Public transport is the business of people moving people and is really the great societal equalizer. Mobility ensures that people can access to job and other opportunities. If the customer get a better service, they will come back and bring more people on the job. Thus, customer service plays an important role. Public Transport needs to transform to improve customer experience including adoption of digitalization, open loop payment, on-demand transit and integration with autonomous mobility. RTD Denver is investing heavily to improve the service quality and reliability.

Guest: Debra A. Johnson is General Manager and CEO of RTD Denver and has been leading the organization since 2020. Prior to this, she served as Deputy CEO of Long Beach Transit from 2014 to 2019. Prior to that, she held executive positions at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro), the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). She worked in all corners of the country and has long experience in the sector. In 2019, she was named as one of 10 “Women Who Move the Nation.” RTD is the only multimodal transit agency in the state of Colorado, serving the Denver metropolitan area, which has a population of over 3 million people across 40 municipalities and 8 counties.

Autonomous mobility is set to transform how we move in the coming years. With rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicle (AV) technology is accelerating faster than ever. Leading innovators such as Waymo, MOIA, WeRide, Tesla, and Pony.ai are already operating commercial services in cities around the world. Each country is charting its own path — in the United States, private vehicles and ride-hailing companies are driving adoption, while in Europe and Asia, cities and public transport agencies are taking the lead. At the same time, regulatory frameworks are evolving differently across regions, shaping how and where AVs will thrive. In this episode, we explore what the future of autonomous mobility looks like — the opportunities, challenges, and the critical role of AI in redefining urban transportation.

Sascha Meyer is the CEO of MOIA GmbH. Prior to his current role, he was instrumental in shaping the company's all-electric ride-pooling service and autonomous driving strategy—first as Head of Product starting in 2017, then as Chief Product Officer from 2019 onward. MOIA is running a fleet of 515 battery-electric vehicles in Hamburg. Before joining MOIA, he spent several years as a management consultant, advising international firms on the digital transformation of transport and logistics.

Public Transit is facing modal competition and it is important to leverage all modes to their highest and best use. It is important for public transit agencies to evolve and reinvest the service to compete with other modes of transport. Consumer behaviors are changing, especially post pandemic in the US. It is important to offer point to point service. Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is the public transit authority in a 700 square mile service area, covering 13 cities in the north Texas. The agency has a mandate to serve more than 2.7 million people in the Dallas regional area.

Nadine Lee is the President and CEO of Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). She aims to improve the rider experience, enhance service reliability, and increase ridership in the car-centric Dallas region. With nearly 30 years of experience in the transit industry, she brings a wealth of expertise in public transportation management and infrastructure projects. Prior to joining DART, she held key leadership positions at Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro), where she worked as Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief Innovation Officer. One of her notable accomplishments at LA Metro was leading the development of the "Vision 2028" strategic plan aimed at improving mobility for Los Angeles County residents. Before her time at LA Metro, she played a crucial role in Denver’s Regional Transportation District (RTD), where she managed projects like the Flatiron Flyer Bus Rapid Transit, which significantly boosted ridership.

Transformation is always challenging, and the public transport sector is no exception. Around the world, this industry is undergoing significant change as travel patterns evolve and expectations grow. The rise of autonomous mobility will further reshape travel habits and the broader mobility landscape. However, it is crucial that the core principles of public transport remain intact. To stay relevant, public transport agencies must adapt to shifting rider behaviors. Internal factors such as service reliability, comfort, and convenience, as well as external factors like urban planning and transit-oriented development, will play an important role in driving the adoption and success of public transportation in the future.

Adam Giambrone spent 20 plus years working in North America, Africa and the Middle East. He has held senior roles in all three regions. Currently, he is Infrastructure and Transportation Project Management lead at HDR Middle East. Prior to this, he was the head of Land Mobility and Road Transportation at Neom, a new city in Saudi Arabia. He served as General Manager at Saudi Public Transit Company (SAPTCO) from 2018 to 2021. He also spent 7 years with the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) including 5 years as the Commissioner and Chair of the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) from 2003 to 2010. He was an elected councilor.

New York City Transit (NYCT) is the largest public transit agency in North America, carrying more than 2.5 billion passengers every year. NYCT is going through transformation and implanting new initiatives including predictive maintenance. The agency is implementing many new initiatives including new ticketing solution. The agency is planning to introduce electric buses and using AI to improve the maintenance of existing buses. The episode will highlight some of the key initiatives launched by NYCT and the new innovation culture within the agency.

Richard Davey is President of New York City Transit and is responsible for managing the largest transit agency in North America. He joined in May 2022. Previously, he served as a Partner and Director at the Boston Consulting Group in their Public Sector and Industrial Goods practice areas. He also served as CEO of Boston 2024, the organization that sought to bring the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games to Boston. He is a transit enthusiast and was the Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation from September 2011 to October 2014 and previously the General Manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority from March 2010 to September 2011.

