There isn’t just one way to do transit
There is more than one way to get there from here
There are some people who think public transit is just one thing. Public transit means a bus, trolly/streetcar/tram, or subway. That’s it.
What about commuter rail? Okay, that too.
How about paratransit using special lift-equipped vans? Right, paratransit, sure.
How about bikes, car share, on-demand transit… You get the idea.
Transit hasn’t ever been about just one way to get from A to B, but sometimes we think like it is. Some years ago Nat Ford, CEO of Jacksonville Transportation Authority, challenged the industry to think about delivering transit differently. He suggested that transit agencies needed to stop thinking of themselves as having a monopoly on moving people—transit needs to be part of a bigger picture and transit agencies need to become connectors for all modes of transportation.
This week on the podcast we have a special episode sponsored by Uber Transit talking about how Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) can be the missing link in connecting people to transit, their communities, and life’s opportunities.
This episode is packed with real-world solutions to challenges transit agencies everywhere are facing today and shows how TNCs can:
-Help people get to work, especially overnight shifts
-Let seniors age in place and stay connected to their communities
-Create new mobility options in areas that were transit and mobility deserts
On the show with Paul are:
✨ Carlos Cruz-Casas of Miami-Dade County DTPW
✨ Bonnie Epstein of Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority
✨ Robert Betts of Marin Transit
We hope you enjoy it and thanks to Uber and Uber Transit for supporting this episode.
Uber Transit recently published an industry perspective paper titled: Transit Horizons 2.0: The Mobility Evolution. This paper explores how public-private partnerships can enhance public transportation. Download it here: uber.com/transithorizons.
A great example of this multi-modal, connector approach is in Vienna at Wiener Linien. Using the WienMobil transit card you can borrow a bike, a car (including vans for those big shopping trips), get on-demand transit, and even rent bike lockers at some stations.
When you listen to Wiener Linien CEO Alexandra Reinagl you immediately know she’s thinking way beyond buses, trams, or subways in her vision for the future of transit in Vienna. Watch the whole episode on YouTube:
And don’t forget to listen to Alexandra on the Transit Unplugged podcast too where you can learn even more about the Wiener Linien and her transit vision.
Speaking of learning more about Vienna…
We’re excited to launch something new here on Transit Unplugged—Transit Unplugged Behind the Scenes!
When we create a Transit Unplugged TV episode, we can’t use all the great material we capture. A lot of great content is left on the cutting room floor. All the interviews Paul does are more in-depth than what you see in the final episode, with more detail on the agencies and their leaders.
And until now those interviews just sat in our vault, waiting for the chance to be released.
And that chance is now.
We’re starting with Vienna for our first episode. You’ll get uncut and extensive interviews with:
????Christoph Hinterleitner, ÖBB Passenger Transport
????Roland Hellstern, ÖBB Operations Head of Traffic and Crisis Management
????Kurt Bauer, ÖBB Head of Long Distance Services & New Rail Business
????Sarah Fessl, ÖBB NightJet Customer Experience
????Alexandra Reinagl, CEO Wiener Linien
????Deborah Giehrl, Wiener Linien Infrastructure Communication
????Andrea Zefferer, Wiener Linien Press Officer
????Michael Mayer, ÖBB Technical Services
In the future, a week after the Transit Unplugged TV episode is released, we’ll release the companion Behind The Scenes episode. We think you’re going to really like these deep dives into topics that might only get a minute or two in an episode.
????️Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged: Boston has transit down to a T.
We’re heading to Boston to hear how the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA, affectionately known as “The T”) has doubled-down on improving the network from stem to stern. Paul chats with MBTA COO Ryan Coholan about The T, new commuter lines, and Ryan’s commute into work.
And you’ll have to listen to the episode to know why Ryan’s commute is pretty unique in the transit space.
????☠️Arrr. Be this the bus that goes to them thar docks?
Welcome to your Transit Unplugged News Minute, where we cover the biggest headlines in the transit industry.
Last week, the American Public Transportation Association held a fly-in in Washington D.C. where transit agency leaders and advocates met with over 75 members of Congress and staff, urging them to not cut the funding levels to public transit and passenger rail. Source: APTA
The University of North Texas Economic Research Group validated that transit oriented development is good for cities. The project proved that TODs in the vicinity of Dallas Area Rapid Transit stations brought in nearly $1B in direct spending and 11k jobs in a two-year period. Source: DART
Did you see any seafaring shenanigans on Thursday? Thursday was Talk Like a Pirate Day. In previous years, Brisbane, Australia converted one of their buses into a pirate ship for the day. Source: Wikipedia
And this Sunday is World Car-Free Day. California’s Riverside Transit is offering free rides to commemorate the occasion. Source: Riverside Transit
