Podcasts about transitcenter

Also, city administrator criticized over reaction to Gaza protest The Beacon City Council heard from about a dozen residents during a public hearing on Monday (Jan. 22) on a proposal to eliminate minimum parking requirements for new developments. Their feedback was split. The proposed law would not apply to single- or two-family homes or accessory dwelling units (ADUs), which make up about 80 percent of the city. But on Main Street and in other commercial areas, it would end the requirement that new developments or substantially rebuilt sites provide a minimum number of parking spaces. Instead, the Planning Board would have flexibility to determine the number of spaces required based on conditions such as comparable uses, location, walkable access to public transit and the size of the parcel. Single- and two-family houses would still need to provide at least one space per dwelling unit, down from two in the current code. The requirement for ADUs of one space per unit would not change. The hearing was adjourned until Feb. 20, but council members said they plan to discuss the legislation during a workshop before then. The move is being considered as the city tries to encourage walkability and reduce the environmental impacts of vehicles. More than 200 municipalities nationwide, including Hudson and Kingston in the Hudson Valley, have dropped minimum parking requirements. Some housing advocates believe that rents will decrease if the expense of acquiring or constructing spaces is removed. Elaine Ciaccio, a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, told the Beacon council that she believed the change would push more parked cars into adjoining residential neighborhoods. She also said that decisions about parking supply should not be left to developers and the Planning Board without guidelines in place. "Why are we giving benefits to developers without some return?" she asked, noting that "maybe you can get by without a car, but it's really difficult." Kevin Byrne, a Planning Board member, suggested that the law, if adopted, would become a "practical impediment" toward having the city's interests defended in the planning process. In the absence of minimums, he said that a developer could hire a consultant to provide evidence for the amount of parking the developer wants to provide. If that happens, the Planning Board would not be "in a position to make a counterproposal or start doing urban planning studies," he said. Byrne predicted that developers would build more units if they did not have to set aside land for parking. Steven Higashide, director of the Clean Transportation Program for the Union of Concerned Scientists, countered that "the evidence is actually very strong that ending parking minimums helps us chip away at the affordable housing crisis." Higashide said that parking adds 17 percent to the average apartment rent and cited an American Planning Association report that said studio apartments in Minneapolis, which began eliminating parking requirements in 2015, had fallen by 2018 from $1,200 per month to less than $1,000. Parking standards are a "blunt tool rooted in a limited set of old data that mostly has been collected in places that are much more suburban than Beacon," he said. Hayley Richardson, who works for TransitCenter, a foundation that supports public transportation, agreed, calling parking minimums "outdated policies from last century" that make it difficult to plan for anything other than cars. "Adopting this policy is a first step, not a silver bullet," she said. "We have a lot of work to do to make our city a place where you can truly live without a car." Richardson encouraged the city to provide better sidewalks, safe bike paths and reliable public transit to make it easier for residents to drive less. Swearing-in protest City Administrator Chris White was criticized by residents who said they disapproved of his behavior in response to protesters who interrupted a swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 6 at the M...

In this episode of "High Frequency," host Kapish Singla explores the state of transit funding with Yonah Freemark, senior research associate at the Urban Institute. Based on insights from the recent Urban Institute report, “Surmounting the Fiscal Cliff,” the interview delves into the reasons behind transit's current fiscal cliff,  and the policy choices that have perpetually put transit agency finances on precarious footing. The episode advances sustainable funding solutions that could finally disrupt this vicious cycle of underinvestment, and ensure that the current crisis is transit's last fiscal cliff.“Transit is key to our society, and transit is going to come back from the pandemic at higher ridership levels if we give our transit systems the opportunity to provide the services they need. Transit systems that have invested in improved quality of service have benefited from increased ridership, including higher levels of ridership than pre-pandemic, and a number of systems. We don't have to give up on transit. In fact, we should be thinking about the future as a more transit-heavy future than even before the pandemic.” - Yonah FreemarkTo read “Surmounting the Fiscal Cliff,” click here. To watch a webinar with the report researchers, click here.For more on TransitCenter, visit us here. Hosted by Kapish SinglaEdited by Melanie Marich & Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenterMusic: “Comma” - Blue Dot SessionsDisclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.

When we think about EVs, many people immediately imagine electric cars quickly and quietly zipping down the highway. But for our guests today, the EV future includes alternative forms of transportation—like electric bicycles and scooters, or electric buses and rail. Our guests Stephanie Lotshaw from TransitCenter and Mike Salisbury from the City and County of Denver will discuss the importance of developing and providing alternatives to electric cars in an EV future, particularly in metropolitan areas around the United States. We'll hear about challenges to implementation and adoption, as well as opportunities to reimagine navigable and clean city centers built for pedestrians, public transit, and micro-mobility. 

Getting the job done for the future. Laurel Paget-Seekins, author of People First a report from TransitCenter, joined the podcast to talk about how transit agencies need a more strategic human resources function to attract and retain talent. Laurel shared the workforce challenges transit agencies are experiencing, how staffing is impacting operations, and what strategies agencies can pursue to address these challenges. She discussed the need for human resources to be more than transactional and the importance of retention and organizational culture. Host: Ben Kittelson

Central Maryland Transportation Alliance is an advocacy group working to improve and expand transportation options in the Baltimore region. Using data and storytelling, CMTA has forefronted how unreliability and breakdown issues on buses and trains have negatively impacted workers and students throughout the region. In this episode, I interview Brian O'Malley, President & CEO at CMTA, to discuss how his organization built a winning coalition to secure state funding for the state of good repair needs of Baltimore's transit system to address the breakdowns. Their advocacy led to the passage of the Transit Safety and Investment Act in 2021, which requires the state of Maryland to provide minimum annual funding for maintenance of the system. CMTA's efforts demonstrate the power of organizing legislators and community groups to challenge the entrenched political prioritization of car infrastructure in transportation funding. “It was compelling when we were able to find data that said that our light rail breaks down the most in the country. That helped us win bipartisan support because legislators view themselves as stewards of taxpayer dollars and public assets and didn't like it one bit that we had let this asset fall into such disrepair that it was breaking down more than any similar system in the country.” - Brian O'MalleyFor more on Central Maryland Transportation Alliance, click here. For more on TransitCenter, click here. Hosted by Kapish SinglaEdited by Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenterMusic: “Comma” - Blue Dot SessionsDisclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.

