7/8/21--Welcome to the third episode of Mass Reboot, a summer podcast series about restarting Massachusetts after COVID-19 and what we lost along the way. Each week, we’ll dive into a sector of life in the commonwealth, exploring how the pandemic hit it, how it adapted, and how the people inside it envision a new normal.

This week: Transportation.

The pandemic swiftly brought the traffic crisis well-known to Bay Staters to a halt. But that didn't last long. As businesses, office, and schools reopen, traffic is back with a vengeance. Meanwhile, the public transit system is only getting a fraction of the ridership it received before the pandemic.

State Representative William Straus describes a need for better connectivity throughout the state. He represents parts of the South Coast, where drivers to Boston spend about 5 hours round-trip on the road.

Monica Tibbits-Nutt, executive director of the 128 Business Council, sees public-private partnership is a key to closing transit gaps, and incentivizing commuters out of their cars and onto public transportation options.

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Mass Reboot is a production of The MassINC Polling Group, in association with CommonWealth Magazine. Our music is from Blue Dot Sessions. To help us make more episodes, donate at patreon.com/mass_reboot.

This week’s episode is sponsored in part by Rasky Partners. They’re a long-time supporter of ours and a nationally recognized government affairs and communication firm. For over 30 years the team at Rasky has worked with all types of organizations, large and small, helping each one reach their business objectives through advocacy and storytelling. Find out more about Rasky Partners at rasky.com.

Episode 3 is also sponsored by the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, an employer-driven member organization comprised of CEOs and Senior Executives from large employers. Through the Roundtable, business leaders engage with the public and private sectors to advance policies that support the state’s competitiveness and long-term economic prosperity.