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PODCAST

Transit Unplugged

Paul Comfort, SVP Modaxo

We share the stories, challenges, and successes of the top transit professionals from around the world. Learn how top transit leaders got to where they are with stories and insights from their careers. Get the inside story about public transit and transit trends from the people who run it. Transit Unplugged is hosted and produced by Paul Comfort and brought to you by Modaxo Learn more at https://transitunplugged.com/

business careers

All Episodes

27:41

Creating the first modern streetcar network and the...

Transit Unplugged ·

2024/01/03

Over his five-decade long career in politics Congressman Earl Blumenauer has been a staunch support of transit and livable cities. Paul sat down with Rep. Blumenauer after a chance meeting at the Impact Conference in Phoenix last fall to talk about his life, career, passions, and what's next after he leaves Congress at the end of his term.In their wide-ranging discussion, Paul and Rep. Blumenauer talk about what got him into politics, and more importantly, his lifelong passion for streetcars,

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57:41

Special Episode: Jeff Wood and Dr. Karel Martens on...

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/12/29

We have a special holiday gift for you with a special bonus episode to close out the year. We worked with Jeff Wood from Talking Headways and The Overhead Wire -- https://theoverheadwire.com/ -- to trade episodes with each other. Jeff will be playing our interview with Randy Clarke that kicked off Season 7 and we have his interview with Dr. Karel Martens from March 2021 talking about the philosophy behind city planning.This is something very different from our usual topics, and we hope you enjoy

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29:27

Taylor Swift and the rebirth of transit in 2023

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/12/27

In our final regular episode of Transit Unplugged for 2023 we have Paul Skoutelas, President & CEO of APTA, and Petra Mollet, VP of Strategic International Programs at APTA talking with Paul about the year that was in 2023 and what we should be looking forward to in 2024.The boost in infrastructure funding was, of course, the big news of the year, but it's somewhat overshadowed by ongoing funding issues at many agencies across North America.But it's not all bad, because Taylor Swift's Eras Tour

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27:31

Can Public-Private Partnerships Complete Transit...

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/12/20

Welcome to the penultimate episode of Transit Unplugged for 2023! This week we wrap our series recorded at the CUTA conference in Edmonton with an interview with Arthur Nicolet, CEO of Transdev Canada (https://www.transdev.ca/en/).Paul and Arthur not only talk about contracting in Canada, but pairing with the episode featuring Transdev US CEO Laura Hendricks, talk about the role of contracting around the world. Contracting seems to naturally pair with public-private partnerships (P3s) and Arthur

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28:28

Is the great hydrogen pivot coming to transit in 2024?

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/12/13

Will battery electric buses work in the northern-most large city in North America? This week on Transit Unplugged, we continue our series from the CUTA conference in Edmonton, AB. Edmonton has been leading the way in transit for 20 years. The first city in Canada to have LRT and now the first city to have a hydrogen fuel cell bus in active service. So what's next?Deputy City Manager--and former head of the Edmonton Transit System--Eddie Robar talks about plans to make oil-rich Alberta the hydrogen

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22:39

What if public transit agencies drove housing policy?

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/12/06

This week we have the first of three episodes recorded during the CUTA (Canadian Urban Transit Association) Annual Fall Conference. In this first episode, Paul first sits down with the President and CEO of CUTA, Marco D’Angelo talking about housing policy, and later with regular contributor Mike Bismeyer, talking about how Mike started his life-long kindness advocacy.Paul and Marco talk about CUTA’s recent report on the housing affordability crisis in Canada

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23:58

Meeting The Transit Needs and Keeping Cool in...

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/11/29

This week we’re staying in Phoenix and picking up where we left off last week. Paul talks with current Valley Metro (https://www.valleymetro.org/) CEO Jessica Mefford-Miller about the light rail expansion, but more than that, Jessica talks about how Valley Metro keeps its cool in the scorching summer heat.You would not believe the amount of air conditioning needed for each light rail train. Small hint, it’s more than a house or two.While riding the LRT and streetcars Paul and Jessica talk about how

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32:09

That Time When Defeating a Ballot Measure Was Good...

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/11/22

Usually when people vote on ballot measures about transit, the transit agency and supporters want the measure to pass.Not in Phoenix in 2019.That ballot measure would have literally derailed bringing light rail--any rail--to Phoenix forever. Then Valley Metro CEO Scott Smith rallied support throughout Maricopa County and discovered there was overwhelming support for transit and light rail. So much support that the ballot measure was defeated by a landslide.But we start this episode with a somber

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29:25

Will Low Emission Zones Discourage Driving in the UK...

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/11/15

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort interviews Adam Hill, Editor in Chief of ITS International Magazine. They discuss the challenges and prospects of high-speed rail in England and the US, including the various political and logistical issues. Adam explains London's new Ultra Low Emission Zone, designed to encourage public transit use and discusses the struggles with its introduction. They explore how public transit can be made popular, touching on how to capture public interest

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31:54

Why would a transit CEO pick up 500 tons of trash as...

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/11/08

This week, we give you Part 2 of our special CEO roundtable recorded live at APTA TRANSform Conference and EXPO. The conversation picks up with host and producer Paul Comfort asking the panel what are the big projects they have going on. From Dave Dech's trash clearing to Coree Cuff Lonergan's just culture, each CEO highlights an essential aspect of public transit today.The discussion continues with each CEO talking about the biggest trends facing the industry, including payments, apps,

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33:37

Randy Clarke Has Boosted WMATA, But a Budget Crisis...

