Conversations on Equity and Inclusion in Public Transportation

by Paul Comfort

Overview

In Conversations on Equity and Inclusion in Public Transportation, we hear from twenty top public transportation officials from across America and Australia discussing practical steps on how they are improving their services and providing more equity and inclusion both in their agencies and the communities they serve. The Covid pandemic provided transit agencies an opportunity to reflect on our core mission. Would our agencies and the government entities that fund them continue to be almost solely focused on ridership increases or would they now focus on more fundamental missions such as providing mobility and access to opportunities for all, including traditionally underserved communities? This book explores the new reality where transit agencies are putting the focus back on the rider and improving equity and inclusion for all. It also examines the new move toward zero fares and utilizing micro transit as a safety net. The book shows how public transit is really now about more than just transporting passengers from A to B as it is becoming a vehicle to improve overall society.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798985548310
Publisher:	BookBaby
Publication date:	10/20/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	180
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Paul Comfort is a transit evangelist and serves as SVP & Chief Customer Officer for Modaxo Americas, one of the world's largest transit technology companies. He is host of the industry leading public transportation podcast, Transit Unplugged and the new YouTube sensation, Transit Unplugged TV show. He also serves as Executive Director of the North American Transit Alliance.

Paul has authored two #1 Best-Selling books "The Future of Public Transportation" and the children's picture book "Public Transportation – From the Tom Thumb Railroad to Hyperloop and Beyond".

Mr. Comfort is an attorney, popular keynote speaker and the former CEO of one of America's largest transit systems, the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) in Baltimore. He has also served as an elected County Commissioner and County Administrator for two Maryland counties. Mr. Comfort is the past recipient of The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' (AASHTO) "President's Award".

Table of Contents

Foreword Bacarra Sanderson Mauldin 1

Preface 3

Public Transportation Industry Agency Leaders 7

Alex Z. Wiggins Chief Executive Officer Regional Transit Authority of New Orleans 9

India Birdsong General Manager & Chief Executive Officer Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority 17

Robbie Makinen Past President & Chief Executive Officer Kansas City Area Transportation Authority 23

Adelee LeGrand Chief Executive Officer Hillsboro Transit Authority 32

Noah Berger Administrator and Chief Executive Officer Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority 37

Julie Timm Chief Executive Officer Greater Richmond Transit Company 55

Inez Evans President & Chief Executive Officer IndyGo 64

Brad Miller Chief Executive Officer Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority 73

Paul Toliver APTA Hall of Fame & "CEO Whisperer" 81

Natalie (Tilly) Loughborough General Manager Metro Trains Melbourne 91

David Kim Former Secretary of Transportation (California) 101

Veronica Vanterpool Deputy Administrator US Federal Transit Administration 107

Paul Comfort Transit Evangelist & Best-Selling Author 113

American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Equity & Inclusion Programs 119

Public Transportation Industry Business Leaders 127

Nora Kamal Organizational Development Manager Proterra, Inc 129

Bridgette Beato Chief Executive Officer Lumenor Consulting Group 137

Jacobs Freddie Fuller, VP & COMTO Immediate Past National Chair, Sabrina Becker, Global Director, inclusion and Diversity, Denise LaMaison-Bell, Jacobs Black Employee Network, Phil LaCombe, Senior Transportation Planner 153

Summary 163

Terry White Chief Executive Officer King County Metro (Seattle, Washington) 165