Transit Unplugged

Paul met April Rai, CEO of COMTO (Conference of Minority Transportation Officials) at the recent COMTO conference in Miami. He sat down with April to talk about the origins of COMTO, the challenges transit is facing today, and her vision for how we'll solve them.

On Transit Unplugged News and Views this week we also have:

• Transit news of the week
• Elea Carey's messaging minute
• Mike Bismeyer on leadership
• Updates from Paul about his latest book about diversity and inclusion in transit

Next week on Transit Unplugged In-Depth our guest will be Monica Backmon, CEO of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.

We'd like to thank all our listeners who nominated us for a Podcast Award; we made the cut! Transit Unplugged is in the voting round and we'll hear the results in September.

If you have a question, comment, or would like to be on Transit Unplugged, email us at [email protected]; and don't forget to sign up for our newsletter on our website!

This week Paul talks with a guest we've wanted to get on the show for a long, long time. When Henry Li arrived in Sacramento, the agency needed to restore both public trust in the system and financial stability for the agency. In his 7 year tenure so far he's launched the first microtransit pilot in the U.S., made the system free for kids in grades K-12, and ensured there was pay equity across his agency. His efforts have clearly paid off, Henry was named APTA CEO of the year in 2019 and SacRT was named APTA agency of the year in 2021.

In his career that has taken him from Atlanta to Jacksonville and now Sacramento, Henry has shown he knows how to create a transit system that lifts his entire community up and provides opportunities for all. When he bought new light rail cars for his system, they were built at the Siemens plant in Sacramento, giving his region better transit and an economic boost.

While SacRT is still bouncing back from the pandemic, his microtransit solution continues to be successful and filling gaps in his 100 square mile service area. Listen to this conversation and learn about the microtransit solution, light rail, and the new payment systems Henry has brought to his agency. Learn more about SacRT on their website.

Next week on Transit Unplugged News and View, April Rei, CEO of COMTO will be joining Paul talking about the work she does supporting minorities in transit leadership.

Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter to get all the latest about Transit Unplugged. If you have a question, comment, or would like to be a guest on Transit Unplugged, email us at [email protected].

Alva Carrasco and Herold Humphrey are on a mission. A mission to increase the visibility, opportunities, and voice of Latinos in public transit. And not just when talking about issues, but more importantly in leadership positions to help the communities they serve. Alva and Herold talk with Paul about the origins of Latinos In Transit from a casual group of people working in the same industry to an organized force to encourage and support Latinos in their careers.

From advocacy and mentorship to scholarships and networking, Alva Carrasco, President, and Herold Humphrey, Vice President, have a vision to ensure Latinos have a seat at the decision-making table, the boardroom, and C-suite. Listen to their story on this episode of Transit Unplugged News and Views.

Also on the show:

• Paul covers the transit news of the week
• Elea Carey talks about back to school messaging
• Mike Bismeyer on fostering the next generation of leaders
• Paul talks about the Transit Center report on the four things needed to help solve the bus operator crisis.

Next week we have Henry Li, CEO of the Sacramento Regional Transit District on the show. It's not too late to nominate Transit Unplugged at the Podcast Awards in the Government and Organizations category. Nominations close July 30!

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

Matt Tucker, Executive Director and CEO of the North County Transit District covers a huge geographic area north of San Diego. From buses to rail to a new hybrid light rail, Matt has served his region for over a decade with big plans for the future. Matt and Paul talk about all the different transportation modes, Matt's plans for going green with battery electric and hydrogen, and hints at his plans for the future of the agency.

One of the longest-serving CEOs in public transit, Matt has a unique perspective on public transit from work on both coasts with projects large and small. In his 14 years as Executive Director and CEO of North County Transit District, Matt has perspective about the past, current, and future challenges for public transit in his region and beyond.

Next week Paul is chatting with April Rei, CEO of COMTO, one of two great conversations coming from the recent COMTO Conference.

This week Paul talks with Wiebe Wakker, sustainable adventurer about his three-year trip from the Netherlands to Australia in an EV--with no money--and then how he traveled from the Netherlands to Dubai (most) on public transport to give a keynote speech at UITP MENA earlier this year. It's a fascinating story of someone who admits wasn't really into sustainability when he started but has now become a champion for it.

Learn more about Wiebe on:

• His Plug Me In website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• LinkedIn

Also on the show the latest public transit news, Elea Carey's Messaging Minute, Mike's Minute with Mike Bismeyer, and Paul's look at the future of transit.

Next week on the show we have Matt Tucker, Executive Director and CEO of the North County Transit District talking about his multi-modal system and how they are adapting to changing ridership.

