As we continue to heal from the pandemic, public transit agencies find themselves at the intersection of efficiency and risk mitigation. A great transit system is a reliable one. When COVID-19 swept across the country, transit systems had to operate in a new landscape plagued with fear and uncertainty. These reliable services were now in disarray. In an abrupt shift, … Read More
Accelerating Public Transit’s Recovery with Scenario Planning
As we all know, COVID-19 had a dramatic impact on public transit ridership. According to a report prepared for the American Public Transportation Association, public transit ridership fell 79% nationally compared to 2019 levels as a result of the pandemic. Furthermore, even if you only looked at the second half of 2020 when ridership started to pick up, it only … Read More
Use Data as the Catalyst for Your Transit Agency’s COVID-19 Recovery
Across the country, we are seeing businesses open their doors, foot traffic filling up downtown sidewalks, and communities reuniting after far too many months apart. Recovery, better yet, healing, is happening for all of us.
Destination Vaccination: Ensuring Access to COVID-19 Vaccines
What a year. We’ve been so busy simply surviving and getting through the day-to-day of a socially-distanced quarantine life, it’s hard to believe COVID-19 has been a part of our lives for a year. Between the loss and trauma, we have been through a dark night of the soul. We are longing for human interaction outside of our carefully-vetted pods. … Read More
Public Transportation Funding: Doing More with Less
Public transportation in the United States is currently in a state of crisis. A shock to no one, the COVID pandemic – and the associated changes in how we live, work, play, and move about our communities – has a deep impact on public transit. Ridership is down upwards of 75%, meaning fare revenue is down about the same. As … Read More
Doing More with Less: Art or Science?
During the last week of October I attended the Rail~Volution transit conference. While the sessions were timely, insightful and thought-provoking, I couldn’t help but notice the eight-ton elephant in the room: COVID-19. Even when we don’t talk about it, COVID is present. However, there was one session that widened my perspective on the private sector’s role in community planning in … Read More
Transformative Transportation in the Age of COVID-19
The One-Stop-Shop Approach to Transit Management “The next generation of transformative transportation is here in front of us…This is the age of acceleration.” – Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti LA Mayor Eric Garcetti’s words are from 2018; however, they have only strengthened in truth rather than diminished overtime.
Creating Safe Services
At the start of 2020, the transit industry was positioned to enhance all of the tools in its already existing arsenal – smart partnerships, technology, data expertise and more – to push forward trends such as autonomous vehicle innovation, the shift from fixed to flexible transit modes, and an increase in public-private partnerships that have altered the mobility landscape and … Read More
Safe Campus Transportation Amidst COVID-19
As students return to campus this Fall, we know the main concern is safety. The goal is to keep students, faculty and drivers safe, while providing timely and efficient transportation. Transit planners must also factor in unaccustomed protocols such as social distancing and PPE, all while capturing data to be utilized for contact tracing.
COVID-19 Customer Survey Results
As our nation continues to navigate the changing landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic, we took an opportunity to survey our customers and hear firsthand the daily challenges and obstacles that transit agencies and operators are facing. The survey was divided into four sections: marketing & communication, resilience planning, operations, and funding.
Managing the Psychosocial Impacts of COVID-19
We’ve all experienced trying times, but living through a global pandemic has presented a multitude of new and unique challenges that have affected several aspects of our personal and professional lives. It has readjusted the way we work, socialize, and connect with colleagues, customers, friends, and family members. For many, COVID-19 has psychologically increased fear and anxiety regarding personal health … Read More
Meeting of The Minds Webinar: Responding to COVID-19
This content was originally published on MeetingoftheMinds.org.
Public Transportation After COVID-19
Mobility and transportation have been upended by the COVID-19 crisis. Ridership in major metros across the U.S., Europe, and China has declined 50-90% compared to pre-crisis levels. While stay-at-home orders are being lifted, the global impact of this health crisis will have long-lasting effects, and how transit agencies respond to rider concerns will be crucial in instilling confidence and boosting … Read More
Transit is Evolving
Transit is evolving. Ever since the first time someone said “maybe there’s a better way than just relying on my own two feet,” humankind has sought to move faster, farther, and more efficiently. Fast-forward to 2020 and transit is still evolving. Trends like vehicle electrification innovation, the shifting from fixed to flexible modes, and an increase in public-private partnerships have … Read More
Tactical Tips for Our Customers During COVID-19
In light of COVID-19, we want to ensure our customers are taken care of and know the resources available within our applications to help navigate these times of uncertainty. In order to best serve our customers, we’ve curated a list of features and capabilities that may enhance your service and assist riders during this time.
On Leadership During COVID-19
As is often the case in a calamity, the reason for the calamity and the barrier to success has not been a technical one, but instead one of leadership. While we watch some communities and leaders in our nation and world come together to fight back effectively against COVID-19, there are other communities and leaders that haven’t done as good … Read More
5 Ways Transit Agencies are Responding to COVID-19
Transit agencies around the country are committed to providing essential services to their riders while ensuring the highest level of safety for all as they continue to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic.
3 Tips for Stress Management in Times of Uncertainty
Given all that has been going on with the COVID-19 fallout, how do we now effectively cope in this VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) world with such a high degree of FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt)? As a licensed professional counselor with 20 years of clinical experience in mental health both as a practitioner and as a university professor, I … Read More
6 Tips for Navigating a Crisis
Navigating a crisis can be difficult, especially as providers of a public good. Here are 6 tips to help you get through a crisis: