Podcasts about transportation studies

  • 46PODCASTS
  • 59EPISODES
  • 43mAVG DURATION
  • ?INFREQUENT EPISODES
  • Feb 19, 2025LATEST

POPULARITY

20172018201920202021202220232024


Best podcasts about transportation studies

Latest podcast episodes about transportation studies

Unfold
EV Woes

Unfold

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2025 14:25


Consumers once complained about the short range of electric vehicles, but not so much anymore. Now, finding reliable public charging has become the top concern for EV drivers. Chargers can be broken, slow or just inaccessible for multiple reasons. In this episode of Unfold, we talk to UC Davis researchers studying public charging woes and tag along as they drive all over California to test thousands of chargers.   In this episode: Alan Jenn, assistant professor, UC Davis Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the UC Davis Institute for Transportation Studies Gil Tal, director, Electric Vehicle Research Center at the UC Davis Institute for Transportation Studies

Winning In Asia: A ZoZo Go Podcast
History W/ Arnold & Musk, Plus The Future of EVs & Automated Vehicles. Dr. Daniel Sperling, Institute of Transportation Studies UC Davis

Winning In Asia: A ZoZo Go Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2024 46:04


Dr. Daniel Sperling is one of the world's leading experts on electric vehicles. His knowledge runs very deep. Dr. Sperling founded the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis. He has written 13 books, including Two Billion Cars, and published 250 papers. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed him to the powerful California Air Resources Board, a position he held for 13 years.  Dr Sperling has also built a deep understanding of China's EV industry.  In this episode we talk about his work at CARB, China's ambitions, interactions with Elon Musk and how demand for electric vehicles will continue to vary by state and by country for the next decade. Dr Sperling also offers some practical advice to people who are on the fence about EVs. 

Cities@Tufts Lectures
Urban Mobility for Human Autonomy with Peter Norton

Cities@Tufts Lectures

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2024 54:07


Measured by distance and speed, today North Americans move more than ever. Movement, however, is but a means to an end; more movement is not in itself beneficial. Movement is a cost of meeting daily needs, and provided these needs are met, less movement is generally advantageous. Nevertheless, since the 1930s traffic engineers have pursued movement maximization in North American cities as if movement is an end in itself, and even as if movement is in itself freedom. The human costs have included unbearable burdens measurable as financial, health, safety, equitability, livability and environmental costs. Together these burdens impair human autonomy; that is, by constraining people's choices about where and how to live, they diminish freedom. Automobility, promoted as a deliverer of freedom, has instead imposed car dependency, a kind of unfreedom. Paradoxically, many engineers now pursue so-called “autonomous” (robotic) driving, promising thereby to sustain unsustainable quantities of movement, when the sole worthy end of movement is not machine but human autonomy. To escape the traps that these errors set for us, we must trace them to their origins. Though engineering is defined as applied science, history reveals that the origins and persistence of prevailing traffic engineering principles lie not in scientific research but in power politics, and that such principles have more in common with religious dogmas than with natural laws. Far more practical possibilities await us when we escape the confines these dogmas impose on us and recognize movement as a secondary good that serves us only as it contributes to human autonomy. Peter Norton is an associate professor of history in the Department of Engineering and Society at the University of Virginia. He is a member of the University of Virginia's Center for Transportation Studies and has been a visiting faculty member at the Technical University of Eindhoven in the Netherlands. Norton is the author of Fighting Traffic: The Dawn of the Motor Age in the American City, and of Autonorama: The Illusory Promise of High-Tech Driving. He is a winner of the Usher Prize of the Society for the History of Technology, and a frequent speaker on the subject of sustainable and equitable urban mobility. In addition to this audio, you can watch the video and read the full transcript of the conversation on Shareable.net – while you're there get caught up on past lectures. Cities@Tufts Lectures explores the impact of urban planning on our communities and the opportunities to design for greater equity and justice with professor Julian Agyeman.  Cities@Tufts Lectures is produced by Tufts University and Shareable.net with support from Barr Foundation, Lectures are moderated by Professor Julian Agyeman and organized in partnership with research assistants Amelia Morton and Grant Perry. Paige Kelly is our co-producer and audio editor, the original portrait of Karin Bradley was illustrated by Anke Dregnet, and the series is co-produced and hosted by Tom Llewellyn.  “Light Without Dark” by Cultivate Beats is our theme song.

KQED’s Forum
The Good, Bad and Annoying as Autonomous Vehicle Services Expand

KQED’s Forum

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2024 55:47


It's been almost a year since robotaxi companies Waymo and Cruise expanded their operations to offer fully driverless ride services in San Francisco. Testing human-free vehicles in urban environments has proven challenging, with incidents ranging from gaffs like a driverless car stumped by parade traffic to deep safety concerns that led GM to suspend Cruise's autonomous operations last fall. After a wave of driverless hype, and criticism – where does the industry stand today? We'll speak with a research engineer who has been studying the promise of autonomous vehicles for half a century, and an investigative reporter tracking the data and the blindspots of these robots on our roads. Guests: Bigad Shaban, senior investigative reporter, NBC Bay Area Steven Shladover, research engineer, Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California-Berkeley Philip Reinckens, senior vice president of commercialization and operations, Gatik

Freakonomics Radio
513. Should Public Transit Be Free? (Update)

Freakonomics Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2023 56:10


It boosts economic opportunity and social mobility. It's good for the environment. So why do we charge people to use it? The short answer: it's complicated. Also: We talk to the man who gets half the nation's mass-transit riders where they want to go (most of the time).  SOURCES:Marcus Finbom, traffic planner in Stockholm, Sweden.Robbie Makinen, former president and C.E.O. of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority.Janno Lieber, chair and C.E.O. of the M.T.A. in New York City.Brian Taylor, professor of urban planning and public policy and director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at U.C.L.A.Shashi Verma, director of strategy and C.T.O. at Transport for London.Michelle Wu, mayor of Boston. RESOURCES:"Free Bus Service Starts Sunday on 5 Routes in New York City," by Ana Ley (The New York Times, 2023).“Vehicle Access and Falling Transit Ridership: Evidence From Southern California,” by Michael Manville, Brian D. Taylor, Evelyn Blumenberg, and Andrew Schouten (Transportation, 2023).“Route-28 Fare-Free Pilot Evaluation: Summary Findings,” by the City of Boston Transportation (2022).“Forget Fare Hikes — Make the T Free,” by Michelle Wu (The Boston Globe, 2019).Traffic Power Structure, by Planka.nu (2016)."The Impacts of Neighborhoods on Intergenerational Mobility: Childhood Exposure Effects and County-Level Estimates," by Raj Chetty and Nathaniel Hendren (NBER Working Paper, 2015)."Fare, Free, or Something in Between?" by Jennifer S. Perone and Joel M. Volinski (World Transit Research, 2003).Planka.Nu. EXTRAS:"Why Is the U.S. So Good at Killing Pedestrians?" by Freakonomics Radio (2023)."Should Public Transit Be Free?" by Freakonomics Radio (2022).“Should Traffic Lights Be Abolished?” by Freakonomics Radio (2021).“The Perfect Crime,” by Freakonomics Radio (2014).“Parking Is Hell,” by Freakonomics Radio (2013).

The India Energy Hour
State of the Indian Energy Transition | ft. Aditya Ramji

The India Energy Hour

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2023 60:02


India's energy transition is central to global climate action. But where does India's energy transition stand? What are the key challenges and opportunities in areas such as energy access, clean transportation and critical minerals. To understand the intricate dynamics of India's energy transition journey, we interviewed Aditya Ramji, Director of the India Zero Emission Vehicle Research Centre at the Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis. Aditya is a leading expert in areas of clean transportation, energy systems, and electric mobility. Full transcript of the episode is available in English and Hindi Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Aditya Ramji is on Twitter & Linkedin Our host Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin Podcast Producer, Tejas Dayananda Sagar on Twitter & Linkedin

Smart Driving Cars Podcast
Smart Driving Cars: Don't Fall Prey to the Panic Over AVs (episode 336)

Smart Driving Cars Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2023 51:19


With the swirling controversies surrounding robotaxis in San Francisco and beyond, some words of caution from Daniel Sperling. The University of California, Davis, founding Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies joins us for episode 336 of Smart Driving Cars. Plus Cruise, Waymo, Governor Newsome's climate lawsuit against oil, Tesla's Optimus robot and more. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/smartdrivingcars/support

Afternoons with Rob Breakenridge
Meta launches "Threads"; BC port strike continues; Growing Canada's LNG industry; Addressing Arctic sovereignty & security

Afternoons with Rob Breakenridge

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2023 54:52


Today's guests: Daniel Tsai, technology law professor at the University of Toronto. He is a lawyer, management consultant, educator, columnist, and the author of two books: Law, Technology and Culture and the Business of Social Media and Entertainment Trevor Heaver, is Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia where he also served as past Director of the Centre for Transportation Studies. He is a founding member and a past-President of the International Association of Maritime Economists, and a past-Chairman of the World Conference on Transport Research Stewart Muir, founder and CEO - Resource Works Dr. Rob Huebert is a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and professor of political science at the University of Calgary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1080 KYMN Radio - Northfield Minnesota
Public Policy This Week – Connected Autonomous Vehicles from the University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies 3/24/23

1080 KYMN Radio - Northfield Minnesota

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2023


This week, hosts Rich Larson and Nathan Leaf visit the Center for Transportation Studies on the University of Minnesota campus to talk about the work they are doing in developing Connected Autonomous Vehicles, or self-driving cars, and the infrastructure and policy adaptations that will be necessary to bring CAVs online.

Public Policy This Week
Connected Autonomous Vehicles with Gina Bass, Frank Douma and Brian Davis of the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota 3/24/23

Public Policy This Week

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2023 49:38


This week, hosts Rich Larson and Nathan Leaf visit the Center for Transportation Studies on the University of Minnesota campus to talk about the work they are doing in developing Connected Autonomous Vehicles, or self-driving cars, and the infrastructure and policy adaptations that will be necessary to bring CAVs online.

On The Move
Selika Josiah Talbott, Founder and CEO at Autonomous Vehicle Consulting

On The Move

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2022 39:48


Selika Josiah Talbott is a leading industry voice for the adoption of New Mobility: Connected, Autonomous, Shared and Electric vehicles. The Founder of Autonomous Vehicle Consulting, LLC and Solutions 4 New Mobility Education, LLC., she provides strategic advice to companies and organizations in the mobility space and educational materials for youth and adults on new mobility. She is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern California and Co-Directs the UC Davis Institute for Transportation Studies' Environmental Justice Fellowship. Selika has extensively published in Forbes.com and is considered a go-to expert media source aswell as a highly sought-after speaker. Selika has had a Distinguished career in public service at the federal, state, and local levels. She served at the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and State of New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission and held policy positions in County and Township public entities. As an attorney, she practiced product liability defense representing franchises, taught continuing legal education, and authored several papers on insurance and product liability defense. Selika has a J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law, a B.A from SUNY Stony Brook with a Political Science Major, and a Minor in Socio-legal studies. She also holds Certifications in Executive Leadership from American University, and Diversity Equity and Inclusion from Cornell University and Corporate Board Readiness from Santa Clara University.

1080 KYMN Radio - Northfield Minnesota
Public Policy This Week – Electric Vehicles

1080 KYMN Radio - Northfield Minnesota

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2022


This week, hosts Jon Olson and Rich Larson talk with Dr. Kyle Shelton, director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Transportation Studies, and Dr. Gabe Chan of the Hubert H. Humphrey School for Public Affairs about Electric Vehicles and how policies are being set to make room for the next generation of transportation.

Public Policy This Week
Electric Vehicles with Dr. Kyle Shelton and Dr. Gabriel Chan 10/07/22

Public Policy This Week

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2022 60:59


This week, hosts Jon Olson and Rich Larson talk with Dr. Kyle Shelton, director of the University of Minnesota's Center for Transportation Studies, and Dr. Gabe Chan of the Hubert H. Humphrey School for Public Affairs about Electric Vehicles and how policies are being set to make room for the next generation of transportation.

PAVEcast: A conversation about autonomous vehicles
PAVEcast: "What Could AVs Mean for Ridesharing?”

PAVEcast: A conversation about autonomous vehicles

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2022 31:11


Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft have taken the mobility world by storm since 2010, greatly expanding traditional taxi services that have been operating for decades. As autonomous vehicle technologies enter the scene, what does that mean for ridesharing?In this PAVEcaset episode, we discuss the impact that AV technology might have on the future of ridesharing. Our panelists will talk about the possibilities this could open up, what that means for passengers, how to scale the technology, and what they predict for the future.Guests:Bert Kaufman – Head of Public Policy & Regulatory Affairs, ZooxSergio Avedian – Senior Contributor, The Rideshare GuyMollie Cohen D'Agostino – Policy Director 3 Revolutions Future Mobility Program, Institute of Transportation Studies at UC-Davis

We Built It That Way
Induced traffic: Why doesn't adding lanes help?