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/11/01

Welcome to our 6th anniversary and the start of season 7 of Transit Unplugged. Host Paul Comfort has a special opening reflecting on the past 270+ episodes so far and what lies ahead down the road. In our interview this week, we have Randy Clarke, GM and CEO of WMATA (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority) https://www.wmata.com/, chatting with Paul from his new LEED Platinum office building.In his first year as CEO, Randy has:fixed safety issues with his trainsimproved frequencyincreased

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36:40

The surprising things about being a public transit...

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/10/25

What's it like being the CEO of a transit agency? Paul Comfort asked a panel of five CEOs who've been on the job for about a year what it's been like, what's surprised them the most, and why they love working in transit.Listen to this lively and engaging panel featuring Coree Cuff Lonergan, GM of Broward County Transit, Dave Dech, Executive Dir of Tri-Rail, Dottie Watkins, CEO of CapMetro, Frank White III, CEO of KCATA, and Tiffany Homler Hawkins, CEO of LYNX where they candidly share their

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23:46

Carl Sedoryk Putting His Community, Riders, and the...

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/10/18

This week Paul Chats with Carl Sedoryk, CEO of Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) https://mst.org/ , about his jazz-themed BRT line, applying their new vision statement to serve the people who need transit the most better, and how his practice of martial arts makes him a better leader.Monterey-Salinas Transit is in an interesting place, geographically and within the larger transit industry. Nestled on the Pacific coast and the Salinas Valley, Carl serves a unique community from tourists to farm workers

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33:15

AI in Transit Panel with Eve Machol and Renee Autumn Ray

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/10/11

This week we focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in public transit with Eve Machol, Director of Aviation and Transportation Strategy at Microsoft, and Renee Autumn Ray, Senior Director of Transportation Policy at Hayden AI https://www.hayden.ai/. As both our guests point out, AI in transit isn't new; we've been using AI for years, but with recent attention on generative AI tools like ChatGPT, AI is the hot topic on everyone's minds.Eve and Renee talk with Paul and our Producer/Editor Tris Hussey

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36:00

In Conversation with Laura Hendricks: How Transdev...

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/10/04

This week Paul talks with Laura Hendricks, CEO of Transdev US https://transdevna.com/ , about her career starting as a driver at FedEx, Trandev's global expertise transitioning to zero emissions, and how Transdev combined with First Transit brings more cohesive transit solutions to transit agencies.As the largest private transportation contractor in the world, Transdev is uniquely positioned to apply its global expertise to a wide range of transit needs and challenges. From zero emissions to schools

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27:47

Diana Kotler moves her community in the happiest...

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/09/27

This week join Paul in conversation with Diana Kotler, CEO of the Anaheim Transit Network https://rideart.org/. Recorded live at APTA Tech earlier this summer, Paul and Diana connect transit, tech, and people in this engaging interview.Diana runs a very unique transit system. It's funded by businesses, but all Anaheim residents and people who work in Anaheim ride for free. Tourists coming to visit the city pay a small fare to ride all day on a completely cashless system. And the goal of the system

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30:42

Mike Noland on the Path Forward and Improving Service...

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/09/20

This week Mike Noland, President and GM of the South Shore Line https://mysouthshoreline.com/, joins Paul to talk about commuter rail in the Midwest. The South Shore Line connects Northwestern Indiana with Chicago. This busy corridor is used by commuters and casual riders heading into the Windy City for work or fun. Mike talks about the South Shore Line, how he's adapting to changing ridership, and his double-tracking project to expand capacity and flexibility on the line.Commuter rail is in a

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33:17

Mark Joseph Looks Back at Going From Taxis to...

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/09/13

This week Paul continues his look back at his time working at Yellow Transportation with the former CEO of Yellow, Veolia, and Transdev, Mark Joseph (now CEO of Mobitas Advisors--https://www.mobitasadvisors.com/).Mark is a true leader and visionary in the transit industry. Mark recounts how he took a failing taxi business and created a business that would be a leader in public transit contracting.Mark reflects on the future of transit, talking about workforce challenges, the opportunities (and

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40:05

Yellow Transportation Reunion: Stories from the...

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/09/06

Transdev is the largest public transportation contractor in the world, and it got its start in North America with the acquisition of Yellow Transportation. Paul worked for Yellow Transportation for a number of years and today we bring you a special reunion show with a few of the people Paul worked with there.Paul and his guests, John Duncan, Jeff Barnett, and Peggy Maher, worked together at Yellow during the early days of building the company from a regional taxi, limousine, and charter bus company

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23:15

Bus Rapid Transit and Brazil’s Contribution to Global...

Transit Unplugged ·

2023/08/30

When Paul talked with Seleta Reynolds of LA Metro, one of the places she planned to visit ahead of the Olympics in LA was Brazil. She wanted to see first-hand how Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) works and helped move people in Rio for the Olympics. This week we have the second of our Brazil-focused episodes with Tula Vandaramatos, President of the Passenger Transport Association, where Tula talks more about Brazil's unique public transport system and how BRT is helping move people faster through some of the

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388 results

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