AI, Open Data, and This Week’s Transit Headlines

ByChris O'Keeffe

Holy smokes—it’s August already and the wheels aren’t slowing down. Last week we zipped down to New Orleans to collect a shiny new SWTA Spotlight Award 🏆 (and, yes, Café du Monde’s beignets and chicory coffee ☕ ). Next up: the entire Transit Unplugged crew heads to Podcast Movement in just a couple of weeks, where our producer Chris O’Keeffe will take the stage to talk sonic branding—and we’ll be unveiling a little surprise you won’t want to miss. Reach out if you’re attending!

Inside this issue we continue the ridership-vs-satisfaction conversation, spotlight the latest AI and open-data insights from London’s Rikesh Shah, and wrap it all up with Julie Gates’ News Minute. Dive in and stay ahead!

This Week on the Podcast

Only 4% of Americans ride transit, yet 84% say they value it—a gap we started unpacking last week. This episode, Rikesh Shah (former Chief Innovation Officer, Transport for London) pushes the discussion further. He explains how open data, customer-first metrics, and outcome-based procurement can turn that “84% goodwill” into real ridership and better service—without blowing the budget. Tune in for practical takeaways your agency can apply now.

ICYMI: Volume vs. Value

We kicked off the “4% vs 84%” debate with Mark Aesch (TransPro Consulting) and Alvin McBorrough (OGx Consulting). Mark argued that ridership is the wrong north-star metric—value to the community should be the new KPI—while Alvin mapped out concrete AI use-cases that boost reliability, safety, and customer satisfaction. Their insights set the stage for this week’s follow-up with Rikesh Shah on turning big ideas into city-ready solutions.

ICYMI: Miami Uncut

The main episode gave you a taste — now it’s time for the special companion episode of Transit Unplugged TV, featuring extended interviews with the visionaries driving the future of mobility. 

Curious about the latest headlines in the transit industry? Check out our Transit Unplugged News Minute with Julie Gates. She covers the biggest stories in the industry every week. Click to view, and subscribe so you don’t miss a thing. This week:

  • Tri-Rail faces funding woes
  • KC Streetcar expands
  • Maryland Transit Administration aims to improve customer experience
  • Tampa Airport wins the internet

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