We Built It That Way

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2022 65:23


It's Part II of our two-part series on traffic congestion! This time: why adding more lanes doesn't make congestion go away. Framing traffic congestion as primarily a “street capacity” problem has led practitioners to seek solutions by adding more lanes and miles of streets and roads. This has the unintended (but predictable) consequence of generating more traffic. This phenomenon is exceedingly well known but continually ignored among the professionals who can do anything about it. Let's talk about it. Links: Want to learn more on this episode's topic? Here's just a short list of interesting resources: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-06/traffic-jam-blame-induced-demand (Traffic Jam? Blame 'Induced Demand.' - Bloomberg) https://t4america.org/2021/10/20/say-hello-to-induced-demand/ (Transportation For America More highways, more driving, more emissions: Explaining "induced demand" - Transportation For America) https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2021/3/3/the-fundamental-global-law-of-road-congestion (The Fundamental, Global Law of Road Congestion) (from City Observatory) https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2015/11/20/reducing-or-inducing-traffic (Reducing Traffic or Inducing It?) https://www.wired.com/2014/06/wuwt-traffic-induced-demand/ (What's Up With That: Building Bigger Roads Actually Makes Traffic Worse | WIRED) https://humantransit.org/2022/01/induced-demand-an-axiom-of-biology.html (Induced Demand: An Axiom of Biology — Human Transit) https://cityobservatory.org/questioning-congestion-costs/ (Questioning Congestion Costs | City Observatory) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induced_demand (Induced demand - Wikipedia) https://cityobservatory.org/reducing-congestion-katy-didnt-2/ (Reducing congestion: Katy didn't | City Observatory) https://www.cnu.org/publicsquare/2021/03/19/reduced-demand-just-important-induced-demand (Reduced demand is just as important as induced demand | CNU) https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2017/7/18/the-problem-with-hov-lanes (The Problem with HOV Lanes) https://slate.com/business/2021/12/cars-traffic-congestion-jams-open-streets-freeways-reduce.html (Opinion: Filth, Automobiles, and Our Misguided Obsession With Traffic) https://cityobservatory.org/calculating-induced-demand-at-the-rose-quarter/ (Calculating induced demand at the Rose Quarter | City Observatory) http://www.vtpi.org/gentraf.pdf (Generated Traffic and Induced Travel) – VPTI (PDF) https://its.berkeley.edu/news/your-navigation-app-making-traffic-unmanageable (Your Navigation App Is Making Traffic Unmanageable | Institute of Transportation Studies) https://shift.rmi.org/ (SHIFT Calculator) Book: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1289253484 (Walkable City by Jeff Speck) (public library) --- Check us out on https://twitter.com/webuiltitpod (Twitter) and https://www.instagram.com/webuiltitpod/ (Instagram) @webuiltitpod. Hosted by AJ Fawver and Jordan Clark. Edited by Jordan Clark. Music in this episode: Sounds of the Supermarket, Joanna Newsom ("Good Intentions Paving Company"), Wu Tang Clan ("C.R.E.A.M." instrumental), Bob Dylan ("Piano Mood"), Isaac Horwedel, Gary Nintendo ("Riding a giant eagle over the mountains"), and a 1985 Weather Channel broadcast

Connect the Dots
Is America's public transit doomed?

Connect the Dots

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2021 21:28


This week on Audacy's weekly news podcast "Connect the Dots"--hosted Lynda Lopez--we’ll hear from Dr. P.S. Sriraj, director of the Urban Transportation Center in the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs at University of Illinois Chicago and director of the Metropolitan Transportation Support Initiative, as well as Juan Matute, the Deputy Director of the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies, about the state of mass transit in America pre, mid and post-pandemic, how commuters have been impacted in the past year, and how we can address transit funding in the future. We’ll also hear about how different cities are transforming their transportation systems for the better.

PlanningXChange
PlanningxChange 83 with Adam Cohen - Micromobility Toolkit

PlanningXChange

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2021 49:37


In PlanningxChange Episode 83, Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell interview Adam Cohen.  Adam is a transportation mobility futures researcher at the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Since joining the group in 2004, his research has focused on innovative mobility strategies, including urban/advanced air mobility, automated vehicles, shared mobility, smart cities, smartphone apps, and other emerging technologies. He has co-authored numerous articles and reports in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. Adam also served three combat tours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as a rated aviator for the Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component (CJSOAC). Adam's unique multidisciplinary background gives him unique insight into automation, electrification, and the potential impacts of innovative and disruptive technologies. Previously, Adam worked for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Information Technology and Telecommunications Laboratory (ITTL) at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). His academic background is in city and regional planning and international affairs.  In this interview we discuss Adam's recent project ‘Shared Micromoblity Policy Toolkit: Docked and Dockless Bike and Scooter Sharing' which he co-authored with Susan Shaheen.  This can be found at https://tsrc.berkeley.edu/publications/shared-micromoblity-policy-toolkit-docked-and-dockless-bike-and-scooter-sharing Audio production by Jack Bavage. The episode was released on 24 September 2021.

Urban Broadcast Collective
135. Micromobility toolkit - getting it right_PX

Urban Broadcast Collective

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2021 49:50


In PlanningxChange Episode 83, Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell interview Adam Cohen. Adam is a transportation mobility futures researcher at the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Since joining the group in 2004, his research has focused on innovative mobility strategies, including urban/advanced air mobility, automated vehicles, shared mobility, smart cities, smartphone apps, and other emerging technologies. He has co-authored numerous articles and reports in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. Adam also served three combat tours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as a rated aviator for the Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component (CJSOAC). Adam's unique multidisciplinary background gives him unique insight into automation, electrification, and the potential impacts of innovative and disruptive technologies. Previously, Adam worked for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Information Technology and Telecommunications Laboratory (ITTL) at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). His academic background is in city and regional planning and international affairs. In this interview we discuss Adam's recent project ‘Shared Micromoblity Policy Toolkit: Docked and Dockless Bike and Scooter Sharing' which he co-authored with Susan Shaheen . This can be found at https://tsrc.berkeley.edu/publications/shared-micromoblity-policy-toolkit-docked-and-dockless-bike-and-scooter-sharing Audio production by Jack Bavage. This episode was released on 24 September 2021. PlanningxChange is proud to be part of the UBC.

PlanningXChange
PlanningxChange 83 - Adam Cohen - Micromobility toolkit

PlanningXChange

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2021 49:36


In PlanningxChange Episode 83, Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell interview Adam Cohen. Adam is a transportation mobility futures researcher at the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Since joining the group in 2004, his research has focused on innovative mobility strategies, including urban/advanced air mobility, automated vehicles, shared mobility, smart cities, smartphone apps, and other emerging technologies. He has co-authored numerous articles and reports in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. Adam also served three combat tours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as a rated aviator for the Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component (CJSOAC). Adam's unique multidisciplinary background gives him unique insight into automation, electrification, and the potential impacts of innovative and disruptive technologies. Previously, Adam worked for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Information Technology and Telecommunications Laboratory (ITTL) at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). His academic background is in city and regional planning and international affairs. In this interview we discuss Adam's recent project ‘Shared Micromoblity Policy Toolkit: Docked and Dockless Bike and Scooter Sharing' which he co-authored with Susan Shaheen . This can be found at https://tsrc.berkeley.edu/publications/shared-micromoblity-policy-toolkit-docked-and-dockless-bike-and-scooter-sharing Audio production by Jack Bavage. This episode was released on 24 September 2021.

SUP GW?
Park Equity and Aging Populations: How to Make Parks Inclusive and Accessible for Elderly Community Members with Madeline Brozen

SUP GW?

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2021 27:06


In this episode, Mel Pennett and Alex Davis interview Madeline Brozen on aspects of park equity and making parks inclusive for seniors.  Madeline is the Deputy Director of the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies at the Luskin School of Public Affairs  and co-wrote a report detailing guidelines for making inclusive parks for elderly and aging populations. They discuss the importance of design, perception, and the surrounding demographics to make parks inclusive, equitable, and fun places for not just the elderly, but everyone!  Highlights from the Conversation: Urban Planning and Park Equity Everyone should have access to a park, we innately need to connect to nature Access to parks - can individuals easily use it? Who is the park for? Who does it serve?  Race, Ethnicity, Language, Age, Ability, Cognitive Ability, Physical Mobility, and other identity attributes can contribute to feelings of exclusion. As Urban Planners, how do you design for inclusivity and shifting needs? Concepts of park design: physical design, passive recreation, active recreation, designated areas, low-impact exercise equipment, playground equipment, bathrooms, perception of park's purpose, planting, and landscaping. Successful parks are designed for those with the highest needs, but provide benefits to all ages and demographics. Basic resources vs amenities. Guest Mini Bio: Madeline Brozen has a background in Transportation Planning Previously focused on complete Streets Is currently the Deputy Director of the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies at the Luskin School of Public Affairs Her Institute of Transportation Studies bio is here Also check out her other published works Her Linkedin profile is here Learn More! Case study parks: Golden Age Park in Los Angeles, California, Portland Memory Garden, in Portland, Oregon. Here is the report that inspired this interview Placemaking for an Aging Population: Guidelines for Senior-Friendly Parks Play By Design's website for inclusive playgrounds for aging populations A Wellness Playground for Elders An article about the Golden Age Park mentioned in the interview An outdoor oasis for Angelenos in their golden years Credits: Special thanks to Madeline Brozen. Research, concept, and voices: Alex Davis and Mel Pennett. Intro and Outro voice: Alex Davis. Produced by: Raven Nee. 

MPR News with Kerri Miller
Speeding and reckless driving have increased since the pandemic. Why?

MPR News with Kerri Miller

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2021 49:07


Speeding and reckless driving have skyrocketed during the pandemic. Public safety officials say that speed is the biggest factor in deadly crashes in Minnesota. Guest host Nina Moini talks about what's behind the increase in reckless driving and fatal crashes and what we can do about it Guests: Nichole Morris is the director of the HumanFIRST Research Lab. She is also a researcher at UMN's Center for Transportation Studies.  Ash Narayanan is the executive director of Our Streets Minneapolis.  Ethan Fawley is the Vision Zero Program Coordinator for the City of Minneapolis. 

MPR News with Angela Davis
Speeding and reckless driving have increased since the pandemic. Why?

MPR News with Angela Davis

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2021 49:09


Speeding and reckless driving have skyrocketed during the pandemic. Public safety officials say that speed is the biggest factor in deadly crashes in Minnesota. So far this year there have been nearly one-third more traffic fatalities in Minnesota compared to 2020.  Guest host Nina Moini talks about what's behind the increase in reckless driving and fatal crashes and what we can do about it Guests: Nichole Morris is the director of the HumanFIRST Research Lab. She is also a researcher at UMN's Center for Transportation Studies.  Ash Narayanan is the executive director of Our Streets Minneapolis.  Ethan Fawley is the Vision Zero Program Coordinator for the City of Minneapolis.  Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

PolitiFact California
Can Californians Charge Electric Cars During Summer Heat?