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

Plus...please take a moment to nominate us in the Government and Organizations category in the Podcast Awards. Nominating us not only gets us to the voting round, but also factors into who wins the award!

Charlotte Shaw, CEO of Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority, has deep experience in getting things done. From project and program management to capital planning, Charlotte is the person who makes a transit vision a reality. After years at MARTA, she came to Birmingham to manage building a bus rapid transit (BRT) for the city before it would be handed over to BJCTA. But as she tells Paul, the transit authority thought she'd be just the right person to bring BJCTA into a new era of transit.

Listen to Charlotte tell Paul how she got into transit and her vision for creating a transit system that does more than just get people places.

Next week on Transit Unplugged News and Views, Paul is talking with Wiebe Wakker who drove an electric car from the Netherlands to New Zealand to show how efficient and reliable EVs are.

It's podcast award season! Please help Transit Unplugged win a People's Choice podcast award by nominating us in the "Government and Organizations" category. Visit PodcastAwards.com to nominate us to make it to the voting round. 

Don't forget to sign up for our newsletter on the website and if you'd like to ask a question or be a guest on Transit Unplugged, email us at [email protected].

This week Paul talks with Sam Morrissey from Urban Movement Labs in LA about their mandate to help the city navigate the changing face of transportation. When scooters came to the city, there were issues with where to ride them--not on the sidewalks, but maybe not the road either--and how to return them. As new transportation technologies emerge, Urban Movement Labs serves as a trusted partner working with the city and private companies to deploy new technologies the right way.

Also on the show:

• Transit industry news
• Elea Carey's Messaging Minute on keeping your agency messaging fresh
• Mike's Minute with Mike Bismeyer on what it means to be a leader and mentor with insights from Paul
• Paul's Future of Transit segment on his new role at Modaxo and his new book coming out later this year

Next week on the show we have Charlotte Shaw, CEO of the Birmingham - Jefferson County Transit Authority as our guest on Transit Unplugged In Depth. Don't forget to sign up for the Transit Unplugged newsletter on the website to always be in the know about what's happening with the show. If you have a question, comment, or you'd like to be a guest on the show, email [email protected].

Sam Snead is looking towards the future of transportation in Anne Arundel County, MD. From solar-lit bus stops to websites to full system maps, Sam sees up-to-date technology as crucial to success in his region. Paul talks with Sam about his career journey and then gets into Sam's ambitious Move Anne Arundel transit master plan looking forward to create sustainable, accessible, and green transit solutions for the county.

Creating a robust transit system in smaller and more spread-out areas is always a challenge, but Sam's plans to tap into local, regional, and micro transit solutions have created a solid foundation for his county to build on.

Don't forget to subscribe to the Transit Unplugged newsletter to be first to know about new shows and announcements about the podcast and TUTV!

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

This week on Transit Unplugged News & Views, Paul is talking with Tom Wright of the Regional Plan Association (RPA) about planning for the future in the New York Metropolitan area (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut). Over its 100 year history, RPA has put a stake in the ground for what needs to be done to build and sustain the region. As Tom says, all of their recommendations are implemented--eventually. Tom talks about the RPA vision for what's needed in the region to grow in the post-pandemic era and how cities, states, and the U.S. federal government need to look at and coordinate their efforts. The region is already behind the eight ball to catch up, it will take a lot of work to put things on track.

Also on this week's show:

• Transit news of the week including news about frequent guests Mark Wilde and Julie Timm
• Elea Carey on communicating planning and change
• Mike Bismeyer wants to hear your leadership stories

If you want to stay in touch make sure you sign up for email updates on the website. If you have a question, comment, or would like to be a guest on Transit Unplugged, email us at [email protected]

Melinda Metzger is the first female Executive Director for Pace Suburban Bus, one of the largest bus and paratransit systems in the United States covering 3,500 square miles and serving 272 communities. 

On this week's Transit Unplugged In Depth, Melinda and Paul talk about how the great resignation has impacted public transit and how local partnerships are combating those effects. To get more bus operators at Pace, they are covering the cost of tuition at a local community college to help people get their Commercial Drivers License (CDL) and be ready to start training at Pace to become full bus operators.

Get a glimpse of what the future of electrification looks like in the Chicago area as Pace gears up to reach zero emissions by 2040. You'll also hear about a brand new Pace bus facility opened by Secretary Buttigieg, and what our next generation of riders is prioritizing in their daily commutes.

Catch us next week to hear Tom Wright, president and CEO of RPA regional planning association. RPA focuses on improving the prosperity, sustainability, and livability of people in the New York Metropolitan Area.

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