As a veteran of Metro Council (our elected regional planning authority) — including a seven-year stint as president from 2003 to 2010 — David Bragdon has been around the block when it comes to Oregon transportation politics. And for the past decade he's been executive director of TransitCenter, a nonprofit foundation that funds and conducts research and advocacy to improve public transit across the U.S. Before that he led a planning office for former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.Suffice it to say, Bragdon has a mix of experiences in advocacy and government that I feel BikePortland readers could learn a lot from. So when I heard he was leaving his post at TransitCenter and was making a stop in Portland to visit family, I figured it was a perfect time to invite him into the Shed for an interview. We ended up talking about a range of issues including: how advocates can influence government, what PBOT should look for in their hiring of a new director, PBOT's budget woes, why he doesn't trust ODOT (which he refers to as the Oregon State Highway Department), TriMet and transit governance, and more.Links:David Bragdon Wikipedia entryODOT suffers from incompetence and dishonesty at highest levels, former Metro President says (BikePortland, 2015)A People's History of Recent Urban Transportation Innovation (Transit Center, 2016)Winning Transit (TransitCenter, 2019)

Today we are talking with Jerome Horne about radically abundant transit. We also took deep detours into being vulnerable, what our kid selves would think of us today, and navigating advocacy as and with humans.Links we mentioned:TransitCenter's website and podcast, High FrequencyJerome on socials: Twitter and LinkedInJerome as t-shirt influencer: Fund Public Transit and Build Housing/Ban Cars/Be Queer (need link)Come check out our episodes and transcripts at our website, annarboraf.com. Keep the conversation going with fellow Ann Arbor AFers on Twitter and Facebook. And hey, if you wanted to ko-fi us a few dollars to help us with hosting, we wouldn't say no.Support the show

Today we are talking with Jerome Horne about radically abundant transit. We also took deep detours into being vulnerable, what our kid selves would think of us today, and navigating advocacy as and with humans.Links we mentioned:TransitCenter's website and podcast, High FrequencyJerome on socials: Twitter and LinkedInJerome as t-shirt influencer: Fund Public Transit and Build Housing/Ban Cars/Be Queer (need link)Come check out our episodes and transcripts at our website, annarboraf.com. Keep the conversation going with fellow Ann Arbor AFers on Twitter and Facebook. And hey, if you wanted to ko-fi us a few dollars to help us with hosting, we wouldn't say no.Support the show

ACT-LA is an advocacy organization that strives to create equitable transit systems and neighborhoods in Los Angeles. In recent years, ACT-LA has campaigned on securing safety alternatives to armed policing on LA Metro's buses and trains, and helped to win an unarmed transit ambassador program that launched in October 2022. In this episode, I interview Scarlett De Leon, Campaigns Director at ACT-LA, to discuss her organization's vision for creating community safety on transit. In 2021, the group released its “Metro as a Sanctuary” report that audited Metro's policing contracts, and analyzed the racially disproportionate impact of over-policing in the system. ACT-LA's report and subsequent pop-up activations demonstrated what care-based safety solutions that forefront rider dignity could look like. “Some population segments might feel more comfortable with armed security, but at the same time, they are causing actual harm to our Black riders, Latino riders, and other segments of our community. When we look at safety for our station, we want to make sure that everyone feels safe.” - Scarlett De LeonFor more on ACT-LA, click here. For more on TransitCenter, click here. Hosted by Kapish SinglaEdited by Ali Lemer and Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenterMusic: “Comma” - Blue Dot SessionsDisclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.

Fredrik har tagit svamp och försöker få Calle att förstå hur otroligt mäktigt det är att förstå att man kan VÄLJA hur man ser på saker och därmed minska sitt eget lidande. Det avhandlas eventuellt eventuella rykten om en eventuellt prominent persons eventuella sexuella läggning. Ruben Östlund-gates avhandlas och duon tycker olika. Steffos självbild baserat på fördomspodden avhandlas och duon tycker olika! Varför är det INTE märkligt att kändisar pratar om sina trauman och hur skulle ett LJUST sommar i P1 låta kontra ett mörkt? Fredrik och Calle testar varsin start! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bli Acast+ medlem för hela avsnittet! Idag en timme och fjorton minuter!Fredrik har tagit svamp och försöker få Calle att förstå hur otroligt mäktigt det är att förstå att man kan VÄLJA hur man ser på saker och därmed minska sitt eget lidande. Det avhandlas eventuellt eventuella rykten om en eventuellt prominent persons eventuella sexuella läggning. Ruben Östlund-gates avhandlas och duon tycker olika. Steffos självbild baserat på fördomspodden avhandlas och duon tycker olika! Varför är det INTE märkligt att kändisar pratar om sina trauman och hur skulle ett LJUST sommar i P1 låta kontra ett mörkt? Fredrik och Calle testar varsin start!  Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/schulman-geniet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ride New Orleans is an advocacy organization with a mission to win equitable public transportation for all residents across the New Orleans region. For over a decade, Ride New Orleans has advocated for better bus service, particularly service that would improve access to jobs. Years of advocacy by Ride will pay off in September 2022 when the New Orleans RTA launches a bus network redesign that is largely informed by the needs of riders. The “New Links” redesign will be the most transformative change to transit in the region since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city, and depleted local transit service in its aftermath.Ride New Orleans actively pushed to have a seat at the table when the community engagement outreach for New Links began. In this episode, I speak with the organization's Executive Director, Courtney Jackson, about how Ride hosted “therapeutic engagement sessions” in collaboration with decision-makers that served to amplify the rider experience and empower the rider voice. Courtney also shares how Ride combines data and storytelling to demonstrate the urgency of frequent, reliable transit service in their advocacy campaigns.“People like data and numbers, but folks have hearts. Humanizing our transit system really makes decision-makers pause and reflect. And in that pause, they [decision-makers] start to see the importance of the work that they do and that humanizes their work.” - Courtney JacksonFor more on Ride New Orleans, click here.For more on TransitCenter, click here.Hosted by Kapish SinglaEdited by Ali Lemer and Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenterMusic: “Comma” - Blue Dot SessionsDisclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.

In February 2022,  Pittsburgh's Mon-Oakland Connector Project—an autonomous shuttle proposal that would have spent $23 million of taxpayer dollars—finally died. Cause of death? Years of organizing by the advocacy group Pittsburghers for Public Transit that called attention to the fact that the project did little to serve the actual mobility needs of Pittsburgh residents. PPT is a grassroots organization of transit riders, workers, and residents who defend and expand public transit. In this episode, I spoke with the organization's executive director,  Laura Chu Wiens, about how PPT and allied groups successfully fought against the Mon-Oakland Connector and shifted public funds towards community-led solutions. Laura also shares her thoughts about how governmental agencies can build trust with and listen to communities."If the city was taking the time to finally address mobility needs, why wouldn't it be that they would've started with the things that would be so impactful and so obviously needed rather than investing in this tech-based solution.” - Laura Chu WiensFor more on Pittsburghers for Public Transit, click here.For more on TransitCenter, click here.Hosted by Kapish SinglaEdited by Ali Lemer and Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenterMusic: “Comma” - Blue Dot SessionsDisclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.

