Best Safety Practices For Your Agency
August is National Traffic Safety Awareness month, which focuses on the importance of road safety. These discussions have inspired us to take a deep dive on safety within the transit space. Here are a few of Transit Unplugged’s top episodes about best safety practices, as well as recaps of our two most recent shows.
COMING SOON: Delaware
What do a NASCAR speedway, a historic train station, a seaside boardwalk, and a statewide transit system have in common? Delaware. In this episode of Transit Unplugged TV, Paul Comfort explores America’s First State from Dover to Wilmington to Rehoboth Beach, riding DART First State along the way. From buses and commuter rail to microtransit, paratransit, and beach routes, we’ll see how transit connects Delaware border to border — and get a look at what’s next for DART during a major leadership transition.
ICYMI: Frank Annicaro
In this episode, CEO Frank Annicaro of Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) joins Paul Comfort to discuss what it’s really like to move from leading bus operations at one of the world’s largest transit agencies to running an entire organization. He shares how CDTA is building on a legacy of innovation while tackling today’s biggest challenges—from the post-pandemic fiscal cliff to workforce development, transit-oriented development, and expanding mobility options beyond traditional bus service. Frank also explains why the best solutions often come from the people closest to the work, and how his team balanced the budget while improving efficiency and protecting service.
Safety Spotlight
Here are five of our best episodes about safety all across the transit industry.
SPOTLIGHT: ThinkTransit 2026
This episode of Transit Unplugged takes you live to Boston for a special CEO Roundtable recorded at the ThinkTransit Conference—featuring four of the most influential leaders in public transportation today.
Host Paul Comfort speaks with:
- Jay Fox — Executive Director, Utah Transit Authority
- Nora Leerhsen — Acting President, Chicago Transit Authority
- Richard A. Davey — CEO, Massport (former MBTA & NYC Transit leader)
- Harry Wilson — Chair & CEO, MV Transportation
Recorded in front of a live audience of transit professionals, this candid conversation explores what it really takes to lead large-scale transit systems in 2026, including a powerful, nuanced discussion on safety—from frontline presence and policing to the deeper issues of mental health and homelessness shaping the conversation today.
SPOTLIGHT: Transit Unplugged Insider
In this exclusive edition of Transit Unplugged Insider, host Paul Comfort and executive producer Julie Gates unpack the biggest developments across the public transportation world—things you won’t hear anywhere else. Included in this episode are discussions on how safety is taking a front seat and what the current Administration is using to measure it, as well as the rise of AI, cybersecurity, and automation inside transit ops.
SPOTLIGHT: Kevin Scott
Public safety is one of the most urgent issues facing transit systems today. In this episode of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort is joined by Kevin Scott, Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Security at Bi-State Development / St. Louis Metro Transit, to discuss a bold initiative that is reshaping safety across the region’s light rail network, including cutting Transit Crime by 50%!
SPOTLIGHT: Henry Li
Paul sits down with Henry Li of Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT), who shares insights into how transit-oriented development is transforming Sacramento, the innovative approaches SacRT is taking to ensure rider safety, and the challenges and successes they faced along the way.
SPOTLIGHT: Russell Simmons
Looking for more great podcasts in the mobility industry? Our sister show, Parking Live, offers insight into the parking industry, which covers anything from EV fire safety and AI-driven enforcement to frontline welfare and behavior-shaping policy.
In this episode of Parking Live, hosts Jade Neville and Matt Darst speak with Russell Simmons—one of the most respected voices in car park/garage design and construction. As founder of Stripe Consulting and CEO of Ballast Nedam UK, Russell has spent his career improving safety and raising standards across the built environment. From mitigating fire risks in aging structures to designing around opportunities for self-harm, Russell shares how thoughtful engineering and operational measures can literally save lives. He also discusses the challenges of balancing cost, regulation, and innovation in a sector where safety is often underfunded and misunderstood.
