Transit Research Today

Dianne Schwager, Senior Program Officer of Cooperative Research Programs, at the Transportation Research Board, discusses the research findings of Fare-Free Transit Evaluation Framework with the author Amy Pettine, and Principal at Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates, and two other transit agencies who have implemented fare free transit services, Cristina Barone, Director of Planning & Development, Link Transit, Wenatchee, WA, and Sarah Ingle, Executive Director of Planning at Rhode Island Public Transit Authority, as they explored the evaluating framework, and its impact on the communities it served.

In commemoration of the Transit Cooperative Research Program’s (TCRP) 30th anniversary, TCRP key partners discuss the program’s many achievements and contributions to the public transit industry over the past three decades and look ahead to what the future holds. Guests include: Art Guzetti, American Public Transportation Association; Mary Leary, Federal Transit Administration; Gwen Chisholm-Smith, Transportation Research Board; and Doran Barnes, Foothill Transit and TOPS chair.

Will Rodman, Research Scientist at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, discusses his findings of service models of ADA paratransit service as well as other Demand Responsive Transportation Services provided by small to midsize transit agencies.

Dave Keen, Principal at Keen Independent Research and Janine Kyritsis, Senior Consultant at Keen Independent share their research findings as they surveyed large and small transit agencies across North America to assess how they dealt with diversity, equity and inclusion to achieve fairness for everyone.

Deborah Matherly, Director - Climate, Resilience, & Sustainability, WSP, and author of TCRP Report 225, A Pandemic Playbook for Transportation Agencies discusses the various “plays” agencies should consider when faced with a pandemic. Her findings focus on how transit agencies/DOTs were impacted and how they reacted, and provides examples of how to prepare for the health and safety of employees and the public during a pandemic.

Candace Brakewood, author of TCRP Synthesis 148: Business Models for Mobile Fare Apps and Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee discusses her finding and Tonya Anderson, Senior Product Manager of Electronic Fare Operations at Denver RTD shares how her transit agency implemented the business model.