Transit Unplugged

This week Paul catches up with Laura Koprowski, CEO of Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) and they talk about Laura's plan to revitalize TARTA with a new leadership team, new branding, and a new focus on customer experience.

Laura and Paul also talk about the successful ballot measures that will help TARTA expand service and have a stable financial future.

Next week, Paul interviews Karen Philbrick of the Mineta Institute with her views on public transit.

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

This week we have a special double interview episode on Transit Unplugged News and Views. Paul, and special guest Mischa Wanek-Libman Executive Editor of Mass Transit Magazine, speak with two of Mass Transit's 40 Under 40 honorees.

We start the show with Shofi Ull Azum, MBA, Operational Innovations and Performance Manager, Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA), followed by Brittney M. Farr, Esq., Director of Government Relations, Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA).

These two rising stars talk about their career progression, their roles, and their views on the future of transit.

Between each interview, Elea Carey and Mike Bismeyer continue themes from the interviews to talk about employee recognition and mentorship.

Next week Paul interviews Laura Koprowski, CEO of the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) in our second Transit Unplugged episode of the year.

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

This week Paul chats with Kevin Quinn, CEO of TransLink in Vancouver, BC. Kevin succeeded Paul as CEO of MTA Baltimore and now is the head of a multi-city transit network in one of the most beautiful parts of the world.

Kevin talks about managing North America's largest autonomous subway systems (SkyTrain), the major expansion projects underway, and life in Vancouver.

Next week on Transit Unplugged Paul interviews two of Mass Transit Magazine's 40 Under 40 with Mass Transit Magazine's Executive Editor Mischa Wanek-Libman.

Don't forget the first episode of Transit Unplugged TV premiers Friday, January 14th! Subscribe to our Transit Unplugged TV YouTube channel now so you'll know exactly when it appears!

If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on Transit Unplugged, email us any time at [email protected]

It's the end of the year and the last episode of Transit Unplugged for 2021.

This is a really special episode with Paul Comfort convening a panel with our producer Tris Hussey, regular contributors Elea Carey and Mike Bismeyer, and a special guest Mike Dukart, Dir. of Sales at TripSpark.

On the show, we talk about what are going to be the hottest trends in 2022, and a little look back at the past year. We hope you enjoy it.

Next week (and next year), we'll have Kevin Quinn the new CEO at TransLink in Vancouver, BC, Canada on the show.

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

Until next week, we hope you've had a wonderful holiday and have a happy New Year.

Welcome to our second special episode of Transit Unplugged, the Best of Transit Unplugged In-Depth.

In this episode, you'll hear excerpts from five of the best interviews this year. You'll hear ...

• Anne Graham, National Transport Authority, Ireland (full episode)
• Ahmed Bahrozyan, Road and Transport Authority, Dubai, UAE (full episode)
• Leslie Richards, SEPTA (full episode)
• Nat Ford, Jacksonville Transport Authority (full episode)
• Jeremy Yap, Land Transport Authority, Singapore (full episode)

Next week we'll have a special end-of-year panel looking ahead to the biggest trends in public transit for 2022.

If you have comments, questions, or would like to be a guest email anytime at [email protected].

Kicking off a trio of special episodes on Transit Unplugged is a transit tech episode with guest host Tris Hussey.

Tris interviews Daniel Saddy, Director of (IT) Architecture at Trapeze about cyber and computer security at transit agencies with real, concrete advice on how agencies can help protect themselves.

Then we have a special technology expert panel with Sebastian Vaitus, VP of Innovation at Vontas, Priyanka Palacholla, Sr. Director of New Product Initiatives at Vontas, Tyler Dvorak, Product Director Mobility Planning at Trapeze, and Sabrina Blais, Product Manager for Safety at Trapeze talking about what they think will be the hottest transit tech trends next year.

Next week we'll have a special Best of 2021 episode and the last episode of the year will be a special panel looking at the future of transit joining Paul and Tris.

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

Paul returns to the island nation of Singapore to chat with Mr. Lee Ling Wee, Deputy Group CEO and President, International, SMRT Corporation. Like his earlier interview with Jeremy Yap earlier this year, the conversation focuses on how Singapore and SMRT are innovating and pushing towards a low/no emissions future.

Paul sets the stage for the interview with Trapeze General Manager for the ASEAN region Frank Hesse. Frank makes his home in Kuala Lumpur and offers great context into public transit in the entire Southeast Asian region.

Next week on Transit Unplugged, we'll have a special transit technology episode with a look at cybersecurity and a panel of experts on what the tech trends will be in 2022.

If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on Transit Unplugged, email us any time at [email protected].

In our final episode from APTA EXPO 2021, Paul chats with Jane Grogg, Director of Sarasota County Area Transit.

If there was one singular thing that is the hallmark of the post-COVID transit world, it's on-demand microtransit. Jane Grogg replaced fixed routes that had lower ridership and replaced them with on-demand microtransit.

And it's been a smashing success!

Typically these low ridership fixed routes also tend to have big headways (30 minutes or more between buses), which means people aren't really excited about taking transit when almost anything else would be faster.

But replace that fixed route with flexible and adaptable on-demand and people see how convenient it is to leave their car at home and take transit.

Listen to this super interview with Jane, plus Elea Carey and Mike Bismeyer give us their insights this week.

To wrap the show, Paul gives you a peek behind the curtain at what we have coming up over the next three months.

If you have comments, questions, or would like to be a guest on the show, email us anytime at [email protected]

Update: An audio issue kept one of the panelists from being heard. We've pushed out an updated audio track.

In the second of three APTA EXPO special episodes, this week it's the highlight of the week--the special panel of the 5 top women leading transit today.

Nadine Lee (CEO, Dallas DART), Leslie Richards (CEO, SEPTA), Lauren Skiver (CEO, SunLine Transit), MJ Maynard (CEO, RTC SNV), and Bacarra Sanderson Mauldin (Chief of Staff, MATA Transit) shared the stage and talked about their visions of transit, life as a leader, and career advice for anyone who aspires to step into their shoes.

The audience around the Trapeze-Vontas booth was in rapt attention for the entire panel, and now you can too.

This episode will also air as the third episode of Transit Unplugged TV in 2022.

Paul and Tris were at APTA EXPO 2021 in Orlando, FL last week and recorded several interviews while they were there.

From "Get to Know the GM" with the heads of Vontas and Trapeze Group and interviews with transit leaders to our amazing panel of amazing women leading transit agencies in the U.S., Paul and Tris covered a lot of ground in a few days.

This week we highlight two of the interviews from those three days.

First up is Chris Harris, Associate Director of Transportation at Auburn University in Alabama talking with Paul about running a transit system for students at the university.

That interview is followed by Tris interviewing Lauren Cochran Scoville, VP of Sales at Proterra, and what agencies need to know before going green with low and no emissions vehicles.

Next week on Transit Unplugged In-Depth we'll have segments from the Women Leaders in Transit Panel recorded live at the Trapeze-Vontas booth.

Visit the full post for complete show notes and a transcript, with links to our new social media profiles on TransitUnplugged.com.