffing shortages within transit agencies. We explore various contributing factors, including income inequality, societal tensions, and a lack of adequate protections for frontline staff. Proposed solutions range from technological advancements like surveillance and driver barriers to de-escalation training and mental health support, such as relaxation classes, for workers. The sources emphasize the urgent need for federal action and improved safety standards to protect transit employees and maintain the functionality of public transportation systems.

The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 313 addresses Metro Management regarding significant concerns about technology implementation and its impact on bus operators. The union highlights a "disconnect" between management’s perception and operators' daily reality, citing issues with digital video mirrors and the Clever system’s chronic failures in areas like transfers, destination signs, and verbal announcements. Furthermore, the letter raises alarms about the opaque introduction of an AI-based driver monitoring system, detailing concerns about data privacy, public records exposure, proprietary software, and potential biases. Ultimately, the union calls for immediate engagement to rectify existing technological problems, prioritize operator safety, and establish clear accountability for AI surveillance to restore morale and improve public service.

Documenting the downfall of Proterra, an American electric vehicle manufacturer that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August 2023 after years of financial instability. Multiple factors contributed to their collapse, including high production costs, custom build requirements for their electric buses, lengthy manufacturing lead times, and intense competition from global companies like BYD. The sources also detail the subsequent auctioning off of Proterra's assets, with Volvo acquiring the Proterra Powered battery business, Phoenix Motorcars purchasing the transit bus division, and Cowen Equity taking over the Proterra Energy charging systems. Finally, the texts touch upon a shareholder lawsuit alleging misleading financial information and mention structural and battery-related issues found in some of Proterra's buses by transit agencies.

This comprehensive analysis, "Microtransit vs Fixed-Route Buses: Cost-Effectiveness and Equity in Rock Island County and Beyond," thoroughly examines the viability of microtransit—on-demand, app-dispatched van services—as an alternative or supplement to traditional fixed-route bus systems. The central argument is that while microtransit offers flexibility, it is significantly more expensive per passenger and often fails to deliver on promises of equity, frequently serving more affluent, tech-savvy riders rather than the most transit-dependent populations. The report uses real-world case studies and data from various U.S. cities, including those comparable to Rock Island County, to demonstrate that fixed-route buses remain the more cost-effective, reliable, and equitable backbone of public transit, leading many agencies to reassess or even revert from microtransit experiments due to concerns over budget, service quality, and labor impacts.

This NBER working paper investigates the intergenerational mobility of welfare, moving beyond just monetary income to include the non-monetary qualities of occupations. The authors construct an "intrinsic quality index" for jobs, encompassing factors like respect and learning opportunities, and find that children from richer families are more likely to choose occupations ranking high on this index. They propose and estimate a model showing that the "affordability channel"—where wealthier children can prioritize non-monetary job satisfaction over higher earnings—is the primary driver of this trend. Crucially, by incorporating this intrinsic job quality into measures of intergenerational persistence, the study concludes that traditional analyses focusing solely on earnings overestimate actual economic and social mobility.