Week End Views

Mobility and Innovation resources, news, and musings to view this weekend. 

First a warm up: I often do things if not backwards then sideways. I started by recording podcasts (on AVs).  And then three years later, I loaded my phone with podcasts for hours of bus rides in Columbia. I had a lot of time to fill as it turns out our bus routes wound their way through mountainous terrain, which was not conducive to reading. (All of those where were purely for escape. I mainly listened to mysteries and book-focused podcasts. My daughter introduced me to The Stacks.)  Lately, I have been looking to podcasts for Mobile Minutes.

You might think that the advantage of podcast is that you can listen while you walk, or do chores or just sit. And those are all good. The big advantage is that podcasts lend themselves to stories that illuminate the mobility minute. This week’s Number One Choice is just such an example. Paul Comfort elicits Clinton Forbes “origin story” — one that shows what we need to understand about our transit partners. It illustrates the work and innovation that is on going to meet the needs of the community. And gives a glimpse into where this system is making new service delivery model operational and a real time update on bus electrification. I expected to gain my real insight in the lightening round at the end where Paul asks about personal favorites — And turned out that part, punctuated by Forbes’ laughter, was just the icing on cake. No spoiler alert here. Listen for yourself.

This Week End Review starts with podcasts and goes from there. 

🚎 Number One Choice:  “I have always said that crisis breeds innovation,”  says Clinton Forbes as he shares Palm Tran’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic with Paul Comfort on Transit Unplugged.   

Suggest a Podcast: Katelyn Davis and Kristin Davis preview their upcoming podcast WomenDrivenMobility and issue an invitation to suggest women to feature. 

🚎 Catch a listen: The Urban Complex takes up how cities move from data deserts to data oasis with Grant Ervin. 

🚎 Almost a Podcast: If you did not hear them live, you can listen to recordings (almost a podcast) of Greater Minnesota Shared Mobility Webinars. Two recent finds Suzie Pike at UC Davis on Covid & Transit and Microtransit in Minnesota.

🚎 Read ahead: This coming weekend the Maryland Planning Department will host a webinar of using the APA’s Planning for Equity Policy Guide. (Download here) 

🚎 Also recommended: TRC on 3 Continents: Our Launches in Scotland and Australia – different use cases each applicable to current transit needs including expanded coverage for MOD, rural application, and vax transport among others. 

🚎  As previously noted, the Urban Land Institute packs a lot of value in Small Vehicles, Big Impact: Micromobility’s Value to Cities and Real Estate. 

🚎  Outside reading: I am still working on The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson. It’s quite good and keenly relevant given that today marks the day that all of us in my immediate family completed their vaccines. 

Do you have other resources to commend? Post in comments. 

What podcasts do you listen to? 

What are you reading now? 

Mobility and Innovation resources, news, and musings to view this weekend. 

The Eno Center on Transportation webinar on bus electrification and workforce equity provides suggestions of upskilling workers for new jobs relevant across A2CES mobility systems.  Here is the link to the recording.

ENO also authored 3 reports for FTA’s Mobility Sandbox. The reports found here focus on mobility on demand in Los Angeles and Puget Sound and contracting for new mobility services. Thanks Robert Puentes for flagging.

April’s edition of Parking and Mobility highlights Coord ‘s smart zone deployments in Omaha, Nashville, West Palm Beach and Aspen featured in article by Dennis Burns.

In the the Urban Complex Podcast  14th edition Dominic and Chris recaps key lessons in innovation in cities  gleaned in its first baker’s dozen of episodes. I will be going back to listen to the episode with Grant Erwin the CIO for the City of Pittsburgh on moving cities from data deserts to data oasis.

Resiliency and inspiration are key for mobilineers with staying power. Leadership Coach Kate Peters recommends Do Nothing by  Celeste Headlee as a go to for How to Breakaway from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving.

I am cruising through Walter Isaacson’s The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing and the Future of the Human Race. 

Have something to add?  Drop a comment or contact us here.

One morning I needed to get to National Airport for an early morning flight. Uncharacteristically, I had some extra time to get there and was looking forward to an unstressed stroll with a chance to grab coffee and newspaper before take off. (I know I am old fashioned reading paper newspapers.) The ride took 3x as long as it would have in solo ride. What happened? Read on and then take a listen to learn how Alex Wallar and colleagues solved what he calls the “Uber Pool ” problem.

The rest of my story: I booked my ride as surge pricing started. I thought I will save a bit and make my ride more sustainable. I will take a pooled or shared ride.

I hopped in my ride as the third rider and nearly 45 minutes later I was dropped off at the airport. It took more three times as long as it would have if I had ridden alone. Sigh. Next, I mumbled, I willl get Tim, my long suffering and saintly husband to to take me — 12 minute door to door.

It does not have to be that way as Alex Wallar explained to me last fall. You can hear it from him directly as he discusses route optimization with with Reed Sturdevant of The Engine on MIT Inside Track.

Take a listen as Alec explains how the algorithm can cover all of Manhattan’s taxi rides with 80 percent of the vehicles.

Imagine what this could mean for transit route optimization?

Take listen. Scratch the techie itch. Pass it along.

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