This week on Mondays we're joined by Jerome Horne of TransitCenter to share thoughts on Amazon deliveries, new bus networks in Boston, Segregation by Design's visualizations, and new infrastructure technical assistance and housing plans from the White House. The News Visualizing the legacy of America's racist urbanism - Fast Company Ethics of next day delivery - Guardian Boston's bus plan - WBUR Housing supply action plan - White House Infrastructure Technical Assistance Guide - White House Safe Streets for All Grant Program - USDOT Puppies and Butterflies Bee Bus Stops - BBC      

TransitCenter's Director of Research, Steven Higashide, joins us on The ProGov Podcast to discuss transit equity and TransitCenter's recent report: Equity in Practice: A Guidebook for Transit Agencies. Reports mentioned in this episode:- Invest in Transit Equity, Invest in Transit Workers-WCT Subtext-Equity Inclusion Framework at Metro Transit

How do policies that make transit more equitable get implemented? That's a question that Laurel Paget-Seekins, Leadership in Government Fellow at Open Society Foundations, is looking into. Laurel draws from her experiences as a transit advocate in Atlanta and former Assistant General Manager of Policy at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.In this episode, Laurel reflects on her time working with advocates in Boston to implement a low-fare youth pass, and her experience in Atlanta advocating alongside agency leadership to win more funding for bus service. Those collaborations led Laurel to think deeply about how the power to enact change is built from both the inside and the outside of government.“How do we make sure that we're holding the government accountable while also trying to build trust in the institution of government? Part of that is understanding that our government institutions are essentially a collection of people who are managing a bunch of business processes, physical assets, and technology systems that are patched together through years of underinvestment. And so we have to get at those root problems, as well as the big policy questions to make government work.” - Laurel Paget-SeekinsClick here to read Laurel's blog.For more on TransitCenter, click here.Hosted by Kapish SinglaEdited by Ali Lemer and Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenterMusic: “Comma” - Blue Dot SessionsDisclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.

If we want better mobility in our communities, TransitCenter's Steven Higashide, author of Better Buses, Better Cities, believes better transit policy starts with a broad multi-racial coalition and ends with buses providing more access to opportunity for all.

In June, TransitCenter released the Transit Equity Dashboard. The dashboard uses maps and graphs to show how transit access varies by race, class, and other demographic factors in 6 major urban regions.TransitCenter Senior Research Associate Mary Buchanan led the development of the dashboard. In this episode, Mary explains the importance of access to opportunity metrics, and how these metrics can be used to measure equity. Mary also shares major findings from the dashboard, and explains how this type of data can bolster advocacy efforts for more equitable service.Ron Thompson is Policy Officer at Greater Greater Washington. Ron joins us to reflect on what the dashboard tells us about inequitable transit access in the DC region. In particular, he describes the East-West divide in the city, and how it affects access to hospitals for Black and Latinx residents.“The data illuminates that in many US regions, the transit systems are providing more access to white people compared to people of color, while at the same time in those cities we know that the demand is much higher from people of color for transit.” - Mary BuchananTo access the Transit Equity Dashboard, click here.To view a video tutorial of the dashboard, click here.For more on Greater Greater Washington, click here.For more on TransitCenter, visit us here. Hosted by Kapish SinglaEdited by Ali Lemer and Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenterMusic: “Comma” - Blue Dot SessionsDisclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.

King County Metro, the largest transit agency in the Seattle region, is guided by the principle that “mobility is a human right.” For Metro, that means reducing barriers to frequent, reliable transit that connects people to jobs and other opportunities.Chris O'Claire is Mobility Division Director at King County Metro. In this episode, Chris details how the agency applies an equity lens to service planning and fare policy. Chris also tells us about Metro's Equity Cabinet and how it has led to more inclusive decision-making at the agency.“One of the most important things that we're hearing is that it's not just the individual that needs to travel to their job, but that families are dependent as a whole on public transportation.”For more on King County Metro's Mobility Framework, click here.For more on TransitCenter, visit us hereDisclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.Hosted by Kapish SinglaEdited by Ali Lemer and Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenterMusic: “Comma” - Blue Dot Sessions

At the onset of the pandemic, LA Metro made deep cuts to its bus service despite retaining the highest proportion of bus riders among large transit agencies in 2020. Over the past year, a coalition of transit advocates put pressure on LA Metro to reverse the cuts. The advocacy culminated in a commitment from the agency in January 2021 to restore service to pre-pandemic levels later this year. The win follows years of advocacy to make bus service a higher priority at LA Metro. Investing in Place is a Los Angeles advocacy organization that has been changing the conversation on bus investments. In this episode, Jessica Meaney and Scott Frazier of Investing in Place discuss the campaign that led to the January 2021 commitment. Jessica and Scott also reflect on the political nature of transit advocacy, and share their thoughts on what an equitable transit system looks like."I'm focused on taking all these wonderful ideas from the Better Bus Initiative, and putting them into a budget with real resources directed at our equity focused communities. We've had such a tremendous focus at the agency over the past several years on building giant projects. We need someone who really cares about the rider experience and the transit system as it exists today."For more on Investing in Place, click here.For more on TransitCenter, visit us here.Disclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.Hosted by Kapish SinglaEdited by Ali Lemer and Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenterMusic: “Comma” - Blue Dot Sessions

Cities across the US, including Miami, have been redesigning their bus networks to better serve today’s riders. Many decades-old networks have simply not kept pace with changing residential and employment patterns. Az Chougle is the Executive Director of Transit Alliance Miami, a non-profit organization that advocates for walkable streets, bikeable neighborhoods, and better public transit. In 2019, Transit Alliance Miami became the first advocacy group in the country to lead its city’s bus network redesign process. In this episode, Az details the group’s innovative community engagement efforts, and discusses how Transit Alliance worked to ensure the redesign benefitted Miami residents who rely on transit the most. He also outlines the benefits and drawbacks of advocacy groups taking on this work. “I think it's very important for agencies around the country to recognize that distinction between who you actually are trying to serve. Are you trying to get someone out of an Audi, or are you trying to prevent someone in poverty from having to take out a car payment because your service is not frequent, reliable, dependable enough?"For more on Transit Alliance Miami, click here.For more on TransitCenter, visit us here.Disclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.Disclosure: TransitCenter is a funder of Transit Alliance Miami, and has provided support for the Better Bus Project.Hosted by Kapish SinglaEdited by Ali Lemer and Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenterMusic: “Comma” - Blue Dot Sessions

