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?