The good news omnibus edition
🎄🕯️ Happy holidays from Oversharing 🕯️🎄
It has sometimes been said that Oversharing takes a critical view of things, to which I can only reply that this newsletter is an observer of the gig economy and its affiliated firms and business practices, and that both historically and presently there has been more room for skepticism and critique than for unbridled enthusiasm.
Today, however, it is almost Christmas, and so in the spirit of the holidays I’m suspending skepticism and publishing a roundup of the best and most heartening stories in the Oversharing purview (the gig economy, mobility, smart and sustainable urbanism, etc.) this year. This list is by no means exhaustive, so please do drop other links and notes into the comments below, the more the merrier! Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season and a very happy new year.
Jump to:
Micromobility
U.S. bike libraries and e-bike libraries, and Dutch bike banks, helped make alternative transit available to low-income neighborhoods and local communities.
‘Bike buses’ got kids excited about commuting to school.
Paris is switching to cargo bikes to deliver the post.
The U.S. Postal Service announced plans to purchase 66,000 electric delivery vehicles over the next five years, nearly double the original EV target.
Amazon expanded its e-cargo bike fleet in the U.K.
A good soul on Reddit made a subway-style map of bike paths in New York City.
Berlin to let bikes and e-scooters park for free in car parking spaces from Jan. 1, 2023.
Prague made free 15-minute bike-share rides part of its public transport pass.
Rotterdam trialed letting residents borrow e-cargo bikes to transport bulky waste.
Milan approved a plan to link 75% of the metro area with bike paths.
London made several pandemic cycle routes permanent; cycling in the city was up 40% in 2022 from 2019, while demand for Tube services continued to recover, hitting more than 80% of pre-pandemic levels.
+ many many subsidies!
Ireland doubled its tax incentive for families buying cargo bikes
Scotland offered interest-free loans to purchase e-bikes and cargo bikes
France offered massive e-bike subsidies to citizens who traded in their cars
Vermont launched the first statewide e-bike incentive scheme in the U.S.
Hawaii started an e-bike rebate scheme—but only for people who have financial need or who don’t own a car
Austin Energy doubles rebates for lightweight EVs
Oregon will establish a $6 million e-bike rebate program in 2023
California is building a $10 million e-bike rebate program
Denver’s e-bike voucher program was wildly successful
Policy, regulation, and labor
A former top Uber lobbyist-turned-whistleblower told European Parliament that Uber drivers should be employees.
Starbucks workers unionized more than 260 stores.
Staten Island workers won a historic organizing victory against Amazon.
Waymo food service workers in Mountain View voted to unionize.
Nebraska and Nevada voted to raise the state minimum wage…
…and Washington D.C. eliminated the tipped minimum wage in a landslide.
And labor unions reached their highest approval ratings in the U.S. since 1965.
New York City council rules kicked in requiring restaurants to let delivery workers use their bathrooms; food delivery apps to give workers a clear breakdown of tips.
New York City announced a plan to turn abandoned newsstands into charging hubs, shelters for delivery workers.
California passed a historic ban of new gas-powered vehicles from 2035.
Oregon slashed parking mandates.
Urban adventures
Boston mayor Michelle Wu championed free public transport, starting with fare-free travel on routes used most by low-income residents, and announced a major expansion of Boston’s bike network.
San Francisco’s municipal transit agency voted to make half of its pandemic-era, pedestrian-friendly Slow Streets permanent…
…and Salt Lake City wants to do the same downtown.
Guerilla group Crosswalk Collective painted crosswalks at dangerous L.A. intersections to make streets safer for pedestrians, a classic example of DIY urbanism.
New York City inched closer to congestion pricing, dealing with rats and garbage.
Vision Zero strategies might finally be starting to work.
Montreal will build 200 km of protected bike paths over the next five years.
Tokyo mandated large-scale builders include solar power panels in new homes from April 2025.
Barcelona levied an “Amazon tax” to clear the streets of delivery vans and reported a 31% reduction in air pollution since 2015.
The Netherlands will train thousands of “active mobility experts” worldwide to spread the good word of walking and cycling.
Brussels broke up with the car.
Scotland made bus travel free for people younger than 22.
London mayor Sadiq Khan announced plans to expand the ultra-low emission zone across the entire capital from August 2023.
This U.K. startup is building affordable transport for people who actually need it.
Other stuff I loved
Man in British Columbia jerry-rigs e-cargo bike into a snow plow to get to his favorite Vietnamese restaurant during a snowstorm.
Japan’s Old Enough! showed the world that it’s possible to build cities where it’s safe to send toddlers on errands.
“New York is a city made of rats, by rats, for rats.”
The New York Department of Sanitation has an oddly charming TikTok.
Amazon hustlers made millions arbitraging lollipops.
The guru burned out.
Rats have rhythm.
Bad weather is good for you.
“Be a bike angel, not a bike devil.”
I really appreciated this newsletter, nice way to finish off the year!
Wonderful edition! Nice "omnibus" pun, too.
I am not sure if the following is "good" or "bad," but it may be some sort of apotheosis of micromobility:
https://cangoroo.tech/
Jump into the New Year!