Going Places

Ever looked at a road map of Hampton Roads and wondered "Why are you the way that you are?" Yeah, us too. On this episode of Going Places, we sat down with acclaimed local historian and Norfolk State University professor, Dr. Cassandra Newby-Alexander, to talk all things transportation history in Hampton Roads.

And what about the lasting effects of these transportation decisions? Did they have any impact? Stay tuned for Part 2 with Christopher Newport University professor Dr. Johnny Finn!

------------

⭐ Love this podcast? Leave us a review or rate us 5 gold stars!

------------

Like Going Places on Facebook

Follow Going Places on Instagram

Sign up for emails from Going Places

-----------

Like Norfolk State University on Facebook

Follow Norfolk State University on Instagram

Did you know that prior to the mid-1900s, most of the transit system in Hampton Roads was via electric streetcar? 🚃

Greg Siegel and a dedicated group of volunteers are working hard to restore Streetcar 390, a piece of history they hope will soon be on display in Downtown Hampton.

In this episode, Amy sits down with Greg to talk about the project and the history of streetcars in Hampton.

Like the project on Facebook

Stay Connected with Going Places!

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Instagram

Sign up for emails

Passenger rail is ✨ that ✨ girl - and Virginia is at the forefront! We sat down with Karina Romero from the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority to talk record-breaking ridership numbers and the growing demand for more rail options in the Commonwealth.

Check out VPRA's website

Follow VPRA on Instagram

Like VPRA on Facebook

Connect with Going Places Pod

Like us on Facebook

Bookmark our website - and sign up for emails!

Follow us on Instagram

Do transit agencies across the nation experience similar successes and struggles? What is coming down the federal pipeline for public transit, and how does public transit impact the economy on a national level?

In this episode, we chat with American Public Transportation Association (APTA) President & CEO Paul Skoutelas, who keynoted the bi-annual State of Transit Summit in October 2025.

Liked this episode? There's more where that came from!

Follow Going Places on Instagram

Like Going Places on Facebook

Visit the Going Places Website

We want to hear from you! Have an episode topic suggestion? Want to compliment our hosts or guests? Send us a message at [email protected].

For many survivors of domestic violence, getting to safety starts with something as simple as a bus ride. Public transit connects to shelters, counseling, jobs, and the everyday independence needed to rebuild.

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Cheryl Chavers of the Newport News Police Department on how access to transit supports survivors and strengthens communities.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Here's how you can get involved ⬇️

Join DV agencies across Hampton Roads for the annual Day of Unity on October 6 at the Slover.

Register to attend the inaugural Domestic Violence Awareness Summit in Newport News

Connect with the Newport News Police Department Domestic Violence Unit

• Like them on Facebook
• Follow them on Instagram

--------------

Stay in the know with all things Going Places Pod

• Like us on Facebook
• Follow us on Instagram
• Sign up for emails

Access to reliable transit isn’t just about getting from point A to point B. It reduces barriers and strengthens communities. In this episode, we sit down with Cierra Lewis, Gender & Equity Practitioner at YWCA South Hampton Roads to explore how public transit reduces community disparities. From connecting survivors of domestic violence with safe housing and support, to ensuring families can reach jobs, education, and healthcare, transit plays a critical role in creating opportunity and stability.

Stay up-to-date with Going Places:

• Like us on Facebook
• Follow us on Instagram

Get connected with YWCA South Hampton Roads

• Donate to the mission
• Check out their website + upcoming events

Public transit content does well on social media? There's no way...

Yes, way! For this month's episode, we sat down with Hayden Clarkin - who you probably know as @thetransitguy - to talk all things transit social media and how he built his platform. Where does the transit content inspo come from? How did he get inspired to transform his Adele fan account into a transit-walkability-planning-engineering-masterpiece? Get these answers - and more - in this special episode of Going Places.

Follow Hayden on Social 👇

• @thetransitguy on Instagram
• @thetransitguy on X (fka Twitter, in memorium)
• @thetransitguy on threads
• @thetransitguy on Substack
• @thetransitguy on Bluesky

Then, give us a follow, while you're at it 👇

• Going Places Podcast on Facebook
• Going Places Podcast on Instagram

Check out the Going Places Podcast website to learn about hosts, guests and more 👉 www.goingplacespod.com

Driving alone seems convenient, but it is a huge personal expense. Lots of people prefer driving alone, but you don't have to. goCommute is the Hampton Roads region's Transportation Demand Management Program (TDM, for short).

We sat down with Monique Lynch, the Program Specialist for goCommute, to talk about all the ways people can ditch driving alone and explore the benefits of commuting smarter.

Get Connected with goCommute

Check out goCommute's website

Follow goCommute on Instagram

Like goCommute on Facebook

Stay Connected with Going Places

Like Going Places on Facebook

Follow Going Places on Instagram

Did you know that Hampton Roads is actually served by three separate transit agencies? That's right - HRT covers Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach; Suffolk Transit serves the City of Suffolk; and the Williamsburg Area Transit Authority (WATA) covers James City County, York County/Yorktown, and Williamsburg.

Join us for this conversation featuring Ben Goodill, the Director of Planning & Administration, and Iyanla XO, the Marketing & Administrative Specialist, to learn about all things WATA!

Want to contribute a name option for the new transportation center in North Williamsburg? Take the survey! Hurry - it's only open until June 16!

Stay connected with WATA:

Like them on Facebook

Follow them on Instagram

Connect with them on LinkedIn

Stay connected with Going Places:

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Instagram

The evolution of transit continues! In this episode, we chat with Severine Koen, the Northeast Team Lead of Via, the mobility partner of Hampton Roads Transit providing OnDemand Rideshare services.

OnDemand is currently a pilot program in Hampton Roads, available in select zones of Newport News and Virginia Beach.

Listen to Severine talk about what OnDemand Rideshare - aka Microtransit - is, how it works, and who's currently using it in Hampton Roads.

For more information, check out OnDemand.