Yeah, it’s mainly a US problem. Local governments were structured to rely on sales tax revenue and had massive budget shortfalls when remote work took off. While remote work is better for the environment and employee mental health, but it was detrimental to the local economies, so many cities started mandating returning to office instead of reevaluating how our cities are structured/zones. Currently they’re not as much places to live as they are paces to conduct business, then commute back to suburbs to live. It’s fucked and our politicians are bought/paid for by the entrenched industries that got us into this mess in the first place. Maybe we’ll do better post balkanization of the empire.

Both is good. With the exception of NYC, most light rail and bus networks are focused on commuter traffic in the US and trying to go anywhere other than downtown and back home is a struggle. Crosstown routes are rare or require several changes and 2-3 hrs vs 15-30 minutes by car or bicycle.

Maybe something on rails to cover large distances between cities and towns, or like a really big car that can fit 50-100 people. If only such things existed…

Not to mention the economic terrorism remote workers are performing every day by not going out to lunch and happy hours in dismal chain restaurants concentrated in business districts we call downtowns. Will no body think of the shareholders?!