PolitiFact California

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2021


By Sasha Hupka If your time is short: The California Independent System Operator, which oversees the operations of the state's power grid, issued a Flex Alert last week amid the first heat wave of the summer. The alert asked Californians to conserve electricity when possible. It included several tips, including a suggestion to avoid charging electric cars during peak power usage hours. Most electric car drivers top off their battery regularly rather than charging it from empty to full. Therefore, many cars are equipped with charging timers and only require a few hours of charging each day, so Californians can easily avoid charging vehicles during peak hours. Experts say California's power grid can comfortably support up to 5 million electric cars on the road. Currently, there are roughly 635,000 electric vehicles registered in the state, according to the California Energy Commission. As Californians grapple with the increasing impacts of climate change, few things have come to be dreaded more than summer heat waves. This year, the scorching temperatures arrived early, prompting the first power conservation advisory of the summer on June 17 and setting off speculation on social media about how the heat could impact electric car owners. “California literally just told everyone to not charge their electric cars due to power shortage,” read a June 18 post on Facebook, which was shared more than 46,000 times. “So California just asked everyone to stop charging electric cars due to power outages … can't make this crap up,” read another, posted on June 21. There's good news for electric car owners — the rumors are missing a lot of context and aren't entirely true. But the posts spread quickly online and migrated from Facebook to other platforms, including Twitter.  They also sparked discussion about whether California has the resources to continue to move toward electric vehicles in pursuit of a greener future. “California can't provide enough electricity for the homes and businesses they have yet they're mandating everyone drive more electric cars,” read one post on Facebook. “I'm continually amazed at how stupid leftists can be.” Facebook flagged the posts as part of its efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed, so we decided to investigate. (Read more about PolitiFact California's partnership with Facebook.)  The Alert The California Independent System Operator, or CAISO, is the nonprofit tasked with operating and managing most of California's power grid. It regularly issues power conservation advisories when the grid is facing challenging conditions, such as intense heat or wildfires.  The advisories, known as Flex Alerts, encourage Californians to shift their energy usage to certain times of the day when the power grid is less stressed. “A flex alert is not a power outage,” said Gil Tal, director of the Plug-in Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Research Center of the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis. “It's a way to prevent outages. We don't like that we are being told not to use electricity, but it's a much better situation than sitting in the dark if the grid is collapsing.” Usually, the alerts ask that residents conserve power during evening hours, when people are still awake and using electricity but some energy sources, such as solar power, are not available. “On a good day, solar in California can make up half of the generation,” said Severin Borenstein, a professor of business administration and public policy at UC Berkeley and the director of the Energy Institute at the university's Haas School of Business. “And so when we start to lose it, we need to have other things. One of the problems that comes up on super hot days when the demand is very high is we may not have enough of the other resources to keep the balance in the system.” In announcing the June 17 Flex Alert, CAISO encouraged people to voluntarily cut back their power usage from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The announcement included tips on how Californians could conserve energy and advised residents to complete tasks involving high amounts of energy, such as using large appliances and charging electric vehicles, before the alert to “be as comfortable as possible” during the evening hours. The advisory never explicitly told Californians to not charge electric vehicles – just to shift their charging schedules, if possible, to accommodate limited resources in the evening. “This is completely voluntary,” Borenstein said. “There typically aren't even financial incentives. It's just a plea and that applies to electric vehicles as well.” How Electric Cars Get Charged Today, there are just under 630,000 electric cars on the road in the Golden State, according to the California Energy Commission. Although they come in many shapes, sizes and models, all of them work similarly — drive, park and plug in as needed. How long and how often electric cars need to charge depends on a variety of factors, including how far the car has traveled, what the car's top range is and what type of outlet it is hooked up to. Borenstein said charging a vehicle fully can take hours. “If you're plugging into a regular old household 110-[volt] outlet, it can take all night just to replenish a battery that's been driven 100 miles during the day,” he said. “Most houses that have charging have at least a 220-[volt] outlet and charge about twice as fast.” But most daily commutes won't completely drain an electric car's battery. Data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration shows that residents of the San Francisco Bay Area traveled an average of about 20.7 miles per day in 2019. In Los Angeles, that number was 22.5 miles each day and in Sacramento, it was 22.3 miles.  So most modern electric cars don't need to be charged on a daily basis, Tal said.  Many get plugged in every couple of days and are equipped with timers so that owners can schedule their charges. While electric car drivers might initially balk at power outages and conservation advisories, Tal said these events usually pose “no problem.” “A Flex Alert is a couple of hours and there are very, very few electric car drivers that have to charge their cars in these specific few hours,” Tal said. “Most of the drivers today and in the future will be able to delay it by a couple of hours or a couple of days if needed.” Does California Have The Power To Go Green? As of 2019, renewable sources produced just over 30% of California's power. In 2015, the state pledged to increase that number to 50% by 2030 and Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order last year that requires all new cars sold in California to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035. “California is really on the cutting edge of integrating wind and solar into generation,” Borenstein said. “California also has much larger penetration of electric vehicles than any other state, and so we are on the cutting edge there, too. That gives us the opportunity to be a leader in coordinating the electric vehicles with the intermittent renewables.” If everyone drove an electric vehicle, Tal said Californians would “double” their electric use in their homes. But change is unlikely to come quickly, and the current grid is able to support short-term increases in electric cars. “We can have millions of electric cars on today's grid with no problem,” Tal said. “We have less than a million today and we can go to three, four, five million without doing any serious upgrades.” In the long run, California's power grid will need to produce and store more electricity to reliably make the shift to an entirely electrified fleet. But Tal said the process should be smooth if the changes happen “together.”  Borenstein said it's not the first time the power grid has needed to adjust to emerging technology, comparing the shift toward electric cars to when air conditioning became popular in the 1950s. Over the years, the grid successfully scaled up capacity to accommodate energy demands. Air conditioning units tend to kick in at roughly the same times because outside temperatures increase during the day and decrease overnight, which posed an additional challenge for the electric grid of the 1950s. Borenstein said electric cars will likely have an easier adjustment. “We are going to have to build up capacity here as well,” Borenstein said. “But we probably aren't going to have to build up capacity nearly as much because everybody doesn't have to charge at the same time.” As California transitions to electric vehicles and renewable power sources, Borenstein said market forces will likely promote charging during times when energy is more plentiful. “I think that's where we're going,” he said. “We're not going to make it illegal to charge your car at any particular time, but it's going to be cheaper to charge it when the grid actually is more plentiful with electricity and more expensive when the grid is tight.” Our Ruling Posts on social media claimed that California told electric car owners to “not charge” their vehicles because of a power shortage. The posts appear to refer to a Flex Alert that was issued by the California Independent System Operator on June 17. The alert encouraged Californians to voluntarily conserve energy and charge their electric vehicles before 5 p.m. to minimize possible stress on the power grid during the first major heat wave of the summer.  CAISO officials never said people could not charge their vehicles. Rather, they asked that electric vehicle owners shift their charging schedule to accommodate limited energy sources in the evening. Furthermore, experts say that most electric vehicles only need a few hours of charging each night and are equipped with timers so that owners can schedule charging periods, making it simple for Californians to voluntarily comply with the Flex Alert. The posts also kicked off debate about whether California's grid will be able to accommodate efforts to move toward electric vehicles in the coming years. But experts said the transition should be smooth as long as the shift to electric cars is coordinated with efforts to push for renewable energy sources and improve grid capacity. The posts entirely misinterpreted the Flex Alert and stoked largely unfounded fears about California's move toward green energy. Therefore, we rate these claims False. FALSE – The statement is not accurate. Sources: Facebook post, June 18, 2021 Facebook post, June 21, 2021 Facebook post, June 28, 2021 Twitter post, June 21, 2021 Interview with Gil Tal, director of the Plug-in Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Research Center of the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis, June 25, 2021 Interview with Severin Borenstein, a professor of business administration and public policy at UC Berkeley and the director of the Energy Institute at Haas, June 29, 2021 California Independent System Operator Corporation, Flex Alert in effect today from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., June 17, 2021 California Energy Commission, Zero Emission Vehicle and Infrastructure Statistics, April 20, 2021 Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics Series: Highway Statistics 2019, Sept. 30, 2020 California Energy Commission, 2019 Total System Electric Generation Los Angeles Times, Gov. Brown signs climate change bill to spur renewable energy, efficiency standards, Oct. 7, 2015Los Angeles Times, Newsom orders 2035 phaseout of gas-powered vehicles, calls for fracking ban, Sept. 23, 2020

Unfold
Encore: Transitioning to Low Carbon Transportation

Unfold

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2021 24:50


In California, 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions comes from transportation. Emissions from this sector will make it difficult to meet the state’s 2030 climate goals. There is a myriad of solutions: electric vehicles, public transportation, ride share, e-scooters and more. But people’s behaviors and habits as well as bad land-use planning make this one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize. In this encore episode of Unfold, we’ll look at how we can transition to low-carbon transportation. In this episode:  Giovanni Circella, Director of 3 Revolutions Future Mobility Program, Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis Lew Fulton, Sustainable Transportation Energy Pathways Program Director, Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis Dan Sperling, founding Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies and California Air Resources Board Member

Bike Talk
Bike Talk - Safe Street Science

Bike Talk

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2021 41:10


Lindsay Sturman interviews data scientist Dr. Offer Grembek about the research on complete streets. Offer is a researcher and lecturer at the University of California Berkeley. He serves as the Co‐Director at the university’s Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC), a research center affiliated with the UC Berkeley School of Public Health and the UC Berkeley Institute of Transportation Studies. Dr. Grembek is a member of the California Strategic Highway Safety Plan Steering Committee and the Transportation Research Board Committee on Transportation Safety Management Systems (ACS10). https://safetrec.berkeley.edu/ at 23:10, Damian Kevitt, creator of Finish The Ride and ED of Streets Are For Everyone, talks to Offer about NIMBY arguments that have killed bike lanes in Los Angeles. https://www.streetsareforeveryone.org/

Unfold
Encore: E-Commerce and Climate Change

Unfold

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2020 11:39


Millions of people plan to make online purchases today for deals on Cyber Monday. In this encore episode of Unfold, you'll hear how impulse buying, fast shipping and returns can all lead to a higher carbon footprint. Miguel Jaller with the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies will unfold all the complexities of e-commerce.In this episode:Miguel Jaller, Co-director of the Sustainable Freight Research Center at the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies

EV Hub Live
2020 U.S. Election and What’s Next for Transportation Electrification

EV Hub Live

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2020 53:14


A Special One-On-One Conversation about the 2020 U.S. Election with Dan Sperling of the University of California, DavisAs President-elect Biden prepares to take office, where things will end up in Washington next year are coming into focus following the most unusual election in many decades. Two Senate seats in Georgia will be filled via a run-off election in January and will determine control of the U.S. Senate. With a strong advocate in the White House, transportation electrification is poised to gain more support in Washington.While the extent to which the issue will be greeted by a more generous U.S. Congress is still to be determined, the change in leadership at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue will undoubtedly cause many to alter their near-term priorities.In this episode of EV Hub Live, Nick Nigro will sit down with transportation policy guru, Dan Sperling, the founding Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis and member of the California Air Resources Board. We’ll discuss the implications of the election on state ZEV programs, federal policy, and other key policies and programs related to EVs. We’ll hear where Dan thinks things will go over the next year as the state legislatures and governors get going, Washington receives a new Congress, and a new President is sworn in.

Unfold
Transitioning to Low-Carbon Transportation

Unfold

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2020 24:50


In California, 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions comes from transportation. Emissions from this sector will make it difficult to meet the state’s 2030 climate goals. There is a myriad of solutions: electric vehicles, public transportation, ride share, e-scooters and more. But people’s behaviors and habits as well as bad land-use planning make this one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize. In this episode of Unfold, we’ll look at how we can transition to low-carbon transportation.In this episode:Giovanni Circella, Director of 3 Revolutions Future Mobility Program, Institute of Transportation Studies at UC DavisLew Fulton, Sustainable Transportation Energy Pathways Program Director, Institute of Transportation Studies at UC DavisDan Sperling, founding Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies and California Air Resources Board Member

Unfold
Bonus: E-Commerce and Climate Change

Unfold

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2020 11:39


It’s so easy. One click of your mouse and you’ve ordered just what you want, delivered to your doorstep in just a few days or even a few hours. Since COVID-19, our online shopping habits, particularly all those groceries, have increased dramatically. What that has meant for our carbon footprint might just surprise you. Miguel Jaller with the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies will unfold all the complexities of e-commerce in this brief bonus episode of Unfold.In this episode:Miguel Jaller, Co-director of the Sustainable Freight Research Center at the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies

Smart Driving Cars Podcast
Smart Driving Cars Episode 167

Smart Driving Cars Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2020 71:27


In the midst of a pandemic, what is the future of ride sharing and mobility? Princeton's Alain Kornhauser and co-host Fred Fishkin are joined by Robin Chase and Carlos Pardo of the New Urban Mobility Alliance and the director of the Institute for Transportation Studies at U C Davis, Daniel Sperling to dig into the challenges ahead. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/smart-driving-cars-podcast/support

smart institute driving cars uc davis transportation studies robin chase daniel sperling fred fishkin
Moving Arizona
Interview with Dawn Hood: Research and the Evolution of Transportation

Moving Arizona

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2020 51:09


In this episode we talk about everything from bugs, to grasses, self-driving snowplows, and transforming an organization based on the work of a shame researcher. Dawn Hood is an Associate Director at the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota. While her focus area is Development and Finance, her background is in structural engineering. Her path has taken a very different turn than she originally planned while earning her engineering degree and becoming a professional engineer. Dawn and I met nearly twenty years ago as part of the second cohort of women to go through the national WTS Leadership Program. Since that time, Dawn has led major initiatives, progressed through the ranks at the Center for Transportation Studies, chaired committees at TRB, and balanced it all with being a wife and mother. Dawn’s journey also encompasses engaging in a transformational change initiative based on the work of Dr. Brene Brown.

