We're kicking off the first of five podcast episodes from Paul's 10-day trip to Australia. First up, we have John Storms of Transit Systems Victoria and Mark Peters of Transit Systems Australia giving us an overview of transit in Australia and their plans for the future. Much like North America, Australia has cities surrounded by sprawling, low-density suburbs that are challenging for any public transit system to serve. In their separate interviews with Paul, John and Mark talk frankly about these challenges and what needs to be done to address them.
Coming up next week we have the first of two holiday specials on Transit Unplugged. First, we're turning the tables on Paul with our own award-winning radio journalist, Julie Gates, interviewing him for a change. Paul talks about the highlights from 2024 and what's ahead for 2025. Because Christmas falls on a Wednesday this year, we're releasing the episode a day early on Tuesday (Christmas Eve). We'll do the same the following week, with an episode coming out on New Year's Eve instead of New Year's Day.
00:00 Introduction and Overview of the Australian Trip
00:20 Exploring Melbourne and Hobart
00:38 Brisbane and Upcoming Podcasts
02:50 Interview with John Storms
02:58 Focus on People and Accessibility Initiatives
06:58 Hydrogen and Electric Bus Innovations
08:11 John Storms' Background and Melbourne's Growth
11:05 Interview with Mark Peters: Transit Trends and Zero Emissions
11:16 Interview with Mark Peters
19:01 Technology and Innovation in Transit
20:39 Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged
Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo https://www.modaxo.com
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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Modaxo Inc., its affiliates or subsidiaries, or any entities they represent (“Modaxo”). This production belongs to Modaxo, and may contain information that may be subject to trademark, copyright, or other intellectual property rights and restrictions. This production provides general information, and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. Modaxo specifically disclaims all warranties, express or implied, and will not be liable for any losses, claims, or damages arising from the use of this presentation, from any material contained in it, or from any action or decision taken in response to it.
Sometimes the difference between winning and losing is your bench. The people you can call on to step up and win the game, finish the project, or get it done when your usual players can't. That's a strong bench. People you know who can step into the shoes of current leaders and be the next ones.
By 2030 all baby boomers will be 65 or older and preparing to retire. So who is going to replace them? According to this week's guest, Matt Booterbaugh, CEO of RATP Dev USA, we don't have a strong bench to step in when current leaders step down, and Matt has some ideas how to fix it.
Paul and Matt also talk about the general state of transit, funding challenges, progress towards zero emission buses, and Matt's thoughts on coming from outside transit.
Next week on the show, we have the first in a series of interviews from Paul's 10-day tour of Australia. First up, we have John Storms, Managing Director at Transit Systems in the State of Victoria, and Mark Peters, Executive General Manager, E Mobility and Fleet Innovation at Transit Systems for all of Australia. They'll be talking about transit in Australia overall, their strides in expanding their workforce, accessibility, and the transition to zero emissions buses.
Don't forget, our year end wrap up shows are coming up! First, on Christmas Eve, we have Paul and Transit Unplugged News Minute's Julie Gates, with a look back and a look ahead in transit. And then, on New Year's Eve, we have Rudy Salo, transit futurist and attorney talking with Paul about the year ahead and beyond for transit and mobility.
00:05 Introduction from host, Paul Comfort
01:21 Interview with Matt Booterbaugh, CEO of RATP Dev USA
01:33 Current Trends in Public Transportation
02:58 Global Experience and Local Impact
03:23 Company Background and Growth
05:07 Matt's Personal Journey
07:18 Public vs. Private Sector Jobs
09:02 Industry Challenges and Future Outlook
12:44 Leadership in Transit
16:05 New Year's Resolutions
16:58 Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged
Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo https://www.modaxo.com
Special thanks to:
If you have a question or comment, email us at [email protected].
Follow us on social media: LinkedIn - Twitter - Threads- Instagram - Facebook
Sign up for the Transit Unplugged Newsletter
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Modaxo Inc., its affiliates or subsidiaries, or any entities they represent (“Modaxo”). This production belongs to Modaxo, and may contain information that may be subject to trademark, copyright, or other intellectual property rights and restrictions. This production provides general information, and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. Modaxo specifically disclaims all warranties, express or implied, and will not be liable for any losses, claims, or damages arising from the use of this presentation, from any material contained in it, or from any action or decision taken in response to it.
In this episode of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort sits down with Ben Limmer, Chief of Public Transportation for the Connecticut Department of Transportation. They talk about what it takes to run a massive statewide transit agency with a billion-dollar budget that is a critical part of the Northeast Corridor from Boston to Washington D.C. Paul and Ben talk about Ben's career journey--like many of us, he fell into transit accidentally--and how several important mentors shaped his career. Ben talks about Connecticut's major transportation projects, including investments in infrastructure, electrification programs, and bus network revamps.
Ben and Paul wrap the conversation with a discussion about what's going to be important to transit in the next few years. Tune in for this insightful chat about the present and future of transit in Connecticut.
Coming up next week on the show we have Matt Booterbaugh, CEO of transit contractor RAPT Dev USA. Talking about the role of contracting in transit and his secret to fill the bench with future transit leaders.
