Transit Unplugged

In this special roving-reporter edition of Transit Unplugged , host Paul Comfort takes you inside the 2025 CTAA Expo in San Diego , where he caught up with some of the brightest minds in community and rural transit . From paratransit operations to industry journalism to frontline safety, these conversations reflect the energy, challenges, and innovation happening beyond the big-city systems. Featu...

What’s really going on behind the scenes of U.S. public transportation policy? In this special edition of Transit Unplugged Insider, Executive Producer Julie Gates turns the mic on our usual host, Paul Comfort, for a revealing look at the shifting political and funding landscape in Washington—and what every transit executive needs to know right now. From what’s actually happening with FTA leadersh...

How do you rebuild a public transportation system from the ground up? In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort sits down with Mallory Avis, Director of Public Transit for the City of Battle Creek, Michigan, to talk about one of the most ambitious overhauls of a small-city transit system in the U.S. today. Recorded live at the CTAA Expo in San Diego, this conversation captures the energy...

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul talks with Samuel Ribeiro, Managing Director of Tower Transit in the UK, part of global transport powerhouse Kelsian Group. With operations spanning Liverpool and the Channel Islands, Samuel shares how lessons from bus systems across four continents—from Australia to Singapore, Brazil to London—are helping Tower Transit improve public transport service in...

What does it take to build a transit system that powers a city—and wins global recognition for livability?   In this episode of Transit Unplugged , Ryan Daniel , CEO of St. Cloud Metro Bus, and Dave Kleis , Board Chair and former mayor of St. Cloud, Minnesota, share how their long-running partnership has driven bold innovation and national recognition. From launching a system-wide redesign to...

When most people think of Detroit, they think cars. But behind the Motor City moniker is a layered, multi-agency public transit system—and Robert Cramer is helping connect the dots.   As Executive Director of Transit for the City of Detroit, Cramer leads both DDOT and Detroit Transportation Corporation, operator of the iconic elevated People Mover. In this episode, Paul Comfort joins Robert f...

Markus Moore, Director of Transportation for the City of Annapolis, joins Paul Comfort from the rooftop of the Hillman Garage during Naval Academy Commissioning Week for a wide-ranging conversation about his remarkable journey through transit. From helping launch high-speed rail in North America as part of the Acela project at Amtrak, to managing local bus and on-demand service in Maryland’s histo...

How does a career in law enforcement, animal services, and civic leadership prepare you to run a transit agency?   In this week’s Transit Unplugged , host Paul Comfort sits down with Ozzy Gibson , Executive Director of Louisville’s Transit Authority of River City (TARC), for a candid and compelling conversation about public service, accountability, and what it takes to lead through uncertaint...

What does it take to launch a $4.3 billion, multi-modal transit expansion? For Coree Cuff Lonergan, CEO of Broward County Transit, it takes vision, momentum—and a bit of patience. This week on Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort hops aboard with Coree for a rolling bus interview through Broward County, Florida. They talk big-picture leadership, boots-on-the-ground transit planning, and why Browar...

Michele Stiehler knows paratransit inside and out. After 35 years at New Jersey Transit, she brought her deep operational experience to Boston’s MBTA, where she now oversees one of the largest and most complex paratransit systems in the country.   In this episode, Paul Comfort talks with Michele about her leadership philosophy, the importance of frontline experience (hint: everyone on her tea...

What happens when a millennial with a higher ed background takes the wheel of a legacy transit agency? You get 207 new bus stops, a real-time tracking app, and a fresh vision for Western Kentucky mobility.   In this episode of Transit Unplugged Podcast, Paul Comfort talks with Jeremi Bumpus, Executive Director of Paducah Transit Authority, about leading change in a small but mighty system. Je...

In this episode of Transit Unplugged Podcast, Paul Comfort talks with Graeme Legh, the new CEO of Kelsian Group, one of the world’s leading transit and mobility operators. From ferries off the coast of Australia to motorcoach operations across the U.S., Graeme shares how Kelsian is tackling growth, innovation, and sustainability across three continents. They discuss: Lessons from leading major tra...

