Category Archives: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

So how do first responders handle autonomous vehicles?

Posted on March 22, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

This story raised more questions than it answered for me. A viral image from the March 1 shooting in downtown Austin — an autonomous vehicle blocking an ambulance from reaching the scene where a gunman fatally wounded three people and … Continue reading →

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Zoox coming to Dallas

Posted on March 21, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From last week. I’m curious to see how it goes. Amazon’s self-driving unit Zoox plans to start testing its autonomous vehicles in Dallas and Phoenix, the company announced Monday. To start, Zoox will deploy a “small number” of its retrofitted Toyota Highlander SUVs, with a human … Continue reading →

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Air taxi testing

Posted on March 16, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Look, up in the sky! The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved eight pilot programs that will allow a handful of companies, including Archer Aviation, Beta Technologies, Joby Aviation, and Wisk to start widespread electric aircraft testing as early as this … Continue reading →

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Are robotaxis actually safer than human drivers?

Posted on March 13, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

It turns out this is a more complicated question than you might think. If a chorus of wide-eyed boosters and enthralled journalists are to be believed, self-driving cars from companies like Waymo, Tesla, and Zoox can bring about road safety … Continue reading →

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San Antonio to (maybe) study eliminating some bus fares

Posted on February 27, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest, at least to me. San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones is asking VIA Metropolitan Transit to map out how the agency would test free bus rides on its busiest routes, a move supporters say could ease transportation burdens … Continue reading →

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Waymo arrives in Houston

Posted on February 25, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

As anticipated, and for a select group for now. Some riders can start boarding Waymo self-driving cars in Houston and two other Texas cities Tuesday, marking the latest launch for the nationwide fleet of robotaxis. The driverless vehicles debuted in … Continue reading →

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The Evolve audit

Posted on February 15, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Some interesting stuff here. Frequent cancellations or missed rides. Long wait times. Limited days and hours of operation. These were among the concerns raised in an internal review of a microtransit pilot program overseen by Metro and formerly operated by … Continue reading →

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Tesla sort of removes safety monitors from its robotaxis

Posted on January 29, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a catch. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Thursday that his company is now running a small number of its Robotaxi vehicles in Austin, Texas, without a human driver or safety supervisor on board. “Just started Tesla Robotaxi drives … Continue reading →

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Dallas still needs to remove its rainbow crosswalks

Posted on January 23, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

They’ve tried to delay it but are probably running out of road. The Texas Department of Transportation gave Dallas until Jan. 31 to remove its decorative crosswalks, which include LGBTQ+ rainbow and Black Lives Matter designs, according to a memo … Continue reading →

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San Antonio to install rainbow sidewalks

Posted on January 10, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t have rainbow crosswalks, so this will have to do. The City of San Antonio has started preparing the sidewalks on N. Main Avenue to be painted in rainbow colors. The decision comes after the city was forced to remove … Continue reading →

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Who wants to take a “luxury commuter van” ride?

Posted on January 10, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I dunno. Houstonians now have a new way to hop between cities, and it comes with Wi-Fi, leather seats, and a guaranteed Buc-ee’s stop. On November 17, mobility startup Shutto launched its luxury van service connecting San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, offering … Continue reading →

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Fort Worth enters the driverless truck space

Posted on December 29, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Noted for the record. Hundreds of driverless trucks will be on Fort Worth-area roads soon following the creation of a new statewide route to El Paso. The push for more autonomous vehicles in North Texas comes as the Fort Worth … Continue reading →

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On e-bikes

Posted on December 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I’m keeping an eye on this. E-bike of Colorado sales manager Perry Fletcher said his sales and repair shop saw an increase in back-to-school sales to young riders and families this fall as the popularity of the battery-powered bicycles revs … Continue reading →

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Tesla robotaxi crash frequency

Posted on December 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of note. Tesla’s 29 Austin Robotaxis have been involved in eight crashes since they launched in June, Electrek reports, citing National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data you can download here. Those crashes for the most part involved property damage, and only in … Continue reading →

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Metro reverses course on Evolve for microtransit

Posted on December 21, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Insert record scratch sound here. Metro officials dropped plans to spend an additional $4.1 million on a microtransit pilot program overseen by Evolve Houston, a nonprofit organization previously led by Metro Chairperson Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock. The move was a sharp … Continue reading →

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Time for another Lone Star Rail update

Posted on December 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Because I will always write about Lone Star Rail updates. As Travis County Judge Andy Brown runs for reelection, one of his top campaign priorities is building a train between Austin and San Antonio. “You want trains; I want to … Continue reading →

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San Antonio rainbow crosswalk appeal denied

Posted on December 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise. The Texas Department of Transportation has denied the City of San Antonio’s request to keep the pride district’s rainbow crosswalks after Gov. Greg Abbott’s order to remove “any and all political ideologies” from Texas streets. In an Oct. 8 news release from … Continue reading →