In November 2020, Austin residents voted in favor of Proposition A. The $7 billion plan will expand bus service and build new light rail. Prop A also broke ground by pairing transit investments with housing funds to prevent displacement. João Paulo Connolly is the Director of Housing and Community Development at the Austin Justice Coalition. AJC is a racial justice group that educates and builds community power for people of color in Austin. In this episode, João Paulo discusses the anti-displacement fund and the equity dashboard written into Prop A. He also shares how transit advocacy can incorporate housing justice.“Project Connect is a mass transit infrastructure project that includes anti-displacement funding right at the ballot. This is a unique chance that we have to try to get it right and build new transit infrastructure without displacing people from their neighborhoods."To learn more about the Austin Justice Coalition, click here.For more on TransitCenter, visit us here.Disclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.Hosted and edited by Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenterMusic: “Comma” - Blue Dot Sessions

In Chicago, racial disparities run deep. A history of redlining, disinvestment, and movement of jobs to the suburbs have resulted in disparate life outcomes for Black and white residents. In transportation, this has manifested in longer transit commutes for Black residents, and a disproportionate number of cycling tickets given out in Black and brown neighborhoods, among other ways. Olatunji Oboi Reed is CEO & President of The Equiticity Racial Equity Movement. Based in Chicago, Equiticity advocates for mobility justice for Black, Brown, and Indigenous people of color. In this episode, Oboi discusses how Equiticity is tackling barriers to transportation access by collecting data about existing barriers, and developing legislation and policies that will codify and track the equitable distribution of resources across the city. “The root cause of all injustice experienced by Black, Brown and Indigenous people in our society is structural racism. Our oppression was and is by design. The most important work we must do is the dismantling of structural racism and the building of a society where Black, Brown and Indigenous people thrive. For those organizations that have still not arrived. A reckoning is required.”To learn more about The Equiticity Racial Equity Movement, click here.For more on TransitCenter, visit us here.Disclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.Music: “Comma” - Blue Dot SessionsHosted and edited by Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenter

In 2019, New York’s MTA announced a plan to hire 500 additional police officers, citing the need to reduce fare evasion. Transit advocates, community organizers, and police reformers quickly pointed out the racially discriminatory patterns of fare enforcement, and that the additional police presence would lead to more discriminatory enforcement within the system. Analysis of NYPD data by the Community Service Society demonstrates that fare summonses and arrests are disproportionately issued in high-poverty Black neighborhoods. In this episode, Brooklyn Movement Center Deputy Director Anthonine Pierre discusses how over-policing limits the movement of Black and brown New Yorkers, particularly on public transit. BMC is a community organizing group based in Central Brooklyn, and a member of Communities United for Police Reform, which recently led the #NYCBudgetJustice campaign to reallocate funding from NYPD to social services and public infrastructure. “We really want to zero into the kinds of policing that people don't often see but feel... That means Black and brown folks being harassed for standing on a sidewalk and being told that they're loitering... We find that rules about how people can move freely in public spaces are often enforced more harshly on people of color.”TransitCenter’s TransitTool on Policing + Transit can be accessed hereFor more on Brooklyn Movement Center's “Defund the NYPD” campaign, click hereDisclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.Music: “Comma” - Blue Dot SessionsHosted and edited by Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenter

What’s the role of transportation in the livability foundation of a city? Even more specifically, what’s the role of public transit in making a city more livable? In places where transit has long been neglected, many might even think that public transit might diminish the livability of a place because it becomes correlated with increases in local crime.   But is it transit that diminishes the livability of our cities or might it be much deeper than this? How can not having to own a car to live our daily lives be anything but an incredible characteristic of a livable city?   Steven Higashide, Director of Research for TransitCenter discusses the role of transit in the livability of a city, transit during and as time goes on with COVID-19, the role of the street and the inherent limitations of a transportation system that over-leverages personal automobiles. Steven wrote a compelling book on the role of buses in our cities, why they’re critical and how we can make bus service so much better. Pick up a copy of Better Buses Better Cities directly from Island Press, an incredible non-profit publisher with a mission of raising the voices talking about environmental and urban issues. Follow Steven and his work on Twitter Note: I mention the Live Q&A event with Doug Gordon and Jennifer Keesmaat in the intro to this podcast. I intentionally left it in so I can mention that this event has been postponed, but not canceled. The need to create safe, open streets during COVID-19 or at any time is incredibly important, but it was very important to give the spotlight to #BlackLivesMatter and police brutality against black people and other minority groups. Brought to you by SquadCast and post-production by Creekmore Music.

How do transit agencies weather a crisis? In February 2015, the public transit system in Boston completely shut down due to heavy snowstorms. As a result, the general manager resigned and oversight of the MBTA was delegated to the newly formed Fiscal and Management Control Board. Under the board’s leadership the past five years, the agency has advanced projects that riders advocated for.In this episode, FMCB Vice Chair Monica Tibbits-Nutt reflects on the 2015 crisis and the parallels to 2020. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented challenge for the MBTA and every other transit agency. Monica shares how agencies will begin to re-think operations to prioritize operator and rider safety in the future.“It became very clear that the built space creates a lot of the inequalities that exist within our society, at least within the United States. So then it's how do you bridge that gap? And it was very clear that transportation was the way you did that.”Monica was the recipient of the “Good Governance Award” at TransitCenter’s First Annual Frequency Awards. To view Monica’s acceptance, click here. Disclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.Music: “Comma” - Blue Dot SessionsHosted and edited by Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenter

To help TransitCenter make cities more just and environmentally sustainable, Tabitha Decker is working to not only expand bus lanes and redesign NYC's bus network, but also supporting transit agencies and advocates with research and policy recommendations.

