Transit Unplugged

This week Paul is in conversation with Craig Cipriano and talking about how he put together the plan for New York MTA to transition to zero emissions. We talk a lot about the  technology  side of the problem. Hydrogen vs battery electric. How to charge batteries. Where is your hydrogen coming from. But what we  don't talk about  is how agencies need to adapt and change processe...

We often highlight large transit systems on Transit Unplugged, but there are hundreds of smaller transit systems that are just as--maybe even more so--innovative who also provide those critical links in their community. Kendra McGeady, Director of Pelivan Transit , is one of those innovators. Her coverage area is thousands of square miles in Oklahoma, supporting the Cherokee Nation, other tribes i...

We have an info-packed show for you this week. We lead off with Paul in conversation with David Leininger of Leininger Analytics , talking about the current banking crisis and what agencies need to think about. Where David says you have to check for risk isn't where many of you would think! We then move on to Kirt Conrad talking about SARTA   and its fleet of hydrogen fuel cell-powe...

Noah Berger of the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority (MVRTA or MEVA) has done two amazing things at his agency: he's increased ridership 122% and gone zero fare--even going so far as removing the fareboxes from the buses. And the amazing thing about it is the why. Noah believes if take care of all your riders in general, you'll get more riders overall. He gives the example of access...

This week we have the companion interview to the Transit Unplugged TV episode from Hawaii , with Jon Nouchi, Deputy Director of the Honolulu Department of Transportation Services . For the first time, Paul doesn't just  sit down  with our guest; he walks and rides with Jon on the Number 8  electric  bus. Jon tells Paul about his department's commitment to preserv...

We are excited to bring you this special episode of Transit Unplugged with world-renowned speaker and leadership expert Stephen M. R. Covey. In this riveting conversation, Paul and Stephen talk about what it means to lead people, organizations, and ourselves, today. Stephen Covey, already an expert on leadership and leadership development, faced a challenge while merging Franklin Quest a...

This week we bring you two fantastic and thoughtful interviews on Transit Unplugged News and Views. First, transit consultant Christian Kent of Transit Management Consulting, LLC , talks with Paul about two essential topics: Delivering paratransit services Ensuring our hiring practices are inclusive and welcoming for disabled applicants. Christian talks about how the world of delivering paratransi...

This week we give you the first of three podcast episodes from Paul's recent Pacific tour that took him from Hawaii to Malaysia to Singapore. We kick things off with the CEO of Sarawak Metro , Ts Mazli Mustaffa. Sarawak Metro is in a unique position where they are tasked with building and expanding public transit in their region--a challenge that always fosters innovation. As you'll hear in Paul's...

One of the hardest things about transit is getting new technology into production. Something that sounds great, but is just a little on the cutting edge is hard for agencies to practically test and trial. This is where The Partnership for New York City and The Transit Tech Lab come in. Stacey Matlen, VP of Innovation at the Partnership for NYC, talks with Paul about how she's helping technology co...

This week Paul chats with Kate Mattice, Executive Director of the Northern Virginia Transit Commission , about managing and advising transit agencies and the Virginia Rail Express in one of the most complex and connected regions in the United States. From zero emissions to zero fare, Kate Mattice is tackling the big issues facing transit in Northern Virginia and the U.S. Capitol Region. It's...

Great leaders foster great innovation. Rikesh Shah is driving innovation at Transport for London (TfL) , and Larnzell Harper helps level up transit leaders. Learn about both sides of the equation in two dynamic interviews. People think innovation is all about new shiny things, but it's really about finding new ways to solve problems. Rikesh Shah, Head of Open Innovation at TfL dives into some of t...

Join Paul in conversation with Catherine Rinaldi, President of Metro-North Railroad and Interim President of Long Island Rail Road in New York. As Catherine says in her chat with Paul, New York wouldn't be New York without transit. Getting from A to B efficiently makes buses, subways, and trains. These two critical rail lines provide commuters with critical connections throughout the New York Metr...

This week we kick off something new on Transit Unplugged. Every other week, in addition to our newsmaker interview, Paul will talk with a leadership expert on developing and improving your leadership skills. No matter what level you're at in your organization, these segments are essential to your career. As this week's guest Dale Walls, founder of Lions Guide , says: "You're always the leader of y...

