Everybody Gets Pie's Podcast From World Leader to Transit Failure: How the U.S. Lost Its Edge with Jake Burman
4 snips
Dec 15, 2025 
Jake Burman, author of The Lost Subways of North America, dives into the failures of U.S. public transit. He reveals how American cities lag behind international peers like Madrid and Tokyo, highlighting high costs and bureaucratic obstacles. Burman discusses transformative solutions, such as enhancing bus networks and learning from global best practices. He underscores the importance of land use and density for successful transit systems and advocates for prioritizing speed and reliability over making fare-free options. This insightful conversation calls for urgent improvements in U.S. transit.
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Local Line Feels Impossible To Activate
- Burhan described Cambridge's Grand Junction as existing rail right-of-way that seems trivial to convert to passenger service.
- He notes authorities respond with multi-billion-dollar, multi-decade excuses despite minimal visible obstacles.
Space Stops Farther Apart
- Reduce bus stop frequency to European standards (one every 400–500m) to increase speed and reliability.
- Fewer stops and protected lanes make buses faster and more attractive.
Street Space Determines Transit Success
- Transit wins when it is fast, frequent, reliable, and goes where people need to go.
- Allocating street space to prioritize buses over single-occupancy cars makes transit competitive with driving.