Nathan Vass is a bus operator at King County Metro in Seattle. For several years, Nathan has written about his interactions with riders on his route. His stories, compiled in a book called The Lines That Make Us, offer a compassionate glimpse into the lives of riders.Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, bus operators have encountered a new set of challenges. Many are working without adequate personal protective equipment, transporting passengers at significant risk to their own health. They have also struggled to get clear information on sick leave and the health of fellow transit workers. In this episode, we talk to Nathan about how he’s coping with these challenges, and about the steps that King County Metro has taken to address the concerns of bus operators.“I love driving the bus because it's an opportunity for me to offer help in a very elemental way. I'm providing this elemental need of transport. I feel like I'm offering something tactile that I can see the effect of. I'm taking somebody down the street and that's what they need.”Disclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.Sign our petition to demand that the White House supply better personal protective equipment for transit workers.To read Nathan’s blog, click here.Music: “Comma” - Blue Dot SessionsHosted and edited by Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenter

Alex Hudson is Executive Director at Transportation Choices Coalition, a policy and advocacy organization based in Seattle, Washington. Since the 1990s, TCC has worked to build broad coalitions on various campaigns and initiatives including Sound Transit 3, a $53.8 billion plan to expand transit approved by Seattle area voters in 2016. In this episode of High Frequency, Alex shares her wisdom about the elements of a winning campaign -- how to paint a big vision, garner support from elected leaders, and build a big tent coalition. She also shares lessons about communications tactics that have and haven’t worked when talking to voters about transit. “A lot of the way that we talk about transit is car-oriented, and that somehow transit is about traffic when transit is about itself. Transit is about the environment, opportunity, and a mobility future that provides a healthy civic environment” - Alex HudsonDisclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.For more information on Transportation Choices Coalition, click here.To learn more about the TransitCenter event Alex participated in, click here. Music: “Comma” - Blue Dot SessionsHosted and edited by Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenter

Buses can and should be the cornerstone of urban transportation. They offer affordable mobility and can connect citizens with every aspect of their lives. But in the US, they have long been an afterthought in budgeting and planning. With a compelling narrative and actionable steps, Better Buses, Better Cities : How to Plan, Run, and Win the Fight for Effective Transit (Island Press, 2019) inspires us to fix the bus. Transit expert Steven Higashide shows us what a successful bus system looks like with real-world stories of reform—such as Houston redrawing its bus network overnight, Boston making room on its streets to put buses first, and Indianapolis winning better bus service on Election Day. Higashide shows how to marshal the public in support of better buses and how new technologies can keep buses on time and make complex transit systems understandable. Steven Higashide is one of America's leading experts on public transportation and the people who use it. As director of research for the national foundation TransitCenter, Higashide has authored groundbreaking reports that have redefined how decision makers and journalists understand transit. He has taken the bus in 30 cities around the US and the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buses can and should be the cornerstone of urban transportation. They offer affordable mobility and can connect citizens with every aspect of their lives. But in the US, they have long been an afterthought in budgeting and planning. With a compelling narrative and actionable steps, Better Buses, Better Cities : How to Plan, Run, and Win the Fight for Effective Transit (Island Press, 2019) inspires us to fix the bus. Transit expert Steven Higashide shows us what a successful bus system looks like with real-world stories of reform—such as Houston redrawing its bus network overnight, Boston making room on its streets to put buses first, and Indianapolis winning better bus service on Election Day. Higashide shows how to marshal the public in support of better buses and how new technologies can keep buses on time and make complex transit systems understandable. Steven Higashide is one of America's leading experts on public transportation and the people who use it. As director of research for the national foundation TransitCenter, Higashide has authored groundbreaking reports that have redefined how decision makers and journalists understand transit. He has taken the bus in 30 cities around the US and the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buses can and should be the cornerstone of urban transportation. They offer affordable mobility and can connect citizens with every aspect of their lives. But in the US, they have long been an afterthought in budgeting and planning. With a compelling narrative and actionable steps, Better Buses, Better Cities : How to Plan, Run, and Win the Fight for Effective Transit (Island Press, 2019) inspires us to fix the bus. Transit expert Steven Higashide shows us what a successful bus system looks like with real-world stories of reform—such as Houston redrawing its bus network overnight, Boston making room on its streets to put buses first, and Indianapolis winning better bus service on Election Day. Higashide shows how to marshal the public in support of better buses and how new technologies can keep buses on time and make complex transit systems understandable. Steven Higashide is one of America's leading experts on public transportation and the people who use it. As director of research for the national foundation TransitCenter, Higashide has authored groundbreaking reports that have redefined how decision makers and journalists understand transit. He has taken the bus in 30 cities around the US and the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buses can and should be the cornerstone of urban transportation. They offer affordable mobility and can connect citizens with every aspect of their lives. But in the US, they have long been an afterthought in budgeting and planning. With a compelling narrative and actionable steps, Better Buses, Better Cities : How to Plan, Run, and Win the Fight for Effective Transit (Island Press, 2019) inspires us to fix the bus. Transit expert Steven Higashide shows us what a successful bus system looks like with real-world stories of reform—such as Houston redrawing its bus network overnight, Boston making room on its streets to put buses first, and Indianapolis winning better bus service on Election Day. Higashide shows how to marshal the public in support of better buses and how new technologies can keep buses on time and make complex transit systems understandable. Steven Higashide is one of America's leading experts on public transportation and the people who use it. As director of research for the national foundation TransitCenter, Higashide has authored groundbreaking reports that have redefined how decision makers and journalists understand transit. He has taken the bus in 30 cities around the US and the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buses can and should be the cornerstone of urban transportation. They offer affordable mobility and can connect citizens with every aspect of their lives. But in the US, they have long been an afterthought in budgeting and planning. With a compelling narrative and actionable steps, Better Buses, Better Cities : How to Plan, Run, and Win the Fight for Effective Transit (Island Press, 2019) inspires us to fix the bus. Transit expert Steven Higashide shows us what a successful bus system looks like with real-world stories of reform—such as Houston redrawing its bus network overnight, Boston making room on its streets to put buses first, and Indianapolis winning better bus service on Election Day. Higashide shows how to marshal the public in support of better buses and how new technologies can keep buses on time and make complex transit systems understandable. Steven Higashide is one of America's leading experts on public transportation and the people who use it. As director of research for the national foundation TransitCenter, Higashide has authored groundbreaking reports that have redefined how decision makers and journalists understand transit. He has taken the bus in 30 cities around the US and the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Maya Rosas is director of policy at the advocacy organization Circulate San Diego. In this episode, Maya discusses how Circulate successfully made the case for converting transit station parking lots into new housing. Last year, the momentum continued, with the San Diego city government reducing parking requirements near frequent transit stops. Maya shares her advocacy tactics and describes how Circulate uses research to cultivate relationships with decision makers and change public policy.“When we’re advocating for something, we’re not doing it for the prestige of us being able to claim a win, but because we want to see that change happen...and embrace the decision-makers, whether it be MTS or City Council.” - Maya RosasFor more information on the "Real Opportunity" report, click here.To learn more about TransitCenter's event program, click here.You can read about latest developments on a downtown San Diego project here.Music: “Comma” - Blue Dot SessionsHosted by Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenter

