Transportation
Car Review: 2015 Toyota Prius
By Frank S. Washington
NNPA Columnist
DETROIT (NNPA) – The Toyota Prius has been around for 15 years. It was the first hybrid on the U.S. market and it caused most major manufacturers to develop hybrids of their own. In other words, the Prius aided by Toyota marketing mite, dragged the auto industry into gasoline electric power trains.
To celebrate its 15th year in the market, Toyota has developed a special edition. It comes in two colors: Absolutely Red or Blizzard Pear. There are 17-inch wheels with a dark metal finish. The interior is trimmed with black SofTex® seats and dark gray stitching. The special edition also has blue foot well illumination, dark chrome accents on the door grips, steering wheel and shifter. The side mirrors include turn signals.
We didn’t have the special edition and we didn’t need it. Our Prius was more than good enough. Our test vehicle got 51 mpg in the city, 48 mpg on the highway and 50 mpg combined. It had the same amount of interior space as a midsize sedan.
We had the Prius Three model; the nameplate has grown to include four models. In addition to the Three, there is a Two, Four and the Five. Although our test car had the interior room of a midsize sedan, at 176.4-inches bumper to bumper it could get into compact only parking spaces. But because of its 93.7 cu. ft. of interior space and 21.6 cu. ft. of trunk space, it is classified as a midsize car by the EPA.
But those are numbers. They give no indication of the ambience of the Prius Three’s interior. It was spacious, stately and it was silent, an attribute of a quality build. The instrument panel was embedded at the base of the windshield in the dashboard. There was a speedometer and readout for the hybrid system that let the driver know when the car was charging, exerting energy and what was its driving mode.
It was spacious in the back seats, too. They had what felt like lower lumbar supports. There was plenty head space. For two people there was plenty of room but try and squeeze three adults in the back seats and it would be just that – a squeeze.
The Prius’ hybrid system combined a 1.8-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine and an electric motor. Together they generated 134 horsepower and the car had a continuously variable transmission. Our test car could run on the gasoline engine alone, the battery alone or a combination of the two.
This car almost demands a demure drive. Acceleration wasn’t blistering by any means. But if you know the personality of what you’re driving, then you know aggressive posturing in the Prius is a waste of time. It doesn’t have the oomph to pull it off. Regenerative braking recaptured energy when decelerating and sent it to the battery. Toyota said he helped reduce fuel consumption. The exhaust heat recirculation system reduced heat waste by warming engine coolant during cold startup, although it wasn’t really cold during our test drive.
There were four driving modes: Normal, POWER, ECO and EV. Toyota said, “POWER mode increases sensitivity to throttle input for a sportier feel; ECO mode helps drivers enhance fuel economy by adjusting throttle input and climate control. In EV mode, the Prius can drive on battery power alone at low speeds for about a mile.”
The Prius looks like, well, a Prius. It had an arc shaped profile featuring sharp edges. The car had a drag coefficient of 0.25, another factor that aided fuel consumption. It had an aluminum hood, rear hatch (it was a five-seat hatchback), front stabilizer bar and brake calipers to save weight.
By using super high strength steel (it is lighter and stronger than normal steel) in the inner rocker panel, the center pillar and roof enforcement, the car weighed 3,042 lbs. That’s sport car light.
Our test vehicle was full of creature comforts. It had a moonroof, satellite radio, Toyota’s Entune system with its suite of subscription free apps, Bluetooth, USB and auxiliary ports and voice recognition.
As the cost of well-equipped small cars has climbed, our 2015 Toyota Prius Three’s $28,315 does not seem like the hybrid premium price that it once did.
Frank S. Washington is editor of AboutThatCar.com.
###
Business
Fate of Bay Area Public Transit Hinges on Regional Transit Measure
Voters in five Bay Area counties will decide the fate of a regional sales tax measure on Nov. 3 that could determine the future of local public transportation. If approved, the Regional Transit Measure would implement new sales taxes in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Francisco counties starting in 2027. The funding aims to address massive financial deficits facing agencies like BART and Muni, providing nearly $1 billion annually to prevent station closures and service cuts. Read more.
