Rephonic
Artwork for The War on Cars

The War on Cars

The War on Cars, LLC
Public Transit
New York City
Urban Planning
Car Culture
Congestion Pricing
Public Transportation
Climate Change
Transportation Policy
Car Dependency
Urban Mobility
Transportation
Cleverhood
Cycling
Electric Vehicles
Road Safety
Life After Cars
Austin
Motonormativity
Houston
Safe Streets Advocacy

The War on Cars brings you news, commentary and stories about the worldwide battle to undo a century's worth of damage wrought by the automobile.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes251Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureNewsNews Commentary

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The War on Cars

Latest Episodes

***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, presale tickets to live shows, and more, become a Patreon supporter of Th... more

***We're taking a quick summer break this week so we're releasing this recent Patreon bonus episode into the general feed. We hope you enjoy it as a taste of what you can get if you sign up to support The War on Cars. We'll be back soon with another ... more

Jarrett Walker's career has been dedicated to improving the quality of public transit in the United States and beyond. A specialist in bus network design, he has led transit planning projects around North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand f... more

***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, presale tickets to live shows and more, become a Patreon supporter of The... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Volts
VoltsDavid Roberts
99% Invisible
99% InvisibleRoman Mars
If Books Could Kill
If Books Could KillMichael Hobbes & Peter Shamshiri

Recent Guests

Eric McClure
Executive Director, StreetsPAC
StreetsPAC
Episode: Let's Get Political [Re-release]
Kyle Lucas
Executive Director, Better Streets Chicago
Better Streets Chicago
Episode: Let's Get Political [Re-release]
Alex Nelson
Strategic Advisor, Better Streets Chicago Action Fund
Better Streets Chicago Action Fund
Episode: Let's Get Political [Re-release]
Kevin Bing
Co-founder and Executive Director, StreetsPAC NJ
StreetsPAC NJ
Episode: Let's Get Political [Re-release]
Jarrett Walker
International consultant in public transit network design and policy; author of Human Transit
Jarrett Walker and Associates
Episode: Human Transit with Jarrett Walker
Adam Tranter
Former cycling and walking commissioner for the West Midlands; founder and CEO of Fusion Media
Fusion Media / West Midlands Combined Authority
Episode: PREVIEW: Bike is Best with Adam Tranter
Zeb Gordon
Special guest; son of the hosts
Personal guest on Cleverhood segment
Episode: Final Dispatches from Book Tour
Michael Pollack
Professor of law and associate dean for faculty development at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Harvard Press
Episode: Sidewalk Nation
Ian Loader
Professor at University of Oxford, criminology expert
University of Oxford, Cyclokz
Episode: Rethinking Criminal Consequences for Drivers Who Kill

Hosts

Doug Gordon
Host of The War on Cars
Sarah Goodyear
Co-host of The War on Cars

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 2k ratings
  • I listen to it.

    I listened to War On Cars in my car when I first got into podcasts. I thought it was interesting. Then I moved to a city with great transit options and now consider it prophetic. I knew driving was a chore, but I didn’t know how much I hated it until I lived somewhere where bikes, subways, buses, and even just plain walking places was so much better. Everything they say sounds nutty when you’ve only known car culture, until you live in a city that makes you realize how senseless turning our soci... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Eric Swedberg
    United States3 months ago
  • Kind of a mixed bag as a podcast. Some of the interviews they've done have been really insightful and educational, often the ones that are more sociological or historical in nature. Hearing about political activism around the world is interesting. But too often they focus on New York City politics without really motivating why the things at NYC might have relevance/interest elsewhere, and just kind of take it for granted that people would care about NYC and I'm afraid I just don't. (Sorry. I've ... more

    Podchaser
    4
    E
    6 months ago
  • Easy listening

    I listen to this all day at work, instead of my music!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    GearKing
    United States7 months ago
  • GOATED

    I’m joining the war on cars. Too many innocents have been lost for the profit margins of the automotive industry.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CadeBurd7896
    United States7 months ago
  • Surprise, surprise

    Why am I surprised to learn we were manipulated by corporate America to depend on cars.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bettie Davis Eyes
    United States7 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listener reviews highlight the show's impact on urban policy thinking and public discourse.
Shows breadth of perspectives from advocates, academics, and officials.
Engaging guests and strong host rapport make complex urban issues accessible.

Top Society & Culture Podcasts

This American Life
This American LifeThis American Life
Stuff You Should Know
Stuff You Should KnowiHeartPodcasts
The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein ShowNew York Times Opinion
Notes from the Edge
Notes from the EdgeGamut Podcast Network
If Books Could Kill
If Books Could KillMichael Hobbes & Peter Shamshiri
Modern Wisdom
Modern WisdomChris Williamson

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Rethinking Criminal Consequences for Drivers Who Kill
Q: What does it mean to disassemble dangerous actants in practice?
It means treating the driver–car combination as a single risky agent (an actant) and implementing safety measures like licensing, vehicle tech improvements, and environmental design to prevent harm before punitive measures are used.
Taking the Transportation Fight to Congress from NY-7
Q: How would you handle opposition in Congress to changing funding formulas or expanding transit investment?
By building coalitions with urban representatives, finding common ground on infrastructure, and leveraging successful local programs (like congestion pricing) as proof of concept to persuade other states and districts.
Taking the Transportation Fight to Congress from NY-7
Q: What specific steps would you take to secure more federal funds for transit and biking infrastructure in New York City?
The guest argues for changing federal formula-based funding to reflect city ridership, prioritizing operations, and pursuing national coalitions with other urban lawmakers to push for a larger transit budget.
Streets for Play, Streets for Freedom
Q: Why do you describe the proposed approach as radical, and what does it aim to change about our cities?
It reframes streets as spaces for children to explore, move, and learn, prioritizing their health, safety, and independence over cars, with the aim of healthier, more connected communities for everyone.
Tony Kushner on The Pushcart War
Q: How do the themes of power, oppression, and community in the book relate to today's urban and political climate?
Kushner connects the book's street-level activism to contemporary struggles around power structures, social justice, and community organizing, with parallels to current political rhetoric and real-world movements.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The War on Cars

What is The War on Cars about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thought-provoking show centered on urban mobility, transit advocacy, and the social costs of car-dominated cities. Across episodes, listeners hear from activists, planners, lawmakers, artists, and researchers who critique car-centric planning and champion safer, more livable streets, often through policy, community organizing, and public engagement. Notable strengths include a clear mission, data-informed debates, and a willingness to feature diverse perspectives—from grassroots organizers to academic experts—alongside personal stories that humanize infrastructure debates. The program frequently ties transport issues to equity, safety, and quality of life, making it a standout for listeners who want practical insights on making cities wor... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The War on Cars?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The War on Cars. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The War on Cars and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The War on Cars get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The War on Cars, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The War on Cars?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The War on Cars, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The War on Cars have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The War on Cars has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The War on Cars?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The War on Cars:

1. The Strong Towns Podcast
2. Volts
3. 99% Invisible
4. Factually! with Adam Conover
5. If Books Could Kill

How many episodes of The War on Cars are there?

The War on Cars launched 8 years ago and published 251 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The War on Cars?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The War on Cars?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The War on Cars from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The War on Cars?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The War on Cars. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The War on Cars?

Recent guests on The War on Cars include:

1. Eric McClure
2. Kyle Lucas
3. Alex Nelson
4. Kevin Bing
5. Jarrett Walker
6. Adam Tranter
7. Zeb Gordon
8. Michael Pollack

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days