The Chevrolet Suburban is one of General Motors' most enduring triumphs — the longest-running nameplate in automotive history, to use the industry jargon, and the original SUV. In production since 1935, it's grown from an all-American family vehicle, perfect for loading up the kids and heading out into the country, into an 18-foot-long status symbol for VIPs — including titans of finance, A-list celebrities, politicians and the occasional drug lord. It's even the first vehicle to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. While the Suburban used to be about suburbia, it isn't anymore. In this episode, we talk with Angie Schmitt, a journalist working on a book about the pedestrian safety crisis in the United States, about how the Suburban's rise foretold the modern SUV boom, and just how dangerous these land sharks can be. SHOW NOTES: Support The War on Cars with a contribution on Patreon. Rate and review the war effort on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. And check out the new podcast from our friends over at TransitCenter. It's called High Frequency.  SHOW NOTES: Angie Schmitt is on Twitter @schmangee. Keith Bradsher's book about the deadly rise of the SUV: High and Mighty. The dangerous blindspots in front of big SUVs. (The Verge) A comprehensive roundup of the Suburban's appearances in film and TV. (Internet Movie Cars Database) The Suburban gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. (NBC) Pictures of the Suburban in its earlier incarnations. (Popular Mechanics) An homage to the power of the Suburban brand. (Up to Speed) A social history of the Chevy Suburban. (Car and Driver) Some of the sounds in this show were included courtesy of Creative Commons licenses, from Kinetic Turtle and nemoDaedulus. Join The War on Cars crew for two live events this spring! - A live recording in Denver for Bicycle Colorado's Moving People Forward conference on February 10.   - And another in Washington, D.C., at the League of American Bicyclists' National Bike Summit, March 16.  This episode was edited by Matt Cutler and recorded at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Drop us a line: thewaroncars@gmail.com https://thewaroncars.org

Making change happen in a big, complex, bureaucratic city is really hard. One guy who knows all about that is Shabazz Stuart, the Chief Executive Officer of Oonee, a Brooklyn-based startup company that is developing secure bike-parking kiosks at major transit hubs in and around New York City. For this episode, Shabazz joins The War on Cars crew in the studio and Aaron traverses two rivers and travels all the way to New Jersey — New Jersey! — to lay eyes on the new secret weapon in The War on Cars. Plus, we're doing some live events. Check out the Show Notes for more details.  Support The War on Cars on Patreon. Rate and review the war effort on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. And check out the new podcast from our friends over at TransitCenter. It's called High Frequency.  SHOW NOTES:  You can learn more about Oonee on their company website.  Follow Oonee on Instagram and Twitter and definitely check out CEO Shabazz Stuart on Medium.  Streetfilms covered the debut of Oonee's Brooklyn pod just before the holiday break in December. The world's biggest bike parking garage is in Utrecht, the Netherlands and it really illustrates the huge potential.  Join The War on Cars crew for two live events this spring! We'll be in Denver for Bicycle Colorado's Moving People Forward conference on February 10.   And we'll be in Washington, D.C., at the League of American Bicyclists' National Bike Summit, March 15 to 17. Hope to see you at one of these.  This episode was edited by Ali Lemer and recorded at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Drop us a line: thewaroncars@gmail.com https://thewaroncars.org

Beth Osborne is Director of Transportation for America. In this episode, Beth explains how the federal transportation program has failed to safely connect Americans with access to jobs and opportunities, despite the billions of dollars being poured into it. Since accomplishing its original mission of building the interstate highway system, the program has floundered, with misplaced goals and metrics for success. “Crumbling roads and bridges” has become common refrains for politicians, yet allocated funds often prioritize new projects rather than maintaining new ones. Many cities have outlined “Vision Zero” goals, yet pedestrian deaths have continued to increase in the past decade. In this episode of High Frequency, Beth walks us through the recommendations Transportation for America has developed for the federal transportation program: 1) prioritize maintenance, 2) design for safety over speed, and 3) connect people to jobs and services."We need to address safety, particularly for more vulnerable populations. While fatalities for people inside vehicles has gone down a little bit. Fatalities for people outside vehicles is going up at an alarming rate and we need to get to the bottom of that." - Beth OsborneDisclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.For more information on Transformation for America, click here. To learn about the TransitCenter event that Beth spoke on, click here.Music: “Comma” - Blue Dot SessionsHosted by Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenter

Who runs transit in your city? In many places, this is a complicated answer that involves a mix of different levels of government, transit agencies, and departments of transportation. In London, the answer is slightly more straight-forward. Leon Daniels is former Managing Director, Surface Transport at Transport for London (TfL). In this episode, Leon tells the story of what happened after the London government took responsibility for its transportation program in 2000 back from the central government. This maneuver resulted in many aspects of transportation such as taxicab regulation and bus service planning to be brought under one roof. Since that reorganization, Londoners have benefitted from increased frequency and improved service on public transit routes. In turn, TfL has also been rewarded with historic shares of transit mode share over the years. Finally, Leon shares some lessons from his experience at TfL as US transit agencies like New York’s MTA undergo their own reorganizations.“Cities are full of people who like to complain about they currently have, but don’t want the disruption about anything that they might have instead. And you just have to keep plugging away…and do what you think is right.” - Leon DanielsDisclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.You can read more about the trajectory of London and New York City transit for the past couple of decades here.Click here to learn more about the recent TransitCenter event that Leon spoke at.Music: “Comma” - Blue Dot SessionsHosted by Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenter

Stacy Thompson is Executive Director at LivableStreets in Boston. In this episode, Stacy discusses how her advocacy organization has pushed municipalities in the Boston region to prioritize buses. In 2017, the first in a series of “pop-up” bus lane in the Boston neighborhood of Roslindale. This pilot took advantage of the street cleaning schedule to give buses a “red lane” on space that had previously been reserved for parking. The pilot was a success, and has the concept has taken off across the city. Stacy imparts best practices on rider engagement and tips on working with politicians to reclaim our streets for people.“We’re going to double down on buses. They are the biggest opportunity we have for short-term improvements. We focused on our advocacy in the city of Boston -elevating their responsibility to turn over their streets to the bus.” - Stacy ThompsonRead the Getting Boston on Board report LivableStreets has produced.See MBTA’s video about the Roslindale bus priority lane.Click here for more information on the TransitCenter panel that Stacy has recently spoke on.Disclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.Music: “Comma” - Blue Dot SessionsHosted by Kapish SinglaProduced by TransitCenter

Buses are in the spotlight this week as Steven Higashide, TransitCenter's direct of research, joins me to talk about the 14th St. Busway, New York City's bus redesign efforts, and the lessons from his new book Better Buses, Better Cities: How to Plan, Run, and Win the Fight for Effective Transit.

