Transit Unplugged

In the first of two podcast episodes--and an upcoming Transit Unplugged TV episode--from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Paul chats with MetroLink Tulsa (https://www.tulsatransit.org/) CEO Scott Marr about:

• His city
• His career in transit
• The overwhelming success of microtransit and merging it with paratransit operations
• His plans for expanding Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to Route 66 for the 100th anniversary
• And the path to lower emissions with CNG and battery-electric buses

After a long career as a transit fixer across the U.S., Scott returned to Tulsa as the CEO taking the reins of a system revitalized with BRT and microtransit. But it's not all smooth sailing for Scott and his team. Plans to expand BRT to historic Route 66 for its 100th anniversary in a couple years have hit a bump in the road with a $15M shortfall caused by inflation and price increases beyond his control. Undaunted, Scott is rallying his team and seeking support from the FTA and other sources to make this happen in time.

Tulsa is also our next feature city on Transit Unplugged TV on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@transitunplugged) . You don't want to miss seeing all the Americana that is Route 66, plus Paul's standup comedy routine at an open mic night. Check out the episode Thursday, March 14.

Coming up next week, we stay in Tulsa with MetroLink Tulsa Director of Planning Chase Phillips talking about the unique places that make Tulsa one of the most iconic cities in the U.S.

If you have a question or comment, email us at [email protected].

Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo and these fine folks:

• Paul Comfort, host and producer
• Julie Gates, executive producer
• Tris Hussey, editor and writer
• Tatyana Mechkarova, social media

Follow us on social media: LinkedIn - Twitter - Instagram - Facebook

Sign up for the Transit Unplugged Newsletter

00:00 Introduction and Background

00:21 Rebranding and the New Name

01:22 Exploring the Transit System

02:38 The Future of Transit in Tulsa

12:29 Reflections and Conclusions

17:56 Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged

This is a special episode of Transit Unplugged shared with us from our friends at the Transit Authority by APTA. Recorded live at APTA EXPO 2023 in Orlando, Florida, Art Guzzetti, VP of Policy and Mobility at APTA, interviews Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardener.

Make sure you follow the Transit Authority wherever you listen to podcasts. Here are the show notes for this episode originally released October, 12, 2023.

"Recorded on the trade show floor at APTA’s EXPO 2023 in Orlando, Florida, our special guest Stephen Gardener, CEO of Amtrak, discusses a wide range of topics including Amtrak’s role in linking cities, regions and rural America, how intercity passenger rail travel options can be made more attractive, recent and upcoming Amtrak system improvements, career advice for students, and more."

If you have a question or comment, email us at [email protected].

Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo and these fine folks:

• Paul Comfort, host and producer
• Julie Gates, executive producer
• Tris Hussey, editor and writer
• Tatyana Mechkarova, social media

Follow us on social media: LinkedIn - Twitter - Instagram - Facebook

Sign up for the Transit Unplugged Newsletter

00:03 Introduction and Overview from Paul Comfort

01:10 The Role of Amtrak in Public Transportation

02:22 Stephen Gardner's Journey in Railroading

06:23 Amtrak's Future Plans and Investments

11:46 The Importance of High-Speed Rail

29:13 Amtrak's Impact on Rural America

36:31 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

39:55 Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged

Holly Arnold has spent her entire career at the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA). Starting as a contractor in grants administration then leading capital planning and then Deputy Administrator responsible for engineering before she became Administrator and CEO two years ago. The head of the MTA is a massive job. Not only is she responsible for massive capital projects--like the largest public-private partnership (P3) in the U.S., the Purple Line--she is responsible for transit in the City of Baltimore, supporting all the other transit agencies in the state, commuter bus, commuter rail, subways, and paratransit. Running the MTA is like running five agencies at once!

Two years into the role, Holly talks with host Paul Comfort about the agency, her career, and the massive projects she is delivering. She talks about what she learned from each step on the way and how seizing opportunities as they presented themselves got her to the top job.

Delivering one large scale project is hard enough, but Holly is wrangling several expansions, including supporting Amtrak with a new tunnel to support higher speed passenger rail traffic. Holly talks candidly about her work and how her approach of getting her hands dirty learning about projects has helped her rise through the ranks to lead one of the largest transit agencies in North America.

Coming up next week, we have a special episode from APTA's Transit Authority podcast. APTA Vice President for Mobility Initiatives and Public Policy, Art Guzzetti talks with Amtrak CEO Stephcen Gardener live from the APTA EXPO in Orlando. This episode was originally released October 12, 2023. Learn more about The Transit Authority and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (https://podcast.apta.com/)

We're excited to announce a special Transit Unplugged live CEO round table. Hosted by Dr. Kaan Yildizgöz at UITP MENA Transport Congress and Exhibition (https://www.menatransport.org/website/3387/home/) on February the 29th at the Trapeze booth. We'll have guests, including UITP President Renee Amilcar and the Director General of the Integrated Transport Center in Abu Dhabi, Abdulla Al Marzooqi.

