The same four issues challenge transit agencies across North America, here are some innovative solutions

Doesn’t matter where your agency is or how big it is, across North America, and around the world frankly, the same four issues challenge everyone:

Getting enough buses
Getting enough people to fix and drive the buses
Getting enough funding to keep running the buses
Getting (cyber)secure

Paul hosted a live transit leaders roundtable at TripSpark Ignite with:

Pam Shepherd, Executive Director, Federated Transportation Services of the Bluegrass
Ryan Landers, General Manager Lawton Area Transit System
Randy Anderson, IT Manager/Operations System Administrator CityBus – Greater Lafayette Public Transportation Corporation
Matt Maier, Director of Operations Laketran

And over the course of the conversation, these leaders talked about not only how they are meeting these challenges head on, but finding innovative solutions.

From lawn signs for hiring to extending the life of their fleets, these leaders have solutions you can try at your agencies.

This is one of the best things about working in public transit; none of us are in competition with each other. We all want transit to succeed and thrive. And the only way to do that is working together and sharing ideas.

Pick up your copy of Paul’s latest book on Amazon, bring it to an event where Paul is giving a talk, and he’ll sign it.

????️Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged: Faye DiMassimo

Paul chats with Faye DiMassimo, who was recently the head of Chatham Area Transit Authority (CAT) in Savannah, GA, but now Faye has taken on an even more interesting role with the City of Savannah. Faye is still connecting people, but with a much broader mandate. In her new job she’s connecting people beyond buses and boats, but expanding to the larger economic, business, and social needs of her community.

In the interview Faye talks about her beautiful city and how she works to make sure her agency leaves no money on the table. Faye talks about the universal struggle to get local matching funds to qualify for grants.

One of the projects Faye is working on in her new role is a transit oriented development project connecting affordable housing and transit together to get more people into homes and connected to jobs (and healthcare and education and more) through transit.

You have to listen to this episode, and for the coda at the end, to learn all about CAT, Savannah, and how Faye continues to connect people in her community.

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????Great food???? and great music???? in Miami

When Paul first envisioned Transit Unplugged TV, he was inspired by the show Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, where the late celebrity chef immersed himself in food and culture around the world. And while we do describe Transit Unplugged TV as a love letter to transit, it’s also about the people, food, and culture in each city we visit.

Miami and South Florida has food, music, and culture in spades. Sprinkled throughout the episode are little pinches, dashes, and notes of everything that makes Miami, Miami. From Paul laying down rhymes in a recording studio and eating a cheeseburger in paradise to enjoying conch fritters, ceviche, and touring Little Havana. You really are on a journey of discovery with this episode of Transit Unplugged TV. Tune in!

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