(0:00) Local News Chat: Oshkosh Arena & Gun Stalemate (17:55) Your Take on "Hamilton" Coming & Hot Tickets (36:33) Andrea Hay, GB Water, on Clean Water Threats (56:52) Appleton Mayor Tim Hanna on Downtown News (1:30:44) The Takeaway: What's Lacking From Your Life?

Hudson Yards may be New York's newest neighborhood, but it has already risen to the #2 spot on PropertyShark's list of the city's most expensive neighborhoods Way back in Episode 7, we talked about the proposal for a public beach in Manhattan, and this week, the Hudson River Park Trust revealed some renderings of what the park and beach may look like 231 years ago on July 26, 1788 — New York becomes the 11th state to join the United States of America This week, the city Department of Health detected mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus within the NYC area. July begins the active season for West Nile infections, which are spread via mosquito bites, and no human cases of West Nile have been detected yet, so now is the time to be prepared and protect yourself from mosquitoes if you will be outside. Wear clothing that covers your skin, use a mosquito repellent containing the chemical repellents DEET or Picaridin, or use a natural repellent containing oil of lemon eucalyptus. Be sure to seal around your window air conditioners so that mosquitoes won't have an easy entrance into your home, and use window screens if you'll be leaving windows open. If you'll be traveling overseas, take special precaution to avoid mosquito bites, and consider a vaccination against diseases that are common in the areas where you will be traveling. If you're staying in the city, you can even do your part by calling 311 to report standing water, defined as a place on public or private property where water gathers and remains for more than five days, creating a habitat where mosquitoes may breed. 102 years ago on July 28, 1917 — 10,000 people march in the Silent Parade down Fifth Avenue to protest recent violence and riots aimed at Blacks in the South — Learn more about the Silent Parade from the Bowery Boys. 3 years ago on August 2, 2016 — Karina Vetrano is attacked and murdered while jogging in Spring Creek Park in Howard Beach, Queens 74 years ago on July 28, 1945 — A U.S. Army B-25 bomber hits the Empire State Building, killing the three crew members and 11 people in the building 43 years ago on July 29, 1976 — David Berkowitz shoots two young women in the Bronx, beginning the Son of Sam murders that would keep NYC on edge for the next year 103 years ago on July 30, 1916 — The Black Tom explosion near Jersey City levels buildings, kills four, and injures hundreds — Read more from the FBI's history of the explosion 48 years ago on August 1, 1971 — George Harrison and Ravi Shankar organize the Concert for Bangladesh at Madison Square Garden The Straphangers Campaign and TransitCenter had some distinguished awards to hand out to two of the city's bus lines this week: In Manhattan, the M14A, which runs from the Lower East Side to Chelsea along 14th Street, received the award for slowest bus line, achieving an average speed of just 4.3mph. When it comes to reliability, Brooklyn's B15 comes in last place, leaving bus riders wondering when or if the next bus would arrive. The slowest buses in Queens and Staten Island are leaving the other boroughs in the dust, racing down city streets at 6.4 and 7.8 mph respectively. Looking back through AGBC history: 1 year ago — Revel Brings Electric Moped Rentals to Brooklyn — The pilot program must have been a success, because by May of 2019 they announced that they would be adding 1,000 more electric mopeds to their fleet and expanding their service area. 2 years ago — De Blasio Takes a Hit in Latest Polling Numbers; Homelessness a Major Issue — Back in 2017, voters surveyed only gave de Blasio a 50% approval rating and he was hammered on the issue of homelessness, with 63% disapproval on his handling of poverty and homelessness and with 73% of respondents ranking homelessness as a very serious problem. Unfortunately those job approval numbers have only gotten worse, sinking down with each survey until he reached a 42% approval when Quinnipiac last asked the question in an April 2019 poll. A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com/support and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. AGBC is more than just a news website: It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts. Park of the day Arcilla Playground — 991 TELLER AVENUE, the Bronx — This playground, which is jointly operated by Parks and the Board of Education, has had several names since it was first opened in 1962: JHS 145 Playground, Arturo Toscanini Playground, Clay Playground, and now Arcilla Playground, the Spanish word for "clay"! Parks Events 41st Annual Thunderbird American Indian Powwow Concert Calendar Kirk Franklin with Koryn Hawthorne is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Sunday, July 28th at 8pm. Limbo, Pixel Grip, Rare DM @ Baby's All Right, Rare Dm, Limbo, and PIXEL GRIP are playing Baby's All Right on Monday, July 29th. Rob Thomas with Abby Anderson are playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Monday, July 29th at 8pm. Barry Manilow is playing Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in Midtown on Tuesday, July 30th at 7pm. Rob Thomas with Abby Anderson are playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Tuesday, July 30th at 8pm. Snail Mail and Duster are playing Brooklyn Steel on Wednesday, July 31st. This Is Not This Heat and This Heat are playing Elsewhere on Wednesday, July 31st. Barry Manilow is playing Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in Midtown on Wednesday, July 31st at 7pm. Khalid with Clairo is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Wednesday, July 31st at 7pm. Lights is playing Bowery Ballroom on the Lower East Side on Wednesday, July 31st at 9pm. The Rolling Stones and The Wombats are playing MetLife Stadium on Thursday, August 1st. The Summer Slaughter Tour, Cattle Decapitation, Brand of Sacrifice, Carnifex, Lorna Shore, Nekrogoblikon, Rivers of Nihil, and The Faceless are playing (le) poisson rouge on Thursday, August 1st. Ben Folds and Violent Femmes are playing The Rooftop at Pier 17 on Thursday, August 1st. Duster, Snail Mail, Duster, Sasami, and Snail Mail are playing Webster Hall on Thursday, August 1st. Blood Orange and Kelsey Lu, Blood Orange, and Kelsey Lu are playing Lincoln Center on Thursday, August 1st. Jonny Couch "Mystery Man" Album Release Show, Jonny Couch, Giggly Boys, Horny, and Shining Mirrors are playing Berlin on Thursday, August 1st. The Chemical Brothers with Charlotte de Witte is playing Forest Hills Stadium in Forest Hills on Thursday, August 1st at 6pm. The Rolling Stones with The Wombats (Rescheduled from 6/13) is playing MetLife Stadium on Thursday, August 1st at 7pm. Khalid with Clairo is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Thursday, August 1st at 7pm. Herbie Hancock is playing Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side on Thursday, August 1st at 7pm. Bad Religion and The Explosion are playing Webster Hall on Friday, August 2nd. Cayetana, Bacchae, and Katie Ellen are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday, August 2nd. Sarah McLachlan with The New York Pops is playing Forest Hills Stadium in Forest Hills on Friday, August 2nd at 7pm. Barry Manilow is playing Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in Midtown on Friday, August 2nd at 8pm. Barbra Streisand is playing Madison Square Garden on Saturday, August 3rd. Rebelution is playing The Rooftop at Pier 17 on Saturday, August 3rd. Soccer Cousins and Hurry are playing Trans-Pecos on Saturday, August 3rd. Steve Gunn and Hand Habits are playing Industry City Courtyard on Saturday, August 3rd. MONSTA X WORLD TOUR 'WE ARE HERE' and MONSTA X are playing Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, August 3rd. Bad Religion and The Explosion are playing Brooklyn Steel on Saturday, August 3rd. Jenny Kern at Rockwood Music Hall and Jenny Kern are playing Rockwood Music Hall on Saturday, August 3rd. Bad Religion with The Explosion is playing Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint on Saturday, August 3rd at 12pm. Barbra Streisand is playing Madison Square Garden in Midtown West / Chelsea / Hudson Yards on Saturday, August 3rd at 8pm. Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events. Today's fact about New York Here's something you may not have known about New York: Those silver Water Sampling boxes along the sidewalk are used to monitor the quality of NYC's water — There are 965 sampling stations citywide and more than 1,300 samples are collected each month The West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium F and Q Train station in Coney Island is the southernmost station in the subway system Weather The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history: Record High: 102°F on July 31, 1933 Record Low: 55°F on July 27, 1920 Weather for the week ahead: Possible drizzle on Wednesday and Thursday, with high temperatures falling to 84°F next Saturday. Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