The MENA Transport Congress and Exhibition 2024 is the premier event focusing on sustainable urban mobility solutions in the MENA region. It takes place in Dubai from February 28th to March 1st, the event is co-organized by UITP and Dubai's RTA.

The MENA Transport Congress and Exhibition has been a leading platform for showcasing advancements in public transport since 2007.

If you have a question or comment, email us at [email protected].

Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo and these fine folks:

• Paul Comfort, host and producer
• Julie Gates, executive producer
• Tris Hussey, editor and writer
• Tatyana Mechkarova, social media

Follow us on social media: LinkedIn - Twitter - Instagram - Facebook

Sign up for the Transit Unplugged Newsletter

00:00 Holly Arnold: Building a career at the Maryland MTA

01:38 Overview of the Maryland Transit Administration

02:55 Discussion on the Purple Line Project

03:54 Career Advancement and Responsibilities

07:53 Holly Arnold's Leadership Journey

15:08 The Role of Engineering in Transit Agencies

17:01 Current and Future Projects at the Maryland Transit Administration

22:14 Wrap-up: The Impact and Future of Public Transit

23:10 Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged

When you think of big city transit agencies you think about Boston, New York, Toronto, LA, San Francisco...maybe not Mississauga, Ontario. It might surprise you that this city of one million people supports a transit system with over 500 buses and serves as the essential connector between cities East, West, and North (South is Lake Ontario). Mississauga Transit (or MiWay) helps people in Brampton, Oakville, and Toronto get to jobs and school.

But they seem to be doing something right because they've increased ridership 27% over the last year and are at 109% of their 2019 ridership levels (let's stop saying the "p" word). Eve Wiggins recently took the helm of MiWay after almost a decade at the TTC and Metrolinx and before that a decade at the Toronto Airport Authority. Eve certainly knows how to get people where they want to go, in the air or on the ground.

While she's only been at MiWay a short time, she has a big vision and big plans for the agency to grow and expand over the next five years.

But you can't execute your vision on your own. You need to lead people and clear the roadblocks in their way. Eve subscribes to the CASTLE (Courage, Authenticity, Truthfulness, Love, and Effectiveness) leadership philosophy and you will want to listen to how she describes her leadership style. It's pretty inspiring just listening to how she approaches getting things done and relying on others when she knows she doesn't have all the answers.

Coming up next week we have Holly Arnold, CEO of the Maryland Transit Administration about her career at the MTA and the massive projects she has on the go there.

We're excited to announce a special Transit Unplugged live CEO round table. Hosted by Dr. Khan you'll Legos at UITP MENA Transport Congress and Exhibition on February the 29th at the Trapeze booth. We'll have guests, including UITP President, Renee Amilcar and the Director General of the Integrated Transport Center in Abu Dhabi, Abdulla Al Marzooqi.

The MENA Transport Congress and Exhibition 2024 is the premier event focusing on sustainable urban mobility solutions in the MENA region. It takes place in Dubai from February 28th to March 1st, the event is co-organized by UITP and Dubai's RTA.

The MENA Transport Congress and Exhibition has been a leading platform for showcasing advancements in public transport since 2007.

If you have a question or comment, email us at [email protected].

Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo and these fine folks:

• Paul Comfort, host and producer
• Julie Gates, executive producer
• Tris Hussey, editor and writer
• Tatyana Mechkarova, social media

Follow us on social media: LinkedIn - Twitter - Instagram - Facebook

Sign up for the Transit Unplugged Newsletter

0:00 What's the secret sauce to increasing ridership 27% in one year?

00:03 Introduction and Overview

01:44 The Success of Mississauga's Transit System

04:27 The Secret Sauce: How Mississauga Grew Ridership

12:01 Eve's Leadership Philosophy and Approach

19:00 The Future of Transit in Mississauga

24:40 Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged

When we think about public transit we often think about subways or buses travelling through bustling cities, we don't often think of small towns in the midst of woods and fields. But the reality is there are thousands of rural transit agencies in North America serving people and places miles and miles away from each other. In this episode, host Paul Comfort talks with with Wendy Weedon, Deputy CEO of the Brazos Transit District in Texas, and Eddie VanStein, the Steuben County Mobility Manager in Upstate New York, to discuss the often overlooked topic of rural transportation. Wendy and Eddie talk about the unique transportation issues faced by rural communities, including the necessity for collaboration, breaking down silos, and getting funding for their programs.

