Transit in Transition
The 2021 UCLA Arrowhead Symposium Series: Transit in Transition considers the current state of public transit in the United States and transit’s options for the future. The pandemic accelerated the pre-existing trend of declining ridership. Transit agencies have built fixed route and rapid transit infrastructure to serve commercial centers and downtowns, but expanding remote work brings uncertainty to recovery of demand in these areas.
The more flexible bus is the workhorse of many transit systems, including Los Angeles, and has catered to lower-income transit users. An enhanced focus on equity often brings additional resources for the bus and meeting the public’s mobility needs through alternative shared mobility options.
How should transit agencies define success? Is it increasing ridership, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, decreasing traffic congestion, providing access to opportunities, or something else? And how do they achieve this success in the future, given broader socio-economic trends that impact transit use?
This event will feature five webinars between Sept. 30 – Oct. 28, 2021. Attendees are eligible to obtain AICP CM Credits.
Schedule of Events
Transit before and during COVID-19
THUR Sept. 30
12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. PT
COVID-19 has exacerbated trends of increasing transit ridership and increasing costs that existed before the pandemic. What has happened? What changes will be short-lived? Which may change transit for the longer term?
Speakers: Regan Patterson, Brian Taylor, Kari Watkins
Money for Transit
THUR Oct. 7
12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. PT
Transit’s finances have been temporarily boosted by a series of federal stimulus bills. California’s budget surplus has also provided additional funding for transit. But what happens after agencies exhaust these one-time infusions of funds?
Speakers: Asha Weinstein Agrawal, Robert Puentes
Transit for People
THUR Oct. 14
12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. PT
Public transit exists to serve people and their mobility needs. This mission as a provider of social service includes addressing societal problems, like homelessness, that occur on transit, enhancing the safety of transit passengers, and ensuring that fares are not a barrier to meeting mobility needs.
Speakers: Tierra Bills, David Bragdon, Therese McMillan, Jessica Meany
Transit Now
THUR Oct. 21
12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. PT
Hear from the Federal Transit Administration about relief specific programs and program changes that will assist transit agencies in their recovery. The past 18 months have brought some of the most significant changes to the FTA’s programs in the past 50 years. What is on the immediate horizon going forward? Doran Barnes, Executive Director of Foothill Transit, will offer a response.
Speakers: Veronica Vanterpool, Felicia James, Bruce Robinson, Doran Barnes
Transit’s Future
THUR Oct. 28
12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. PT
We’ll present the results from two academic approaches to explore the future of public transit and public mobility: the UC ITS Resilient and Innovative Mobility Initiative and UCLA ITS work on the California 100 project.
Speakers: Susan Shaheen, Jeffrey Tumlin, Jacob Wasserman