Smart Driving Cars Podcast
Smart Driving Cars Episode 154

Smart Driving Cars Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2020 52:39


Can ride sharing rebound after the pandemic? Daniel Sperling, founding director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis joins Princeton's Alain Kornhauser and co-host Fred Fishkin for that plus Tesla, Waymo, Ford and more. https://soundcloud.com/smartdrivingcar/smart-driving-cars-episode-154 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/smart-driving-cars-podcast/support

Super Awesome Science Show (SASS)
The Rise of Zero Emission Vehicles

Super Awesome Science Show (SASS)

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2019 30:16


This week, we’re going to look at one of the most revolutionary ideas to improve our planet. It’s called the zero emission vehicle – better known as ZEV – and it may be able to reduce our contribution to air pollution and possibly climate change. Most people may know the name Tesla, which is one of the first truly zero emission vehicles on the market. It runs on batteries like many others that are in the pipeline. But there are other types that exist including an engine that runs on hydrogen. Our first guest takes us on a guided tour of the hydrogen engine and why it may represent the real future of ZEVs. His name is Xianguo Li and he is a Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering Professor at the University of Waterloo. While ZEVs may seem like an excellent purchase, the reality is that there isn’t much of a demand for them. However, when people are asked about their perception of these vehicles, they are quite high. This is known as latent demand and our next guest reveals to us how we may be able to turn that interest into actual sales. She is Zoe Long and she is the Research Manager for the Sustainable Transport Action Research Team at Simon Fraser University. In our SASS Class, we learn about how governments and people who like ZEVs can improve sales. Our guest teacher is Scott Hardman and he is a professional researcher in the Plug-in Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Research Center, in the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California Davis. We learn about the different types of government incentives that exist and which country happens to have the greatest success in getting people to adopt ZEVs. We also find out that governments can only do so much and that word of mouth may still be the best way to increase purchases. If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts and be sure to tell a friend about the show. Thanks to you, we won the Canadian Podcast Award for Outstanding Science and Medicine Series. Let’s keep the awesome momentum going together!  Twitter: @JATetro Email: thegermguy@gmail.com Guests: XianGuo Li Web: https://uwaterloo.ca/mechanical-mechatronics-engineering/profile/x6li Zoe Long Web: https://sustainabletransport.ca/our-team/ Scott Hardman Web: https://its.ucdavis.edu/people/scott-hardman/ Twitter: @scottiehardman

This Week in Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence (AI) Podcast
The Future of Mixed-Autonomy Traffic with Alexandre Bayen - #303

This Week in Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence (AI) Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2019 43:44


Today we are joined by Alexandre Bayen, Director of the Institute for Transportation Studies and Professor at UC Berkeley.In this episode, we discuss Alex’s background in machine learning, his current research in mixed-autonomy traffic, and the idea of swarming in terms of the impact just a few self-driving cars can have on traffic mobility. In the AWS re:Invent conference last year, Alex presented on the future of mixed-autonomy traffic and the two major revolutions he predicts will take place in the next 10-15 years. This includes model-free deep reinforcement learning techniques and end-to-end pixel learning. Looking ahead, Alex shares his take on the future of transportation systems and the potential for varying levels of automation in sub-communities. The complete show notes can be found at twimlai.com/talk/303.

Afternoons with Rob Breakenridge
Predicting mortality, technology & election interference, the e-scooter abandonment problem, prosecuting hate speech

Afternoons with Rob Breakenridge

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2019 48:25


A blood test could reveal your risk of dying in the next 10 years – would you take it? Who else might want you to take it? Guest: Timothy Caulfield Canada Research Chair in Health Law & Policy, Professor, Faculty of Law and School of Public Health, Research Director, Health Law Institute (University of Alberta) Host: A User's Guide to Cheating Death, Netflix Author: "Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?"   AI, Bots and Deep Fakes : Technology to shape Fight against Foreign Political Interference Guest: Alex Wilner - Assistant Professor of International Affairs at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University and a Munk Senior Fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute   The appeal of e-scooters and the growing problem of abandonment & clutter Guest: Sarah Catz - Research Associate, Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Irvine   Prosecuting hate: The Case of "Your Ward News" Guest: Noah Shack - Vice President, GTA - Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA)

The Spokesmen Cycling Roundtable Podcast
Episode #217 – Bikes and more from the UITP Global Public Transport Summit (part 2)

The Spokesmen Cycling Roundtable Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2019 83:22


The Spokesmen Cycling Roundtable Podcast Bikes and more from the UITP Global Public Transport Summit (part 2) Episode 217 Friday 14th June 2019 SPONSOR: Jenson USA HOST: Carlton Reid GUESTS: Giovanni Circella, 3 Revolutions Future Mobility Program, Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California Davis. Steve Martin, CEO of Influence at Work UK, behavioural scientist and co-author of "Yes! 60 Secrets from the Science of Persuasion" which has sold over one million copies. Also heads CHANGE By Transdev–a joint venture that has built the world's first specialist behavioural science unit in a global transport operator. Based in London. Marielle Villamaux, Chief Client Officer, Transdev Group, Issy-Les-Moulineaux, France. TOPICS: Automated vehicles, bicycling and behavioural science from the UITP Global Public Transport Summit in Stockholm, Sweden.

Materials from Sweden
MFS#11 - Green Transportation Studies - Joel Franklin

Materials from Sweden

Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2019 72:01


Cars, buses, trains, planes and… electric scooters? In this podcast we speak with Joel Franklin, a researcher from KTH, the prestigious engineering institute in Stockholm, about his field of transportation studies and urban initiatives to green up transportation.

Blinders Off
Pigs on the Wing: The St. Louis-Lambert International Airport

Blinders Off

Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2019 80:13


Should St. Louis-Lambert International Airport be privatized, or remain a public asset?  Matt and Lucas delve deep into St. Louis’ unique history with aviation and wrestle with its present and future. We also speak with experts on aviation policy, and the people trying to keep aviation policy in the public’s view.  And finally, we answer the burning question: Who is Moneypig?   Visit our website at www.blindersoff.show View our show notes, research materials, and learn about our interview subjects. Questions? Comments?  Feedback? Reach us at blindersoffshow@gmail.com Featured Guests: Cara Spencer Alderman of the 20th ward, St. Louis Ray Mundy Executive Director of the Airport Ground Transportation Association,John Barriger III Professor of Transportation Studies, and Director of the Center for Transportation Studies. Dr. Daniel L. Rust Author and Assistant Professor of Transportation and Logistics in the School of Business and Economics, author of The Aerial Crossroads of America: St Louis’ Lambert Airport. Glenn Burleigh Activist with St. Louis Not For Sale Gerry Connolly Activist, Watchdog

KCBS Radio In Depth
Global Warming: Identifying and Adopting Urgent, Unprecedented Changes to Prevent A Global Catastrophe

KCBS Radio In Depth

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2018 27:36


Earlier this month, the UN released a sobering report on global warming, warning that carbon dioxide emissions would peak sooner than previously thought. Environmentalists are calling for a radical path forward. "It's clear that we're at the edge of disaster and we have to really move fast now," warned Lewis Fulton, Co-Director of the STEPS Program within the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis. Fulton, one of two guests on this weekend's In Depth, has worked internationally in the field of transport, energy, environment analysis and policy development for more than 2 decades. How--or, can--we transition to a more environmentally sustainable way of life? "The solutions are many and the challenge is complex," explained UC Davis Assistant Professor Rebecca Hernandez. "And I think a lot of the listeners who may be tuning in right now can feel a little bit overwhelmed and maybe that the decisions that they're making may not have an impact on what's really happening. And I can empathize with that as a scientist." Hernandez, who joined Fulton with guest host Jeffrey Schaub on In Depth focuses her research efforts on aridland ecology and sustainability. "Cost is a huge barrier to renewable energy penetration," she said. "There are several policy based tools that we can use. But ... what I'd like the listeners to know is that every decision that they make to make their house more green or to reduce their intake of meat or to ride their bike, all of that really adds up at the global scale. What you're doing right now is really making a difference and when we're looking for climate change heroes in every community across diverse groups. We need climate change heroes in our government, in our churches, in our firms and businesses and in the communities that we exist in."

UC Davis (Video)
How Driverless Cars can Impact Climate Change

UC Davis (Video)

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2018 3:04


A global shift to driverless vehicles could create a dream scenario in which traffic congestion and emissions contributing to climate change plummet by 50 percent or more by 2050. Dan Sperling, Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis, talks about the change on the horizon, with comments from Emily Castor Warren, Senior Director of Transportation Policy at Lyft, and Sacramento Mayor, Darrell Steinberg. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 34113]

UC Davis (Audio)
How Driverless Cars can Impact Climate Change

UC Davis (Audio)

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2018 3:04


A global shift to driverless vehicles could create a dream scenario in which traffic congestion and emissions contributing to climate change plummet by 50 percent or more by 2050. Dan Sperling, Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis, talks about the change on the horizon, with comments from Emily Castor Warren, Senior Director of Transportation Policy at Lyft, and Sacramento Mayor, Darrell Steinberg. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 34113]

Smart Cities Week Podcast
Sharing the Promising Practices of Modern Mobility — Opportunities and Challenges

Smart Cities Week Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2018 27:16


Hear about the coming mobility revolution from Daniel Sperling of UC Davis’ Institute of Transportation Studies. He addresses the need for policies to ensure that electric, automated, and shared vehicles provide for improved traffic conditions, reduced carbon emissions and increased accessibility and affordability. Featuring: Daniel Sperling, Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Director, Institute of Transportation Studies - UC Davis

Autonomous Cars with Marc Hoag
SPECIAL: UC DAVIS PROFESSOR SPERLING "3 REVOLUTIONS" PRES.

Autonomous Cars with Marc Hoag

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2018 24:47


SPECIAL! If there's one episode you listen to on this podcast, make it this one. I had the privilege of attending a presentation by Professor Daniel Sperling, the Distinguished Blue Planet Professor, and Founding Director, Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis; and Board Member, California Air Resources Board. Professor Sperling talked about his new book highlighting the "3 revolutions" -- autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, and carpooling -- and the notion that all three are necessary to solve the catastrophic state of transportation in the world . This was a truly fascinating talk, and I highly -- HIGHLY -- recommend you listen and share this episode with all your friends and colleagues -- not for my sake, but for Professor Sperling's sake, and indeed, for all of humanity around the world. His website is: http://3rev.ucdavis.edu --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/autonomous-cars-with-marc-hoag/message

Sustainable Nation
Sam Arons - Director of Sustainability at Lyft

Sustainable Nation

Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2018 27:03


As the Director fo Sustainability at Lyft, Sam Arons oversees the company's sustainability and climate impact efforts. Lyft was one of the first companies to join former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s “We're Still In” movement to pledge their commitment to the Paris Climate Accord. Shortly after, the company outlined their Climate Impact Goals to do their part to address the threat posed by global climate change.  Sam came to Lyft after 10 years at Google where he developed the company’s sustainability efforts as Senior Lead for Energy & Infrastructure. Prior to his time with Google, Sam researched wind energy and plug-in vehicles at Williams College and UC Berkeley, respectively. Sam Joins Sustainable Nation to Discuss: Lyft's new carbon offset program, offsetting 100% of the GHG emissions associated with Lyft rides Lyft's goals to use 100% renewably powered autonomous vehicles Greening America's cities with shared, electric, autonomous vehicles Advice and recommendations for sustainability leaders Sam's Final Five Question Responses: What is one piece of advice you would give other sustainability professionals that might help them in their careers? I would say that solving climate change really requires a village and no one of us can do it alone. So for me, I have really reached out to my networks and tried to get to know as many different people as I can because we're going to need to partner with all sorts of different people to realize this future that we all want to see. So I would recommend other professionals think about doing the same thing. What are you most excited about right now in the world of sustainability? One thing that I'm really excited about right now is something called the Three Transportation Revolutions and this is a kind of an initiative and a concept from a professor, Dan Sperling who is at the UC Davis Institute for Transportation Studies. The three revolutions in transportation are shared, autonomous and electric vehicles. Combined, those three aspects of where transportation is headed can have a potentially very positive effect on the world. I'm excited to be involved in helping to make that happen. What is one book you would recommend sustainability professionals read? You know, I always liked the classics. I would say, Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. That was one of the inspirations for me to get involved in this work. What are some of your favorite resources or tools that really help you in the work that you do? For those folks who may be looking for a way to do corporate renewable energy purchasing, there is a great program run by the Rocky Mountain Institute in Colorado called the Business Renewable Center, BRC. Basically, they run a very effective bootcamp for folks to really get up to speed quickly on how this whole renewable purchase the thing work, how it fits into the electricity grid, how do you convince your CFO to do it etc. It's a great workshop. I've been privileged to be an instructor at that workshop. I'd highly recommend it to anybody who's looking to learn more about that. Where can our listeners go to learn more about you and the work that you're leading at Lyft? So we have a few publications that we've put out recently. One is Lyft's Climate Impact Goals - a blog post. You can search for that online. We also have a medium post that describes our recent carbon neutrality announcement, so you can also search for that one online. And finally, my LinkedIn profile has a bit more information as well. So check it out.  

