The War on the War on Cars with Ted Mann

The War on the War on Cars with Ted Mann

Author: The War on Cars, LLC October 7, 2025 Duration: 38:16

In this episode, we talk about the Trump Administration's full-on financial assault on all the modes of transportation we hold dear here at The War on Cars. Biking, walking, public transit—basically, anything deemed "hostile to cars" or that has something to do with sustainability and equity is  under attack. Ted Mann, a reporter at Bloomberg News who has been covering the story, joins us to explain what is going on with federal transportation funding for active transportation projects and more.

You can find more of Ted's work here or follow him on Bluesky.

Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive exclusive access to ad-free versions of regular episodes, Patreon-only bonus content, Discord access, invitations to live events, merch discounts and free stickers!

***Our new book, Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves From the Tyranny of the Automobile, will be published on October 21, 2025 by Thesis, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Pre-order now.***

Find us on tour in San Francisco, Washington DC, Seattle, Vancouver, Portland, San Diego, Los Angeles and more. New dates are being added all the time.

The War on Cars is produced with the generous support of the Helen & William Mazer Foundation.

This episode was sponsored by Cleverhood and Upway. Listen for the latest discount codes.

www.lifeaftercars.com

 


Imagine a world not built around traffic jams and parking lots, but shaped for people. The War on Cars is a dispatch from the front lines of that effort, a collective conversation questioning the automobile’s dominance over our cities, our environment, and our daily lives. Each episode digs into the real-world fight to reclaim public space, examining everything from the politics of a new bike lane to the history of how cars came to rule. You’ll hear from urban planners, activists, historians, and ordinary people pushing back, offering a mix of sharp analysis, on-the-ground reporting, and compelling narratives. This isn’t just about transportation; it’s about the culture and societal choices that have led us here, and the tangible, often inspiring work to create safer, quieter, and more connected communities. Tune in for a thoughtful and necessary critique of the status quo, a podcast dedicated to the idea that our streets can-and should-be for so much more.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The War on Cars
Podcast Episodes
TEASER: Why Fighting Tesla Matters with Ed Niedermeyer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:13
This is a preview of a Patreon-exclusive bonus episode. For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, plus ad-free versions of regular episodes, merch discounts, pre-sale tickets to live shows and more, becom…
Inside the Tesla Takedown Protests [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:06
Since early February, a protest phenomenon has been building steadily across the United States, springing up at scores of Tesla dealerships from coast to coast. Organizers call it Tesla Takedown. It's remarkable in part…
Cars Bad, Tariffs Worse with David Zipper [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:08
Trump's on-again-off-again tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico are causing chaos across the entire economy, but they're hitting the auto industry especially hard. The big three U.S. automakers rely on an integrated…
Riding the UK's Cycle Network with Laura Laker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:09
Laura Laker is a London-based freelance journalist who specializes in writing about cycling and urban transport. We talked with her about the year she spent riding around Britain on the United Kingdom's 13,000-mile Natio…
Trump v. Congestion Pricing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:12
Can you believe this is our second emergency episode about congestion pricing? This time, we're responding to the Trump administration's attack on the program, which has been in effect since January, delivering exactly t…
What's Happening with Federal Transportation Dollars? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:41
The Trump administration has upended the entire United States government over the last several weeks, sending Elon Musk and his minions into the guts of pretty much every federal department in a crusade for what they're…
TEASER: Live with City Nerd! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:12
This is a preview of a Patreon-exclusive bonus episode. For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, plus ad-free versions of regular episodes, merch discounts, pre-sale tickets to live shows and more, becom…
Super Bowl Roundup with Rollie Williams and Nicole Conlan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:42
It's the CXLIVth episode of The War on Cars, and just like in years past we're taking a look at the ads that aired during the Super Bowl. This year, there weren't a whole lot of ads specifically designed to sell cars and…
RE-RELEASE: The High Cost of Free Parking with Donald Shoup [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:24
Donald Shoup, a towering figure in the world of urban planning and a distinguished professor emeritus at the UCLA Luskin School of Public affairs, died this week. He was 86 years old. As a tribute to such an influential,…