On Nov. 3, voters in five Bay Area counties will vote on a regional sales tax measure that, if it fails, could prompt local transit agencies to close train stations and cut bus service.
If passed, the Regional Transit Measure, or RTM, will impose a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties as well as a one-cent sales tax in San Francisco starting April 2027.
The tax would raise an estimated $980 million annually for 14 years to fund the region’s public transit agencies, which are struggling with massive financial deficits. Revenue would go to BART, Muni, Caltrain, Alameda-Contra Costa Transit, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, the San Francisco Bay Ferry, Golden Gate Transit, and other transportation agencies operating in the five counties.
In California, a regional measure for a new sales tax would normally require a two-thirds majority approval if the state Legislature directly places it on a ballot. Transit advocates, however, chose to collect signatures to make the sales tax a citizen-initiated ballot measure that would lower the threshold to a simple majority of votes cast across the five counties.
The RTM received more than 241,000 signatures, exceeding the 186,000-signature threshold required to qualify for the ballot.
Commentary
Why AC Transit Director Joel Young is My Choice for AC Transit Board Ward 3
Former AC Transit Director Patrisha Piras is endorsing incumbent Joel Young for the AC Transit Board of Directors, Ward 3. Piras highlights Young’s tenure as the longest-serving member of the current board and his role in securing over $600 million in funding for the district. Young has previously served as board president and is credited with advancing clean-energy initiatives and workforce development programs. Piras cites his institutional knowledge as vital for navigating current financial challenges to ensure regional connectivity. Find out why Young is being recommended for another term.
As a former AC Transit Director for more than a decade, I know firsthand what it takes to serve effectively on the AC Transit Board. That is why I am proud to endorse Joel Young for election to the AC Transit Board of Directors, Ward 3.
Joel’s dedication to AC Transit and the communities they serve has been unmatched. Throughout his years on the Board, he has been a tireless advocate for riders, employees, and residents who depend on reliable, affordable public transportation every day. The majority of his colleagues have shown their trust, respect, and confidence in him by electing him as Board president.
As the longest-serving member of AC Transit’s current Board, Joel has played a pivotal role in securing more than $600 million in funding for the District, advancing clean-energy transit initiatives, strengthening workforce development programs, and helping position AC Transit as a national leader in innovation and sustainability. His leadership has extended beyond the Bay Area, representing AC Transit on the national stage and advocating successfully for investments that strengthen public transportation across the country, even with the current federal administration.
At a time when transit agencies face significant financial and operational challenges, Joel brings the experience, institutional knowledge, and steady leadership needed to help guide AC Transit forward. He understands that public transportation is about more than buses and infrastructure. It is about connecting people to jobs, schools, health care, and opportunity while ensuring that our communities remain accessible and economically vibrant.
Joel Young has a proven record of working with others to deliver results, protect transit service, and fight for the resources needed to meet the evolving needs of our region. His dedication, leadership, and commitment to public service make him exceptionally qualified to represent AC Transit Ward 3.
I strongly endorse Joel Young for the AC Transit Board of Directors and encourage Ward 3 voters to support his election by Nov. 3.
Patrisha “Pat” Piras is a former AC Transit director.
Featured
Opponents Smear Effective African American Transit Director as Election Nears
Incumbent Joel Young is defending his seat on the AC Transit Board against allegations of harassment stemming from a public interaction in 2026. Supporters of the director cite his record of securing $600 million for bus services and leading civil rights initiatives as evidence of his effectiveness. They argue the accusations regarding a group photo interaction have been politically weaponized by opponents to influence the Ward 3 election.
I am an academic and a community activist. I take women’s issues, including workplace harassment and discrimination, seriously. I have been following the AC Transit Ward 3 election and have become concerned about what I believe is a serious injustice.