Many cities and countries globally are setting ambitious targets to achieve net-zero emissions, with mobility and logistics playing a pivotal role in reaching these goals. Fleet operators are confronted with the significant challenge of planning for energy transition, necessitating substantial capital investments in the coming years. However, they must prioritize between various projects and adopt a data-driven approach. Data will also be crucial in ensuring compliance and accessing a rapidly expanding array of climate-based financing products. This will entail leveraging machine learning and artificial intelligence to analyze and comprehend the data, enabling informed decision-making and strategic planning for energy transition initiatives.

Danielle Walsh is co-founder and CEO of Clearly, a startup based in the UK, which helps the global transportation sector to reach net zero emissions. Clearly is the company with the data and AI stack that enables corporations to actually achieve their net zero targets in the largest part of the economies - transport and anything related to that. It uses AI to gather, combine, and enhance data across the supply chain so companies know exactly where the most emissions are coming from in the fleet; easily assess optimal projects to reduce emissions, and automate the access of shared and cheaper financing. The company is already operating in 8 cities around the world, has more than 50,000 assets under contract, and has tracked over 100 million trips. Prior to founding her venture, she was a Director in TMT Investment Banking at HSBC and led Technology for Future Cities & New Initiatives. She is also an Angel Investor.

The global momentum towards electrification is accelerating, driven by numerous cities setting ambitious net-zero goals. Leveraging advanced technologies can expedite and streamline this process. Digital Twins emerge as a powerful tool for fleet operators, offering the capability to construct real-world scenarios and simulations that precisely reflect the impact of electrification on operations. This enables operators to gain valuable insights into potential challenges and opportunities. The integration of machine learning and artificial intelligence further enhances the optimization of various scenarios, facilitating a more efficient path towards achieving net-zero goals.

Daniel Hilson is Founder and CEO of Evenergi and BetterFleet. Evenergi is a company that focuses on accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and helping fleets transition to zero-emission technology. The company works with utilities, governments, and businesses, in implementing EV charging infrastructure and optimizing their energy systems. He also launched BetterFleet to plan, optimize and manage the transition to zero-emission fleet. Before co-founding Evenergi, he worked with some key players including Flow Systems, Veolia Environment and Siemens. He is a lifelong learner and has earned degrees in Environmental Management, Strategic Management and Music & Communication.

The automobile industry is going through a big transformation. Mckinsey coined the term ACES to define that how Automation, Connectivity, Energy transition, and shared mobility will redefine the sector. Technology will change the traditional method of how we purchase and use vehicles. New business models are emerging and new entrants especially technology companies are looking to reshare the industry with Software Defined Vehicles (SDV), autonomy, and electric drive. These changes will also create opportunities for new technology startups and build new ecosystems.

Mark Norman is General Partner of FM Capital. FM Capital is a venture capital fund focused on technologies transforming the transportation industry. He is responsible for fund leadership, investment strategy, and portfolio management. Prior to setting up the fund, he was president of Zipcar, where he led the company’s expansion creating the world’s largest carsharing network. He was also the CEO of Flexcar, a vehicle subscription company, CEO and Chairman of Chrysler Canada, and Managing Director of Summit Systems, a European technology startup.

School Bus Transportation is the largest transit system in North America. In the US alone, there are 50 million K-12 students in public schools and there are 5.8 million in private schools. So it's in total it's like 57 million students or kids who need to be transported every day. However, School Bus transportation is facing many challenges including a shortage of bus drivers, funding constraints, and increasing complexity. Technology will play an important role in improving the school bus operation and managing resources optimally.

Keith Corso is the Co-founder & CEO of BusRight. He ideated the company in high school and built the foundation for BusRight during his time at Northeastern University in Boston, alongside several other team members. BusRight is a transportation technology startup, reshaping the student transportation industry with its routing software, real-time GPS, dynamic driver navigation, and a bus tracking app for parents. He has held roles on both sides of the venture ecosystem, from serving as the President of the Entrepreneurs Club in college, to working as an Analyst for MassMutual Ventures, a Venture Fellow for Underscore VC, and Venture Director for Origin - a deep tech hub

Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany and is well-known for its busy port, which is among the largest in the world. Hamburg Hochbahn is the public transport operator in the city, operating 111 bus routes and 4 underground lines. The city has launched an ambitious project - Hamburg Takt, which to increase the market share from 22% in 2017 to 30% by 2030. The city is now investing in many innovative projects including GoA4 Metro line and autonomous fleet project. The city is looking to replace 1100 diesel buses with zero-emission buses by 2030. The episode will share “How HOCHBAHN as a key mobility provider is implementing innovative solutions (together with local and regional partners) in Hamburg.”

Natalie Rodriguez is Head of Innovation of Hamburg Hochbahn AG, the second largest transport company in Germany. From 2018 until 2021, she was the lead project manager of automated driving, Bus-Segment and was in charge of the HEAT-Project (Hamburg Electric Autonomous Transportation). Natalie has been working for over 15 years in international planning and consulting companies specialized in public transport in Caracas, Lyon, Karlsruhe and since 2011 for the HOCHBAHN holding different positions in the areas of tariff, demand, and revenue estimations; corporate management, project management office, business development and Innovation and Change. She has always tried to combine my love for languages and for Mobility throughout her professional career.