Paul kicks off 2023 talking with Jim Derwinski CEO of Metra Commuter Rail in Chicago. The changing face and role of commuter rail in connecting suburbs to cities was a big topic in 2022 and will certainly continue throughout 2023. As we see Tuesday-Thursday cities and flattening the peak across North America and the world, we're seeing commuter rail becoming less about "get me to work on time" and...

Join Paul for a very special Transit Unplugged episode. This look back at 2022 and ahead to 2023 features four amazing transportation leaders: Mohamed Mezghani, Secretary General, UITP Jeremy Yap, Deputy Chief Executive, LTA , Vice President, UITP Executive Board Julie Timm, CEO, Sound Transit Rod Jones, Portfolio Leader, Head of Americas, Modaxo In this wide-ranging, three-part conversa...

This week we bring you something a little different. Usually, when we talk about rail we're talking about commuters or inter-city rail, but in this episode, we're talking about rail tourism. Dave McKenna, CEO of the Rocky Mountaineer talks with Paul about delivering an unparalleled rail experience traveling through some of the most amazing scenery in North America. With routes in British Columbia,...

We're winding down the year with another trip across the pond to London. Paul talks with Mike Bagshaw, COO MTR UK, about running the Elizabeth Line (and completing all the remaining connections), the technology needed to run it on time, and how MTR uses property development to fund transit operations in cities like Hong Kong. Mike talks about how MTR UK used digital twin tech to test, refine, and...

We wrap up our Mass Transit Magazine 40 Under 40 series with interviews with three more amazing transit leaders: Carlos Cruz-Casas, Chief Innovation Officer, Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works Roman Steichen,  Director of Transit Services, Frederick County, MD Sophia Maletz Franklyn, Director of Fare Revenue & Administrative Services, TriMet In conve...

This week we have the first of two special Mass Transit 40 Under 40 shows. This week Paul Comfort and Mischa Wanek-Libman, Editor in Chief of Mass Transit Magazine talk with two of the honorees: Kayleigh Cleek, Transit Planning Manager, Greenville Transit Authority, and Sapna Shah, Superintendent, NY MTA talk about their careers, what they do at their agencies, and their visions for the futur...

This week we head out east to Halifax, Nova Scotia and hear from Dave Reage, Executive Director of Halifax Transit about his uniquely Canadian transit system. In conversation with Paul, Dave talks about the balance of being a center of government, the Atlantic home of the Canadian Navy, serving rural communities, and running a commuter ferry service across Halifax Harbor. As a trivia note, Halifax...

Welcome to part two of Paul's interview with Jarrett Walker of Jarret Walker & Associates . In this part of the interview, Paul and Jarrett talk about two of the hottest topics in public transport: equity and the demise of rush hour. Jarrett discusses the tension and balance between focusing on ridership versus coverage when looking at transit equality. As he talked about in part one, too far...

We continue our special kick-off to Season 6 with a special two-part Transit Unplugged News and Views with Jarrett Walker of Jarrett Walker & Associates talking about what it takes to rebuild and replan a transit network. Jarrett and his team are the minds behind the Houston Model transit system. The Houston Model brought focus on providing fast, efficient, frequent service with minimal transf...

Welcome to a very special episode of Transit Unplugged In-Depth! This episode marks our fifth anniversary, the start of Season 6,  and it also happens to be our 225th show! To celebrate these milestones we have an interview with Rich Davey, President New York City Transit, NY MTA as our guest. Paul interviewed Rich live from the APTATRANSform show in the Vontas booth in October after Paul's v...

With decades of transportation experience in Virginia, Jennifer DeBruhl knows the value of connecting people with reliable transit. From successful rural microtransit projects to Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to invigorated North-South and East-West rail connections, Jennifer is creating the infrastructure for growth in the Commonwealth. In this week's Transit Unplugged In-Depth, Paul talks with Je...

The Research Triangle (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) in North Carolina is one of the fastest-growing areas in the U.S. Already at 2 million people, they are expecting another million people by 2050. So, how do you keep the area moving without relying on more cars and more roads? Better regional transit, of course! This week Paul chats with Charles Lattuca, President and CEO of GoTriangle , which wor...