Transit Unplugged

 "You're going to be in a place in your career where you're going to need mentors. You're going to need trusted people that you can talk [to] about the aspects where you may not have the career strength." 

Michael Hursh, General Manager of AC Transit joins Transit Unplugged to provide us with an outlook on his career, experiences, and his role at AC Transit for the past five years. Michael provides an update on the impact COVID-19 has had on ridership in Alameda Contra Costa and what implications this has had on their funding and budgets. 

Michael Hursh has a maintenance background where he worked for three of the largest transit agencies in the Bay area before he began his tenure at AC Transit. Michael shares the value of learning from your peers and the insights that others in the industry can provide you, where you may not have the career strength or career background. He also provides advice for other Transit leaders on the importance of working closely with Board Members.  Paul Comfort and Michael Hursh go on to discuss ZEBs and hydrogen fuels, with the California mandate to be 100% zero-emission by 2040. Michael shares a new comparable study that AC Transit has underway to evaluate performance metrics for diesel, hydrogen, and battery electric busses. 

If you want to know more about AC Transit, check out their website.  

Remember to check out transitunplugged.com to learn from top transit professionals and stay updated on all the latest industry trends. 

“How do we maximize the full scope of services that best serve the community? That comes from the standpoint of environment…social equity…mobility. Those big picture goals are going to be critical as we move into this post-COVID phase.” In today’s Comfort’s Corner episode, we hear from Doran Barnes, Executive Director at Foothill Transit in Los Angeles, a messaging minute from Elea Carey on how to improve your agency’s press relations with local journalists/reporters, and a new Mike’s Minute on the power of celebrating small victories during challenging times. Plus, learn more about the upcoming book, Public Transportation: A Children’s Picture Book! Doran Barnes, Executive Director at Foothill Transit, provides an overview of transit in Los Angeles County and how the different service providers coordinate across the regions to meet the communities’ mobility needs. At the start of the pandemic, Foothill Transit decided to continue to run at their full service, for the importance of getting people to their essential jobs/functions. Today, they are operating at 98% full service, with approximately 50% ridership levels. Doran shares his view on the future of public transit and its role in providing mobility for the community, and the impact teleworking will have on public transit.

“The important thing about transit…It is the engine for economics and economic development.”

In this special edition of Transit Unplugged, you’ll hear a global view on what is happening around the world in the public transit industry, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Today’s episode is a two-part feature from a recent live webinar with global panelists. In the first half, our host, Paul Comfort, shares an overview of how to future-proof your agency – and what tools and technologies can be leveraged. Following this, our global panelists provide a public transit update on their respective regions and a look at their current and future projects. Panelists include Mr. Abdulla Naser, Executive Director of Operations, KGL Passenger Services (Kuwait), Mrs. Amimbola Akinajo, Managing Director, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (Africa), and Mr. Phil Verster, CEO, Metrolinx (Canada).

“We may see some short-term pain, but in the long run, I think it's going to stabilize itself…and public transportation is going to be a big piece of that. On our first BRT, we saw almost 100-150 million dollars in economic development as a result of us putting a BRT line on our major corridor." As COVID-19 affects public transit dramatically, we're proud to present a special edition of Transit Unplugged led by transit evangelist and Trapeze VP Paul Comfort. In today's episode, we hear from Shawn Donaghy, CEO of C-Tran, a new Mike's Minute on the power of kindness and mentorship, and a message from Elea Carey on strategic communication planning. Shawn Donaghy joins Comfort's Corner to provide an inside look at how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted C-Tran, and what the agency plans to do to move forward. Before the pandemic, C-Tran was experiencing a year-over-year increase in ridership. When the pandemic hit, they experienced a 40% decrease in local service ridership. Now, this has started to improve, as they are seeing a 25-30% decrease in local service ridership, which speaks to the dependability on transit ridership in the local region. Moving forward, they're looking at the first six months of 2021, and the projects that were in place to improve quality of life for the community at large. 

“We all learn from each other; that’s one of the powerful things… about this industry. We don’t compete. It’s how you share practices to help leverage the circumstances that we each face that are common, and some that are not common. That’s one of the secret sauces and the powers of this industry.” 

Doug Kelsey, CEO and General Manager of TriMet, joins Transit Unplugged to provide an outlook on his career, experiences (including a leading role supporting public transportation for the Olympics), and his current role at TriMet. Doug has a professional background that spans both the private and public sectors, with over 20 years in public transit. He shares his value of having both private and public expertise, and the importance of being customer centric. 

Doug Kelsey shares TriMet’s update on COVID-19 and the impact it has had on ridership. He shares his focus-principles including, preserving service dollars, retaining employment for the future outlook and the importance of financial flexibility, and centralization in a crisis.

If you want to know more about TriMet, check out their website. 

Remember to check out transitunplugged.com to learn from top transit professionals and stay updated on all the latest industry trends.

"My purpose is not to be biased [one] way or the other. My purpose is just to use real evidence to help us get through this." As COVID-19 affects public transit dramatically, we're proud to present a special edition of Transit Unplugged led by transit evangelist and Trapeze VP Paul Comfort. In today's episode, we hear from Professor Graham Currie, Professor of Public Transit at Monash University, in Melbourne, Australia.

Professor Currey started his career in transit as a Transit Planner for Transport for London, followed by many years in consulting before joining Monash University, where he focuses on academia and research for the transit industry. Graham is also a member of the United States Transportation Research Board (TRB), where he runs the Light Rail Transit Systems Committee. Professor Currey’s recent research focuses on the long-term impacts of COVID-19 and public transit demand – and how public transit will look once the pandemic is over. He leverages past evidence of disruptions, to uncover what they have taught us about public transit ridership, and what this means for the public transit industry, post-COVID-19. This episode also includes a Mike's Minute message and Elea Carey's top 3 elements to consider when planning crisis communications. Plus, listen to a reading from the bestselling new book The Future of Public Transportation.

“The 21st century is about mass transit innovation. If it was shipping in the 19th and automotive in the 20th, it is transit and fast mobility in the 21st.” In this special innovation episode, Josipa Petrunic, Executive Director and CEO of the Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC), joins Transit Unplugged to discuss the innovative projects CUTRIC is focusing on now and into the future. The idea for CUTRIC arose at the Canadian Urban Transit Association, as CUTA Members identified a need to focus on transit innovation, like innovative consortiums in the automotive, pharmaceutical, and aerospace sectors. Josipa, a strong supporter of the transit industry, shares more on CUTRIC’s projects, including a focus on zero-emission buses, autonomous vehicles, and how she believes we can get ridership back up after the pandemic.

"Public transportation has a future and we will carve out the future. We will work together with the communities to make sure our values are demonstrated and that everyone can have mobility to improve the quality of life here."

In today's episode, hear from Chris O'Claire, Mobility Division Director at King County Metro Transit, as she shares how, along with MV, King County has adapted their mobility services to support the Washington State community during COVID-19. At the start of the pandemic, King County provided food delivery service, and then launched their Transportation for Pandemic Response (TRP) program to help provide safe transportation for COVID-19 positive patients, among other community programs. Plus, listen to a reading from the bestselling new book The Future of Public Transportation.

 "With any project, you've got to plan it out." India Birdsong started her career in Community Development before entering the Public Transit Industry with CTA (Chicago Transit Authority). During her ten years at CTA, India held multiple roles within the Planning and Operations departments. After CTA, India joined WeGo Public Transit (formerly Nashville MTA) as their Chief Operating Officer. Now the General Manager and CEO of GCRTA (Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority), India, joins Transit Unplugged to discuss how GCRTA is currently managing through COVID-19 and what projects are in the agency's future, including replacing rail cars, and a bus redesign. 

If you want to know more about GCRTA, check out their website. 

Remember to check out transitunplugged.com to learn from top transit professionals and stay up date on all the latest industry trends.

"Eventually, as the world returns to normal, whatever that new normal is going to be... people are going to want to return to public transit."

As COVID-19 affects public transit dramatically, we're proud to present a special edition of Transit Unplugged led by transit evangelist and Trapeze VP Paul Comfort. In today's episode, Paul shares headline news, including last week's uptake in ridership experienced by TriMet, in Portland, Oregon, as we experience a slow return to normal. We then hear from Kevin Desmond, CEO of TransLink, as he shares how they plan to recover from the COVID-19 crisis and their scalable capital budget plan for the next year. Mike Bismeyer joins us for Mike's Minute, where he reminds us that even during a crisis, we need to maintain our kindness with others. Plus, listen to a reading from the bestselling new book The Future of Public Transportation.

To keep informed on COVID-19, please visit the World Health Organization, Government of Canada, or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.