Washington D.C. – The Institute for Progress (IFP) has announced the launch of its "Transit Policy Playbook," a new initiative aimed at crowdsourcing federal transit ideas to influence legislation and executive action. The think tank is collaborating with prominent writer and policy analyst Matthew Yglesias on the project, which seeks actionable proposals to improve America's transit infrastructure.
The initiative, as stated by Alec Stapp on social media, involves a call for federal transit ideas that "can move the needle through legislation or executive action." This effort is designed to generate concrete policy memos that can be utilized by policymakers.
The IFP, a non-partisan think tank based in Washington D.C., focuses on accelerating scientific, technological, and industrial progress. Their work often involves engaging with policymakers across the political spectrum to facilitate future-oriented development in the United States. The Transit Policy Playbook is modeled after their successful "Techno-Industrial Policy Playbook."
Matthew Yglesias, a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion and author of the Slow Boring blog, is known for his detailed analysis of policy issues, including urban planning and transit. His involvement underscores the project's aim to bridge academic insights with practical policy implementation, often advocating for cost-effective and ridership-focused transit solutions.
Selected proposals for the Playbook will be developed into detailed policy memos, published within the Playbook, and their authors will receive a $2,000 honorarium. This incentive aims to attract diverse and innovative ideas from individuals with deep knowledge of the transit sector. The initiative comes as Congress is expected to reauthorize surface transportation programs in 2026, positioning the Playbook to shape future transit policy discussions.