Infinite Earth Radio – weekly conversations with leaders building smarter, more sustainable, and equitable communities

Topic:Autonomous vehicles, shared vehicle services and electric vehicles Guest & Organization:Dr. Daniel Sperling is the Blue Planet Prize Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science and Policy and founding director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis, which oversees the 3 Revolutions Future Mobility Program. He has held the transportation seat on the California Air Resources Board since 2007 (appointed by Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jerry Brown) and served as Chair of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies in 2015-16. Among his many prizes are the 2013 Blue Planet Prize from the Asahi Glass Foundation for being “a pioneer in opening up new fields of study to create more efficient, low-carbon, and environmentally beneficial transportation systems.” He served twice as lead author for the IPCC (sharing the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize), has testified 7 times to the U.S. Congress, and provided 40 keynote presentations in the past five years. He has authored or coauthored over 250 technical papers and 12 books; is widely cited in leading newspapers; has been interviewed many times on NPR, including Science Friday, Talk of the Nation, and Fresh Air; and in 2009 was featured on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. In https://islandpress.org/books/three-revolutions (Three Revolutions), transportation expert Dan Sperling, along with seven other leaders in the field, share research–based insights on potential public benefits and impacts of the three transportation revolutions. They describe innovative ideas and partnerships, and explore the role government policy can play in steering the new transportation paradigm toward the public interest—toward our dream scenario of social equity, environmental sustainability, and urban livability. Resources: https://islandpress.org/books/three-revolutions (Three Revolutions – Steering Automated, Shared, and Electric Vehicles to a Better Future by Daniel Sperling) https://3rev.ucdavis.edu/ (3 Revolutions Future Mobility Program at the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis) https://islandpress.org/urban-resilience-project (Island Press Urban Resilience Project) Download the Island Press APP! Learn more about the APP https://islandpress.org/get-our-app (here), and find it on https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.islandpress.islandpressdiscoveryapp (Google Play) and https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/island-press/id1251388048?mt=8 (Apple App Store)! https://www.lgc.org/yosemite-policymakers-conference/ (Yosemite Policymakers Conference – building livable communities) https://www.lgc.org/ (Local Government Commission )

Top of Mind with Julie Rose
Security Warnings, Transportation Revolution, Life Beyond Earth

Top of Mind with Julie Rose

Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2017 102:48


Counterterrorism expert Richard Clarke discusses terror, security, and warnings. Elliott Campbell of UC Merced explains why almost everyone can eat local. The road to a real transportation revolution with Lew Fulton of the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies. Samuel Walker of the University of Nebraska at Omaha discusses America's troubled relationship with police. Potential life on Jupiter's moon with Edward Garnero of Arizona State University.

Infinite Earth Radio – weekly conversations with leaders building smarter, more sustainable, and equitable communities

TOPICThe Shared-Use Strategy of Transportation IN THIS EPISODE[02:33] Introduction of Susan Shaheen. [02:56] Susan explains what shared-mobility services are. [03:46] Susan describes the societal and individual benefits of shared-mobility services. [05:48] Susan shares if car-sharing services are being universally accessed or if they are more concentrated in certain areas. [07:10] Is anyone currently making car-sharing services available to other parts of the population? [07:42] How is the Zipcar model—individuals sharing a car—expanding, and what is the market acceptance? [10:38] Susan shares the benefits of shared-mobility services to municipalities and society. [12:34] Are these shared-mobility services putting cab companies and their drivers out of business, and is there any data about these services driving down wages for those drivers? [14:35] Are all communities being served by shared-mobility services? [16:30] Are shared-mobility services impacting the need for public transportation, as well as the investments that would result in the reduction of vehicle-miles traveled? [20:29] Susan shares where people can learn more about her work. [21:31] Susan shares one change that would lead to smarter, more sustainable, and more equitable communities. [22:17] Susan describes the action that listeners can take to help build a more equitable and sustainable future. [22:34] Susan explains what our communities look like 30 years from now. GUESTSusan’s interest in environmentally- and socially-beneficial technology applications led her to focus her doctoral research on carsharing, linked to public transit in the mid-1990s. Today, she is an internationally recognized expert in mobility and the sharing economy and co-directs the Transportation Sustainability Research Center (TSRC) of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California (UC), Berkeley. She is also an adjunct professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering at UC Berkeley. She has authored 57 journal articles, over 100 reports and proceedings articles, four book chapters, and co-edited one book. Her research projects on carsharing, smart parking, and older mobility have received national awards. ORGANIZATIONThe Transportation Sustainability Research Center (TSRC) was formed in 2006 to combine the research forces of six campus groups at UC Berkeley: the University of California Transportation Center, the University of California Energy Institute, the Institute of Transportation Studies, the Energy and Resources Group, the Center for Global Metropolitan Studies, and the Berkeley Institute of the Environment. Since TSRC was founded, it has been a leading center in conducting timely research on real-world solutions for a more sustainable transportation future. In addition to performing research informed by a diverse array of perspectives, TSRC also engages in education and outreach to promote its core values of sustainability and equity, to ensure that we are able to meet the transportation needs of the present without compromising future generations. TSRC conducts research on a wide array of transportation-related issues, addressing the needs of individuals as well as the public. Research efforts are primarily concentrated in six main areas: Advanced vehicles and fuels, Energy and infrastructure, Goods movement, Innovative mobility, Mobility for special populations, and Transportation and energy systems analysis. TSRC uses a wide range of analysis and evaluation tools, including questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, automated data collection systems, and simulation models to collect data and perform analysis and interpretation of the data. The center then develops impartial findings and recommendations for key issues of interest to policymakers to aid in decision-making. TSRC has assisted in developing and implementing major California and federal regulations and initiatives regarding sustainable transportation. These include

Climate One
Power Drive

Climate One

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2015 59:00


California has an ambitious plan to reduce carbon emissions. Can EVs and driverless cars save the day? Or will they just add to our already clogged roads? Shad Balch, Environment and Energy Communications Manager, General Motors Alexandre Bayen, Liao-Cho Professor of Engineering and Director, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley Hector De La Torre, Member, California Air Resources Board Diarmuid O’Connell, Vice President of Business Development, Tesla This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Exploratorium with the Commonwealth Club of California on November 2, 2015.

Reducing the impact of transport on the environment

Daniel Sperling is a Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science and Policy, and founding Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis (ITS-Davis). In February 2007, Governor Schwarzenegger appointed Daniel to the "automotive engineering" seat on the California Air Resources Board. In this position he focuses on climate policy, low carbon fuels and vehicles, and reducing vehicle travel and land use. Daniel is recognized as a leading international expert on transportation technology assessment, energy and environmental aspects of transportation, and transportation policy. He was co-director of the 2007 study that designed California's landmark low carbon fuel standard and co-director of a follow-up 2012 national study. In 2008 he was appointed the first chair of the "Future of Transportation" Council of the Davos World Economic Forum. Alongside authoring "Two Billion Cars", he was a lead author of the transportation chapter on the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former Vice President Al Gore. In 2010 he received a Heinz Award for his "achievements in the research of alternative transportation fuels and his responsibility for the adoption of cleaner transportation policies in California and across the United States." In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

Jones Seminars on Science, Technology & Society
Seminar_ Global Energy Futures Modelling

Jones Seminars on Science, Technology & Society

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2014 50:43


Dartmouth Jones Seminar on Science, Technology, and Society. "Global Energy Futures Modelling: Making Sense Out of Chaos." Lewis Fulton, Institute for Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis.

KPFA - Terra Verde
Terra Verde – Will We Have an “Aparkalypse”? Or Can Better Parking Policies Help Save the World?

KPFA - Terra Verde

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2013 4:29


Guest Donald Shoup nearly titled his book “Aparkalypse Now” instead of “The High Cost of Free Parking.”  Cumulatively, people consume a massive amount of oil (not to mention time) circling for parking.  Isn't there a better way?  Tune in to learn about the theory and practice of designing parking policies to protect the environment.  Guests: Donald Shoup, Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning and Director Emeritus of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California at Los Angeles, Jason Henderson, Associate Professor in the Department of Geography and Environment at San Francisco State University and the author of Street Fight:  The Politics of Mobility in San Francisco, and Willa Ng, goBerkeley Project Manager with the City of Berkeley; Host:  Adrienne Fitch-Frankel The post Terra Verde – Will We Have an “Aparkalypse”? Or Can Better Parking Policies Help Save the World? appeared first on KPFA.

WorldAffairs
Forty Years After the Arab Oil Embargo: Energy Independence?

WorldAffairs

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2013 58:12


Agreed on as the most authoritative survey available on the question of energy security, "Energy and Security: Strategies for a World in Transition" assesses how the United States can integrate its energy and national security interests.  On the 40th anniversary of the Arab oil embargo, we revisit the perennial question of energy security with a panel of distinguished experts in the energy field,  including co-editors Jan Kalicki and David Goldwyn and contributing author Amy Jaffe, to discuss the North American energy renaissance, new energy frontiers, energy poverty and climate security in the current political environment.The panel will be moderated by Peter Robertson, Chairman of the World Affairs Council Board of Trustees. The speakers include David Goldwyn, President and Founder of Goldwyn Global Strategies, Amy Myers Jaffe, Executive Director of Energy and Sustainability at the Graduate School of Management and the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis, and Jan Kalicki, Senior Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.For more information about this event, visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/events/2013/40-years-after-the-arab-oil-embargo.html

WorldAffairs
The Energy Mix: The Outlook for the Next 30 Years

WorldAffairs

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2013 65:39


The energy mix is evolving and so is the world in which energy is supplied and consumed. Major progress is being made in developing oil, gas, renewable and other clean energy resources, but the increase in population coupled with the industrialization of developing countries will cause energy demand to more than double by mid-century. The international community is grappling with the trade-offs between development and the environment and climate change has fundamentally shifted the nature and urgency of the debate. Historically, it requires decades to explore and produce existing energy resources and to develop new ones. What is a realistic view of the energy mix over the next thirty years and what are the roles for fossil fuels, renewables and nuclear? Join us for a panel discussion of the outlook for the global energy mix over the next 30 years. Amy Myers Jaffe, Executive Director of Energy and Sustainability, Graduate School of Management and the Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis Daniel Kammen, Director, Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley Matt Rogers, Director, McKinsey & Company