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Finally some numbers on Evolv microtransit

Posted on December 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I appreciate that we got even this much, but there are still many questions about this service. After more than one year and $1 million of Metro funding, the shuttles – operated via Evolve Houston – have delivered fewer than 100,000 trips. … Continue reading →

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Keep lowering those flying taxi expectations for the World Cup

Posted on December 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Basically, don’t expect anything at this point. Arlington won’t have flying taxis in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as city leaders had hoped last year. Arlington Mayor Jim Ross first announced the city was partnering with a startup … Continue reading →

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Metro to spend millions on microtransit

Posted on December 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I continue to have problems with this. Metro may boost its spending to $6 million for microtransit services managed by a nonprofit organization that didn’t have to bid on a competitive contract — and was previously led by Metro Board … Continue reading →

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Waymo and school buses

Posted on December 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is a real problem. In November, on Austin’s South First Street, cameras caught a Waymo automated vehicle drive past an Austin Independent School District school bus’ flashing stop signs. At first, the driverless car stopped while a student crossed … Continue reading →

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Uber robotaxi service debuts in Dallas

Posted on December 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Now in two Texas cities. Beginning Wednesday, when you call an Uber, you may be matched with an autonomous robotaxi, thanks to the rideshare platform’s partnership with Avride. To get a ride from the robots, you just call an Uber … Continue reading →

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The rainbow crosswalk ban comes for student artwork

Posted on November 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Every day and in every way, this gets dumber and dumber. Two crosswalks painted by students in Bedford will be removed this month, in line with a new Texas state policy banning “non-standard surface markings, signage, and signals that do not directly support … Continue reading →

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Waymo coming to Houston, Zoox doing demos in San Francisco

Posted on November 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

A twofer here, beginning with the local news. You may have spotted Waymo’s self-driving cars across Houston since the company began testing in the city earlier this year. Now, the autonomous ride-hailing service is preparing to take off the training … Continue reading →

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Scooter curfew enacted

Posted on November 21, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I guess I’m mostly OK with this. The Houston City Council voted Wednesday to establish a citywide curfew on electric scooter use and rentals between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m., citing what officials called a growing public safety risk downtown. … Continue reading →

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The rainbow crosswalk ban comes for Buddy Holly

Posted on November 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. An order from Gov. Greg Abbott has made rainbow crosswalks celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride disappear across Texas. But Abbott’s directive also has one of Lubbock, Texas’ most famous residents catching strays. As part of Abbott and … Continue reading →

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Tesla robotaxis are coming to Houston

Posted on November 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Eventually. Real Soon Now. When Elon gets around to it. Tesla plans to bring its driverless robotaxi service to Houston, following CEO Elon Musk’s announcement that safety drivers will be phased out in Austin by the end of 2025. Musk … Continue reading →

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San Antonio and Dallas to fight the rainbow crosswalk ban

Posted on November 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them! San Antonio has formally asked the Texas Department of Transportation to approve an exemption allowing the city to keep its rainbow-colored crosswalks at North Main Avenue and East Evergreen Street, arguing that the intersection has become safer … Continue reading →

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Metro restores signal priority to the Main Street line

Posted on November 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Thank prime. But what took them so long? Metro officials restored signal priority Wednesday to the Red Line light rail in downtown Houston following weeks of pushback from riders who complained about the sluggish pace of the route. “These adjustments … Continue reading →

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The secret plan to slow down the Main Street Line

Posted on November 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I can’t believe we have to deal with this shit. Newly obtained emails show that Houston’s decision to remove signal priority for downtown MetroRail trains may have been fueled by politics, and that city officials made the change despite internal concerns about … Continue reading →

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Where the rainbow crosswalk ends

Posted on November 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is deeply stupid and deadly serious at the same time. At the intersection of North Main Avenue and West Evergreen Street just north of downtown San Antonio, semi-faded rainbows connect each street corner in place of standard, white crosswalks. … Continue reading →

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Elon Musk once again makes a full self-driving promise

Posted on October 31, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Death, taxes, etc. During the Tesla Q3 earnings call, CEO Elon Musk revealed that, within the next few months, the company’s robotaxi service could begin operating without the safety monitors that currently ride in the front seat of all the … Continue reading →

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A different approach to Austin-San Antonio commuter rail

Posted on October 26, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Very interesting. Deeply flawed, as far as I can tell, but interesting. Travis County leaders are exploring new ways to connect Austin to San Antonio. On Tuesday morning, county commissioners approved a $124,953 study from HNTB, an engineering company, to … Continue reading →

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Metro makes its excuses

Posted on October 25, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Weak. Metro board chair Elizabeth Brock on Thursday stood by the agency’s decision to remove the Montrose rainbow crosswalk this week after a Houston resident asked why it was erased so quickly. “My primary concern is how quickly y’all allowed … Continue reading →

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