00:00 Introduction from host Paul Comfort
00:17 Meet Ben Limmer: Chief of Public Transportation
02:13 Big Projects and Responsibilities at CTDOT
06:38 Career Journey and Mentorship
14:56 Referendums and Public Support
16:35 Future of Public Transportation
18:52 Conclusion and Future Plans
19:15 Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged
Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo https://www.modaxo.com
Special thanks to:
If you have a question or comment, email us at [email protected].
Follow us on social media: LinkedIn - Twitter - Threads- Instagram - Facebook
Sign up for the Transit Unplugged Newsletter
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Modaxo Inc., its affiliates or subsidiaries, or any entities they represent (“Modaxo”). This production belongs to Modaxo, and may contain information that may be subject to trademark, copyright, or other intellectual property rights and restrictions. This production provides general information, and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. Modaxo specifically disclaims all warranties, express or implied, and will not be liable for any losses, claims, or damages arising from the use of this presentation, from any material contained in it, or from any action or decision taken in response to it.
Paratransit is the most expensive mode transit agencies in North America provide, so finding ways to save money and better serve the community is paramount. One way to do that is offer a bare-bones, only-what's-mandated service; which saves money, but underserves a vulnerable population. The other way is to get smart, to get innovative.
And that's exactly what Eileen Collins Turvey of Portland's TriMet did, and it paid off because she won the 2024 APTA Innovation Award for her pilot program giving paratransit customers Instacart Plus memberships.
It costs about $150 round trip for someone to use paratransit to go to the store. And they have to book ahead of time and can only bring two bags back from the store. But what if people could just have their groceries delivered instead? In her pilot, Eileen gave $10/mo Instacart Plus memberships to paratransit customers to let them buy groceries and have them delivered whenever they need from over 55 stores.
How's it working?
TriMet is saving $1500 per month per person and if the program is expanded to just half of their paratransit customers they could save $9 million per year.
In her conversation with host Paul Comfort, Eileen also talks about her personal connection to paratransit and her vision for what paratransit could and should be. Tune in for this awesome interview with a true trailblazer.
And if you'd like to learn more about it, Eileen provided us with a link to all her information and materials about the program. (text link: https://nextcloud.trimet.org/index.php/s/nyTqwgzefiGbNTB)
Coming up next week we head to Connecticut and hear from Ben Limmer, Chief of Public Transportation at Connecticut Department of Transportation and learn about their revitalization programs.
00:00 Introduction
00:59 Our guest: Eileen Collins Turvey
02:35 Winning the APTA Innovation Award
04:39 The Instacart Program: Concept and Implementation
05:59 Challenges and Solutions
10:47 Program Impact and Future Prospects
13:18 The Broader Vision for Paratransit
18:26 Final Thoughts
19:44 Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged
Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo https://www.modaxo.com
Special thanks to:
If you have a question or comment, email us at [email protected].
Follow us on social media: LinkedIn - Twitter - Threads- Instagram - Facebook
Sign up for the Transit Unplugged Newsletter
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Modaxo Inc., its affiliates or subsidiaries, or any entities they represent (“Modaxo”). This production belongs to Modaxo, and may contain information that may be subject to trademark, copyright, or other intellectual property rights and restrictions. This production provides general information, and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. Modaxo specifically disclaims all warranties, express or implied, and will not be liable for any losses, claims, or damages arising from the use of this presentation, from any material contained in it, or from any action or decision taken in response to it.
This episode of Transit Unplugged, brought to you in conjunction with the South West Transit Association (SWTA), tackles a big question after the U.S. election: what does it mean for transit? Rich Sampson, Executive Director of SWTA, and Becca Green, their Legislative Committee Chair and Chief Communications Officer at Rock Region METRO, provide a comprehensive legislative update for listeners. Key topics discussed include:
Rich and Becca give practical strategies for effective advocacy with elected leaders, especially in light of new administration and Congressional dynamics. They emphasize building strong relationships with elected officials and underscore transit as a non-partisan issue benefiting all constituents.
Coming up next week we'll have Eileen Collins Turvey talking about her innovative programs in Portland, OR that could save millions of dollars and help people lead healthier lives.
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:25 Legislative Update Overview
03:07 Transit Ballot Initiatives Success
06:05 Federal Transit Funding and Appropriations
13:25 Regulatory Relief and Workforce Development
18:00 Vehicle Supply and Cost Issues
28:49 Advocacy and Relationship Building
36:08 Q&A Session
49:02 Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged
Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo https://www.modaxo.com
Special thanks to:
If you have a question or comment, email us at [email protected].
Follow us on social media: LinkedIn - Twitter - Threads- Instagram - Facebook
Sign up for the Transit Unplugged Newsletter
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Modaxo Inc., its affiliates or subsidiaries, or any entities they represent (“Modaxo”). This production belongs to Modaxo, and may contain information that may be subject to trademark, copyright, or other intellectual property rights and restrictions. This production provides general information, and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. Modaxo specifically disclaims all warranties, express or implied, and will not be liable for any losses, claims, or damages arising from the use of this presentation, from any material contained in it, or from any action or decision taken in response to it.