Spectrum
Susan Shaheen

Spectrum

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2012 30:00


Susan Shaheen is co-Director of the Transportation Sustainability Research Center and Lecturer at UC Berkeley. She discusses the revolution underway in transportation choices which she believes will be driven by smart phones.TranscriptSpeaker 1: Spectrum's next [inaudible]. [00:00:30] Welcome to spectrum the science and technology show on k a l x Berkeley, a biweekly 30 minute program bringing you interviews featuring bay area scientists and technologists as well as a calendar of local events and news. Speaker 2: Good afternoon. My name is Brad Swift. I'm the host of today's show. Our guest today is Susan Shaheen, co-director of the Transportation Sustainability Research Center at UC Berkeley. Susan also lectures [00:01:00] at UC Berkeley. Susan's Shaheen received her master's degree from the University of Rochester and her phd in ecology from UC Davis. She joins us to talk about the work she's been doing at the center as well as the centers. Broader scope. Susan Shaheen. Thanks for coming on spectrum. My pleasure. I wanted to get your perspective, a historic perspective on transportation and when you look back, what do you see as the profound changes that [00:01:30] have happened over a period of time that you're comfortable with reflecting on Speaker 3: [inaudible]? So I think transportation and the environment were significant, particularly in the state of California in the mid 1950s where relationships between exhaust emissions and smog and other types of air pollutants came together. And we started to garner a lot more understanding about that. And so in terms of [00:02:00] my personal interests, that was a really significant moment in time for the nation, but in particular for California, which, which led the way and that garnered a lot of interest and vehicle technologies and strategies for addressing transportation emissions. Speaker 2: And is that really what started the sustainability movement within transportation Speaker 3: in terms of transportation? Sustainability in those terms I think are more modern day than the mid [00:02:30] 1950s when we started to become really cognizant of smog and emissions, particularly in the La Basin area. There was a, the Brundtland Commission came about and in 1987 they produced a document called our common future and that really focused on sustainability. And that's when we started to hear more about the three pillars of sustainability. So economics, equity and the environment. And around that late 1980s early 1990s period, I believe that's really [00:03:00] when a lot of the discussion about transportation sustainability came about, but we had already been looking at vehicle technologies, fuels strategies for demand management, like carpooling long before then. But I think in terms of there being more of a movement or a focus on sustainability and transportation, that probably came about more in the late 1980s and early 1990s before I came on the scene. Speaker 3: How did the Transportation Sustainability Research Center get started? [00:03:30] So the uh, Transportation Sustainability Research Center at the University of California Berkeley as part of the Institute of Transportation Studies. It came about five years ago. It was founded as the brainchild of Professor Norgaard and Professor Sam or Matt Nat. And they thought it was really important time for us to put together a center that focused on vehicles, fuels as well as demand management strategies that could [00:04:00] employ electronic and wireless communication systems. So that's how we got our start in the center. How do you choose your projects? Well, we always choose our projects based on someone's interest within a center. So some, some great form of passion associated with it. And we find that sometimes the scale of the project needs to be very, very large. So if there's an opportunity for a large grant and it fits [00:04:30] with our mission and mandate for instance, goods movement, we have a project that's by point $5 million to implement a smart parking, uh, management system for long haul truckers on the I five. Speaker 3: And that requires a lot of money and a lot of technology and a lot of getting out there and getting your hands dirty and implementing things. And it takes scale and money and time to build something like that. And so that's our largest project overall and it really warrants that kind [00:05:00] of financial base, but we can also do things for 50 to $75,000 that are highly impactful. We've received awards for research on car sharing, things that I think may have cost $55,000 in terms of grant monies to produce. But the work itself was impactful enough that it made a difference and was really powerful to people in the field and to decision makers and gave them the data that they needed. So a lot of it just has to do with our passion and [00:05:30] if there's a grant opportunity that fits really well with our interests, we go for it and we don't necessarily say, okay, a small grant isn't going to do what we needed to do because we know about it than that, we know that sometimes you need small grants to do really impactful things and sometimes you need massive grants to do really impactful things. Speaker 3: It just depends on what we're trying to do. But in my research I've found over time that I don't need is larger grant anymore to do as [00:06:00] impactful and innovative research as I used to have to. And that's because there's so many innovative entrepreneurial companies out there doing this that I don't have to go and build the thing anymore and create the service and imagine the service because there's entrepreneurs everyday contacting us saying, would you partner with us and help us to study and understand what we've built? And we're delighted because that means we can do so much more research when we don't actually [00:06:30] have to go out and build it. But if we need to go out and build it, we will do that. Speaker 2: It does the center deal at all with larger forms of transportation trucks. You mentioned trucks that you were involved with that do you get into shipping overseas, shipping trains, things like that because California has such a, a destination for so much material from Asia products? Speaker 3: That's a great question. We have a great deal of interest in all forms of goods movement at present. Our focus is primarily [00:07:00] trying to get our hands around and our understanding of origin and destination patterns and the long distance trucking industry. And I believe that you know, more and more will venture into freight to rail and also deal more with the ports. But it's a different area of research. It's not as well understood. It's an unregulated industry in many ways. And so getting data is a major issue and really understanding that data and working [00:07:30] with it is I think a notable contribution that we're trying to make with respect to just even understanding what's going on on the [inaudible]. So I think it's going to be a big area and continuing area of research at TSTC. I think there's so many opportunities for us to make freight and goods movement more sustainable, but it's not the easiest area to study or to get into and we're really trying to build up this understanding and then go from there. Speaker 1: [00:08:00] This is spectrum on k a Alex Berkeley. We're talking with Susan Shaheen about transportation, sustainability. Speaker 2: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the free market and government approaches to having an impact on transportation? [inaudible] Speaker 3: [00:08:30] no, I think government can play a tremendous role in making sure that we continue to have public transportation and we continue to have safe roads and bridges and that's a really significant role and they can also play a notable role in terms of public policy with respect to incentivizing different types of behavior if it's through road pricing strategies, so to s mode shift, get people think about taking a different mode at a different time, incentivizing people to [00:09:00] buy alternative fuel vehicles, giving them access to the Hov lanes or the high occupancy vehicle lanes. I also feel that the government can play a tremendous role in terms of providing third parties with access to data about transit services. And what we've started to see is a lot of new companies and new opportunities providing people with access to information that really wasn't there before. So I think the government can play a role in really [00:09:30] encouraging and facilitating openness and sharing and a really different way of experiencing transportation than we ever have before. Speaker 3: And I think industry has a tremendous role to play as well. Why not allow them to be as innovative as possible and create new opportunities and new modes if some of the things I study include car sharing, which is short term access to vehicles, and we've started to see lots of investment and interest in the idea of peer-to-peer car sharing or personal [00:10:00] vehicle sharing services where people could actually put their own vehicle into a shared use setting and we could see car sharing go outside of dense urban areas where traditionally lives into suburban areas and there's ideas for scooter sharing services. Public bike sharing is just growing and leaps and bounds around the world. It's about to double in size in terms of the number of programs just in the year 2012 in the United States. So [00:10:30] there's so many opportunities for creating new industries and new jobs and new transportation choices. Speaker 3: And I think the government has a tremendous role in that and creating and encouraging and inspiring these partnerships with individuals who have innovative ideas. I think we're really entering into a new era of mobility, which is very exciting. And then you have to tread the line between interfering with the market, choosing winners and losers gets run out [inaudible] [inaudible] [00:11:00] and not over-regulated. So there's a balance there. Right. And I think that's where research is really critical is to understand, you know, when you incentivize, what is the impact of that incentivization, you know, is it working, is it not working? Do you need to do more, do you need to do less? And that's where I think a lot of our work can come in to help provide policymakers and decision makers with more informed understanding about what, what is actually happening in the system. And we're really [00:11:30] moving into an era of massive databases and opportunities to look at real time data and in a way that we never could before because of the availability of electronic and wireless communication systems, the ubiquity of cell phones and smart phone technology and sensor technologies and the cost of these things are dropping. Speaker 3: So again, I believe we're really entering into a new era and mobility and transportation and it's just gonna require sort of a new way of thinking about openness and sharing. And there are [00:12:00] going to be some, some struggles in this, but I think there's more opportunities than there are barriers. And is the center very focused on having an impact in policy? We're very focused on that. So we truly want to make a difference and we want to do real world research and get out and be involved in demonstration projects and pilot projects and any type of endeavor. You know, we just received a grant from the University of California Transportation Center here at Berkeley [00:12:30] to look at personal vehicle sharing services. So we're not actually going out and implementing it or designing it or doing any of that, which we often do, but we're actually just working with companies throughout North America to see what they're doing and to help them actually understand through our data collection processes and analyses, what is this doing and what kind of impact is it having and what role might policy makers play to encourage more of this and what would work best overall [00:13:00] in terms of growing this opportunity? Speaker 3: If people really like it, I'm a big fan of diversity and choice and all of my research. If it deals with fuels or if it deals with giving people an opportunity to see, you know, when is the next bus coming or on a mobile app in a, where can I find the bike sharing vehicle? I am really, really a big fan of giving people choices and information because I think that's critical to giving people an [00:13:30] opportunity to, to experience transportation in a new way. But I think for a long time people haven't felt that there's a lot of choices and once they invest in a private vehicle, they viewed that a lot of those, you know, transportation costs are sunk and so there's really minor expenses associated with that, but that's actually really not the truth. But you know that fixed cost really does change people's relationship with other transportation modes. [00:14:00] The more we can give people choices and have him think about transportation costs is variable. We can see a really different attitude towards taking different modes at different points in time, including getting lots of physical exercise. Speaker 1: And this is the public affairs show spectrum on KALX Berkeley. We're talking with Susan Shaheen about transportation sustainability. [00:14:30] Next we talk about bike sharing and car sharing, the bike sharing during Speaker 3: project. Can you talk a little bit about that? You were mentioning that it's going to double. Yeah, so public bike sharing as a form of public transportation, it's gone through actually several evolutions. The first generation of it started in 19 five and Amsterdam and it was a system called provosts or white bikes, which you might've heard of. They deployed, 50 of them, put them around the community and [00:15:00] they promptly disappeared. And so then we've seen different evolutions of the bike sharing concept into the 1980s where we moved into a more technology based approach where you had a coined deposit system so you couldn't just take it for free. Shortly after that we saw movement into what we call the third generation, which is more IT-based, which requires sort of the identity of somebody to be linked to that bike. And what we found is that the more advanced technology use, the more reliable [00:15:30] these systems become and the more they can be integrated into people's Daily community, which is pretty significant. Speaker 3: Now, bikes are being used not just for recreational purposes, but to complete a first mile or last mile or a many mile trip that is actually part of a person's daily life. And these concepts have just taken hold. And I started to monitor this about seven or eight years ago and cataloged more and more of these bike sharing systems. They leave [00:16:00] has over 20,000 bikes in Paris. Honjo, which we've studied is in China. 60,000 bikes will, Han has over 70,000 bikes and it's public bike sharing system. New York City is sent to launch sometime late this summer or fall with 7,000 bikes leading up to 10,000 bikes. They're not taking a cent of public money to deploy the system. They have a title sponsorship with City Group, so [00:16:30] things are really changing in terms of transportation and mobility. How do they deal with the safety side of it all? All these people jumping on bikes without helmets probably. Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah. On the safety side, it's actually quite interesting is the majority of programs do not require people to wear helmets, so the majority of people actually don't wear helmets and using these systems and I think liability issues associated with public bike sharing are going [00:17:00] to be become more prominent and more important, particularly as they scale in size and they become larger. We do think or hypothesize that as these systems proliferate and people become more aware of them, there will be safety benefits as well because drivers will be more aware that, okay, those are capital bikeshare bikes riding down the street. I need to be conscious and aware of them because there's a lot more bikers on on the road, but the issue of density and more and more of these bicycles hitting [00:17:30] the road is an issue and I think a lot of municipalities are working more and more to build supportive infrastructure. Speaker 3: New York City's an example of that. So these programs often go hand in hand with cycling infrastructure. But you do raise a good question associated with the helmets and there are some happening. San Vol is a company in British Columbia that's developed a dispensing system that actually cleans the helmet. So that could be a creative strategy. [00:18:00] A lot of the bike sharing programs actually offer helmets or give them out with a membership, but we think that a lot of times what happens is somebody who doesn't necessarily plan to take that bike and then realizes, wow, I want to take that bike. They're conveniently located like street furniture throughout the city. I'm just going to jump on it and go from point to point. And so the helmet is a difficult thing to plan for if that's how you use it. Carpools, car sharing. Can you talk about that a bit? Speaker 3: [00:18:30] Yeah, so I've been studying shared use vehicle systems since the mid 1990s I did my doctorate on car sharing. That again is the idea of short term vehicle access where you don't actually need to own a vehicle but you have access to a whole fleet of vehicles and you use them by the hour and we've seen over time tremendous growth in the number of operators throughout North America. We've seen a membership continually grow as we've been tracking it. We also see [00:19:00] some very interesting behavioral effects in response to what we call traditional or neighborhood car sharing where many times people who join these systems actually end up either foregoing or selling a vehicle after they start using the system because they realize they don't need a car and they can trade off this fixed vehicle asset for variable costs and take public transportation, more ride share, Carpool more bike more a, we're also seeing [00:19:30] a really neat concept which is called one way car sharing traditional car sharing works and that you go into an out of the same location similar to a rental car system and many of us in the shared use space of thought, if we were able to provide a one way service similar to public bike sharing where you start off one place and you leave the bike in another place or a vehicle in another place, this might attract a whole different usage pattern and what would this do? Speaker 3: [00:20:00] So several companies are getting started in this Daimler's cargo system, which uses a little smart vehicle launched in Austin. They're now in Washington, D c they're in Portland, they're in San Diego and this system is doing quite well. It requires a lot of public infrastructure because the vehicles have to be parked throughout the business areas or a neighborhood areas, but people actually instead of accessing the vehicle [00:20:30] by the hour, they're now actually accessing it by the minute and taking it one from one location to the next. BMW launched its program called drive. Now in the bay area, the first in the United States, it had only been operating in Germany prior to that. So lots of change and evolution in this shared you space coupled with public bike sharing, lots of innovation and ride sharing movements towards Uber taxi services and dynamic ride [00:21:00] sharing services have vago launched this spring and is providing dynamic ride sharing services. Speaker 3: So I think what we're going to start to see is the bundling of these concepts and technologies and hopefully linkages to smart card technology like your clipper card and it would give you access to any one of the car sharing programs or the public bike sharing program is planned for San Francisco. I think, you know, with time we're gonna see a lot more smart apps that tell us [00:21:30] what our choices are. If it'd be a taxi or a car sharing vehicle or a carpooling vehicle. And I think it's all going to be integrated. And I think the big mobility device is going to become our phone through these smart apps. So a lot is happening and there's a lot to be watching. We're actually keeping pretty busy these days. In terms of our projects in the shared use space, we, we just uh, got great news, uh, the end of last week that we were funded to actually evaluate cargos, pure electric [00:22:00] vehicle based one way, car sharing service in San Diego. Speaker 3: And we have another grant to look at the integration of electric vehicle bikes and to see car shares fleet in San Francisco. So it's going to be a service of both car sharing and Evy bike sharing, all combined into one service. So there's going to be a lot going on and a lot to watch in this space. And I, I do think the bay area is a critical location to see what's happening. What do you think is the best way [00:22:30] for individuals to find out about all of these options that are starting to happen? Is there someone who's consolidating these kinds of things on a website that they could go to or how do you search? I think you know for the bay area in particular, I think MTC, the metropolitan transportation commission has a really good five one one.org site that can provide you with a lot of information on your choices. Also, as of MTA has apps that you can download like the SF park site, so I think just go into your public transportation [00:23:00] operators websites like Bart, but also again, the regional transportation agencies are doing a really good job of getting information out there. Susan, Shane, thanks very much for coming on spectrum. You're welcome. It was great to meet you. Speaker 1: [inaudible] [00:23:30] regular feature of spectrum is to mention a few of the science and technology events happening locally over the next two weeks. Rick Karnofsky joins me with the calendar this month. Speaker 4: Leonardo art science evening rendezvous or laser is on Wednesday, October 10th at Stanford Universities. [00:24:00] Jordan Hall Building Four 20 Room 41 talk. Start at seven with Andrew Todd Hunter discussing bridging the fuzzy techie divide, the senior reflection capstone in biology. Terry barely years subsequent. Talk on where at the beginning meets the end. It's about making technologies vulnerabilities visible and illustrating how easily modern inventions can become footnotes to a bygone era. [00:24:30] Mark Jacobson then discusses a plan to power the world with a wind, water, and sun. He focuses on three of the most significant problems facing the world today. Global warming, air pollution, and energy insecurity. Tonight ends with composer Sheryl Leonard's music from high latitudes, making music out of sounds, objects and experiences from the polar regions. To Register, visit www.leonardo.info the [00:25:00] northern California Science Writers Association and Swissnex our host, Tina taught by why are dotcoms Kevin Polson on cybercrime an inside view.Speaker 4: He will talk about Max Butler, one of the highest value cybercriminals ever brought down by the FBI and Secret Service Butler, a hacker establish a worldwide operation from his safe house in a high rise apartment building in San Francisco's tenderloin. Butler eventually dominated a global black market in stolen credit card numbers, [00:25:30] supplying a far flung counterfeiting operation. Polson first described this in a wired article and then in his book published last year, kingpin, how one hacker took over the billion dollar cyber crime underground. The talk is on Thursday, October 11th doors at six 30 talk at seven reception with appetizers from seven 45 until nine 30 it's at Swissnex seven three zero Montgomery Street in San Francisco. Visit Swissnex, San Francisco. Dot. O R, g, [00:26:00] the San Francisco Opera, and the California Academy of Science Present Moby Dick, a whale of a tale in celebration of the musical conversion of Herman Melville's. Classic novel scientists will discuss Melville's famous dedication to the 19th century scientific accuracy in his writings. Speaker 4: There'll also be biologists who will present on modern day whale science and conservation practices. The event is at the California Academy of Sciences. 55 music concourse drive in San Francisco's [00:26:30] Golden Gate Park on Tuesday, October sixteenth@sevenpmitistendollarsforyourmembersandtwelvedollarsforthegeneralpublicvisitwww.cal academy.org now, here's Rick Karnofsky with two news stories to stellar mass. Black holes have been discovered in globular cluster m 22 located at 10,000 light years away by a team of international researchers who published their findings in nature on October 4th using the Carl g [00:27:00] jetski very large array in New Mexico. They found two black holes and argue that there may be as many as five to a hundred in the classroom. This runs contrary to earlier theories that suggested only a single black hole of that size could survive in a popular cluster. They are the first stellar mass black holes found in a globular cluster in the Milky Way and the first observed via radio waves that of course, I mean Arthur j straighter of Michigan State University and the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics was quoted [00:27:30] by scientific American saying that because they were seen by radio, they have to not just be in binary's, but they have to be in binaries that are close enough that mass transfer is actually taking place. Speaker 4: In an article published in the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in September, Yale researchers showed that academic research faculty have a gender bias in favor of male students. The team performed a randomized double blind study in which university scientists were given applications purportedly from [00:28:00] students applying for a lab manager position. The content of the applications were all identical, but sometimes a male name was attached and sometimes a female name was attached. Female applicants were rated lower than men on the measured scales of competence, higher ability mentoring and we're giving lower salary offers. The mean salary offered by male scientist for male students was $30,520 for the female students. It was $27,111 female scientists recommended lower salaries for both [00:28:30] genders, but had an even greater bias against female students who received an average offer of 25,000 compared to the average offer of $29,333 per milestone. Speaker 2: [inaudible]. The music heard during the show is from an album by Lascano David entitled Folk Acoustic made available by a creative Commons [00:29:00] license 3.0 [inaudible] Speaker 1: [inaudible]. Thank you for listening to spectrum. If you have comments about the show, please send them to us. Email address is spectrum [inaudible] at yahoo.com [inaudible]. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Spectrum
Susan Shaheen