From driving a bus in Dallas to leading one of the largest transit systems in the Midwest, Dwight Ferrell’s story is the blueprint for leadership rooted in experience. In this episode of Transit Unplugged , host Paul Comfort rides along with Dwight, General Manager of the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART), for a candid look at how he’s transforming transit across Sout...

This week on Transit Unplugged, Paul visits Las Vegas to talk with M.J. Maynard, CEO of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC). From managing traffic for massive events like the Las Vegas Marathon and Formula 1, to running one of the busiest bus-only transit systems in the U.S., M.J. gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what makes RTC truly unique. Unlike most transit agen...

In this episode of Transit Unplugged , Paul Comfort sits down with John Rossant , founder and CEO of CoMotion , to explore what’s next for cities, transit, and technology. From preparing for mega-events like the World Cup to pioneering hydrogen-powered aviation, John shares how CoMotion is helping shape the future of urban mobility—with a pasta recipe thrown in for good measure.  They discuss...

Please subscribe to our newsletter !  This week on Transit Unplugged , Paul Comfort hosts a special episode recorded live at the 2025 Texas Transit Association Conference in McAllen, Texas.  In this roundtable, Paul speaks with five accomplished Texas transit leaders about the realities of running transit systems across Texas—from expansive rural regions to fast-growing cities. They...

Join Paul Comfort on this episode of Transit Unplugged for an insightful conversation with Professor Niels van Oort, Associate Professor of Public Transport and Shared Mobility at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands and co-director of the Smart Public Transport Lab. Paul and Niels explore critical considerations in transit planning, including the effectiveness of light rail versus bu...

In this special episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort welcomes Dr. Kaan Yildizgöz, host of Mobility Redefined, the new sister podcast of Transit Unplugged. Dr. Yildizögz, a leading global expert in public transportation and former senior director at UITP, shares his personal journey into transportation, driven by childhood memories in his father's bus workshop, and his academic expertise in r...

Take a behind-the-scenes look at Tucson, Arizona’s SunTran transit system with General Manager Mikel Oglesby. Host Paul Comfort and Mikel explore the city’s transit modes, budget, and future projects, including the innovative Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) plans. Discover Mikel's unique journey in public transit, from his childhood riding buses with his father to becoming a leader in the industry. The ep...

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort interviews Stephen Gardner, CEO of Amtrak, at their Washington, DC headquarters. They discuss Amtrak's record ridership of 32.8 million passengers in the past year, recent capital investments totaling $4.5 billion, and the introduction of new Acela trains. Gardner shares insights into Amtrak's strategy to double ridership by 2040, high-speed...

After decades at transit agencies across the U.S., Tom Drozt decided at 56 to retire, spend time with his family, work on his yard, and find some new passions to put his energy into. Turns out transit is his passion, so before long he was out of retirement and at MARTA in Atlanta running bus operations. Now the CEO of Ben Franklin Transit in Southern Washington State, Tom is leading the agency wit...

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort interviews Ryan Murphy, the Chair of the City Council's Transportation Committee in Brisbane, while riding one of Brisbane’s famous CityCat ferries to talk about the vibrant and evolving transit system in this river city. Episode Highlights: CityCat Ferries: Discover the unique CityCat ferry service that operates along the Brisbane River, connecti...

This is a special episode of Transit Unplugged from our sister podcast, Mobility Redefined. Learn more about this great new show on their website: https://mobilityredefined.com/ . Below are the original show notes for the episode: In this episode of Mobility Redefined, host Dr. Kaan Yildizgoz speaks with Juan Carlos Muñoz, Chile’s Minister of Transport and Telecommunications, about the nation’s jo...

In this special episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort and co-host Kelly Chapman highlight the inspiring stories of four remarkable women leaders in Australian public transport. This is the third of five episodes coming from Paul’s recent 10-day tour of Australia. Don’t forget to also check out Transit Unplugged TV on YouTube for the TV episodes as well. First, we hear from Lauren Streifer, Ex...

In 2016, Brad Miller, CEO of the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), had an idea. What if subsidized rides with Transportation Networking Companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft could help people in his community get where they needed to go. What if you could get a subsidized Uber ride at the end of your overnight shift when regular transit isn’t running and be able to get home safely? This re...