Prologue: Yesterday, we launched the first of two special episodes of The Movement Podcast showcasing challenges that people with disabilities face to access mobility and what can be done to improve it. You can catch that episode here.
Editorial: Can the American Rescue Plan Save Transit from Itself?
Transit professionals around the country joined in a collective sigh of relief with the passing of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP), and its $30 billion in funding for transportation. After more than a year of facing budgets deep in the red, transit can breathe again. Agencies will use most of the ARP funding to pay back debt, restart paused … Read More
Editorial: Fixing Transit Requires Grappling with Racism
The U.S. and Europe have vastly different public transit systems. The accessibility and affordability of Europe’s robust public transit system is in contrast to the U.S., which, at best, is convenient and expensive in major cities and non-existent in many rural and suburban communities (hence microtransit‘s recent surge in popularity). Why do these differences exist? Transit is complex. Understanding why … Read More
Tools for Accessible Transit
At TransLoc, a big piece of our mission has and will continue to be providing users with an equitable transit experience. This commitment has driven our investment in building product features that provide transit opportunities to all users, with accessibility needs and beyond. While the work is never done, we’re excited to share five TransLoc App features we’ve launched this … Read More
When Roads Are Racist
The LA Times published an opinion piece arguing that the freeways of Los Angeles are California’s largest monuments to racism. The author outlines how freeways were intentionally built through Black and Latino communities and even used as fortress-like barriers to maintain racial segregation. It is important to recognize the history of freeway racism, because this legacy is still very much … Read More
Supply Begets Demand…
In my first job after college, I walked to work every day. At that time, I worked at the UNC General Alumni Association, in the heart of the Carolina campus, considered by many to be one of the most beautiful college campuses in the world.
How Bikes Became One of the Best Things to Happen to Feminism
Today we celebrate the ratification of the 19th amendment to the United States’ constitution giving women the right to vote. While voting is arguably one of the greatest equalizers in our nation, women’s mobility — bicycles specifically — liberated women and established greater equality across various domains including fashion and commerce, health and recreation, gender roles and relationships, politics, race, … Read More
Creating Vibrant Cities: Going Above and Beyond Traditional Transportation
Last week several members of the TransLoc team traveled to New York City for the 2019 ACT International Conference. This year’s conference brought together over 650 professionals from across the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe to discuss a wide range of transportation topics and solutions to enhance mobility in communities worldwide. There were 40 educational sessions focused … Read More
Use Data or Lose Everything: Transit Agencies have a Choice
A TechCrunch article from May offers a simple, clairvoyant thesis about the future of the auto industry: “Automakers have a choice: become data companies or become irrelevant.” The message is clear: traditional vehicle manufacturers will no longer have dominant market positions when mobility data, not vehicle hardware, is the ultimate valued commodity. The same can be said not only for … Read More
Microtransit is a Value Investment
“You have to understand the makeup of Montgomery County and how much area we’re serving. We could no longer afford to put fixed route services in those areas, but they’re still going to get better service, through these new mobility options.” – Brandon Policicchio, Chief Customer and Business Development Officer, Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority, Ohio At TransLoc we believe … Read More
A Versatile Mobility Solution
“Existing urban transit modes can continue to operate, but today citizens demand more than simply expanding old systems. They have access to smartphone apps and flexible ride options that have become popular by focusing on ease of use and a great rider experience.” Transit leaders are struggling to overcome the obstacles presented by an increasingly outdated public transit system. As … Read More
The Best Time to Plant a Tree was 20 Years Ago. The Next Best Time is Today.
I grew up on 10 forested acres of land on the side of a mountain on the outskirts of the western North Carolina city of Asheville. My parents built our house overlooking Haw Creek Valley and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Our nearest neighbor was a third of a mile through the woods.
Mobility Row: Ann Arbor Talks Technology and Innovation
Ann Arbor is a bustling, vibrant town, sporting an exciting blend of campus, commercial, and community life. With the University of Michigan practically growing directly out from the city center, there is a real sense of a thoughtful progressivism and ideas-first culture that pervades and informs citizens’ opinions on a variety of topics, from politics to technology.
Campus Transportation Redefined
Over the past 15 years TransLoc has worked with campus parking and transportation departments across the United States. In this time we’ve had exposure to very unique environments – in service setup, delivery, needs, and roles. We’ve also witnessed an evolution take shape; one that is observable at an industry-wide level. This evolution centers on creating and delivering mobility services … Read More
The Moral Argument for Free Public Transit
The fundamental role of public transit is to provide access. According to the American Public Transit Association, almost half of the 10 billion annual trips on public transit are commuting to jobs and another 21 percent are for shopping. Seven billion trips annually on public transit directly support the American dream of having a good job and providing for one’s … Read More
It’s All About Partnerships: Findings from NCPTA
Transportation is doing a deep dive on finding ways to implement industry innovation while keeping the rider at the center of the conversation. This month, TransLoc’s business development team attended the North Carolina Public Transportation Association’s (NCPTA) 2019 Annual Conference and Expo in Wilmington, NC. Bringing together over 400 industry leaders from across the state, the conference covered the future … Read More
Ohio Needs Transit: Transforming Mobility & Redesigning Our Future
Transforming Mobility and Redesigning Our Future was the theme of this year’s Ohio Needs Transit conference. The annual conference is run by the Ohio Public Transit Association (OPTA), and focused on the rapidly developing technology that is directly impacting transportation systems in Ohio and beyond.
Word On the Street: What We Heard at SUMC 2019
Earlier this month our team traveled to Chicago, IL for the 2019 National Shared Mobility Summit. Every year the Summit brings together mobility leaders who are exploring options to create a multi-modal transportation solution to enhance their communities. This year, 700 mobility experts from 40 States and 14 countries gathered to ask the tough questions and make moves towards real … Read More
Microtransit Provides an Opportunity to Thrive
Hear from Lauren Marks, Executive Director of The Exceptional Foundation of Atlanta, about how a microtransit service in Gwinnett County, GA is providing service for an exceptional group. I am the Executive Director for a newly established nonprofit called The Exceptional Foundation of Atlanta. Our nonprofit is a private day program for adults with intellectual disabilities. Basically, we are the … Read More
Growing The Movement
Just about a year ago, TransLoc was acquired by Ford Smart Mobility. After spending the bulk of my professional career working at TransLoc in a bootstrapped and then VC rocket-fueled spaceship, we were finally in orbit. We are now a part of a large, multinational company that not only has the resources to play a key role in mobility, but … Read More
Celebrating an Icon
Today marks 106 years since Rosa Parks was born in Tuskegee, Alabama. She has been recognized by the United States Congress as the “First Lady of Civil Rights” and the “Mother of the Freedom Movement.” As a symbol of hope and equality, today we celebrate Park’s courageous spirit and ceaseless perseverance.