They highlight how essential transportation services are to rural communities, serving a diverse range of needs like medical appointments, groceries and social connections. Wendy talks about the ongoing challenges they face with funding, fleet maintenance, and staff retention. Issues that resonate with transit agencies large and small. Eddie's job is to help the six different agencies in a county nearly the size of Rhode Island, coordinate and collaborate.

But Eddie shares his real motivator to become involved in the sector--a tearful call from his grandmother who was out of food and no way to get to the store 20 miles away. He knew he had to do something and started a rideshare program during the pandemic to just get people to where they needed to go.

The most crucial part of their message is raising awareness of the challenges rural agencies face. And how, unlike big city agencies, people in rural communities don't have the option to walk, take a taxi, or call a neighbor to drive them. Often public transit is the only way people can get around.

Next week we go from small towns to the biggest North American transit operation you may not have heard of with Eve Wiggins, Director of Mississauga Transit (MiWay), for a look at an agency with over 500 buses that grew ridership 27% last year and is at 109% of 2019 ridership numbers. Learn the secret sauce that powers MiWay's success.

If you have a question or comment, email us at [email protected].

Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo and these fine folks:

Paul Comfort, host and producer

Julie Gates, executive producer

Tris Hussey, editor and writer

Tatyana Mechkarova, social media

0:00 Transit is an essential lifeblood in rural communities

00:25 Guest Introductions and backgrounds

03:36 The Importance of Transit in Rural Areas

10:26 Challenges in Rural Transportation

14:21 Looking Ahead: The Future of Rural Transit

22:58 Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged

There is more than a little bit of irony that when we have unprecedented levels of funding to buy and replace buses, there is a manufacturing crunch so there are few buses to be had--and with longer delivery times. From manufacturing delays and fewer manufacturers to massive price increases, agencies are pushing buses well beyond their useful life. How can we solve this crisis to not only meet the needs of today's riders, but make the transition to zero emissions? To talk about the topic, this week's show features:

- Ed Redfern and Joel Rubin from the Bus Coalition

- Julia Castillo and Brooke Ramsey from the Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency

- Patrick Scully from Complete Coach Works

In two separate interviews we hear about the challenges agencies are facing getting and paying for buses and some recommendations from industry on some alternatives to new buses that might help bridge the gap while manufacturing and supply chain issues work themselves out.

Next week on the show we have Eddie VanStine and Wendy Weedon talking about rural transit. There are thousands of rural transit agencies across North America--and the world--who serve some of our most vulnerable people. But rural transit is often forgotten, with big city transit agencies getting the lion's share of attention and funding.

Questions or comments? Contact us at [email protected]

Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.transitunplugged.com

Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo https://www.modaxo.com

Transit Unplugged team:

Paul Comfort, host and producer

Julie Gates, executive producer

Tris Hussey, editor and writer

Tatyana Mechkarova, social media

00:00 Interview with Ed Redfern, Joel Rubin, Brooke Ramsey, and Julia Castillo

01:13 Introduction and Panel Discussion on Bus Shortage

02:28 Understanding the Role and Challenges of the Bus Coalition

06:39 Discussion on the Rising Costs and Supply Chain Issues

12:32 Exploring Potential Solutions: Buy America Waiver and More

22:22 Interview with Patrick Scully

22:28 Insights from Complete Coachworks: Overhauls, Used Equipment, and Conversions

30:11 Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged

Sometimes we're so afraid of making mistakes, that we don't push ourselves to take a chance on a new innovative idea. We've all been there, but in this conversation Adam Barth, CEO of the Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority--https://stanrta.org/--, reveals advice he got from a mentor at a critical time in his career.

Paul Comfort sat down with Adam Barth, CEO of Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority to talk about his career journey from starting our as a tour bus driver in Fairbanks, Alaska, to leading the newly merged transit Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority in Modesto, California. Adam talks about the challenges he faced while merging the county and city transit systems, and the lessons learned from the experience. Adam also discusses the agency's plans for implementing bus rapid transit and their move towards zero-emission buses. Finally, Barth emphasizes the importance of transit leaders riding their systems to better understand their customers and their needs with a story about simply just taking the bus to work.

Transit Unplugged team:

Paul Comfort, host and producer

Julie Gates, executive producer

Tris Hussey, editor and writer

Tatyana Mechkarova, social media

00:04 Introduction and Background of Adam Barth

02:42 Adam Barth's Career Journey in Transit Industry

05:06 Learning from Mistakes: A Key to Success

08:01 The Merger of City and County Transit Systems

11:09 Challenges and Future Plans for Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority

20:56 The Importance of Riding the System as a Transit Leader

24:30 Don't miss the Executive Summit at ThinkTransit March 25th!

