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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

26:56

How to Run a $1.3B Transit System: Denver RTD’s COO...

Transit Unplugged ·

2026/04/08

Paul Comfort talks with Patrick Preusser, Chief Operating Officer of Denver’s Regional Transportation District (RTD), to unpack the reality of delivering transit service across one of the largest and most complex systems in the U.S.Serving over 3 million people across 2,000+ square miles, RTD operates a multimodal network of bus, light rail, commuter rail, paratransit, and emerging microtransit services—all coordinated under a $1.3 billion operation. As part of our “The Doers” series, this

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31:07

How to Grow Transit Ridership Beyond Pre-Pandemic...

Transit Unplugged ·

2026/04/01

This week on Transit Unplugged, we continue our “The Doers” series—highlighting the transit leaders who are not just setting strategy, but delivering results on the ground.Paul Comfort sits down with Shofi Ull Azum, Chief Planning and Development Officer at Cherriots in Salem, Oregon—a mid-size agency achieving something few systems have managed: ridership that exceeds pre-pandemic levels by more than 12%.Shofi shares a tactical, inside look at how his team is turning planning, innovation, and

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25:49

Translating Transit Funding Into Real Service with...

Transit Unplugged ·

2026/03/25

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort sits down with Amanda Vandegrift, Deputy CEO of Finance & Administration and Chief Financial Officer at WeGo Public Transit in Nashville.This conversation is part of our “The Doers” series—highlighting transit leaders who are not just setting vision, but actively delivering results on the ground.Amanda shares her unique journey from private-sector consultant—where she helped design Nashville’s “Choose How You Move” ballot initiative—to

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33:56

Do Operators Make the Best Transit Leaders? Lessons...

Transit Unplugged ·

2026/03/18

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort explores a question many transit agencies are asking today: Do operators make the best transit leaders?Paul’s guest, Michael Dylan Pal, Director of Public Transit for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) in Buffalo, has lived that journey firsthand.Pal began his career behind the wheel as a bus operator for New York City Transit, eventually rising through the ranks of the MTA, serving in senior leadership roles across multiple

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29:05

Safer Stations, More Riders: How St. Louis Cut...

Transit Unplugged ·

2026/03/11

Welcome to the first part of a series we're calling "The Doers"!Public safety is one of the most urgent issues facing transit systems today. In this episode of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort sits down with Kevin Scott, Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Security at Bi-State Development / St. Louis Metro Transit, to discuss a bold initiative that is reshaping safety across the region’s light rail network.Scott explains how St. Louis developed its Secure Platform Plan, a

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45:14

Episode 400: Mark Miller on the Origins of Transit...

Transit Unplugged ·

2026/03/04

In this special milestone episode of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort celebrates Episode 400 and nearly a decade of conversations with the leaders shaping public transportation around the world.To kick off the episode, Paul sits down with Mark Miller, President of Constellation Software and Executive Chairman of the Volaris Group. Mark reflects on the early days of the podcast, the thinking behind creating a platform for industry dialogue, and why connecting transit leaders across agencies and

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24:53

"Our Greatest Asset Is Our Employees”: Geisha Ester...

Transit Unplugged ·

2026/02/25

Transit’s future is all about people.In this episode of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort talks with Geisha Ester, Executive Director of the National Transit Institute (NTI) at Rutgers University, about why workforce development has become the industry’s most important investment — and how agencies and professionals can take advantage of it right now.NTI, funded by the Federal Transit Administration, delivers no-cost training for transit professionals across the United States, helping agencies

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38:57

The Real Impact of Transit Research — and How to Use...

Transit Unplugged ·

2026/02/18

Recorded live at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, this special episode of Transit Unplugged tackles a big question: Does research actually improve public transportation?Host Paul Comfort is joined by three leaders who are turning studies into real-world results:Art Guzzetti, Vice President, Policy, American Public Transportation Association (APTA)Kate Ko, PhD, Vice President, WSPMichael Walk, Research Scientist, Texas A&M Transportation InstituteTogether they break down how the

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28:21

"Raise Your Hand." Bridgette Beato on Power,...

Transit Unplugged ·

2026/02/11

Recorded live at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, this episode of Transit Unplugged features a wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation with Bridgette Beato, Chair of WTS (Women’s Transportation Seminar) and Founder and CEO of Lumenor Consulting Group.Bridgette joins host Paul Comfort to unpack the evolving role of women in public transportation—and the systems, networks, and intentional choices that help leaders thrive at every stage of their careers. From

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25:17

"We’re Really Hitting Our Stride.” Roger Harris,...

Transit Unplugged ·

2026/02/04

On this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort is joined by Roger Harris, President of Amtrak, for an in-depth look at what’s driving momentum at America’s national railroad. Roger breaks down a remarkable 2025 for Amtrak—highlighting record ridership, revenue growth, and historic capital investment—and shares what’s ahead in 2026 as the organization stays focused on one core priority: running a great railroad.Paul and Roger explore how Amtrak operates as both a passenger rail provider and a

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32:38

The Transit Guy’s 2026 Outlook: Automation, AI, Night...

