Who were your mentors?
Mentors are crucial, do you have one?
This week Paul chats with Ben Limmer, Chief of Public Transportation at the Connecticut Department of Transportation about being a crucial link along the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington DC, plus managing a billion-dollar budget to keep transit in the state running.
But that’s not the most important part of the chat.
Paul and Ben each talk about the mentors they’ve had in their lives and how they have helped them throughout their careers. A mentor is more than a teacher or a cheerleader. Good mentors know how to encourage you, help you through the rough patches in life, and give it to you straight when you need to hear tough feedback.
Longtime friend of the show Mike Bismeyer is part of the Canadian Urban Transit Association mentors program and he’d also say that mentors get as much out of the relationship as the mentee.
Do you have a mentor? Were there important mentors in your life who made that extra bit of difference to get you where you are now?
It’s coming up to New Year’s resolution time, maybe your resolution could be to get a mentor if you don’t have one or become a mentor to someone else.
Either way, it’s a win.
Listen to Ben and Paul’s entire discussion wherever you find and listen to the podcast.
Find Transit Unplugged wherever you listen
Coming up next week on the podcast
Next week we have Matt Booterbaugh, CEO of RATP Dev USA talking with Paul about not only the state of transit in the U.S., but how we need to be actively building the bench for the next generation of transit leaders. Matt talks about coming to transit by accident and how leaders from other industries help make transit better by bringing in new and fresh perspectives.
Make sure you’re following us wherever you listen to us, so you don’t miss any of the great shows coming up. If you’re already following us, maybe share Transit Unplugged with a friend who you think might like the show.
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We return to Alaska!
You’re in for a treat! This week we’re giving a little tease for our next episode of Transit Unplugged TV—and second from Alaska—from Fairbanks!
Alaska is a magical place, even if the weather right now is a little frightful and the sun sets before 3PM, and we hope you like this sneak peek and watch for the full episode coming out December 12th.
By the way, there’s a rumor that a certain Jolly Old Elf makes an appearance in the full episode. Let’s hope Paul is on the nice list and put in a good word for the rest of us too!
This Week in Transit News…
APTA is asking the government to approve emergency relief funding for hurricane victims. You can take a college course this summer in France and Spain to learn about high speed rail, and CUTA will be teaching riders about good manners.
Make sure you tune in every Monday for your fresh dose of transit news from Julie Gates.