26:04 Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged

Host Paul Comfort interviews Ken Divers, Director of Outreach Programs at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), and Flora Castillo, President of Pivot Strategies and former APTA chair, about SEPTA's innovative SCOPE (Safety, Cleaning, Ownership, Partnership, and Engagement) program. Ken and Flora talk with Paul about how they created the program over a weekend and its goals for helping vulnerable people.

One of the main goals is connecting people with resources to help them with housing, food, healthcare, and other services, but SCOPE is also about playing an active role in the homelessness crisis. SEPTA--and transit agencies--can't solve the crisis of the growing number of unhoused people on their own, but they often bear the brunt of the effects. People just looking for a warm and dry place need to be helped and supported, not treated as unwanted guests. The SCOPE program makes sure everyone is treated with the respect and dignity they deserve while also keeping SEPTA safe for everyone.

The SCOPE program won APTA's 2022 Innovation Award for its groundbreaking work helping people access resources and get a fresh start with a whole new approach to the problem.

Flora and Ken's excitement and pride in their work should inspire all of us to look at how to help vulnerable people in new ways. Enforcement isn't always the best option, and SCOPE has shown their approach can make a real difference in people's lives.

If you have a question or comment, email us at [email protected].

Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo.

Transit Unplugged team:

Paul Comfort, host and producer

Julie Gates, executive producer

Tris Hussey, editor and writer

Tatyana Mechkarova, social media

00:03 Introduction and Background

01:17 Interview with Ken Divers and Flora Castillo

02:03 The Birth of the SCOPE Program

05:49 The Journey and Impact of Kenneth Divers

09:24 The Approach and Success of the SCOPE Program

13:16 Partnerships and Future Directions

20:46 Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged

Over his five-decade long career in politics Congressman Earl Blumenauer has been a staunch support of transit and livable cities. Paul sat down with Rep. Blumenauer after a chance meeting at the Impact Conference in Phoenix last fall to talk about his life, career, passions, and what's next after he leaves Congress at the end of his term.

In their wide-ranging discussion, Paul and Rep. Blumenauer talk about what got him into politics, and more importantly, his lifelong passion for streetcars, transit, livable communities, and bikes. It's not often you get to hear from someone who has had his hand on the wheel of transit policy for so long. From his early work in Portland to create the first modern streetcar line in the U.S. to his continued passion for livable communities that will keep him busy when he retires from Congress at the end of his term this year, you get a true sense of passion and insight into what really moves people.

As we come into an election year in the U.S. strong advocacy for transit, sustainability, and more livable cities will be more important than ever.

Coming up next week on the show we have Ken Divers and Flora Castillo talking about the SEPTA SCOPE program that's aimed at helping vulnerable populations get the help they need while also making transit safer for everyone.

If you have a question, comment, or want to be a guest on Transit Unplugged, email us at [email protected].

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

01:25 Interview with Congressman Earl Blumenauer

05:47 Discussion on Streetcars and Public Transit

09:52 Congressman's Career and Achievements

24:13 Future Plans and Final Thoughts

26:31 Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged

We have a special holiday gift for you with a special bonus episode to close out the year. We worked with Jeff Wood from Talking Headways and The Overhead Wire -- https://theoverheadwire.com/ -- to trade episodes with each other. Jeff will be playing our interview with Randy Clarke that kicked off Season 7 and we have his interview with Dr. Karel Martens from March 2021 talking about the philosophy behind city planning.

This is something very different from our usual topics, and we hope you enjoy it.

Make sure you check out The Overhead Wire and Talking Headways wherever you get your podcasts.

Questions, comments? Email us at [email protected].

00:02 Introduction with Paul Comfort and Jeff Wood

01:01 About the Talking Headways Podcast

02:05 Introducing the Guest and Topic

03:19 How to Access the Talking Headways Podcast

03:41 Interview with Karel Martens with Jeff Wood of the Overhead Wire

03:47 Interview with Karel Martens

13:10 Exploring Theories of Justice in Transport

27:59 Understanding the Concept of Fair Distribution

28:33 Exploring the Idea of Insurance Schemes in Resource Distribution

29:46 Applying the Veil of Ignorance to Transport System Design

31:03 The Importance of Accessibility in Transport Systems

37:21 The Role of Government in Providing Sufficient Accessibility

49:46 Re-evaluating the Use of Cost-Benefit Analysis in Transport Planning

56:16 Thank you for listening and what's coming in January