Joel Young is an effective AC Transit director. He has secured more than $600 million for local bus service and fare affordability. He led the Freedom Bus Project, integrating civil rights history, art and transit. He was presiding over the board of AC transit when it won the 2023 Outstanding Public System Award, and he raised $1 million for the hydrogen fuel cell bus program. These are just a few of his accomplishments.
I reviewed the allegations of unwanted physical contact and harassment made by AC Transit Director Sarah Syed against Director Joel Young, I believe the events of Sept. 24, 2025, have been characterized in a way that does not accurately reflect what occurred.
That interaction took place during a group photo after celebrating the life of a longtime Board member who passed away. From the video I reviewed, it appears that individuals were consoling one another and exchanging hugs in a public setting surrounded by numerous witnesses.
Young’s interaction with Syed appears consistent with those expressions of sympathy and it appears that Young was attempting to extend a gesture of goodwill toward Syed.
I am concerned by how this incident has been recently used as a political tool to influence the outcome of the AC Transit Ward 3 election and support Young’s opponent.
Syed and her supporters launched a targeted political campaign, first through the Alameda County Democratic Party and subsequently by organizing a letter from a group of majority-white elected officials who have endorsed Young’s opponent against Young, who is Africa American.
Furthermore, this manufactured controversy distracts voters from the critical issues facing AC Transit. The public deserves a substantive debate on service reliability, ridership recovery, passenger and operator safety, financial stability, regional equity, and future transportation infrastructure. The electorate should be evaluating which candidate possesses the judgment, experience, and vision to lead AC Transit forward – not reacting to a distorted personal interaction.
Regardless of one’s political views or preferred candidate, allegations of harassment should never be weaponized for electoral purposes. We all know that exaggerated or unsupported accusations can undermine public understanding of, and trust in, efforts to address genuine sexual harassment and violence.
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Transportation
Car Review: 2015 Toyota Prius
By Frank S. Washington
NNPA Columnist
DETROIT (NNPA) – The Toyota Prius has been around for 15 years. It was the first hybrid on the U.S. market and it caused most major manufacturers to develop hybrids of their own. In other words, the Prius aided by Toyota marketing mite, dragged the auto industry into gasoline electric power trains.
To celebrate its 15th year in the market, Toyota has developed a special edition. It comes in two colors: Absolutely Red or Blizzard Pear. There are 17-inch wheels with a dark metal finish. The interior is trimmed with black SofTex® seats and dark gray stitching. The special edition also has blue foot well illumination, dark chrome accents on the door grips, steering wheel and shifter. The side mirrors include turn signals.
We didn’t have the special edition and we didn’t need it. Our Prius was more than good enough. Our test vehicle got 51 mpg in the city, 48 mpg on the highway and 50 mpg combined. It had the same amount of interior space as a midsize sedan.
We had the Prius Three model; the nameplate has grown to include four models. In addition to the Three, there is a Two, Four and the Five. Although our test car had the interior room of a midsize sedan, at 176.4-inches bumper to bumper it could get into compact only parking spaces. But because of its 93.7 cu. ft. of interior space and 21.6 cu. ft. of trunk space, it is classified as a midsize car by the EPA.
But those are numbers. They give no indication of the ambience of the Prius Three’s interior. It was spacious, stately and it was silent, an attribute of a quality build. The instrument panel was embedded at the base of the windshield in the dashboard. There was a speedometer and readout for the hybrid system that let the driver know when the car was charging, exerting energy and what was its driving mode.
It was spacious in the back seats, too. They had what felt like lower lumbar supports. There was plenty head space. For two people there was plenty of room but try and squeeze three adults in the back seats and it would be just that – a squeeze.
The Prius’ hybrid system combined a 1.8-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine and an electric motor. Together they generated 134 horsepower and the car had a continuously variable transmission. Our test car could run on the gasoline engine alone, the battery alone or a combination of the two.
