Holy hopper bottom, there’s new hope on the horizon! Last week the US House of Representatives passed a six-year $325 billion transportation bill ($261 billion for highways and $55 billion for transit). However – you knew there would be a “however” – although it approves six years of badly-needed projects, it only funds the bill for three years....

So, this morning I was so irritated because I couldn't get into the 7-11 parking lot. I mean, I needed my Diet Mountain Dew for goodness' sake, and I needed it now! Stupid truck. Blocking the whole parking lot and making me drive around the corner to park on the street. On the street! Like a nobody! I...

On Wednesday, October 21, 2015, the future will officially arrive. Back in 1985, Marty McFly and Doc Brown engaged a DeLorian’s flux capacitor in the film Back to the Future and launched into (what is as of this morning our literal) tomorrow. The control panel reads 4:29pm, which, since Hill Valley is in California, is Pacific Daylight time,...

Many of us spend a lot of time behind the wheel.   Over the past year, I have been acutely aware of what goes on while people are behind the wheel on the roads in and around Los Angeles. Not only because of the folks who make my blood boil by cutting off other 4-wheel vehicles and, worse...

(above: BPTS editor Michael Horwitz and assistant editor Matt Barton set up shop in the newly christened BPTS edit bay.)   On September 28th we broke the proverbial champagne bottle across the bow of our new edit bay, and set sail on a voyage deep into the heart of documentary storytelling. This christening would not have been possible without...

Nice to meet you, Be Prepared To Stop friends! As co-producer of BPTS (the production’s Sweeper if you will) I am honored to be working with the incredibly talented Jennifer Clymer and Marijane Miller on a topic near and dear to my heart, The Road.   During my childhood, The Road played the part of the mysterious “uncle,” (the...

You may have heard that there was a debate last week at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California. You also may have heard that numerous Republican candidates spoke out on important issues, had clever comebacks, and scored some points with various voter blocs. What you didn’t hear was anyone talking about infrastructure. No one. Not a peep....

It’s National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. Fantastic! But it seems a bit limited when it comes to gratitude sharing. For instance, you could realistically thank several truck drivers every single day when your mail arrives. Think about it. That birthday card you got from crazy Aunt Dora (after all, your birthday isn’t until next March) came across country...

It’s easy to get stuck in the rut of talking about the poor state of our roads, both in terms of physical structure and ever-worsening congestion. After all, that’s the issue that first grabbed us here at Be Prepared to Stop. But hand-in-hand with that came our concern about safety. We can talk from now until next Christmas...

Three weeks ago we took a little trip to the future by way of Portland and Daimler Trucks North America. You may know them as the folks who came up with the SuperTruck and the autonomous Inspiration Truck. We now know them as those guys with the kick ass wind tunnel.   If you think about it, the basic...