Transit Unplugged ·

2026/01/28

Transit Unplugged wraps a six-part “State of Transit” series to kick off 2026, Paul Comfort is joined by Hayden Clarkin — transportation engineer, mobility consultant, Mass Transit Magazine Top 40 Under 40 honoree, and one of the industry’s most-followed voices online, known as “The Transit Guy.” In a wide-ranging conversation from New York City, Paul and Hayden break down the biggest forces shaping transit right now — from automation and AI to Amtrak expansion, station revitalization, and the

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27:41

Halifax, Hydrogen, and the Future of Canadian Transit

Transit Unplugged ·

2026/01/21

What’s the state of transit in Canada right now—and what’s next?In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort sits down with Dave Reage, Chair of the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) and a longtime transit leader with deep experience in Halifax Transit. Dave shares a national view of Canada’s biggest transit priorities—from funding and financial stability to ridership shifts, workforce challenges, and the evolving role of technology and innovation.Dave also reflects on Halifax’s unique

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22:58

Funding, Labor, and Survival: Julie Brown on Transit...

Transit Unplugged ·

2026/01/14

What does 2026 look like for small urban and rural transit agencies across America—and what happens when costs rise faster than funding can keep up?In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort is joined by Julie Brown, General Manager of Rogue Valley Transportation District (RVTD) in southern Oregon, President of the Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA), and Chair of the Oregon Transportation Commission.Julie pulls back the curtain on the real, day-to-day pressures facing

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25:35

Inside the Next Transit Reauthorization with Bennett...

Transit Unplugged ·

2026/01/07

As Transit Unplugged kicks off 2026, host Paul Comfort sits down with Bennett Resnik, Senior Vice President in the Critical Infrastructure Group at Venn Strategies, for a wide-ranging conversation on the federal forces shaping public transportation in the year ahead.This episode marks the first installment in a multi-part State of Transit series, offering listeners a clear, insider perspective from Washington, DC. Bennett brings deep experience from Capitol Hill to break down what transit leaders

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40:57

Looking Ahead: David Zipper on the Forces Shaping...

Transit Unplugged ·

2025/12/31

As Transit Unplugged closes out 2025, host Paul Comfort sits down with David Zipper for a wide-ranging, end-of-year conversation on where public transportation has been — and where it’s headed next. A senior fellow at the MIT Mobility Initiative and one of the most influential transportation voices writing today, David brings a rare perspective shaped by public service, venture capital, academia, and journalism. He has authored more than 200 articles in outlets including Bloomberg, Vox, and The

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34:16

Inside Transit Right Now: Funding, Safety, Mega...

Transit Unplugged ·

2025/12/24

In this Transit Unplugged Insider episode, Paul Comfort sits down with Executive Producer Julie Gates for a wide-ranging, behind-the-scenes conversation on what transit leaders should be paying attention to right now — and what’s coming next. This quarterly Insider edition slows the pace and zooms out, offering context from Washington, conference halls, boardrooms, and agency leadership conversations happening across North America. Top Five Things Every Transit Leader Needs to Know Paul breaks down

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24:58

"We’re looking at developing a national code for...

Transit Unplugged ·

2025/12/17

Canada is investing hundreds of billions of dollars in new transit and passenger rail projects—but until now, there’s been no unified national standards framework to guide how those systems are designed and built.In this episode of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort sits down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic and Cross-Sector Programs at CSA Group (Canadian Standards Association), to explore how Canada is working to change that.Ana-Maria shares how CSA Group—Canada’s national

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28:50

“We’re Ready Now.” – Jay Fox on the 2034 Olympics and...

Transit Unplugged ·

2025/12/10

In this week’s episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort sits down with Jay Fox, Executive Director of the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) — one of the fastest-growing, highest-performing transit agencies in the United States and APTA’s 2025 Transit System of the Year.Jay brings a remarkable background across FAA, FTA, Amtrak, and SEPTA — and now leads the agency serving one of the most dynamic, youthful, and transit-hungry regions in America.Together, Paul and Jay dive into:Preparing for the 2034

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34:32

Stadler U.S. CEO Martin Ritter on Hydrogen Trains,...

Transit Unplugged ·

2025/12/03

This Week on Transit UnpluggedPaul Comfort sits down with Martin Ritter, CEO of Stadler U.S., one of the most innovative and fastest-growing train manufacturers in North America. From a modest foothold in the early 2000s to a nearly 600,000 sq. ft. factory in Utah, Stadler is reshaping how America thinks about rolling stock — and redefining what’s possible in U.S.-based manufacturing.In this conversation, Martin pulls back the curtain on:How Stadler grew from an 18-person Swiss workshop to a

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22:20

This 150-Year-Old "Railway" System Is Betting Big on...

Transit Unplugged ·

2025/11/26

On this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort sits down with Nancy Purser, Acting Director of the Hamilton Street Railway (HSR). After 15 years with the agency, Nancy now leads one of Ontario’s most historic and ambitious transit systems — one that’s preparing for transformative growth.Nancy shares how HSR is executing HSR Next: Moving Hamilton Forward, a seven-year network redesign that will expand service by 50%, add new routes and on-demand zones, and better connect residents — especially

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410 results

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