This car almost demands a demure drive. Acceleration wasn’t blistering by any means. But if you know the personality of what you’re driving, then you know aggressive posturing in the Prius is a waste of time. It doesn’t have the oomph to pull it off. Regenerative braking recaptured energy when decelerating and sent it to the battery. Toyota said he helped reduce fuel consumption. The exhaust heat recirculation system reduced heat waste by warming engine coolant during cold startup, although it wasn’t really cold during our test drive.
There were four driving modes: Normal, POWER, ECO and EV. Toyota said, “POWER mode increases sensitivity to throttle input for a sportier feel; ECO mode helps drivers enhance fuel economy by adjusting throttle input and climate control. In EV mode, the Prius can drive on battery power alone at low speeds for about a mile.”
The Prius looks like, well, a Prius. It had an arc shaped profile featuring sharp edges. The car had a drag coefficient of 0.25, another factor that aided fuel consumption. It had an aluminum hood, rear hatch (it was a five-seat hatchback), front stabilizer bar and brake calipers to save weight.
By using super high strength steel (it is lighter and stronger than normal steel) in the inner rocker panel, the center pillar and roof enforcement, the car weighed 3,042 lbs. That’s sport car light.
Our test vehicle was full of creature comforts. It had a moonroof, satellite radio, Toyota’s Entune system with its suite of subscription free apps, Bluetooth, USB and auxiliary ports and voice recognition.
As the cost of well-equipped small cars has climbed, our 2015 Toyota Prius Three’s $28,315 does not seem like the hybrid premium price that it once did.
Frank S. Washington is editor of AboutThatCar.com.
###
Business
Fate of Bay Area Public Transit Hinges on Regional Transit Measure
Voters in five Bay Area counties will decide the fate of a regional sales tax measure on Nov. 3 that could determine the future of local public transportation. If approved, the Regional Transit Measure would implement new sales taxes in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Francisco counties starting in 2027. The funding aims to address massive financial deficits facing agencies like BART and Muni, providing nearly $1 billion annually to prevent station closures and service cuts. Read more.
On Nov. 3, voters in five Bay Area counties will vote on a regional sales tax measure that, if it fails, could prompt local transit agencies to close train stations and cut bus service.
If passed, the Regional Transit Measure, or RTM, will impose a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties as well as a one-cent sales tax in San Francisco starting April 2027.
The tax would raise an estimated $980 million annually for 14 years to fund the region’s public transit agencies, which are struggling with massive financial deficits. Revenue would go to BART, Muni, Caltrain, Alameda-Contra Costa Transit, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, the San Francisco Bay Ferry, Golden Gate Transit, and other transportation agencies operating in the five counties.
In California, a regional measure for a new sales tax would normally require a two-thirds majority approval if the state Legislature directly places it on a ballot. Transit advocates, however, chose to collect signatures to make the sales tax a citizen-initiated ballot measure that would lower the threshold to a simple majority of votes cast across the five counties.
The RTM received more than 241,000 signatures, exceeding the 186,000-signature threshold required to qualify for the ballot.
Commentary
Why AC Transit Director Joel Young is My Choice for AC Transit Board Ward 3
Former AC Transit Director Patrisha Piras is endorsing incumbent Joel Young for the AC Transit Board of Directors, Ward 3. Piras highlights Young’s tenure as the longest-serving member of the current board and his role in securing over $600 million in funding for the district. Young has previously served as board president and is credited with advancing clean-energy initiatives and workforce development programs. Piras cites his institutional knowledge as vital for navigating current financial challenges to ensure regional connectivity. Find out why Young is being recommended for another term.
As a former AC Transit Director for more than a decade, I know firsthand what it takes to serve effectively on the AC Transit Board. That is why I am proud to endorse Joel Young for election to the AC Transit Board of Directors, Ward 3.
Joel’s dedication to AC Transit and the communities they serve has been unmatched. Throughout his years on the Board, he has been a tireless advocate for riders, employees, and residents who depend on reliable, affordable public transportation every day. The majority of his colleagues have shown their trust, respect, and confidence in him by electing him as Board president.
