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
To Share is Human
Our transportation system is evolving, and the year 2020 forced an unparalleled rate of change. Falling transit ridership and soaring automobile sales have led some to predict the end of shared mobility and the obsolescence of public transit. While I agree that the future must look very different from the past, I do not believe that sharing is dead. Quite … Read More
Race and Place: Who Do We Plan For?
Most planners have an aspiration toward placemaking: we dream of quaint public squares where residents can walk to local businesses as streetcars hum past tree-lined sidewalks. We dream of the “15 Minute City”, of cheerful connected places where community and opportunity thrive in abundance.
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
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.
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:
Let’s Talk TRANSform: Recapping Our Time at APTA’s Annual Meeting
Another great APTA Annual meeting has come and gone, but not without leaving us with a wealth of knowledge to mull over. This year’s meeting was hosted in the city that never sleeps at the New York Marriott Marquis. The big city lights paled in comparison to the powerful discussions happening inside, and we’re here to recap some of the … Read More
Moonshot
On my way to attend Rail~Volution last week in Vancouver, British Columbia, I finished Robert Kurson’s excellent new book “Rocket Men.” The book tells the true story of NASA’s ambitious plan to dramatically accelerate the plans for the Apollo 8 mission to circumnavigate the moon to provide critical intelligence for a future lunar landing. Three daring astronauts strap themselves to … 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.
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
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.
The Network Effect
Biking! It’s exercise. It extends your lifespan and makes you happier. It is better for the environment and your community. It is more affordable than private car use, and efficient to boot.
The Future in Mobility is Here: Three Takeaways from The 2019 APTA Mobility Conference
Technology and partnerships are critical to making access to jobs, healthcare, and entertainment available to anyone who needs it.
The Road Ahead: Lessons from CalACT 2019
At the end of April, the TransLoc team attended the 35th Annual CalACT conference in Coronado, California. We met with innovative transit agencies looking to improve their systems and create a better tomorrow. While we can’t deliver to you the beautiful birds and beaches of the Pacific, we can bear the gift of knowledge. Here’s what we learned at CalACT … Read More
How Transit Continues To Save The Planet
Traditionally, when people think about Earth Day the first image that comes to mind is planting a tree. Thanks to the growing awareness around the rising impacts of climate change, its worsening effects on our daily lives, and the future of our planet, the day dedicated to demonstrating support for environmental protection is evolving.
The Movement is Growing
As I’ve spent the last several months framing out what would become The Movement Podcast, I found that the most valuable thing I could do was share my ideas with someone I trusted and get their feedback. My policy ideas focused more on how to actually implement policies that benefit communities were half-formed and the discipline of having to explain … Read More
What’s Easy vs. What’s Right
At the recent National Shared Mobility Summit, Chicago Transit Authority President Dorval Carter introduced the keynote speaker, former US Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, now Chief Policy Officer at Lyft. In his remarks, Carter asked the audience rhetorically “What kind of city do we want?” as a heuristic to guide the decisions that elected and appointed officials and the … 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
How the Desire to Improve Lives Brought One Urban Planner from KCATA to TransLoc
TransLoc welcomes AICP-certified planner Tyler Means to the team as Senior Project Manager. Tyler comes from one of TransLoc’s transit agency partners, Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA), where he served as Operations Manager. He is passionate about mobility and improving the lives of others by making transportation more accessible and more affordable.
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.
Innovation vs. Courage
It’s that time of the year again when the headlines hitting the news are full of hyperbole and dubious practicality generated from the annual paean to the newest technology, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The transportation industry was not spared from the CES headlines with debuts of walking cars and flying cabs.
What Are We Valuing?
The Triangle region of North Carolina where I live recently learned that we struck out on two coveted high-tech campuses: a huge Apple campus (Austin was the eventual winner) and Amazon’s 2nd headquarters (HQ2) that went to NYC and Northern Virginia. Amazon’s charade of a selection process for HQ2 highlighted just how focused government leaders are to the promise of jobs for … Read More
Transit a Big Winner in Midterm Elections
In last week’s midterm elections, voters enthusiastically supported transportation issues. According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), “Voters passed 17 of 20 transportation-related ballot measures—an approval rate of 85 percent.”
Move Together 2015 – National Shared Mobility Summit
Registration is now open for the 2015 national shared mobility summit Move Together. The event will bring transportation and policy leaders from across the country to Chicago on September 28-30 to discuss new developments in shared mobility, foster collaboration between the public and private sectors, and explore new solutions related to carsharing, bikesharing, ride-hailing and more. The conference will be conducted in partnership with the … Read More