Reilly Brennan built his reputation through his FoT newsletter, read closely by car-company CEOs and founders, and often writes the first big check for transportation startups, sometimes before the founding team is even complete. He also stands out for how broadly he defines transportation—from tires and car washes to bicycles and aviation—and for unusual takes like why EVs make tires more important or why people leave micromobility because they end up wanting to own the vehicle, not because they disliked it.