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Government officials, transit agencies get silly on social for April Fools’ Day – GWC Mag

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Government-run social media accounts are usually for public service announcements, legislative updates and warnings about weather or traffic. But on April 1, several city leaders and transit agencies posted something a little … different. 

Smart Cities Dive rounded up some of our favorite jokes posted by government agencies and officials on X, formerly known as Twitter. Did we miss a post? Send us the link at [email protected].

NYC’s Department of Transportation puts on a full face

It seems like everyone has their own makeup line these days — even New York City’s DOT. The city agency’s post takes the opportunity to remind drivers about no laughing matter: distracted driving.

And D.C.’s Metro spritzes on the scent

“Embark on a metropolitan journey of the senses.” That’s the opening line of this video, posted by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, which flashes between closeup shots of flowers blooming and buses driving on city streets in an ad for a faux fragrance. “Metreau de Parfum,” the video says in closing. “Never coming to a store near you.”  

From the mile-high city to the one-point-six-kilometer-high city

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston starts this video with such a straight face, you wouldn’t be blamed for momentarily thinking it’s true that the city is transitioning to the metric system. That is, until he reveals that Denver’s new nickname will no longer be the mile-high city but instead the 1.6-kilometer-high city. 

States poke fun at one another

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy fired shots at Pennsylvania with a post calling on his state’s legislature to create a fund to pay for driving lessons for Pennsylvania drivers.

But the Garden State was also on the receiving end of a joke by the State of New York’s X account, which kept its bit simple and to the point: “New Jersey seems like a great place to live.” The City of New York chimed in, too.

Metro Los Angeles announces the public transit nobody asked for

Teleportation has finally come to Los Angeles County, according to its Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The only problem? You might turn into a sandwich.

Meet the tiny police dog patrolling a Minnesota city

The Minnetonka Police Department announced its newest K-9 recruit: a dachsund named Winston, with the uniform to boot.

Even Amtrak is in on the joke

Major infrastructure improvements aren’t all that’s new with Amtrak, according to the passenger railroad company’s April Fools’ Day post. 

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