$25B+ in transit funding approved by voters!
Plus we kick off Season 8 with 5 transit CEOs
This week in the U.S. voters approved 19 of 25 transit funding measures on the ballot equaling more that $25 billion to support transit from coast to coast. Read more about this great result for public transit in the U.S. in APTA’s press release.
We hit a milestone this week at Transit Unplugged with the launch of Season 8! Usually we do something special to launch the new season. We had Rich Davey on when he was President of New York MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) two years ago. Then last year, Randy Clarke CEO of WMATA (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority) joined us to talk about their fiscal cliff.
This year we decided to turn the dial to 11 with five transit CEOs for our season premiere!
This CEO Roundtable was recorded live at APTA TRANSform and features:
- Andy Lord Commissioner of Transport for London
- Dottie Watkins CEO of CapMetro, Austin
- Dwight A. Ferrell CEO of Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation, Detroit
- Shawn M. Donaghy CEO North County Transit District, San Diego
- Adam Leishman CEO of Ascendal Group, Hong Kong
Paul kicks off this episode with a retrospective on his, and the show’s, history and how he integrated his love of public transit and media into his previous positions and now this podcast/TV show. Plus a look ahead to what’s coming for Transit Unplugged (a lot). Then we get into a passionate panel of leaders talking about how they are improving their systems, how transit helps their communities, and what we need to do to put transit front and center in urban planning.
Don’t miss this episode!
Coming up next week Stephen Tu, Deputy Executive Officer of Station Experience at Los Angeles Metro, talks about the real, practical, and transferable innovations he’s made to improve the station experience in LA.
Starting with one station plagued with issues, he’s turned things around to make the station feel safer, look cleaner, and help vulnerable people who need it.
Stephen and his team tapped into transit colleagues across the U.S. to trial:
- Tap-to-exit program on fare gates
- Open elevator doors
- Smart restrooms
- Ambient noise in parking garages
- Classical music in stations
These seemingly simple changes significantly reduced crime, unwanted behaviors, grafiti, and more. The response and results have been so positive that Stephen is rolling out these features across the entire LA Metro system. Tune in next week to learn all about it!
Follow or subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Pocket Casts so you don’t miss this special episode.
Speaking of LA…
While we’re on the topic of Los Angeles, yesterday we released the trailer for our latest episode of Transit Unplugged TV featuring LA!
LA is gearing up for the 2028 Olympics and proclaiming it as a car free, transit first games. So, how are they going to pull that off?
Here’s your sneak peek…
????This Week in Transit News…
It’s been a busy week for transit. If you missed APTA’s post-election webinar, you can watch for the replay on APTA’s website.
Make sure you mind your manners in Calgary on transit. Fines for bad behavior have gone up. City of Calgary
One this week’s podcast guests has something to crow about. Shawn Donaghy, CEO of North County Transit District broke ground on a new hydrogen fueling station.
And let’s celebrate long-serving employees of Escambia County Area Transit in Florida who have a combined 137 years of service. Liek bus Operator Willie Carter, Jr. celebrating his 50th year driving buses. ECAT
Watch or listen for all the details.