As the longest-serving member of AC Transit’s current Board, Joel has played a pivotal role in securing more than $600 million in funding for the District, advancing clean-energy transit initiatives, strengthening workforce development programs, and helping position AC Transit as a national leader in innovation and sustainability. His leadership has extended beyond the Bay Area, representing AC Transit on the national stage and advocating successfully for investments that strengthen public transportation across the country, even with the current federal administration.
At a time when transit agencies face significant financial and operational challenges, Joel brings the experience, institutional knowledge, and steady leadership needed to help guide AC Transit forward. He understands that public transportation is about more than buses and infrastructure. It is about connecting people to jobs, schools, health care, and opportunity while ensuring that our communities remain accessible and economically vibrant.
Joel Young has a proven record of working with others to deliver results, protect transit service, and fight for the resources needed to meet the evolving needs of our region. His dedication, leadership, and commitment to public service make him exceptionally qualified to represent AC Transit Ward 3.
I strongly endorse Joel Young for the AC Transit Board of Directors and encourage Ward 3 voters to support his election by Nov. 3.
Patrisha “Pat” Piras is a former AC Transit director.
Featured
Opponents Smear Effective African American Transit Director as Election Nears
Incumbent Joel Young is defending his seat on the AC Transit Board against allegations of harassment stemming from a public interaction in 2026. Supporters of the director cite his record of securing $600 million for bus services and leading civil rights initiatives as evidence of his effectiveness. They argue the accusations regarding a group photo interaction have been politically weaponized by opponents to influence the Ward 3 election.
I am an academic and a community activist. I take women’s issues, including workplace harassment and discrimination, seriously. I have been following the AC Transit Ward 3 election and have become concerned about what I believe is a serious injustice.
Joel Young is an effective AC Transit director. He has secured more than $600 million for local bus service and fare affordability. He led the Freedom Bus Project, integrating civil rights history, art and transit. He was presiding over the board of AC transit when it won the 2023 Outstanding Public System Award, and he raised $1 million for the hydrogen fuel cell bus program. These are just a few of his accomplishments.
I reviewed the allegations of unwanted physical contact and harassment made by AC Transit Director Sarah Syed against Director Joel Young, I believe the events of Sept. 24, 2025, have been characterized in a way that does not accurately reflect what occurred.
That interaction took place during a group photo after celebrating the life of a longtime Board member who passed away. From the video I reviewed, it appears that individuals were consoling one another and exchanging hugs in a public setting surrounded by numerous witnesses.
Young’s interaction with Syed appears consistent with those expressions of sympathy and it appears that Young was attempting to extend a gesture of goodwill toward Syed.
I am concerned by how this incident has been recently used as a political tool to influence the outcome of the AC Transit Ward 3 election and support Young’s opponent.
Syed and her supporters launched a targeted political campaign, first through the Alameda County Democratic Party and subsequently by organizing a letter from a group of majority-white elected officials who have endorsed Young’s opponent against Young, who is Africa American.
Furthermore, this manufactured controversy distracts voters from the critical issues facing AC Transit. The public deserves a substantive debate on service reliability, ridership recovery, passenger and operator safety, financial stability, regional equity, and future transportation infrastructure. The electorate should be evaluating which candidate possesses the judgment, experience, and vision to lead AC Transit forward – not reacting to a distorted personal interaction.
Regardless of one’s political views or preferred candidate, allegations of harassment should never be weaponized for electoral purposes. We all know that exaggerated or unsupported accusations can undermine public understanding of, and trust in, efforts to address genuine sexual harassment and violence.
-
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COMMENTARY: Valarie Bachelor and Jennifer Brouhard are Excellent School Board Members and Deserve to Be Reelected
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HISTORY MADE: Keisha Lance Bottoms Becomes First Black Woman Elected Governor in American History
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SEIU Local 1000 and State of California Will Continue to Negotiate New Labor Contract
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It’s Time to Lose Weight Before the Holidays
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