Spectrum

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2012 30:00


Susan Shaheen is co-Director of the Transportation Sustainability Research Center and Lecturer at UC Berkeley. She discusses the revolution underway in transportation choices which she believes will be driven by smart phones.TranscriptSpeaker 1: Spectrum's next [inaudible]. [00:00:30] Welcome to spectrum the science and technology show on k a l x Berkeley, a biweekly 30 minute program bringing you interviews featuring bay area scientists and technologists as well as a calendar of local events and news. Speaker 2: Good afternoon. My name is Brad Swift. I'm the host of today's show. Our guest today is Susan Shaheen, co-director of the Transportation Sustainability Research Center at UC Berkeley. Susan also lectures [00:01:00] at UC Berkeley. Susan's Shaheen received her master's degree from the University of Rochester and her phd in ecology from UC Davis. She joins us to talk about the work she's been doing at the center as well as the centers. Broader scope. Susan Shaheen. Thanks for coming on spectrum. My pleasure. I wanted to get your perspective, a historic perspective on transportation and when you look back, what do you see as the profound changes that [00:01:30] have happened over a period of time that you're comfortable with reflecting on Speaker 3: [inaudible]? So I think transportation and the environment were significant, particularly in the state of California in the mid 1950s where relationships between exhaust emissions and smog and other types of air pollutants came together. And we started to garner a lot more understanding about that. And so in terms of [00:02:00] my personal interests, that was a really significant moment in time for the nation, but in particular for California, which, which led the way and that garnered a lot of interest and vehicle technologies and strategies for addressing transportation emissions. Speaker 2: And is that really what started the sustainability movement within transportation Speaker 3: in terms of transportation? Sustainability in those terms I think are more modern day than the mid [00:02:30] 1950s when we started to become really cognizant of smog and emissions, particularly in the La Basin area. There was a, the Brundtland Commission came about and in 1987 they produced a document called our common future and that really focused on sustainability. And that's when we started to hear more about the three pillars of sustainability. So economics, equity and the environment. And around that late 1980s early 1990s period, I believe that's really [00:03:00] when a lot of the discussion about transportation sustainability came about, but we had already been looking at vehicle technologies, fuels strategies for demand management, like carpooling long before then. But I think in terms of there being more of a movement or a focus on sustainability and transportation, that probably came about more in the late 1980s and early 1990s before I came on the scene. Speaker 3: How did the Transportation Sustainability Research Center get started? [00:03:30] So the uh, Transportation Sustainability Research Center at the University of California Berkeley as part of the Institute of Transportation Studies. It came about five years ago. It was founded as the brainchild of Professor Norgaard and Professor Sam or Matt Nat. And they thought it was really important time for us to put together a center that focused on vehicles, fuels as well as demand management strategies that could [00:04:00] employ electronic and wireless communication systems. So that's how we got our start in the center. How do you choose your projects? Well, we always choose our projects based on someone's interest within a center. So some, some great form of passion associated with it. And we find that sometimes the scale of the project needs to be very, very large. So if there's an opportunity for a large grant and it fits [00:04:30] with our mission and mandate for instance, goods movement, we have a project that's by point $5 million to implement a smart parking, uh, management system for long haul truckers on the I five. Speaker 3: And that requires a lot of money and a lot of technology and a lot of getting out there and getting your hands dirty and implementing things. And it takes scale and money and time to build something like that. And so that's our largest project overall and it really warrants that kind [00:05:00] of financial base, but we can also do things for 50 to $75,000 that are highly impactful. We've received awards for research on car sharing, things that I think may have cost $55,000 in terms of grant monies to produce. But the work itself was impactful enough that it made a difference and was really powerful to people in the field and to decision makers and gave them the data that they needed. So a lot of it just has to do with our passion and [00:05:30] if there's a grant opportunity that fits really well with our interests, we go for it and we don't necessarily say, okay, a small grant isn't going to do what we needed to do because we know about it than that, we know that sometimes you need small grants to do really impactful things and sometimes you need massive grants to do really impactful things. Speaker 3: It just depends on what we're trying to do. But in my research I've found over time that I don't need is larger grant anymore to do as [00:06:00] impactful and innovative research as I used to have to. And that's because there's so many innovative entrepreneurial companies out there doing this that I don't have to go and build the thing anymore and create the service and imagine the service because there's entrepreneurs everyday contacting us saying, would you partner with us and help us to study and understand what we've built? And we're delighted because that means we can do so much more research when we don't actually [00:06:30] have to go out and build it. But if we need to go out and build it, we will do that. Speaker 2: It does the center deal at all with larger forms of transportation trucks. You mentioned trucks that you were involved with that do you get into shipping overseas, shipping trains, things like that because California has such a, a destination for so much material from Asia products? Speaker 3: That's a great question. We have a great deal of interest in all forms of goods movement at present. Our focus is primarily [00:07:00] trying to get our hands around and our understanding of origin and destination patterns and the long distance trucking industry. And I believe that you know, more and more will venture into freight to rail and also deal more with the ports. But it's a different area of research. It's not as well understood. It's an unregulated industry in many ways. And so getting data is a major issue and really understanding that data and working [00:07:30] with it is I think a notable contribution that we're trying to make with respect to just even understanding what's going on on the [inaudible]. So I think it's going to be a big area and continuing area of research at TSTC. I think there's so many opportunities for us to make freight and goods movement more sustainable, but it's not the easiest area to study or to get into and we're really trying to build up this understanding and then go from there. Speaker 1: [00:08:00] This is spectrum on k a Alex Berkeley. We're talking with Susan Shaheen about transportation, sustainability. Speaker 2: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the free market and government approaches to having an impact on transportation? [inaudible] Speaker 3: [00:08:30] no, I think government can play a tremendous role in making sure that we continue to have public transportation and we continue to have safe roads and bridges and that's a really significant role and they can also play a notable role in terms of public policy with respect to incentivizing different types of behavior if it's through road pricing strategies, so to s mode shift, get people think about taking a different mode at a different time, incentivizing people to [00:09:00] buy alternative fuel vehicles, giving them access to the Hov lanes or the high occupancy vehicle lanes. I also feel that the government can play a tremendous role in terms of providing third parties with access to data about transit services. And what we've started to see is a lot of new companies and new opportunities providing people with access to information that really wasn't there before. So I think the government can play a role in really [00:09:30] encouraging and facilitating openness and sharing and a really different way of experiencing transportation than we ever have before. Speaker 3: And I think industry has a tremendous role to play as well. Why not allow them to be as innovative as possible and create new opportunities and new modes if some of the things I study include car sharing, which is short term access to vehicles, and we've started to see lots of investment and interest in the idea of peer-to-peer car sharing or personal [00:10:00] vehicle sharing services where people could actually put their own vehicle into a shared use setting and we could see car sharing go outside of dense urban areas where traditionally lives into suburban areas and there's ideas for scooter sharing services. Public bike sharing is just growing and leaps and bounds around the world. It's about to double in size in terms of the number of programs just in the year 2012 in the United States. So [00:10:30] there's so many opportunities for creating new industries and new jobs and new transportation choices. Speaker 3: And I think the government has a tremendous role in that and creating and encouraging and inspiring these partnerships with individuals who have innovative ideas. I think we're really entering into a new era of mobility, which is very exciting. And then you have to tread the line between interfering with the market, choosing winners and losers gets run out [inaudible] [inaudible] [00:11:00] and not over-regulated. So there's a balance there. Right. And I think that's where research is really critical is to understand, you know, when you incentivize, what is the impact of that incentivization, you know, is it working, is it not working? Do you need to do more, do you need to do less? And that's where I think a lot of our work can come in to help provide policymakers and decision makers with more informed understanding about what, what is actually happening in the system. And we're really [00:11:30] moving into an era of massive databases and opportunities to look at real time data and in a way that we never could before because of the availability of electronic and wireless communication systems, the ubiquity of cell phones and smart phone technology and sensor technologies and the cost of these things are dropping. Speaker 3: So again, I believe we're really entering into a new era and mobility and transportation and it's just gonna require sort of a new way of thinking about openness and sharing. And there are [00:12:00] going to be some, some struggles in this, but I think there's more opportunities than there are barriers. And is the center very focused on having an impact in policy? We're very focused on that. So we truly want to make a difference and we want to do real world research and get out and be involved in demonstration projects and pilot projects and any type of endeavor. You know, we just received a grant from the University of California Transportation Center here at Berkeley [00:12:30] to look at personal vehicle sharing services. So we're not actually going out and implementing it or designing it or doing any of that, which we often do, but we're actually just working with companies throughout North America to see what they're doing and to help them actually understand through our data collection processes and analyses, what is this doing and what kind of impact is it having and what role might policy makers play to encourage more of this and what would work best overall [00:13:00] in terms of growing this opportunity? Speaker 3: If people really like it, I'm a big fan of diversity and choice and all of my research. If it deals with fuels or if it deals with giving people an opportunity to see, you know, when is the next bus coming or on a mobile app in a, where can I find the bike sharing vehicle? I am really, really a big fan of giving people choices and information because I think that's critical to giving people an [00:13:30] opportunity to, to experience transportation in a new way. But I think for a long time people haven't felt that there's a lot of choices and once they invest in a private vehicle, they viewed that a lot of those, you know, transportation costs are sunk and so there's really minor expenses associated with that, but that's actually really not the truth. But you know that fixed cost really does change people's relationship with other transportation modes. [00:14:00] The more we can give people choices and have him think about transportation costs is variable. We can see a really different attitude towards taking different modes at different points in time, including getting lots of physical exercise. Speaker 1: And this is the public affairs show spectrum on KALX Berkeley. We're talking with Susan Shaheen about transportation sustainability. [00:14:30] Next we talk about bike sharing and car sharing, the bike sharing during Speaker 3: project. Can you talk a little bit about that? You were mentioning that it's going to double. Yeah, so public bike sharing as a form of public transportation, it's gone through actually several evolutions. The first generation of it started in 19 five and Amsterdam and it was a system called provosts or white bikes, which you might've heard of. They deployed, 50 of them, put them around the community and [00:15:00] they promptly disappeared. And so then we've seen different evolutions of the bike sharing concept into the 1980s where we moved into a more technology based approach where you had a coined deposit system so you couldn't just take it for free. Shortly after that we saw movement into what we call the third generation, which is more IT-based, which requires sort of the identity of somebody to be linked to that bike. And what we found is that the more advanced technology use, the more reliable [00:15:30] these systems become and the more they can be integrated into people's Daily community, which is pretty significant. Speaker 3: Now, bikes are being used not just for recreational purposes, but to complete a first mile or last mile or a many mile trip that is actually part of a person's daily life. And these concepts have just taken hold. And I started to monitor this about seven or eight years ago and cataloged more and more of these bike sharing systems. They leave [00:16:00] has over 20,000 bikes in Paris. Honjo, which we've studied is in China. 60,000 bikes will, Han has over 70,000 bikes and it's public bike sharing system. New York City is sent to launch sometime late this summer or fall with 7,000 bikes leading up to 10,000 bikes. They're not taking a cent of public money to deploy the system. They have a title sponsorship with City Group, so [00:16:30] things are really changing in terms of transportation and mobility. How do they deal with the safety side of it all? All these people jumping on bikes without helmets probably. Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah. On the safety side, it's actually quite interesting is the majority of programs do not require people to wear helmets, so the majority of people actually don't wear helmets and using these systems and I think liability issues associated with public bike sharing are going [00:17:00] to be become more prominent and more important, particularly as they scale in size and they become larger. We do think or hypothesize that as these systems proliferate and people become more aware of them, there will be safety benefits as well because drivers will be more aware that, okay, those are capital bikeshare bikes riding down the street. I need to be conscious and aware of them because there's a lot more bikers on on the road, but the issue of density and more and more of these bicycles hitting [00:17:30] the road is an issue and I think a lot of municipalities are working more and more to build supportive infrastructure. Speaker 3: New York City's an example of that. So these programs often go hand in hand with cycling infrastructure. But you do raise a good question associated with the helmets and there are some happening. San Vol is a company in British Columbia that's developed a dispensing system that actually cleans the helmet. So that could be a creative strategy. [00:18:00] A lot of the bike sharing programs actually offer helmets or give them out with a membership, but we think that a lot of times what happens is somebody who doesn't necessarily plan to take that bike and then realizes, wow, I want to take that bike. They're conveniently located like street furniture throughout the city. I'm just going to jump on it and go from point to point. And so the helmet is a difficult thing to plan for if that's how you use it. Carpools, car sharing. Can you talk about that a bit? Speaker 3: [00:18:30] Yeah, so I've been studying shared use vehicle systems since the mid 1990s I did my doctorate on car sharing. That again is the idea of short term vehicle access where you don't actually need to own a vehicle but you have access to a whole fleet of vehicles and you use them by the hour and we've seen over time tremendous growth in the number of operators throughout North America. We've seen a membership continually grow as we've been tracking it. We also see [00:19:00] some very interesting behavioral effects in response to what we call traditional or neighborhood car sharing where many times people who join these systems actually end up either foregoing or selling a vehicle after they start using the system because they realize they don't need a car and they can trade off this fixed vehicle asset for variable costs and take public transportation, more ride share, Carpool more bike more a, we're also seeing [00:19:30] a really neat concept which is called one way car sharing traditional car sharing works and that you go into an out of the same location similar to a rental car system and many of us in the shared use space of thought, if we were able to provide a one way service similar to public bike sharing where you start off one place and you leave the bike in another place or a vehicle in another place, this might attract a whole different usage pattern and what would this do? Speaker 3: [00:20:00] So several companies are getting started in this Daimler's cargo system, which uses a little smart vehicle launched in Austin. They're now in Washington, D c they're in Portland, they're in San Diego and this system is doing quite well. It requires a lot of public infrastructure because the vehicles have to be parked throughout the business areas or a neighborhood areas, but people actually instead of accessing the vehicle [00:20:30] by the hour, they're now actually accessing it by the minute and taking it one from one location to the next. BMW launched its program called drive. Now in the bay area, the first in the United States, it had only been operating in Germany prior to that. So lots of change and evolution in this shared you space coupled with public bike sharing, lots of innovation and ride sharing movements towards Uber taxi services and dynamic ride [00:21:00] sharing services have vago launched this spring and is providing dynamic ride sharing services. Speaker 3: So I think what we're going to start to see is the bundling of these concepts and technologies and hopefully linkages to smart card technology like your clipper card and it would give you access to any one of the car sharing programs or the public bike sharing program is planned for San Francisco. I think, you know, with time we're gonna see a lot more smart apps that tell us [00:21:30] what our choices are. If it'd be a taxi or a car sharing vehicle or a carpooling vehicle. And I think it's all going to be integrated. And I think the big mobility device is going to become our phone through these smart apps. So a lot is happening and there's a lot to be watching. We're actually keeping pretty busy these days. In terms of our projects in the shared use space, we, we just uh, got great news, uh, the end of last week that we were funded to actually evaluate cargos, pure electric [00:22:00] vehicle based one way, car sharing service in San Diego. Speaker 3: And we have another grant to look at the integration of electric vehicle bikes and to see car shares fleet in San Francisco. So it's going to be a service of both car sharing and Evy bike sharing, all combined into one service. So there's going to be a lot going on and a lot to watch in this space. And I, I do think the bay area is a critical location to see what's happening. What do you think is the best way [00:22:30] for individuals to find out about all of these options that are starting to happen? Is there someone who's consolidating these kinds of things on a website that they could go to or how do you search? I think you know for the bay area in particular, I think MTC, the metropolitan transportation commission has a really good five one one.org site that can provide you with a lot of information on your choices. Also, as of MTA has apps that you can download like the SF park site, so I think just go into your public transportation [00:23:00] operators websites like Bart, but also again, the regional transportation agencies are doing a really good job of getting information out there. Susan, Shane, thanks very much for coming on spectrum. You're welcome. It was great to meet you. Speaker 1: [inaudible] [00:23:30] regular feature of spectrum is to mention a few of the science and technology events happening locally over the next two weeks. Rick Karnofsky joins me with the calendar this month. Speaker 4: Leonardo art science evening rendezvous or laser is on Wednesday, October 10th at Stanford Universities. [00:24:00] Jordan Hall Building Four 20 Room 41 talk. Start at seven with Andrew Todd Hunter discussing bridging the fuzzy techie divide, the senior reflection capstone in biology. Terry barely years subsequent. Talk on where at the beginning meets the end. It's about making technologies vulnerabilities visible and illustrating how easily modern inventions can become footnotes to a bygone era. [00:24:30] Mark Jacobson then discusses a plan to power the world with a wind, water, and sun. He focuses on three of the most significant problems facing the world today. Global warming, air pollution, and energy insecurity. Tonight ends with composer Sheryl Leonard's music from high latitudes, making music out of sounds, objects and experiences from the polar regions. To Register, visit www.leonardo.info the [00:25:00] northern California Science Writers Association and Swissnex our host, Tina taught by why are dotcoms Kevin Polson on cybercrime an inside view.Speaker 4: He will talk about Max Butler, one of the highest value cybercriminals ever brought down by the FBI and Secret Service Butler, a hacker establish a worldwide operation from his safe house in a high rise apartment building in San Francisco's tenderloin. Butler eventually dominated a global black market in stolen credit card numbers, [00:25:30] supplying a far flung counterfeiting operation. Polson first described this in a wired article and then in his book published last year, kingpin, how one hacker took over the billion dollar cyber crime underground. The talk is on Thursday, October 11th doors at six 30 talk at seven reception with appetizers from seven 45 until nine 30 it's at Swissnex seven three zero Montgomery Street in San Francisco. Visit Swissnex, San Francisco. Dot. O R, g, [00:26:00] the San Francisco Opera, and the California Academy of Science Present Moby Dick, a whale of a tale in celebration of the musical conversion of Herman Melville's. Classic novel scientists will discuss Melville's famous dedication to the 19th century scientific accuracy in his writings. Speaker 4: There'll also be biologists who will present on modern day whale science and conservation practices. The event is at the California Academy of Sciences. 55 music concourse drive in San Francisco's [00:26:30] Golden Gate Park on Tuesday, October sixteenth@sevenpmitistendollarsforyourmembersandtwelvedollarsforthegeneralpublicvisitwww.cal academy.org now, here's Rick Karnofsky with two news stories to stellar mass. Black holes have been discovered in globular cluster m 22 located at 10,000 light years away by a team of international researchers who published their findings in nature on October 4th using the Carl g [00:27:00] jetski very large array in New Mexico. They found two black holes and argue that there may be as many as five to a hundred in the classroom. This runs contrary to earlier theories that suggested only a single black hole of that size could survive in a popular cluster. They are the first stellar mass black holes found in a globular cluster in the Milky Way and the first observed via radio waves that of course, I mean Arthur j straighter of Michigan State University and the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics was quoted [00:27:30] by scientific American saying that because they were seen by radio, they have to not just be in binary's, but they have to be in binaries that are close enough that mass transfer is actually taking place. Speaker 4: In an article published in the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in September, Yale researchers showed that academic research faculty have a gender bias in favor of male students. The team performed a randomized double blind study in which university scientists were given applications purportedly from [00:28:00] students applying for a lab manager position. The content of the applications were all identical, but sometimes a male name was attached and sometimes a female name was attached. Female applicants were rated lower than men on the measured scales of competence, higher ability mentoring and we're giving lower salary offers. The mean salary offered by male scientist for male students was $30,520 for the female students. It was $27,111 female scientists recommended lower salaries for both [00:28:30] genders, but had an even greater bias against female students who received an average offer of 25,000 compared to the average offer of $29,333 per milestone. Speaker 2: [inaudible]. The music heard during the show is from an album by Lascano David entitled Folk Acoustic made available by a creative Commons [00:29:00] license 3.0 [inaudible] Speaker 1: [inaudible]. Thank you for listening to spectrum. If you have comments about the show, please send them to us. Email address is spectrum [inaudible] at yahoo.com [inaudible]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

METRANS Transportation Center - USC and CSULB
Environmental and Health Impacts of Freight Transportation in the Alameda Corridor

METRANS Transportation Center - USC and CSULB

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2012 58:28


Abstract In this seminar, the speaker investigates the environmental and health impacts of truck freight transportation at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Using a combination of traffic simulation, air quality modeling and health impact assessment, we quantify some of the major social costs resulting from urban freight transportation, specifically along the Alameda corridor which connects the ports to downtown Los Angeles. We also analyze truck traffic on freeways and surface streets to estimate the health impacts caused by emissions, specifically at intervals corresponding to deadlines for the controversial Clean Truck Program, implemented by the Ports with the hopes of improving air quality in the Alameda corridor. Our results quantify for the first time both the magnitude of some of the social costs generated by drayage trucks in the Alameda corridor and the reduction in public health costs achieved by the Clean Truck Program. The results also suggest that this reduction in social costs justified replacing polluting drayage trucks and that the Clean Truck Program likely exceeded its target. Speaker Stephen G. Ritchie is a Professor of Civil Engineering, is the Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Irvine, and an Associate Director of the University of California Transportation Center. He obtained his PhD in transportation engineering from Cornell University. His recent research activities focus on statewide freight transportation modeling and forecasting, new traffic modeling approaches to better estimate GHG emissions based on limited data, and environmental and health impacts of freight transportation in the Alameda Corridor.

Uncontrolled Vocabulary
Uncontrolled Vocabulary #71 – A Startlingly Poor Grasp of Basic Economics

Uncontrolled Vocabulary

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2009


Uncontrolled Vocabulary #71 is now available for download. Here’s a direct link to the mp3. You can subscribe to the podcast (as well as this blog) via the following feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/uncontrolledvocabulary On the call: Mary Carmen Chimato, North Carolina State University Anna Creech, University of Richmond Kendra Levine, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley David […]

Climate One
Two Billion Cars: Dan Sperling, Founding Director, Institute of Transportation Studies; Board Member, California Air Resources Board.

Climate One

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2009 64:36


Driving Toward Sustainability Dan Sperling, Founding Director, Institute of Transportation Studies; Board Member, California Air Resources Board By 2020, the number of cars on the planet will double to two billion. Without big changes to our cars, fuels and personal habits, the carbon footprint from transportation will rise above its current 25 percent of total emissions. Can we break the cycle of “shock and trance?” Join energy expert Sperling as he reveals what is at stake if we refuse to move quickly, and what opportunities exist if we act now. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on February 12, 2009

Uncontrolled Vocabulary
Uncontrolled Vocabulary #69 – Begun, the Star E-Wars have.

Uncontrolled Vocabulary

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2009


Uncontrolled Vocabulary #69 is now available for download. Here’s a direct link to the mp3. You can subscribe to the podcast (as well as this blog) via the following feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/uncontrolledvocabulary On the call: Greg Schwartz, Louisville Free Public Library Christa Burns, Nebraska Library Commission Kendra Levine, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley Chadwick Seagraves, […]