Freakonomics Radio

It boosts economic opportunity and social mobility. It’s good for the environment. So why do we charge people to use it? The short answer: it’s complicated. Also: We talk to the man who gets half the nation’s mass-transit riders where they want to go (most of the time).    SOURCES: * Marcus Finbom [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-finbom-4b450014a/], traffic planner in Stockholm, Sweden. * Robbie Makinen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbie-makinen-829534249/], former president and C.E.O. of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. * Janno Lieber [https://new.mta.info/people/janno-lieber], chair and C.E.O. of the M.T.A. in New York City. * Brian Taylor [https://luskin.ucla.edu/person/brian-d-taylor], professor of urban planning and public policy and director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at U.C.L.A. * Shashi Verma [https://www.centreforlondon.org/person/shashi-verma/], director of strategy and C.T.O. at Transport for London. * Michelle Wu [https://www.boston.gov/departments/mayors-office/michelle-wu], mayor of Boston.   RESOURCES: * "Free Bus Service Starts Sunday on 5 Routes in New York City [https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/22/nyregion/free-bus-nyc.html]," by Ana Ley (The New York Times, 2023). * “Vehicle Access and Falling Transit Ridership: Evidence From Southern California [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11116-021-10245-w],” by Michael Manville, Brian D. Taylor, Evelyn Blumenberg, and Andrew Schouten (Transportation, 2023). * “Route-28 Fare-Free Pilot Evaluation: Summary Findings [https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/file/2022/03/Route28_Report_FINAL.pdf],” by the City of Boston Transportation (2022). * “Forget Fare Hikes — Make the T Free [https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2019/01/31/opinion-michelle-forget-fare-hikes-make-free/vJpKVu6Rft2C4Esi50mB5M/story.html],” by Michelle Wu (The Boston Globe, 2019). * Traffic Power Structure [https://amzn.to/3PSihMC], by Planka.nu (2016). * "The Impacts of Neighborhoods on Intergenerational Mobility: Childhood Exposure Effects and County-Level Estimates [http://www.equality-of-opportunity.org/images/nbhds_exec_summary.pdf]," by Raj Chetty and Nathaniel Hendren (NBER Working Paper, 2015). * "Fare, Free, or Something in Between? [https://www.worldtransitresearch.info/research/2553/]" by Jennifer S. Perone and Joel M. Volinski (World Transit Research, 2003). * Planka.Nu [https://planka.nu/eng/].   EXTRAS: * "Why Is the U.S. So Good at Killing Pedestrians? [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/why-is-the-u-s-so-good-at-killing-pedestrians/]" by Freakonomics Radio (2023). * "Should Public Transit Be Free? [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/should-public-transit-be-free/]" by Freakonomics Radio (2022). * “Should Traffic Lights Be Abolished? [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/should-traffic-lights-be-abolished-ep-454/]” by Freakonomics Radio (2021). * “The Perfect Crime [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/the-perfect-crime-2/],” by Freakonomics Radio (2014). * “Parking Is Hell [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/parking-is-hell/],” by Freakonomics Radio (2013).

Most industries have become more productive over time. But not construction! We identify the causes — and possible solutions. (Can you say ... “prefab”?)   RESOURCES: * "The Strange and Awful Path of Productivity in the US Construction Sector [https://bfi.uchicago.edu/working-paper/the-strange-and-awful-path-of-productivity-in-the-u-s-construction-sector/]," by Austan Goolsbee and Chad Syverson (BFI Working Paper, 2023). * "Infrastructure Costs [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3428675]," by Leah Brooks and Zachary D. Liscow (American Economic Journal: Applied, 2023). * "The Silicon Valley Elite Who Want to Build a City From Scratch [https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/25/business/land-purchases-solano-county.html]," by Conor Dougherty and Erin Griffith (The New York Times, 2023). * "A Decent Home [https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/A-Decent-Home-the-Report.pdf]," report by the President's Committee on Urban Housing (1968).   EXTRAS: * "Edward Glaeser Explains Why Some Cities Thrive While Others Fade Away [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/edward-glaeser-explains-why-some-cities-thrive-while-others-fade-away/]," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021). * "Why Are Cities (Still) So Expensive? [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/why-are-cities-still-so-expensive-ep-435/]" by Freakonomics Radio (2020).   SOURCES: * Vaughan Buckley [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vbuckley/], founder and C.E.O. of the Volumetric Building Companies. * Carrie Sturts Dossick [https://cm.be.uw.edu/people/carrie-dossick/], professor of construction management at the University of Washington. * Ed Glaeser [https://scholar.harvard.edu/glaeser/home], professor of economics and chair the economics department at Harvard University. * Michael Hough [https://www.linkedin.com/in/houghmichael/?originalSubdomain=ie], director of MJH Structural Engineers. * Ivan Rupnik [https://camd.northeastern.edu/faculty/ivan-rupnik/], professor of architecture at Northeastern University. * Chad Syverson [https://www.chicagobooth.edu/faculty/directory/s/chad-syverson], professor of economics at the University of Chicago.

Pro footballer and star podcaster Jason Kelce is ubiquitous right now (almost as ubiquitous as his brother and co-host Travis, who's been in the limelight for his relationship with Taylor Swift). After you hear this wide-ranging interview, you might want even more Kelce in your life.    RESOURCES: * “N.F.L. Player Team Report Cards [https://nflpa.com/nfl-player-team-report-cards],” by the National Football League Players Association (2023). * Kelce [https://amzn.to/3sZL8bZ], documentary (2023). * New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-heights-with-jason-and-travis-kelce/id1643745036], (produced by Wave Sports + Entertainment). EXTRAS: * "When Is a Superstar Just Another Employee? [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/when-is-a-superstar-just-another-employee/]" by Freakonomics Radio (2023). SOURCES: * Jason Kelce [https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/14124/jason-kelce], center for the Philadelphia Eagles.