This week we're joined by Amy Silbermann, Director of Planning for Port Authority of Allegheny County, the transit agency in Pittsburgh, and Steven Higashide and Mary Buchanan of TransitCenter. They are here to talk about a report called Who’s On Board 2019 which discusses transit ridership trends around the country.  They talk about what we should understand about understanding riders, Pittsburgh’s work to improve routes (downtown and to suburban communities) and the need for political and public support for changes to improve transit systems. This episode first appeared on the Rail~Volution podcast. Subscribe on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

This month on the Rail~Volution podcast we're joined by Amy Silbermann of the Port Authority of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh and Steven Higashide and Mary Buchanan of TransitCenter to talk about the deeper issues of transit ridership. We talk about the places that are increasing ridership like Pittsburgh and TransitCenter's new report Who's on Board.

You many have imagined a future of transit where we all blast off to work strapped into personal jetpacks or shuttle our kids to and from school in flying cars. But the future is now, and the innovative transportation systems of today are surprising in their own right. The best among them are reimagining infrastructure design and project funding to get people moving across town and around the globe. In this second episode of the new season of the Ideas podcast, we head to a place where the future of transportation is already in motion: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. There, we ride a DART bus, one of the most advanced bus rapid transit systems in the world. Steven Higashide, Director of Research for TransitCenter, helps us understand the road blocks between U.S. cities and better public transit, and we learn from Sarah Kaufman, of the Rudin Center Transportation at NYU, about ways to move beyond ride sharing and fill the gaps that existing transportation can’t cover. Finally, Michael Zezas, Managing Director and Chief US Public Policy & Municipal Strategist at Morgan Stanley, helps us imagine a future of interconnected services—autonomous vehicles linking riders to mass transit on rails and roads—that respond creatively to the city’s existing infrastructure challenges.The host Ashley Milne-Tyte is a contractor of Pineapple Street Media. The guest speakers are neither employees nor affiliated with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. (“Morgan Stanley”). The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley. The information and figures contained herein has been obtained from sources outside of Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley makes no representations or guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of information or data from sources outside of Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley is not responsible for the information or data contained in this podcast.This podcast does not provide individually tailored investment advice and is not a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell any security or other financial instrument or to participate in any trading strategy. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it.Morgan Stanley and its affiliates do not currently offer the services provided by Umbrella or Score, which are not affiliates of the Firm. Morgan Stanley has not conducted a review or diligence of these companies. This should not be considered to be a solicitation or endorsement by the Firm of Umbrella or Score or their services.© 2019 Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Members SIPC.

An update for the transit center in San Francisco!

On this week's Codcast, Josh Fairchild and Jim Aloisi of TransitMatters interview David Bragdon, the executive director of TransitCenter in New York City, and Neil Smith, the executive director of Transit Systems, an Australian company that provides transportation services to government agencies in Australia, Singapore, and London. (Transit Systems is the company that acquired Bridj, the Boston-based firm that tried to launch on-demand bus service.)

This week, the Climate Conversations team are joined by Zak Accuardi, a Senior Program Analyst at TransitCenter, and former research fellow at Project Drawdown. Zak explains how improvements to public transportation can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while improving the lives of a community's disadvantaged people. Zak and the team explore some of the choices both travelers and urban land use planners need to make in promoting a healthy climate. We also discuss Zak's role in Project Drawdown, which identifies the 100 most impactful climate change solutions that we can access immediately, and ask Zak about its future.

Have you ever thought about how people in wheelchairs navigate the subway system? Today I sit down with Chris Pangalinan, Program Director at TransitCenter a transportation think tank based in New York City. We discuss the trials and tribulations about riding the subway in a wheelchair. We also talk about the state of accessibility in New York City how local government can improve on on making New York more accessible for all. For more information on accessibility and the New York subway system read TransitCenter's report "Access Denied" http://transitcenter.org/publications/access-denied/

This week we’re joined by Tony Dutzik of the Frontier Group and Steven Higashide of TransitCenter to discuss their new report entitled Who Pays for Parking? We discuss where these parking tax subsidies come from, what are some case studies of cities that have learned how to create value from parking, and who benefits from these parking subsidies.

This week we head to Seattle for the NACTO Designing Cities Conference to discuss the myriad of issues transportation agencies face when trying to move projects forward and the relationships that make it work out in the end.  Moderated by David Bragdon, Executive Director of TransitCenter, the panel features LA DOT’s  General Manager Seleta Reynolds, LACMTA’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Wiggins, Seattle DOT’s Director Scott Kubly, and Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff.